Everlasting Thoughts

2006-09-27T03:14:00.000-07:00

Ramadan Kareem !!, its here again. May Allah bless us to use the month to secure our places in Jannah(Ameen)
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herez a short story forwarded by my friend Naeem.

The Mountain Story
A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: " AAAhhhhhhhhhhh !!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain:
" AAAhhhhhhhhhhh !!!"
Curious, he yells: " Who are you ?"
He receives the answer: " Who are you ?"
Angered at the response, he screams: " Coward!"
He receives the answer: " Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: " What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: " My son, pay attention ."

And then he screams to the mountain: " I admire you!"
The voice answers: " I admire you !"

Again the man screams: " You are a champion !"
The voice answers: " You are a champion !"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: " People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE .

It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life ;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!

2006-04-18T00:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tasted Jannah?
by Muhammad Alshareef

In Saheeh Muslim (187), Ibn Masood narrates from Rasul Allah - sal Allahualahi wa sallam - the warming story of the last man to escape Hellfire:

His crawl away from Jahannam/Hellfire is filled with face slips into thedirt, a tremoring walk, and a fire that licks him until he finally escapes.

When he is past it, he looks back, horrified, and announces with the loudestvoice, "All praise is due to Allah Who saved me from you." Then he says,most proud, "Verily I have been rewarded with something that no one from thebeginning to the end of creation has been blessed with."

At that moment, a tree glimpses his eye, a tree that was commanded to beraised for him. He quickly raises his hands, "O Allah! Allow me to draw nearto that tree so that I can cool off under its shade and drink from itswater."

Then Allah ta'ala calls him, "O son of Adam! I fear that if I grant you whatyou ask you shall ask for more."

"Nay, O Allah!" pleads the man and testifies that he shall ask no more.
As the man basks in the glory of the tree, another tree is raised, one morebounteous and lush. The man pleads, "O Allah! Allow me to draw near to thattree so that I can cool off under its shade and drink from its water.

Allah then says, "Did you not promise me that you would ask no more? Perhapsif I give it to you, you shall ask for yet more."

The man testifies that he will not and is permitted that tree.

Just then a tree is raised near the doors of Jannah, one bigger and lusher than all the rest. The mans heart sinks.

"O Allah, that tree, that tree, I'll ask for nothing else."

"Did you not promise you would ask for nothing more?"

"After that tree, yaa Allah, nothing more."

He is permitted to draw nearer to the tree and there - as he nears the doors of Jannah - he hears the sounds of it's inhabitants and he leaps, "O Allah! Enter me into Jannah!"

"O son of Adam!" Allah announces. "What shall satisfy you and finish your pleading."

Then Allah offers, "Will it please you if I give you all the treasures and bounty of the entire world and then double it!"

The man's smile shuts off and his eyes lock up. "My Lord, you're the Lord of the universe. Are you mocking me?"

Ibn Mas`ood started laughing. He told his students, "Ask me why I'm laughing. I'm laughing because Rasul Allah laughed when he told us this. And he also asked us, 'Do you know what makes me laugh? I'm laughing for Allah's laughter when he said, "You are the lord of the universe. Are you mocking me?"'"

Allah then tells him, "I'm am not mocking you, rather I am capable of doing whatever I so wish." Allahu Akbar!

Turn to almost every page of the Quran and you'll find mention of Jannah.
Jannah.

Have you ever seen it? Have you ever smelt it? Have you ever touched it? Have you ever tasted it?

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - taught us that in Jannah is that "which no eye has witnessed, no ear has heard, and that which has never been imagined by any human."

Recite the verse if you wish: [And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort of the eye (satisfaction) as reward for what they used to do.] - Surah As Sajdah

Many Muslims tasted the Iman of Jannah. Bilal - Radi Allahu 'anhu - was one of them. His slave master Umayyah would drag Bilal out to the grilling desert at noontime - the fiercest moments of the day. Umayyah would press Bilal to the scalding ground and place a boulder on top of his chest to increase the torture. As his back would melt away Bilal would say nothing but, "Ahad, Ahad." - One, only One"...

Later in his life, companions would see Bilal's scarred back. Tears would well in their eyes and they would ask him how he survived the punishment. Listen to his answer: "The pain of punishment mixed with the sweetness of Iman. I tasted both and the sweetness of Iman overcame everything until I felt no more pain."

Today, let us sample Jannah, as offered to us in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

The Gates of Jannah
Imagine yourself present on the day when the gates of Jannah open with allthe splendor that lies beyond it.

Allah tells us in the Qur'an when the Muttaqoon are escorted to the gates ofJannah by the most handsomest of Angels: "And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds, until - behold - they arrive there. Its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say, 'Peace be upon you! You have done well, so enter (Jannah) and live in it eternally.'"

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alahi wa sallam - spoke to the Sahaabah about the gates of Jannah. He mentioned the gate of prayers, the gate of Jihad, the gate of Siyam, and the gate of charity.

Abu Bakr asked with the desire that took him to where he reached in Iman, "Fidaaka Abee wa Umee, will anyone be called from all gates?"

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alahi wa sallam - said, "Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them."

The Shade in Jannah
Imagine yourself in Jannah, cooling shade, water springs surrounding you, andfruits dipping in hands reach.

Allah tells us: "Indeed, the Muttaqoon will be amid shades and springs / And fruits from whatever they desire / Eat and drink to your hearts content for what you used to do (in the Dunya) / Such we certainly reward the doers of good." - Surah al-Mursalaat 77/41-44
The Ambience in Jannah
Imagine yourself - face shining with joy, glad that you woke up for Fajr all those days, glad you payed your Zakah, glad you wore Hijaab all those summer days. This is what the atmosphere is like in Jannah:

"Faces that day will be joyful (radiant) * Satisfied with the effort that put (in the Dunya) * In an elevated garden * Where they shall hear no unsuitable speech." - Surah Al-Ghaashiyah 88/8-11

Jannah doesn't have any gossip, no did you hear about brother so and so - did you see what sister so and so is wearing.
Jannah the greatest gift
In Masjid an-Nabawee, I had been reciting the Qur'an to Shaykh MuhammadAhmad Ma'bad for over a year. Finally when the time of the Khatm al-Quran came, I brought a recorder to the Halaqah and told him that I wanted to record the Khatm and the du'a for my mother who was in Canada.

When he made dua, he prayed for my parents saying, "O Allah! Bless Muhammad's parents with crowns of Noor/Light on the Day of repayment!"

A month later in Canada, when I was handing out gifts, for my mother I pulledout this tape. She took it and listened to the entire thing. When my mother heard this dua, she sat crying. She told me, "This is the greatest gift I could have gotten."

Truly Jannah is the greatest gift one can get.

"(Indeed Jannah) is the greatest attainment!"

Part II:

The inhabitants of Jannah:
"You can tell in their faces the radiance of the blessing."

The inhabitants of Jannah shall be in: "Gardens and rivers..."

The inhabitants of Jannah are: "most pleased with what Allah gave them from His bounty."

Dear brothers and sisters, Jannah is the fruit of a seed planted in this Dunya. It is the retirement package that you save up in all your years of work.

There once lived a pious man who was enslaved to a wicked master. The rightous slave wanted to teach his master a lesson that he would not forget, a lesson that would make him change his ways.

The Master told him one day to plant wheat. The slave took the opportunity. He went and collected seeds of barley and planted them. As the season drew near, the master was enraged to see that after all this work and time the slave had planted the wrong seed. In his thrashing rage, he scolded the slave saying, "Why did you do this?"

The righteous slave said, "I had hope that the barley seeds would come out aswheat."

The Master said, "How can you plant barley seeds and expect it to come out aswheat?"

The slave stopped and said quietly, "How can you disobey Allah and expect forHis bounteous mercy? How can you openly challenge his Deen and hope for Jannah."

The Master was stunned and silent. He understood. "You have taught me something today that I had never realized. You are free for the sake of Allah."

A poet said:
"There is no home for a man after deathExcept that which he used to build before he diedIf he built it with bricks of good deedsThen the architecture shall come out beautifulAnd if he built it with evilIts architect will fall into ruin"

Dear brothers and sisters, do you know what the greatest blessing for the inhabitants of Jannah is? Don't let any laziness in Salah block you from being here. Don't let anything ANYTHING stand between you and this blessing:

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alahi wa sallam - told us, "When the inhabitants of Jannah enter Jannah, Allah will ask them all, 'Is there anything that I can give you more?'. They will say, 'Have you not illuminated our faces? Have you not entered us into Jannah? Have you not saved us from Hellfire?' Then Allah will uncover the veil (and all shall see Allah). After that moment there would nothing more beloved to them than seeing their Lord." - narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.

Lets go home today driving towards Jannah!

"O Allaah, I seek refuge in you from knowledge which does not benefit, from aheart which does not feel humble, from a soul that does not feel contended and from an invocation that is not answered."

Source: Imaan.net

2006-02-28T03:03:00.000-08:00

Regarding Trusts Written by Abu Saifillah

The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

"Return trusts to the ones who entrusted them to you and do not cheat those who cheat you."

Oh dear Muslims, the responsibility of keeping trusts or things entrusted to you are from the very acts of worship that we worship Allaah with.

As Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) said in His great book:

"Verily! Allaah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allaah) gives you! Truly, Allaah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer." (An-Nisaa', 4:58)

And Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) spoke about those who keep up their trusts, and promised those who guard that which they are entrusted with 'paradise' by His saying:

"Those who are faithfully true to their Amanat (all the duties which Allaah has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility and trusts etc.) and to their covenants." (Al-Mu'minoon, 23:8)

Yes these people will inherit paradise.

"Who shall inherit the Firdaus (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever." (Al-Mu'minoon, 23:11)

And the part of Paradise they will inherit is the most highest, 'Al-Firdaus'.

So my dear Muslim, being entrusted with a trust is something extremely important and serious and not an unimportant matter. As Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) mentions in His book:

"Truly, We did offer Al-Amaanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allaah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allaah's Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results)." (Al-Ahzaab, 33:72)

So look Oh Muslims see how the most greatest of creations refused to take this trust (the skies, the earth and the mountains), but the smallest of creation carried it, the weakest of creation carried it because of its ignorance (of what it entails) and his being unjust.

Also my dear Muslims know! Al-Amaanah "this trust" will be standing by the side of the 'Siraat' on the day of judgement waiting to demand its right from the one who did not return it or cheated on the side of the 'Siraat' just before you climb upon it. So how will you cross it when you have these rights (trusts) to deal with? As based on the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah in Muslim.

Beware oh believers, this is dangerous, so guard the trust, and give them back just as you were given them, in completeness. And know!! Oh slaves of Allaah that the 'trusts of Allaah' are the greatest of trusts (that you have been entrusted with). Verily it is the obedience of the Sharee'ah of Allaah, verily it is carrying out the orders and abandoning the prohibited, verily it is a trust which the skies and earth and the mountains had declined.

So every obligation that Allaah has placed upon us is a (trust) and every prohibition He has prohibited is a (trust) to carry out.

And whoever passes this completion of the trust will succeed in entering Paradise and being saved from the Hellfire.

So be aware my dear Muslims, for indeed cheating in that which is entrusted to you and being unmindful of the trust is nifaaq (hypocrisy).

"The signs of a munaafiq are three. If he speaks he lies, if he promises he breaks it, if he is entrusted he cheats."

Also the hadeeth:

"Four things if found in a person he is a pure munaafiq and whoever has one of these branches, then he has a branch of hypocrisy until he leaves it. If he is entrusted he cheats, if he speaks he lies, if he makes an oath he opposes it, and if he argues he explodes."

Also if we keep our trusts then we should not lie as Allaah's Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

"Do not lie, because it is just like a trust, which a Muslim does not cheat in or be unmindful of."

So being entrusted Muslims includes:

1) Entrusted by Allaah is obligation – da’wah.
2) Entrusted again by Allaah who married you - your wives are a trust.
3) Your children are a trust.
4) Your family are a trust.
5) Your Muslim community are a trust.
6) Your role in da’wah is a trust.
7) Your role in teaching is a trust.
8) And your work is a trust.

Source: calltoislam.com

2006-02-13T06:31:00.000-08:00

True Love for the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
Written by Abu Saifillah
With the despicable portrayal of the Prophet Mohammad (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) by some evil Danish journalists, then other than them, it becomes necessary to explain to the Muslims who are numb, or unhurt by this attack on the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) exactly how they should be feeling. I hope the information below will be of some benefit to all.

My dear respected brothers and sisters, we are living today in an era very different from that of the companions (radee Allaahu ‘anhum). Those illustrious companions truly loved the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Their love for him was like our love for our children when they are so small and in need of us and do everything to please us.

For us to be successful like the companions our love for him (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) must supersede our love for our children and our wealth and our property.

‘Umar ibn al-Khataab said to the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “Verily I love you more than anything in this world except myself.” The Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to him: “No O ‘Umar, verily you do not truly believe until you love me more than your own self.” Then ‘Umar said: “Then I love you more than the whole world and myself.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)

Allaah said:

“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allaah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’.” (Aali Imran 3:31)

This love they had for the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) led them to be loved by Allaah, as Allaah confirmed in His saying:

“And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhaajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madeenah) and the Ansaar (the citizens of al-Madeenah who helped and gave aid to the Muhaajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” (At-Tawbah 9:100)

This love they had for Allaah Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) led them to be leaders and successors in the earth as Allaah confirmed in his saying:

“Allaah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them...” (An-Nur 24:55)

In this day and age in this era where Islam is being attacked, Muslims are being humiliated and Muslim land is being taken from them by monkeys and pigs, we are in need of TRULY LOVING THE MESSENGER OF ALLAAH (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). We only have to look into our own selves and we can see how little we love the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Or what a big lie we tell ourselves – that we love Allaah’s Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

The yard stick is clear – we can measure our love to see if it is TRUE as we claim, to see if we are contributing to the victory, success and establishment of Islam in the earth or not. The measurement is the companions. Let us examine the degree of their love for the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) which earned them Allaah’s love, which earned them establishment, success, and victory in the earth. They are the measurement because Allaah said:

“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination.” (An-Nisa 4:115)

Abu Bakr as-Sadeeq (radee Allaahu ‘anhu)

Abu Bakr (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) and the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) were the last to leave Makkah to perform the hijra. The quraish were chasing behind him they wanted to catch and kill them. None caught up with them except Suraaq bin Maalik bin Jasham he was about 2 or 3 spears throws away. Abu Bakr looked at him and began to fear for the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and said: “Look O Messenger of Allaah this rider has caught up with us.” The Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not fear Allaah is with us.” Then he approached closer, and that’s when Abu Bakr’s love of the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came apparent he began to cry and said: “The searcher has caught up with us.” The Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Why are you crying?” He replied: “By Allaah I am not crying for myself but I am crying for you.”

When Abu Bakr as-Sadeeq (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) became the khalifa, a group of the Arabs raised their swords against the Muslims, they thought that now the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was gone that they could take over the Muslims. Amongst them were munafiqs, pagans, and apostates. They saw the Muslims as being weak.

Before the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) died he ordered an army accompanied by Usaamah (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) to be sent to Shaam to fight the pagans there. But this was all on hold when he became ill. Abu Bakr (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) dispatched this army saying: “The Messenger of Allaah had ordered this when he was alive and I will dispatch this army even if birds of prey would snatch me away, even if their remained no one in there town but me.” He unsheathed his sword and walked out.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radee Allaahu ‘anhu)

When the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) passed away the news had shocked the people Abu Bakr (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) wept and kissed him on the forehead, ‘Alee (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) overwhelmed by emotion left Madeenah and was unseen for days. ‘Umar ibn al-khattaab (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) refused to believe he was dead – his love for the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) reached that level where he would not believe that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) had died.

One narration said when the news came to ‘Umar (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) of the death of the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) his legs collapsed and he fell to the ground, in another narration he said: “Whoever says the messenger is dead I will take off his head.” Until Abu Bakr stood in front of the people and announced the verse:

“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)?” (Aali Imran 3:144)

Then the companions (radee Allaahu ‘anhum) said: “When Abu Bakr (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) read this verse it was as though this verse had just been revealed and we had not known it before. Then Allaah placed sakeenah in our hearts.”

The Women at the Time of the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

A women came to the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) accompanied by her daughter who was wearing two heavy gold bangles on her hands. The prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to her: “Are you paying Zakaat for them?” She replied: “No.” He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then said: “Are you pleased that Allaah may replace them with two bangles of fire on the day of resurrection?” Thereupon she took them off and placed them before the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: “They are for Allaah. And his Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).”

See how much this woman loved the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), she did not limit herself to what he said and pay Zakaat on them; rather, she took them off and presented them in charity for the sake of Allaah Most High.

In the famous hadeeth where the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) announced to the Muslims to bring whatever they have of sadaqa for a forthcoming expedition. A woman offered her baby child to the messenger, he said: “And what will I do with this baby?” The woman replied: “Oh Messenger of Allaah, when an arrow comes your way then place my child in front of it.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)

‘Anas bin an–Nadr (radee Allaahu ‘anhu)

After the battle of Badr, the companions were talking to each other about other companions bravery and battle skills and fierceness in fighting. Anas bin an-Nadr (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) took an oath and said: “If Allaah allows me to fight in his cause then you all will see how I will fight.”

Then the battle of Uhud came about and ‘Anas (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) prepared himself and when the battle came to its most heated moment news had spread that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was dead, some of the Muslims sat down. He came to them and said: “What makes you sit down?” They said: The Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has died.” He said to them: “Then what are you doing with your lives, rise and fight and die for what the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) died for.” (Seera bin Hishaam)

In another narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree narrated from ‘Anas bin Maalik (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) (of this same story) who said:

“When the Muslims fled the battle of Uhud ‘Anas bin an-Nadr said: ‘Oh Allaah I apologise to you for what they have done, and I denounce what these pagans have done.’ He then advanced and Saad bin Muaad (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) met him, he (‘Anas bin an-Nadr) said: ‘O Saad bin Muaad, by the lord of an-Nadr I smell paradise coming from this side of Uhud.’ He fought and fought until he was killed. He done this for Allaah thinking that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was killed, his love for the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) led him to this degree.

They found his body and there were more than 80 wounds in it from swords and arrows, they said: “We found his body mutilated so badly that only his sister could recognize him by his fingers.” ‘Anas bin Maalik (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) said then the following verse was revealed concerning him and others of his calibre:

“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allaah [i.e. they have gone out for Jihaad (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers], of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred), and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allaah] in the least.” (Al-Ahzab 33:23)

Brothers and sisters we should be afraid that despite our claim to love for Allaah’s Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) we have become from those who Allaah has mentioned in the following verse:
“They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones.” (Al-A'raf 7:179)
Source: calltoislam.com

2005-11-01T23:20:00.000-08:00

Are These Deserving of Zakah?

Q. A friend of mine who lives with his parents, wife and children in a rented home is asked either to vacate this home or buy it. If he uses all his own and his parents’ savings as well as his wife’s jewelry, he will still need more for the purchase of his home. Can he be helped with zakah money, and by how much? It so happened that this friend has applied for his parents to travel to pilgrimage. If he is to buy his home, he will not be able to send them. How does this affect the situation? Sometimes, when zakah is given to some poor people, objections are raised saying that these people have some articles like a TV, a washing machine, etc. in their homes, and as such do not qualify to benefit by zakah. Is it also right to give zakah money to one’s own domestic servant?

A. It is perfectly permissible to help this person to buy his home. This will relieve the family from much pressure. Islam encourages the ownership of one’s own home because this is the proper way to meet one of the essential needs of life. Moreover, when the family has its own home, it will be in a better situation, and it can make some savings. Thus, the breadwinner of the family, your friend, will in time be a zakah payer. This is the very concept of zakah: To make people self-sufficient so that there situation becomes better, and such betterment leads eventually to them becoming zakah payers. Even paying the entire price to buy a home for a poor family can be made from zakah. There is no restriction on how we help the poor with zakah until they are no longer poor.
Paying for his parents’ pilgrimage is a very commendable act by this man. However, since he now needs to buy his home, this takes priority over his parents’ pilgrimage. To start with, the pilgrimage is not a binding duty on his parents as they cannot afford it themselves. A home for his family, where his parents will also live, is a more essential need. Hence, it takes priority. Therefore, he can withdraw the application, or if he cannot, when approval is given, his parents can always decline.
As to who is poor or needy, this is a social aspect which society defines. Generally speaking, those who do not have enough to lead a decent life are poor. We cannot establish a criterion on the basis of what people should have. Having a washing machine, for example, may be a necessity for a particular family, because the mother cannot do the washing manually as she has young children, or suffers poor health, or for any reason. It is also wrong to say that since a certain family has a television or computer set, then it cannot be helped with zakah. The point is whether they have enough for their living needs or not.
In most cases, domestic servants are among the poorest of people and they often support their families. Hence, they deserve to be helped with zakah. However, each case should be assessed on its own merits. If a domestic servant works for you, then she has a better claim to be helped by you.

(Source Arabnews.com)

2005-10-26T23:56:00.000-07:00

The Story of Abu Ghayth al-Makki and his wife Lubabah
Dr. Abu 'Abd Ar-Razzaq
Translated by: Ibrahim Hindy

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

From the signs of truthfulness is fear of Allah and asceticism in life; for the truthful with conviction fears consuming from what is impermissible and bears poverty and hardship for the sake of Islam. If he commits sin then he does not sleep until he returns to his Lord and repents, in order to free himself from the sin, and its burden.

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari: I was in Makkah during the season of Hajj and I saw a man from Khurasaan calling out to the people: “Oh pilgrims, oh people of Makkah – from those who are present and those far off, I have lost a pouch that contains a thousand dinars. So whoever returns the pouch, Allah will reward them with good, save them from the hell fire, and His bounty and favors will be acquired on the Day of Accounting (Day of Judgment).”
An old man from the people of Makkah approached him and said: “Oh Khurasaani, our city is in a very tough condition, and the days of hajj are few, and its season is appointed, and the doors of profit-making are closed. This money might fall in the hands of a believer who is poor and old in age. Maybe he plans to give it if you make a promise that you will give him a little bit of money that is halal (permissible) for him to use.”
The Khurasaani said: “How much does he want?”

The old man said: “He wants one-tenth of the money (a hundred dinars).”

The Khurasaani said: "No. I will not grant him the money and instead I will take my case to Allah, and complain to Him on the day we meet Him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: “I realized that it was the old man is poor, and he was the one who took the pouch of dinars and wishes to have a little portion of it. So I followed him until he returned to his home. My assumptions were confirmed. I heard him calling onto his wife:”Oh Lubabah.”

She said: “I am at your service, O Abu Ghayth.”

The old man said: I found the owner of the dinars calling for it, and he does not intend to give any reward to the person who finds it. I said to him “Give us a hundred dinars and he refused and said he would take his case to Allah. What should I do O Lubabah? I must return it, for I fear my Lord, and I fear that my sin is multiplied.

His wife said to him: Oh Man! We have been struggling and suffering from poverty with you for the last 50 years, and you have 4 daughters, 2 sisters, my mother and I, and you are the ninth. Keep all the money and feed us for we are hungry, and clothe us for you know better our situation. Perhaps Allah, the All-Mighty, will make you rich afterwards and you might be able to give the money back after you fed your children, or Allah will pay the amount you owe on the day when the kingdom will belong to the King (Allah).

He said to her: Will I consume haram after 86 years of my life, and burn my organs with fire after I have been patient with my poverty, and become worthy of Allah anger, even though I am close to my grave?! No, By Allah, I will not do so!

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: I left with amazement concerning his condition and that of his wife. At a later point during the day, I heard the owner of the pouch calling out...

Saying: “O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."

The old man said: Oh Khurasaani, I have addressed you the other day and advised you that our land is low on cultivation, so reward the person who found the pouch so that he is not tempted to break the laws of Allah. I have advised you to pay the person who finds it a hundred dinars but you refused. If your money falls into hands of a person who fears Allah the All-Mighty, will you give him 10 dinars at least, instead of a 100?

The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: The people dispersed and left. Later on during the hours of the day, once again, the Khurasaani made the same call, saying:

“O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."

The old man came again and said: O Khurasaani, I said to you the day before yesterday to reward the finder a hundred dinars and you refused. Then I advised you to give him ten dinars and you refused, so will you give only one dinar so that he can buy with half of it things he needs and with the other half, sheep milk, so that he can give to the people and feed his children?

The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “

The old man angrily said: Come you, and take your money so that I can sleep at night, for I have not had a good mood ever since I found this money.

Ibn Jarir said: So the old man went with the owner of the money and I followed them until the old man entered his house, dug a hole and pulled out the money and said: Take your money and ask Allah to forgive me and bless me from His bounty.

The Khurasaani took the money and intended to leave, but when he reached the door he said: O old man, my father died, May Allah have mercy on him, and left behind three thousand dinars and said to me: Take out a third of this money and give it to a person from the people who is most deserving of it. Therefore I tied it in a pouch so that I may spend it on someone who is worthy of it. By Allah, I have not seen a person, since I left Khurasaan until now, who is more worthy of it then you. So take it, May Allah’s blessing be upon you, and May He reward for the trust you kept, and your patience during poverty. The Khurasaani man left without the money.

The old man wept and prayed to Allah, saying: May Allah bless the owner of the money in his grave, and May Allah bless his son.

Ibn Jarir said: I left after the Khurasaani but Abu Ghayth (the old man) followed me and brought me back. He asked me to sit down, and said: I have seen you following me since the first day; you have come to know of our situation yesterday and today. I have heard that the Prophet said: "If you are gifted from the provision of Allah, without begging or asking, then accept it and do not reject it." So this is a gift from Allah to all those attending.

The old man called: O Lubabah, O so and so, O so and so. He called on his daughters and his sisters and wife and her mother, and sat down and made me sit down. We were 10. He opened the bag, and said spread your clothing over your laps.

So I (Ibn Jarir) did, but the girls did not have proper clothing that would enable them to do that, so they extended their hands. The old man gave dinar by dinar in order until he reached me (Ibn Jarir) and said: "Here is a dinar." The process continued until the bag was empty and I received a hundred dinars.

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: So joy filled my heart because of the provision they received more then the joy I had because I received a hundred dinars.
When I was leaving the old man said: O young man. You are blessed; keep this money with you for it is halal. And know that I use to wake up for Fajr prayer with this wet shirt. After I was done I would take it off, and give it so that my daughters can pray - one by one. Then I would go to work between Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer and then I would come back at the end of the day with what Allah has given me from dates and dry pieces of bread. Then I would take off my clothes for my daughters and they would pray Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer, and the same would happen for the Maghrib and Isha prayers. And we did not ever expect to see this kind of money. So may Allah make us make good use of them, and may Allah bless the person in his grave and multiply the reward for him.

Ibn Jarir said: So I greeted him goodbye, and took the hundred dinars and used them to write knowledge for two years! I used it to buy paper and pay rent and after sixteen years I returned to Makkah and inquired about the old man. I was told that he died a few months after the incident that occurred between us. His wife died, along with her mother, and his 2 sisters. The only ones that remained were the daughters whom, when I asked about, found that they were married to kings and Princes. I dropped by and they honored me as a guest and treated me kindly until they died also. So May Allah bless them in their graves.

{That will be an admonition given to him who believes in Allâh and the Last Day. And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things. (At-Talaq 65: 2-3)

Source : Islamway.com

2005-10-26T04:06:00.000-07:00

Network Marketing: Deception All the WayEdited by Adil Salahi

Q. In network marketing, a person buys some products from a company at a very low cost, because the purchase is directly from the manufacturer. The deal makes him a member of a network whose task is to “spread the word” about the product and look for prospective members, who are usually drawn from among friends and family. What happens then is that he earns profit from his direct sales and also a percentage of profit from the sales of members that were recruited under his name. He then develops a ranking, depending on the number of recruits he secures. The higher his ranking, the greater his profit but the less is his effort as he would have many people working under him. What does Islam say to such an arrangement?
Abd Al-Rasheed
A. There are many forms of business these days which depend on persuading people to work as peddlers, selling goods to friends, colleagues and family in order to get a commission or a percentage. Different ways of temptation are placed in people’s way so as to get them to act in this way. This could be an initial sale at a low price, or a promise of receiving a commission, or a regular draw for prizes, etc. The whole scheme is described in tempting terms, speaking about the “ease” with which the customer could recover his initial payment, or make profit on future sales.
In this case, the temptation is to get so many people working in a network while the first one to start this network gets a commission based on their success in recruiting more customers. The question that should be asked here is whether the system does not run into the difficulty it seeks to overcome?
If the idea is to keep the price very low by cutting out both the wholesaler and the retailer, does it not create in their place a host of sellers each of whom is receiving a commission? Obviously, not everyone is buying directly from the manufacturer, but they form a sort of a hierarchy with some recruiting others, and the people at the top are getting commissions from all under them.
Yet in the many layers of salespersons, everyone is getting a commission. How much do these commissions add to the cost? How come the price is always kept low?
Besides, how many recruits can an ordinary person, who is not normally engaged in business, provide? If the product concerned were so tempting and appealing, because of its low price, why would the manufacturer need such a host of peddlers? Why does it not target its advertising to the end users, keeping the price low?
On the other hand, if we assume that one person is very successful in finding customers, who would in turn be trying to recruit others, why should he benefit by their efforts when he is no longer involved in their activities? They will be working hard trying to win new customers, while he is at the end receiving a commission for their efforts. This seems odd, as there is little effort on the part of that person.
Moreover, when someone he has recruited recruits another, is the new recruit added to his own pool? Can he keep a check on this? Or is it merely part of the lure put in his way in the first place, without meaning anything in reality?
The fact is that there is much deception by the manufacturer to get their recruits of salesmen. Not only so, but the deception spreads as these salesmen try to get others to do the same, so that they will earn their commissions.
As the hierarchy spreads, the deception becomes greater and more widespread. Islam forbids deals that involve lack of clarity, let alone deception. Here we have both and in quite a considerable measure. Hence, I feel that the whole exercise is unacceptable from the Islamic point of view.

(Source Arab news)

2005-10-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Last Ten Days of Ramadan
By Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

‘Aa’ishah said: “When the last ten days (of Ramadan) would come, the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘‘alayhi wa sallam) would spend his night in worship, wake his family (at night), exert himself and tighten his Izaar (waistcloth).” [1]
This hadeeth is proof that the last ten days of Ramadan have a special virtue over any other (set of days), in which one should increase in obedience and acts of worship, such as prayer, making dhikr (remembrance) and reciting the Qur’aan.
‘Aa’ishah has described our Prophet and role model, Muhammad (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), with four attributes:
1. He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would “spend his night in worship”, meaning he would not sleep during it. Thus, he (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would remain awake throughout it in worship and he would liven his soul by spending the night in sleeplessness. This is since sleep is the brother of death. The meaning of “spend his night” is that he (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would spend all of it in the state of qiyaam (night prayer) and performing acts of worship that are done for the sake of Allaah, Lord of the worlds. We must remember that the last ten days of Ramadan are fixed and numbered.
As for what has been reported concerning the forbiddance of spending the entire night in prayer, which has been mentioned in the hadeeth of ‘Abdullaah ibn 'Amr, then it is in regards to someone who does that consistently throughout every night of the year.
2. He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would “wake up his family” meaning his (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) pure wives, the Mothers of the Believers, so that they may take part in the profiting of good, the dhikr (remembrance) and the acts of worship during these blessed times.
3. He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would “exert himself”, meaning he (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would persevere and struggle in worship, adding more to his deeds than what he had done in the first twenty days (of Ramadan). He only did this because the night of al-Qadr occurs during one of these (last ten) days.
4. He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would “tighten his Izaar (waistcloth)” meaning he would exert himself and struggle intensely in worship. It is also said that it means he (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would withdraw from women. This seems to be more correct since it inclines with what was mentioned previously and with the hadeeth of Anas: “He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would rollup his bed and withdraw from women (i.e. his wives).” [2]
Also, he (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would observe ‘Itikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadan and the person who is in the state of ‘Itikaaf is restricted from interacting (sexually) with women.
So, O Muslim brother, strive to characterize yourself with these attributes. And guard the prayer you make in the depths of the night (tahajjud) with the Imaam in addition to the Taraweeh prayer (which is prayed in the early parts of the night), so that your exertion in these last ten days may go beyond that of the first twenty. And so that you may achieve the attribute of “spending the night in worship” by praying.
And you must be patient in your obedience to Allaah, for indeed, the tahajjud (night) prayer is difficult, but its reward is great. By Allaah, it is a great opportunity in ones life and a profitable thing to take advantage of, for the one whom Allaah grants it to. And a person does not know if perhaps he will encounter one of Allaah's many rewards during the night prayer, thus serving as assistance for him in this world and in the Hereafter.
The righteous predecessors of this Ummah would lengthen the prayer at night, exerting themselves. As-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed said: “Umar ibn al-Khattaab ordered Ubay bin Ka’ab and Tameem ad-Daaree to lead the people in prayer with eleven rak'at. The reciter would recite one hundred verses, to the point that we had to lean upon wooden staffs due to the long standing. And we would not stop until the early parts of Fajr.” [3]
'Abdullaah ibn Abee Bakr reported: “I heard my father (i.e. Abu Bakr) say: ‘During Ramadan, we would finish (the night prayer) late and we would hurry the servants to present the food (of suhoor) for fear that Fajr (morning) would come upon us’.” [4]
There are two struggles of the soul that the believer faces during Ramadan: the struggle by day with fasting and the struggle by night with qiyaam (night prayer). So whosoever combines these two and fulfils their rights, then he is amongst the patient - those who will “be given their reward in full without any reckoning.” [5]
These ten days are the last part of the month and a person's actions are based on his last ones. So perhaps, he will encounter the night of al-Qadr, while standing in prayer for Allaah and thus have all his past sins forgiven.
And one must incite, animate and persuade his family to perform acts of worship, especially in these great times in which no one neglects it except that he has been deprived. What is more incredible than this is that while the people are performing prayer and making tahajjud, some individuals spend their time in forbidden gatherings and sinful events. This is indeed the greatest loss. We ask Allaah for his protection.
Therefore, embarking on these last days means entering into the profiting from righteous deeds in what remains of the month. From the unfortunate matters is to see that some people excel in righteous actions, such as prayer and recitation of the Qur'aan, in the first part of the month, but then signs of fatigue and weariness begin to show on them afterwards, especially when the last ten days of Ramadan come in. And this in spite of these last ten days possesses a greater standing than the first ones. Thus, one must persevere in striving and struggling and increase his worship when the end of the month draws near. And we must keep in mind that a person's actions are based on his last ones.
Footnotes:
[1] Al-Bukhaaree (4/269) & Muslim (1174)[2] See Lataa'if-ul-Ma'aarif, P. 219[3] See al-Muwatta, Vol. 1, P. 154[4] Muwatta of Imaam Maalik, Vol. 1, P. 156[5] Surat-uz-Zumar: 15
Source: al-meezaan.com

2005-10-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

One day Ibrahim Adham was passing through the bazaar in the city of Basra when he was surrounded by people who said to him: "O Ibrahim! Allah has stated in the miraculous Qur'an that: "Call Me and thou shall be answered"; we call upon Him bout our prayer is not answered.
Ibrahim said: "The reason is because your hearts have died due to ten things so that your supplications have no sincerity as your hearts are not pure and free of contamination."
They asked: "What are those ten issues?" He replied:
01:- First and foremost you have accepted Allah but have not repaid His claim.
02:- You have recited the miraculous Qur'an but have not practised it.
03:- You profess your love of the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.), but are opposed to his Household (A.S.).
04:- You claim to have enmity with Satan but in practice you are in agreement with him.
05:- You say that you are fond of heaven but in order to enter heaven you have not done anything.
06:- You said that you were afraid of the Fire of Hell, but have thrown your bodies in to it.
07:- You were busy slandering and criticizing people but were ignorant of your own shortcomings and faults.
08:- You said that you didn't like the world but are greedily following it.
09:- You confess to the reality of death but don't prepare yourself for it.
10:- You have buried the dead but haven't taken a lesson or guidance from it.
These are the 10 practices which cause prayers to remain unanswered.

2005-10-05T01:08:00.000-07:00

this is an excerpt from the khutbah:
30 day Shaytan-free Trial

...People are often making excuses for their unwillingness to change (for the better). Sometimes they blame the shaytan, sometimes their nafs (desires), and other times exclaim that “it’s just too hard.” Let us discuss these issues in some detail, inshaAllah.

Firstly, you have the people who always blame the shaytan for everything. For those people, alhamdulillah, we have the “30 day Shaytan-free Trial.” It’s now up to them what they want to do with this offer.

Next are the people who blame their inner lusts and desires that enslave them, and eventually drive them to do things that they know they shouldn’t do. A practical step in dealing with this problem is to ‘avoid’ the sin instead of ‘fighting’ it. If a person has a drinking problem, instead of going to a party where there is 1) alcohol and 2) people who like to drink, this person should take a detour and avoid the party all-together.

And then there are those people who cry that “it’s just too hard,” when, in reality, they have made absolutely no effort to change. It’s said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. How many steps have you taken to earn paradise?

We can conclude that people often blame everything but their own willingness to change.
May Allah protect us and have mercy on us.

If one is willing to change, there is no better time, as Ramadan is a month of change; gates of Paradise are wide-open, gates of Hell are locked, shayateen are chained-up, halaal becomes haraam (eating during the day), sunnah is (rewarded as) fardh, fardh is multiplied manifold, the seriousness of sinning is greater, peoples’ greed, envy, and gossip becomes generosity, love and remembrance of the Exalted and Majestic.

Allah has changed so much for us so that we can turn to Him, but how much of an effort will we make?

Brothers and sisters, how many speeches have you heard about Ramadan in khutbahs, halaqas, and lectures? Some of us have heard so many that they cannot be enumerated. This fact illustrates the importance of this virtuous month. Today, we are four days away from Ramadan, and I can assure you that every minbar (pulpit) in every corner of the world is proclaiming the greatness of this month.

In fact, had we understood the status of this month, we would have wished that Ramadan was all year long.

Brothers and sisters, think of Ramadan as a train that will take you from this pathetic, lowly station to the next. And the following year, the same train will take you from that station to the next. But if you miss the train this year, you will always be one station behind. So it is imperative that we take some time to gather our belongings and prepare for the train that’s arriving at our station very soon, lest it passes us by.

Following are some tips on preparing for this month, so that inshaAllah we can make the most of it.

Remember, firstly, that just as an investor waits for the news that a stock will multiply before he invests, we wait for the perfect opportunity to invest our time and energy. During Ramadan, there is a projected profit of 70,000%. In other words, your investment will multiply 700 times. And did I mention this was a guaranteed profit…no risk involved!

1) Read Quran – start reading Quran as often as possible, because it’ll help you 1) pickup speed and 2) make time for it in your schedule.

2) Make a list of Duas – Duas of three people are not rejected; one of them is the fasting person when he breaks his fast. Iftar time is usually very hectic, and even IF we have the time to make dua, we often times cant remember what to pray for. We should pray for our physical, emotional, spiritual well-being, and for the well-being of our families and friends (muslim AND non-muslim), and the Ummah of Muhammad (saw), and for our needs (from a spouse to a shoe-lace, not to mention everything in between). From experience, I’ve learned that the best way to remember all these things is to write them down, and sit with your family five minutes before Iftar and make dua, whether collectively or individually.

3) Start changing habits – like I said earlier, the seriousness of sins increases during Ramadan; last thing you want is to be sinning unconsciously. It’s good to start changing habits now; whether its long hours on the internet, watching TV, or smoking. In fact, unplugging the TV, wrapping it in a cloth, and placing it in storage is really helpful.

4) Do all chores NOW – Ramadan seconds are valuable and wasting them in grocery stores, barber shops, and laundromats is just foolish.

Oh worshippers of Ramadan, know that Ramadan will end. Glad tidings to the worshippers of Allah, as He has no end, the Majestic, the Exalted.

Enjoy the ride and see you at the next station.

Source: http://forums.almaghrib.org

2005-07-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

From the Sayings of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood - 1
Ash Shaykh Al Imaam Al ‘Alaamah Ibnu Qayyim Al Jawzeeyah
A man in the company of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood said: “I do not wish to be from amongst the companions of the Right Hand, I wish to be from amongst the Muqaraboon (those who are brought close (to Allaah)!
So ‘Abdulllaah said: "But here is a man who wishes that if he died he would not be resurrected [from fear of Allaah]." Meaning himself.
He left his house one-day and people followed him, so he said to them: "Is there anything that you need?"
They said: "No, but we want to walk with you."
He said: "Go back, because it is lowly /dishonorable for the follower and a Fitnah for the one being followed.
He also said "If you knew about me what I know about myself, you would pour sand over my head."
“None of you should make Taqleed (blindly follow) another man in regards to his religion, if he [one being followed] believes then he believes and if he disbelieves then he disbelieves. If you had to blindly follow someone, then take those who have passed away as examples, for indeed those who are alive are not safe from Fitnah.”
“Look for you heart it three places:
1. When you are listening to the Quraan,2. in the circles of remembrance [of Allaah]3. and when you are alone.
If you don’t find it in these places, then ask Allaah to bless you with a heart for indeed you have no heart.”
“Indeed people have become proficient in speech, so he whose deeds are in accordance to his speech, then he is the one that will attain his portion of reward, and he whose deeds are in opposition to his speech, then he is one that only rebukes himself.”
“Truly I believe that a man forgets knowledge that he once possessed due to a sin that he practices.”
“Knowledge is not in narrating a lot, but knowledge is fear [of Allaah].”
.
Al Fawaaid: P.162
Translated by: Abu ‘Abdul Waahid, Nadir Ahmad.Source: www.madeenah.com

2005-07-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

Al-Ihsaan
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-`UthaymeenExplanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Islaam© 1997 al-Hidaayah

Al-Ihsaan is the opposite of behaving badly, and it means that a person strives to do what is good and to repel harmful things. So he strives to benefit the servants of Allaah through his wealth, position, knowledge and his person. So as for the case of doing good with ones wealth, then he spends and gives in charity, and pays the zakaat, and the best of the types of doing good through wealth is the zakaat since it is one of the pillars of Islaam, and one of its great foundations. A person's Islaam will not be complete without it. It is the charity most loved by Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and that is followed by that which it is obligatory upon a person to spend upon his wife, mother, father, children, brothers, children of his brothers, sisters, paternal uncles, paternal aunts, maternal aunts, and so on. Then by charity given to the poor and to the rest of those deserving of charity - such as students of knowledge for example.
As for the case of doing good by means of ones position, then it is that people are found in different levels. Some of them have status with someone in authority and so strive to benefit the people by means of his position. So if a man comes to him and requests that he should intercede for him with the one in authority then he does so, either to repel some harm from him or to attain some good for him, As for doing good by means of his knowledge, then it is that he strives to pass on his knowledge to Allaah's servants, in open and private gatherings and assemblies. Even if people sit socially, to drink coffee, then it pertains to good and fine behaviour that he should teach the people. Even if you are in a public gathering it is from what is good that you teach the people. However wisdom is to be used in this matter. So you should not weary the people making it a habit that every single time you sit in a gathering you admonish and address the people, since the Prophet used to give them admonition now and then, and not too frequently. This is because the souls become weary and bored. When they become bored they become languid and weak and may even come to dislike what is good merely because of the frequency with which the per son stands and addresses them.
As for seeking to benefit the people with ones person, then the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "... that you help a man to mount and ride his riding beast, or you lift up his luggage on to it for him, is a charity" [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. Transl. 4/90-94/no. 161) and Muslim (Eng. transl. 2/483-484/ no. 2204)]. So you help this man to carry his luggage, or you guide him to the correct road to take and so on, all of this pertains to ihsaan. So this is with regard to striving to do good to the servants of Allaah.
As for ihsaan in the worship of Allaah, then it is that you worship Allaah as if you were seeing Him, as the Prophet ( said. So worship done in this way, that a person worships his Lord as if he were actually seeing Him is worship that is accompanied by yearning and seeking. So a person will find that his soul encourages him upon worship done in this way, since he is yearning for the one he loves. Therefore he worships Him as if he were seeing Him, and he directs his heart to Him and turns to Him and seeks to draw near to Him, He the One free of all imperfections and the Most High.
"Then even though you do not see Him, then He certainly sees you." This part shows worship done whilst fleeing and fearing, and is therefore the second level of ihsaan. So if you do not worship Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, as if you are seeing Him and seeking Him and your soul is encouraging you towards Him, then worship Him keeping in mind that He sees you. So you will then worship Him as one who fears Him and seeks to flee from His retribution and punishment.
This level is held by those having knowledge of these affairs to be lower than the first level. Worship of Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, is, as Ibn al-Qayyim, rahimahullaah, said: 'Worship of the Most Merciful is utmost love of Him, along with the worshippers submission and humility, they are its two pillars.' So worship is built upon these two matters: utmost love, and utmost humility and submission. Love causes one to desire and seek, and humility causes one to fear and flee. This is ihsaan in the worship of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. If a person worships Allaah in this manner, then he will become one who is pure and sincere in his worship of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. He will not desire with his worship that he is seen by the people, or heard of, nor will he desire their praise. It will be the same to him whether the people notice him or do not notice him.
He will worship with ihsaan in every condition. Indeed part of the completion of purity and sincerity of worship (al-ikhlaas) is that a person should seek not to be seen by the people when he worships, and that his worship should be a secret between him and his Lord. That is unless there is some benefit for the Muslims or for Islaam in his performing it openly, for example if he is a person who is followed and taken as an example and he wishes to manifest his worship to the people so that they should take it as an example to follow; or that he manifests his worship so that his companions, friends and associates should follow his example, then this is good. This benefit which he takes account of may be more excellent and greater than the benefit of keeping it hidden. Therefore, Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, has praised those who spend of their wealth in charity secretly and openly. So whenever performing it secretly is better and more beneficial for the heart, and causes one to be more humble and submissive, and to turn to Allaah more attentively, then they give in secret. But when performing it openly produces benefit for Islaam, due to manifestation of its prescribed practices, and will mean that the people follow this persons example, then they do this openly. The Believer looks to what is most appropriate. So whatever is most appropriate and most beneficial in worship, then it will be what is most complete and most excellent.
Source: Islaam.com.

2005-06-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

Constant Awareness of Being 'Prepared'
Imam Ibn ul Jawzee

It is a duty upon every sane person to be prepared for his departure (from this world), for one does not know when he will be served by his Lord's commands (to take away his soul) nor does he know how long it is going to be before he will be summoned (for the Day of Judgment).
I have seen so many people enchanted by their youth. They have forgotten that their peers no longer exist, yet they are preoccupied with prolonged hopes (to stay alive).
A person in the process of acquiring knowledge may tell himself; 'I will acquire knowledge today and will adopt it the following day.' Such (postponement) may leave him in his deviation whilst giving himself a break (for the day)! Delaying his readiness to achieve repentance, whilst exposing himself to be indulged in (sins, such as) backbiting or listening to such (backbiting) or getting involved in a Shubhah (suspected, Halaal or Haraam) matters. He hopes to cancel it out (i.e. the bad deed/s) through his would be observance, the following day, forgetting that death may be sudden.
The wise one is he who values each and every moment of his life, observing one's due duties. Then, if death was to come suddenly, one would be ready (to face The Judge, Allaah subhanahu wata'aala). However, if one is granted his wish (in his life being prolonged) that would mean the increasing of (one's scale of) good deeds.Source: Islaam.com

2005-05-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

Are these really Modern day Robinhoods... link ??

2004-12-26T01:24:00.000-08:00

Facts about Iraq you wouldn’t know from Western mediaBY PHILLIP KNIGHTLEY (ONE MAN’S VIEW)25 December 2004
THIS has been a bad year for war correspondents. The war in Iraq is, of course, not over and yet we know less about it than ever before. Even events such as the major assault on Fallujah seem to have moved to the back pages of the Western media. As one British columnist put it before the assault began, “We won’t hear the screams of the civilians”.
One major reason for this is that the assault has been reported by correspondents “embedded’ with American military units”. So we have seen lots of TV footage of American marines running through the streets of Fallujah firing apparently indiscriminately. Only occasionally have we seen the results of this firing — including a group of Iraqis shouting defiantly ‘Allahu Akbar’ as an American mortar shell collapsed a ceiling over their heads. One might think that from the Western point of view the war against insurgents has been going well. That is certainly the view propagated in Washington and London. The truth is that it has been going very badly but is now so dangerous for independent Western war correspondents and even representatives of the Arab media to move freely around Iraq, that no one really knows what is happening.
Under the regime of the interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, Iraqi exiles report that the multinational forces ‘remain immune from legal address and are only rarely held accountable for crimes against Iraqis. And while cabinet ministers and the US and UK embassies huddle inside a fortified green zone, Iraqis are denied the basic right of walking safely in their own streets. US tanks rumble by with signs saying “If you pass this convoy you will be killed.”
Haifa Zangana, an Iraqi novelist now in London, reports that lack of security and fear of kidnapping make Iraqi women prisoners in their own homes. “They witness the looting of their own country by Halliburton and Bechtel, US NGOs, missionaries and mercenaries and local sub-contractors while they are denied clean water and electricity.”
Where in the Western media have you read that under Western occupation acute malnutrition has doubled amongst children, prostitution, back street abortion and honour killing have grown? Where have you read about the napalm, cluster bombing and phosphorous bombing by US planes? The death toll is now more than 100,000 — half of them women and children.
The response of the US has been to launch a $10,000,000 Iraq Women’s Democracy initiative. The aim, according to the State Department, is to “give Iraqi women the tools, information and expertise they need to run for office in the forthcoming elections and lobby for fair treatment”. Where have you read that the money will be given mainly to organisations “embedded” with the Americans such as the Independent Women’s Forum? Where have you read that the IWF was founded by Dick Cheney’s wife, Lynn, and how patronising it is to suggest that Iraqi needed this sort of information when Iraqi women were actively involved in public life even under the Ottoman empire?
Iraqi women had schools for girls as early as 1899 and by 1933 Unicef was reporting that rarely had women in the Arab world enjoyed as much power as they did in Iraq. By the early 90’s, Iraq had one of the highest literacy rates in the Arab world and had more professional women in positions of power than in other Middle Eastern nations. These are just a few of the aspects of life in Iraq. How many more are we not being told about?
Phillip Knightley is a London-based political commentator

2004-12-06T01:29:00.000-08:00

Quran’s verses defeat attack

Hyderabad, Dec. 5: It was nothing short of a miracle for city resident Farooq Ali. A copy of the holy Quran which had been kept in a storeroom had all the Urdu translations eaten up by termites. But all the verses of the Holy Book in Arabic were left intact. “It’s a miracle,” Ali says.Ali, 67, had kept a copy of the Quran with Urdu translation in the storeroom two years ago since other editions of the Quran were in use. “When I opened the room recently, I noticed that the book had bulged. Sheer curiosity prompted me towards the Quran and closer inspection revealed the amazing incident,” Ali, a resident of Yous-ufnagar in Tappachabutra, told Deccan Chronicle.The termites had eaten away the white paper as also the Urdu text but left the Arabic verses intact. This was the case with every page of the Holy Book. The Urdu translation is printed below each verse in Arabic. Its comprehensive translation at the margin on every page is also eaten up. The Arabic portion alone stands proudly untouched. The Arabic verses have a coloured background, which the Urdu translation does not. Ali said: “It is a miracle. For some, it needs to be proved scientifically. I want people to come forward to send this book for scientific evaluation and tests. It will bring out the truth. Maybe, the tests will throw up more miracles.” Ali said he had approached the Forensic Laboratory to get the book tested but was sent back.
(Source : deccan.com)

2004-11-09T03:18:00.000-08:00

Miswak, nature’s dentist
By Dr Saji D’Souza

Miswak is a common name for Salvadore persica ( tooth brush tree) popularly used in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. Miswak is a stick made from the roots of the Arak tree. Miswak wicks clean between the teeth and do not break under any amount of pressure, rather they are flexible and strong. The small wicks bend to the appropriate shape to clear the plaque and left over food in between the teeth avoiding any damage to gums.
The chemical analysis of Miswak shows that it contains trimethylamine, salvadorine, chlorides, fluorides in large amounts, silica, sulphur, vitamin C and small quantities of tannins, saponins, flavenoids and sterols. According to the Holy Quran brushing with Miswak wicks, fasting during the ‘Holy Month — Ramadan’ and pronouncing the word ‘Allah’ is the best and surest way to attain purity, sanctity and holiness.
Miswak has many medicinal properties. It is excellent for fighting against plaques, recession of gums, bleeding gums, and periodontal pocket depths. The stick releases fresh sap and silica (hard glossy material) which acts as an abrasive material to remove stains. The advantage of using Miswak is that it cleans teeth gently and effectively, whitens the teeth without harming enamel or gum.
It works excellently for toothache, prevents oral habits like smoking in adults and thumb sucking in children, improves appet-ite and regularizes peristaltic movements of the gastro-intestinal tract. One teaspoon of Miswak’s extract is a very good appetiser, increases the sense of taste, activates digestion, relieves flatulence and provides a good sense of well being. Tannins and resins have an astringent effect on the mucous membrane. The alkaloids and sulphur tend to aid its anti-bacterial activities.
The chloride content helps to remove the plaque and tartar stains and vitamin C contributes to the healing and repair of the tissues. Its anti-oxidant properties keeps each and every cell active. One teaspoon of its extract taken internally relieves head ache, common cold, nausea, tensions, dizziness, fatigue, etc. It is an excellent memory booster and improves concentration power. Its extracts taken regularly redu-ces cholestrol, obesity and keeps a check on blood pressure.
Brushing the teeth with Miswak or gargling with the extracts stops bad breath, prevents any oral infections, heal and cures all sort of bacterial manifestations, etc. Its bacterial activity is so high that it attacks both aerobic as well as anaerobic bacteria and protects the oral cavity upto 12 hours with a single usage. It’s analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties which ensures a long-lasting protection against cavities, tooth caries, plaque, tartar, gum problems, gingivitis and bad breath even earned a recommendation from WHO to use it as an effective tool for oral hygiene.
It is an effective natural disinfectant to stop bleeding gums. It disinfects the gums and teeth and helps in closing any microscopic cuts in the gums. Its anti-bacterial activity fights decay, diarrhoea, dysentry and irritable bowel syndrome. And moreover the aroma of Miswak really gives a long lasting refreshing smell in the mouth. The extracts of it is used to clean face as an astringent to prevent acne and dark blemishes.
Apart from that it is used in deodorants, air freshners, insect repellents, toilet cleaners, dish washers, etc. Even though it has multiple uses, its usage as an oral health care is the most acclaimed aspect. It is an unavoidable ingredient in tooth powders, tooth pastes, mouth washers and other oral hygienic devices. Hence regular usage of Miswak keeps your dentist away for sure.
(The writer is an Ayurvedic Specialist and can be contacted on 98490-21743)
Source : www.deccan.com

2004-09-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

Seize the Day,Tomorrow is not Yours..Upon hearing about the death of a fellow Muslim, it suddenly struck me how very fleeting life is, and that I was only a twinkling of an eye away from where he is now.Death is the reality from which none of us can escape. It draws nearer every day, every hour, every minute. So I had to ask myself, if I were to die today, would I have done all that I could to ensure Allah's Favor, and to evade His Wrath? Unfortunately for me, the answer was a resounding NOOO.At the end of the day, I ask myself, what good have I sent ahead for the benefit of my soul? And again, the answers usually, very little. Time, it seems, is moving by so quickly. It seems just like yesterday that we started the "New Year," yet we're already almost a third of the way through it. A month seems like a week, a week seems like an hour and an hour feels like just minutes. This is why I've resolved to try my utmost, with the aid of Allah to take advantage of every opportunity to do good deeds, and not to put off untillater, what I can do now. Death is coming, are you ready? Allah says, "Every soul shall have a taste of death, and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only those who are saved far from the Fire, and admitted to the Gardenwill have succeeded. For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception." [3:185] It is so easy for us to get caught up in the comings and goings of our everyday lives, that we tend to forget that we don't have forever in this worldly life, and get distracted away from our true aim and purpose. We tend to forget that we are here to worship Allah and to avail ourselves of the various opportunities He gives us to store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven. For He, subhanahu wa taala, also says, "0 you who believe! Revere Allah, and let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow; and revere Allah. Allah is well Aware of what you do. And be not like those who forgot (disobeyed) Allah, and He caused them to forget themselves. Those are the disobedient. Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of Jannah. It isthe dwellers of Jannah who will be successful." [59:18-20] He also tells us that we do not know the hour of our own deaths, or in what land we will die. But He through His unending Mercy toward us, has given us ways to prepare for the inevitable now, becauseonce we've passed from this life to the next, there is no coming back to do the things we should have done. For Allah says, "Until death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, send me back. Perhaps I may do good in that which I have left behind.' No, it is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is a barzakh until the day when they are raised up."[23:99-100] Allah has given us ways to protect ourselves from the punishment of the grave. One of these ways is by fighting in theCause of Allah. It is reported that a manasked the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, "0 Messenger of Allah, why are all the believers tested in the graves except a martyr?" He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "The flashing of swords over his head was a sufficient test for him." (An-Nasai) This may be difficult for most of us to do in this day and age, but Allah has provided us with many other ways to earn ease in the next life. These include reciting Surat ul-Mulk, because the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Surat Tabarak is the protector from the torment of the grave." (AI-Hakim) He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "Whena human being dies, all of his deeds are terminated except for three types: an ongoing sadaqh, a knowledge of Islam from which others benefit, and a righteous child who makes du'a for him." (Muslim) Another way to earn a continuing reward is by reviving a lost Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "He who initiates in Islam a good way gets his reward for it, as well as rewards similar to those who follow him into it, without reducing any of their rewards." (Muslim) For those of us who know of fellow Muslims who have already begun their journey, or who are about to enter, into the next life, there are things we can do to make the transition easier,insha'Allah. These include performing the Janazah prayer for the deceased, fulfilling the deceased's vows, payment of the deceased's debts and the supplications of the Muslims.This life is fleeting. Death is coming. Let us get ready.( http://www.en.imanway.com/)

2004-08-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Don't Change the World by: Author Unknown, The Prayer of the Frog

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.
Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet ?"
The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a "shoe" for himself.
There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story : to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world.

2004-08-08T00:11:00.000-07:00

The Stolen Armour

Time period: Sometime during the Khilafat (leadership) of Hazrat Ali (R.A) (35 – 40 A.H)

Personalities involved:

(a) Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu)

(b) Qazi Shurayh (rah) a judge appointed to this position by Hazrat Umar (radiyallahu anhu)

(c) A Jew who lived as a subject, under the rule of Ameerul Mu’mineen Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu)

Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) armour had gone missing. One day, while walking through the market place, he recognised his armour in the possession of a Jew. He went up to the Jew and said, “This is my armour.” The Jew retorted, “Bring witnesses to prove it. Alternatively file a law suit!”

Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) proceeded to Qazi Shurayh and laid a charge of theft against the Jew. The case came before the Qazi. Both plaintiff and defendant presented themselves before the Qazi.

Qazi Shurayh (rah), without being overawed by the presence of Ameerul Mu’mineen, Ali (radiyallahu anhu), seated himself with the stature that the occasion demanded. Calmly, without any trace of discomfort or panic, he commenced proceedings. He asked the Jew, “Does the armour belong to Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu)?” The Jew flatly denied it.

Thereupon the Qazi turned to Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) and calmly requested, “Bring your witnesses to support your claim.”

Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) produced two witnesses. One was his son, Hazrat Husayn (radiyallahu anhu) and the other was his freed slave, whose name was Qambar. In his opinion, the evidence of these two was in accordance to Islamic law.

However Qazi Shurayh (rah) addressed Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu), Bring another witness in place of Hazrat Hasan (radiyallahu anhu). The evidence of your slave, seeing he was freed is accepted.” Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) replied, “I have no other witness.” Due to the lack of sufficient evidence – a second acceptable witness – Qazi Shurayh (rah) dismissed the case acting according to the Shariah and not according to his personal reliance on the truthfulness of Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu).

The Jew in the meantime was observing the entire proceeding with full attention. On leaving the courtroom, he watched intently to see the reaction of Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu). There was not the slightest bit of annoyance on the face of Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu). Not a word of displeasure regarding the verdict was uttered. The Jew, overcome by this sterling character addressed Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) thus:

"The reality of the situation has become quite clear to me, your religion is certainly a true one, and your attitude is its effect on you.” The Jew continued, “ here, take it, the armour is yours! And I herewith proclaim that I bear witness, there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is his servant and messenger."

Hazrat Ali (radiyallahu anhu) said, “I, in turn present this armour to you as gift!”

The Jew remained in close association with until he became Shaheed (martyr) in a battle.

2004-07-11T02:01:00.000-07:00

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, you will make it to a place called Success

2004-07-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

Question :

Does man have freedom of choice or is he following a course set by Allaah?.

Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked this question and said:

The questioner should ask himself whether anyone forced him to ask this question, and does he choose the kind of car that he drives? And other such questions. Then the answer as to whether he is following a course set by Allaah or has freedom of choice will become clear to him.

Then he should ask himself whether accidents happen to him by his choice? Or whether he falls sick by his choice? Or will he die by his choice?

And other similar questions. Then the answer as to whether he is following a course set by Allaah or has freedom of choice will become clear to him.

The answer is that the things that the wise person does, he undoubtedly does by his choice. Listen to the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):

“So, whosoever wills, let him seek a place with (or a way to) His Lord (by obeying Him in this worldly life)!”

[al-Naba’ 78:39]

“Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:152]

“And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)”

[al-Isra’ 17:19]

“he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of either observing Sawm (fasts) (three days) or giving Sadaqah (charity — feeding six poor persons) or offering sacrifice (one sheep)”

[al-Baqarah 2:196]

But if a person wants to do something and he does it, we know that Allaah has willed it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight.

And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allaah wills — the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”

[al-Takweer 81:28-29]

Because His Lordship (ruboobiyyah) is complete and perfect, nothing can happen in the heavens or on earth except by His will.

With regard to things that happen to a person or that he does without choosing or willing them, such as sickness, death and accidents, they are purely divine will (al-qadar) and the person has no choice or will with regard to them.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 2.

Source: islam-qa.com

2004-06-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

The Muslim Home

Khutbah given in Madinah by Imam of the Haram,
Sheikh Abdul-Baari Ath-Thubaiti

The Muslim home should be founded on knowledge and action; knowledge which guides to the right way and the straight path and which makes one aware of all that which leads to Hell; knowledge which educates one about the etiquettes of purity, the rulings of prayer and the lawful and unlawful, because no Muslim home should be ignorant of the basic rulings of the religion.

Chastity is another obvious characteristic of the people in a Muslim home, because this is the protection against the corruption and evil which would otherwise render the home powerless. It is to be expected that a Muslim home which was based on piety will lose its chastity and become defiled if it were to succumb to shameless pornographic movies, songs, uncovered women, or other evil forms of imitation of the disbelievers. Such things will affect a Muslim home in exactly the same manner that cavities affect ones teeth, and therefore the gates for evil would be opened and result in the ruin of the home.

From the characteristics of the people in a Muslim home is that they keep their secrets hidden and their differences concealed. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “The most evil person in the sight of Allaah on the Day of Resurrection is a man who sleeps with his wife and then goes out and spreads her (sexual) secrets.” (Muslim)

The Muslim home builds its relationships with the community on basis of faith; it’s people increase in faith whenever they visit righteous people, because a believer is like a perfume seller, you either buy from him and receive a nice fragrance, or at the very least you smell a nice fragrance from him. Allaah says that which translates as: “My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction.” (Nooh: 28)

No one whose religion is unacceptable may enter into the Muslim home, because the entrance of evil people brings corruption and imposes grave dangers unto ones children, indeed such visitors ruin the morals of people, they spread magic, steal, and therefore turn joy into grief and sorrow.

The bonds between the people in the Muslim home become stronger as they co-operate in performing the housework, and the best example for us in this regard is the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, when ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, was asked about the his behaviour at home, she replied: "He was a human being just like all others, he would sew his clothes, milk the sheep and serve himself food." (Ahmad). In another narration she, may Allaah be pleased with her, said: "He would serve his family, but as soon as it was time to pray, he would rush to the prayer." (Bukhaari)

2004-06-17T03:53:00.000-07:00

Today, upon a bus,
I saw a girl with golden hair,
and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly, she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, she gave a smile.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 legs, the world is mine.

Praying Hands

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Praying Hands

Later, while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment, and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.

Praying Hands

With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine

2004-05-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

Biographies/Sahabiyaat

Umm 'Umara: The Prophet's Shield at Uhud

Umm 'Umara was blessed with many honours, amongst these her presence at Uhud, al-Hudaybiyya, Khaybar, the Fulfilled Umra, Hunayn, and the Battle of Yamama.

But her most noble role came about during the battle of Uhud. Umm 'Umara set out to the battle with her husband, Ghaziya, and her two sons. Her (task had) been to give water to the wounded, but Allaah had planned for her a more rewarding role.

So she set out with her family with a waterskin, and arrived at the battle field during the beginning of the day. The Muslims had the upper hand, and she went to see how the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was. But then the Muslims committed a fatal error - seeing the Quraysh on the retreat, they ran towards the booty, ignoring the Prophet's command to remain on the hill. Khalid bin Walid, (who hadn't embraced Islam yet), seeing the open flank, made a charge against the Muslims and suddenly the tide had swung towards the Quraysh. The Muslims panicked and began to flee, leaving behind only the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and a handful of his Companions. Among these was Umm Umara.

Seeing the Muslims flee, Umm Umara ran to the defense of the Prophet and took up arms, along with her husband and two sons. The Prophet noticed that she had no shield, and so said to one of the retreating men: "Give your shield to the one who is fighting." So he handed her the shield, and she defended the Prophet of Allaah with it, using also the bow and arrow along with a sword. She was attacked by horsemen, but never wavered nor felt fear. She later boldly claimed, "If they had been on foot as we were, we would have trounced them, Allaah willing."

Abdullah ibn Zayed, her son, was wounded during the battle. His wound bled profusely. His mother ran to him and bandaged his wounds, and then commanded him, "Go and fight the people, my son!" The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam admired her sense of sacrifice, and commended her, "Who can endure what you can endure, Umm 'Umara!"

Suddenly, the man who had struck her son advanced, and the Prophet called out to her, "This is the one who struck your son." She bravely confronted the man, who her very son described as being like a great tree trunk, and struck at his leg, sending him to his knees. The Messenger of Allaah smiled so much his teeth became visible, and remarked, "You have retaliated, Umm 'Umara!". Having finished him off, the Prophet then said "Praise be to Allaah who has given you victory and delighted you over your enemy and let you enjoy your revenge directly."

At one stage, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was left alone, so taking the opportunity, the enemy Ibn Qumay'a charged at the Prophet, shouting "Show me Muhammad! I will not be saved if he is saved!" So Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr, along with some other of the Companions, dashed to the protection of the Prophet. Umm 'Umara was among them, and began fiercely striking at the enemy of Allaah, even though he was wearing double armour. Ibn Qumay'a managed to strike a blow at her neck, leaving a serious wound. The Prophet quickly called on her son "Your mother! Your mother! Bind her wound! May Allaah bless you, the people of a house! The stand of your mother is better than the stand of so-and-so. May Allaah have mercy on you, people of a house! The stand of your foster father is better than the stand of so-and-so. May Allaah have mercy on you, people of a house!" Umm 'Umara, seeing the Prophet's pleasure on her determination and valour, earnestly requested "Ask Allaah to make us your companions in the Garden!" So he said "O Allaah, make them my companions in the Garden." And this was the desire of Umm 'Umara, to which she replied "I do not care what afflicts me in this world!"

That day, she received thirteen wounds, and was treated for her neck wound for a complete year. She also participated in the Battle of Yamama, where she received eleven wounds and lost her hand.

Her courageous character earned her the respect of all the Companions, especially the Khalifa's who would visit her and pay special attention to her.

'Umar bin Khattab (r.a.a) was brought some silk garments which contained excellent quality material. One of the people remarked "This garment is worth such-and-such (meaning how expensive it was). You should send it to the wife of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, Safiyya bint Abi 'Ubayd." 'Umar radiallaahu 'anhu however did not desire such a garment for his daughter in law. "That is something which I will not give to Ibn 'Umar. I will send it to someone who is more entitled to it than her - Umm 'Umara Nusayba bint Ka'b. On the day of Uhud, I heard the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam say, 'Whenever I looked to the right or left I saw her fighting in front of me'."

This was the life of Umm 'Umara, the warrior who stood when many fled, who sent her wounded son back into the thick of the battle, and was prepared to lose her life to save the Prophet's. In return, she received the du'a for the Prophet's companionship in Paradise.

May Allaah bless our women with such courage, self-sacrifice and perseverance.

Source: www.calltoislam.com

2004-05-15T02:02:00.000-07:00

Question:
Is this hadeeth saheeh: “His knowledge of my situation is sufficient asking”?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
These words were narrated from Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) when his
people threw him into the fire with the catapult. He was met by Jibreel who
asked him: “O Ibraaheem, do you have any need?” Ibraaheem said, “Of you,
no.” Jibreel said: “Then ask your Lord.” Ibraaheem said: “His knowledge of
my situation is sufficient asking.”

Al-Baghawi mentioned this in his tafseer (commentary) on Soorat al-Anbiya’, and indicated that it is da’eef (weak). (5/327).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (1/183):

The report which says that when Ibraaheem was thrown into the fire Jibreel said to him, “Ask (of your Lord)” and he said, “His knowledge of my situation is sufficient asking” has no sound isnaad, and it is false. Rather what is proven in al-Saheeh from Ibn 'Abbaas is that he said, “Hasbi Allaah wa ni’m al-wakeel (Allaah is sufficient for me and He is the best dispoer of affairs).”

With regard to Ibraaheem asking of his Lord, this is mentioned in the Qur’aan in more than one place, so how could he have said, “His knowledge of my situation is sufficient asking” ??

Ibn Taymiyah also said (8/358):

With regard to his saying “His knowledge of my situation is sufficient asking”, this is false and goes against what Allaah tells us about Ibraaheem and other Prophets and how they prayed to Allaah and asked of Him. It also goes against what Allaah has commanded His slaves to ask Him for, which is the good things of this world and the Hereafter, such as when they said (interpretation of the meaning):

"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!"
[al-Baqarah 2:201]
And making du’aa’ to Allaah and asking of Him and putting one's trust in Him are all acts of worship that are prescribed in Islam.

This hadeeth was also mentioned by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (21). He said: It is one of the Israa’eeliyyaat (reports from Jewish sources) and has no basis in any report that can be attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Some of the Sufis adopted this meaning when they said, “Your asking of Him is an accusation of Him.”

Al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

This is serious misguidance. Would the Prophets accuse their Lord by asking Him for various things? Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) said:

“O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may perform As'Salaat (Iqaamat'as'Salat). So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allaah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.

O our Lord! Certainly, You know what we conceal and what we reveal. Nothing on the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Allaah…”

[Ibraaheem 14:37-38 – interpretation of the meaning]

Many du’aa’ of the Prophets are mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.

The one who says such a thing seems to be unaware of the fact that du’aa’, which means beseeching and turning to Allaah, is a great act of worship, regardless of what need one is asking to be met. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Du’aa’ is worship.” Then he recited the verse (interpretation of the meaning):

“And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation). Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!”
[Ghaafir 40:60]

That is because in du’aa’ the slave demonstrates his complete submission to his Lord and his need for Him and his dependence upon Him. Whoever turns away from du’aa’ turns away from worship of Allaah. No wonder there are so many ahaadeeth which enjoin and encourage du’aa’, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not make du’aa’ to Allaah, He will be angry with him.”

This was narrated by al-Haakim, who classed it as saheeh, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. It is a hasan hadeeth.

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Ask Allaah for everything, even a lace for your shoes, because if Allaah does not make it easy for you to obtain it, you will not be able to obtain it.” Narrated by Ibn al-Sunni (no. 349) with a hasan isnaad, and it has corroborating reports in the hadeeth of Anas which was narrated by al-Tirmidhi (4/292 and others).

In conclusion, this report which is attributed to Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) could not have been uttered by any Muslim who understands the importance of du’aa’ in Islam, so how can it have been said by the one who called us Muslims?

Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah, 1/29.

Source: Islam Q&A

2004-04-29T01:06:00.000-07:00

God Give me Patience
But Please be Quick !!!

2004-04-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

O Muslim Leaders!........ BE WARNED!!

Sayyidina Abu Saeed(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasulullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that: "Allah hates the ruler who abandons justice." (Hakim)

Sayyidina Muaqqal bin Yassar(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasulullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that: "If a man becomes the Ameer(ie. ruler,leader,king,president,prime minister) of a body of my Ummah whether the body consists of a small or large number people and he does not do justice. Allah will throw him with his face downward into Hell."

Sayyidina Ayesha(radhiyallahu anha) reported that the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) cursed the cruel ones while he was in her apartment. He said that: "If a man is made an Ameer(ie. ruler,leader,king,president,prime minister) of my Ummah and then he oppresses it, O Allah! oppress that cruel man also." (Muslim, Nisaai)

Sayyidina Abu Ayana(radhiyallahu anhu) has reported that the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) used these words: "May Allah curse the Ameer(ie. ruler,leader,king,president,prime minister) who oppresses my Ummah." (Abu Dawood)

Sayyidina Muawiyyah(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasulullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that: "On the Day of Judgement, Allah will shut up the doors of mercy to that ruler who shuts the doors to the needy and refuses to share the troubles of his subjects." (Ahmad)

Sayyidina Bashar bin Aasim(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasulullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that: "If a man is appointed an Ameer of Muslims in certain matters of theirs, he will be asked to stand on the Bridge of Hell. If he is just, he will get the deliverance and if he is a sinner, the bridge will break and he will be thrown down to seventy years depth." (Tabraani)

O Muslim Rulers! Allah has blessed you with land and resources so that you could establish the Law of Allah on His land, establish true Islamic societies and spread Islamic Daawa openly. Raise the Banner of Islam. But you rulers have worked only to strengthen and prolong your personal governments so as to get personal benefits. This greediness of yours has greatly damaged your religious status. You made friendships with the enemies of Allah and to solve your personal matters you have been taking help from non muslim rulers and compromising your religion to a great extent.

By compromising your religion Islam, you have lost everything. Even your own countries are not in your control. Whenever you raised Non-Islamic, Political or Economic systems to govern the country, you were unsuccesful. The truth is that you yourselves are controlled by others and have no power in your own hands. You are ruling under the shadows of slavery.

O Muslim Rulers! Whole of the Muslim Ummah is injured. Do you not hear the screams of the Ummah?

The truth is that attrocities on Muslims have filled the gap between the sky and the earth. O Rulers of Muslim Lands.Wake up NOW!!! - before you will be given no recourse. First of all throw away the collars of slavery of the kuffar and bend down in front of Allah only. Ask for forgiveness from Allah. Eliminate the vulgarities from your countries. Your biggest fault is that you have accepted the laws of kuffar instead of the Law of Allah and have established them on the Muslim citizens. Then your friendship with non-muslim rulers is an open invitation to Allah’s wrath. Ask forgiveness from your Lord and try not to repeat your past.

O Muslim Rulers! Your duty is to the Muslim Ummah. It is only in the fullfilment of these tasks that your success lies. This is an open invitation to you. It is your responsibility to correct your countries and assist the oppressed and needy Muslims throughout the world! Submit to Allah and fear Him. Fear the day of Resurrection. Rule your countries only if you can fulfil your religious duties otherwise Do not be a burden on Allah’s people, land and religion.
Prepared by AL-Islaah Publications ( www.everymuslim.com )

2004-04-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

THE PRICE OF IMAAN

S everal years ago an imaam moved to London. He often took the bus from his home to the downtown area. Some weeks after he arrived, he had the occasion to ride on the same bus. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him twenty pence too much change.

A s he considered what to do, he thought to himself: "You better give the twenty pence back. It would be wrong to keep it". Then he thought:" Oh forget it, it's only twenty pence. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from Almighty Allah and keep quiet".

When his stop came, the Imaam paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the twenty pence back to the driver and said " Here, you gave me too much change." The driver replied with a smile " Aren't you the new Imaam in this area? I have been thinking lately about going to worship at your mosque. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."

When the Imaam stepped off the bus, his knees became weak and soft. He had to grab the nearest light pole and held for support, and looked up to the heavens and cried "Oh Allah, I almost sold Islam for twenty pence!"

R emember, we may never see the impact our actions have on people. Sometimes we are the only knowledge of Quran someone will read, or the only Islam a non-Muslim will see. What we need to provide, Insha Allah is an example for others to see. Be careful and be honest everyday, because you never know who is watching your actions and judging you as a Muslim.

{sOURCE :UNKNOWN}

2004-03-31T23:06:00.000-08:00

If you are insulted, ignore it, if you can't ignore it, overcome it, if you can't overcome it, laugh at it, if you can't laugh at it, then you deserve it.

--------

Inspirational Thoughts

1. Give Allah what's right -- not what's left
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- Allah's way leads to an
endless hope.
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before Allah can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma --but never let
him be the period.
6. Don't put a question mark where Allah puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the mosque for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give Allah instructions -- just report for
duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to the mosque.
10. We don't change Allah's message -- His message changes us.
11. The mosque is prayer-conditioned.
12. When Allah ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Allah may prevent burning.
14. Most people want to serve Allah, but only in an advisory
position.
15. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Quran.
17. Exercise daily -- walk with Allah.
18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming
back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.
25. Allah doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
26. Read the Quran -- It will guide you to the Rightest path.

2004-03-15T04:59:00.000-08:00

Politics
A little boy goes to his dad and asks, "What is politics?" Dad says, "Well son, let me try to explain it this way: I'm the breadwinner of the family, so let's call me capitalism. " "Your Mom, she's the administrator of the money, so we'll call her the Government. We're here to take care of your needs, so we'll call you the people." "The nanny, we'll consider her the Working Class. And your baby brother, we'll call him the Future. Now, think about that and see if that makes sense," So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what dad had said. Later that night, he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him. He finds that the baby has severely soiled his diaper. So the little boy goes to his parents' room and finds his mother sound asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny's room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny. He gives up and goes back to bed. The next morning, the little boy says to his father, "Dad, I think I Understand the concept of politics now." The father says, "Good son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about." The little boy replies, "Well, while Capitalism is screwing the Working Class, the Government is sound asleep, the People are being ignored and the Future is in deep shit."

2004-03-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

What is burning me is from me...

One of the most detrimental parts of man, which keeps him separated from
Allah, is gossip and his tongue and words that are misused.

This tongue that we use to pronounce the Name of Allah and then to say
to somebody, 'you are stupid' or 'I hate you,' is absurd.

There is a story about a sheikh who had a beautiful daughter. This
daughter was coming to the age of marriage, and she had many suitors.
She was so beautiful that handsome princes and rich men of position all
wanted to win her hand in marriage. Finally the sheikh said, 'I'll ask
three questions
and give you three tasks. After you have completed these tasks, you will
come back here. And the one who can succeed in all of them will be
worthy of having my daughter's hand in marriage.'

The next day they all returned. Some brought honey, others the sweetest
smelling flowers, or just anything that had the sweetest taste or aroma,
anything sweet you could dream of that was on the planet, they brought.
At the end of this long line was a poor, meek student of the sheikh. The
sheikh finally said to him, 'What is it? Why are you here?' He said,
'Well,
your daughter is very beautiful, and I am in love with her. And I would
like also to attempt to answer these questions so that I may win her
hand in marriage.' The sheikh said, 'Well, all right.' He could not stop
what he had started.

The student was holding a box. 'What's in that box?' asked the
sheikh. He opened the box. Inside was the huge tongue of an ox. The
sheikh stepped back and said, 'Is this some kind of a joke or a game
you're playing with me, son? I asked for the sweetest thing in the
world, and you bring me this tongue!' The student said, 'But, my sheikh,
humbly I tell you that the tongue is the sweetest thing in the world,
because the words that
come from this tongue, if they are sweet words, they can make a sick
person well. They can make an unhappy person happy.

They can make someone who is sad and despondent feel that his life is
worth living, and have joy. Surely, the tongue is the sweetest of all
things.' The sheikh said, 'All right, you win this one.'

Then, addressing the others, he said, 'The next thing you are to bring
me is the most bitter thing in the world.' The next day, the suitors all
came and lined up. They brought bitter herbs and all kinds of
bitter-tasting foods, plants, and whatever it was that tasted really
bitter and terrible. And there was Yusuf the student at the end of the
line holding a box. The sheikh said, 'What is it now? What do you have
to show us this time?'
Yusuf opened the box, and there was the same tongue. Astonished, the
sheikh said, 'Surely you're playing a joke on us again. Yesterday you
said that this was the sweetest of all things. Today you say it is the
most bitter.'

'My sheikh,' Yusuf offered humbly and quietly, 'if the tongue says
bitter words, it can make a happy person sad. If the tongue says bitter
things to someone, it can hurt his very heart. This tongue is so bitter
it can even break a heart.' The sheikh reluctantly said, 'All right,
Yusuf , alright.'

He paused and then said, 'And now, you come with me to the masjid.' They
went into the kitchen in the rear, and the sheikh said, 'Make me a
coffee.' There was a metal container with tripod metal legs that stood
on the floor. In it you placed coals from the wood that was burning in
the stove. It was very hot and you could make coffee.

The sheikh said, 'Make me coffee here.' Yusuf took some hot coals from
the wood stove, and placed them in the container, and began to put
coffee and sugar and water in the
coffee pot, he moved the coffee pot back and forth over the hot coals,
and soon the water began to boil. As it was bubbling the sheikh said,
'Now, Yusuf , tell me, what sound is this water making? What is it
saying?'

Yusuf was at a loss. He really didn't know. He said, 'I'm not sure.' The
sheikh said, 'Think about it, come back tomorrow, and tell me the
meaning of the sound the water is making. And if you tell me this
secret, you can have my daughter in marriage.'

The student returned to his room upset, because he thought for sure
there was no way he was going to know what this boiling water was saying
as it bubbled in the coffee pot. It seems that a friend of the daughter
of the sheikh was cleaning up in the kitchen and had overheard this
conversation.

She went to the sheikh's daughter and told her what had happened, word
for word. That night, when the sheikh returned to his quarters and sat
in his chair, his daughter asked, 'Dear Father, would you like coffee
before you go to bed?' He said, 'That's very nice of you. Thank you.'

And so he began to make coffee, and as she moved the pot back and forth
over the hot coals, the water started to bubble. She glanced at her
father casually and asked, 'Oh, Father, tell me- it's an interesting
sound this water makes when it's bubbling and making your coffee.' She
went on, 'What
can that mean? What does that sound say?' He thought for a second and
said,

'All right,' and he explained; 'The water is saying that I was a drop in
a cloud. There was condensation and the cloud opened,and I came down to
the earth as a drop of rain. As this drop of rain I landed on a seed.
That seed grew into a tree. A woodsman came, and he cut part of that
tree, and
chopped it up for firewood. And then this firewood was placed in the
stove, and the hot coals were taken and put into this container, and
then this
coffee was made, and so the water was saying -

'What is burning me is from me'.

The daughter didn't show any emotion. She said good night to her father,
went directly to her room, and wrote down everything he had said, sealed
it in an envelope, and gave it to a friend to deliver to the student
Yusuf.

He received the letter, opened it, and was amazed to see that the
sheikh's daughter herself had sent a note with the answer to the
sheikh's question.

The next day, he went to the masjid as he had been instructed to do the
day before. The sheikh greeted him, 'As-salaam aleykum. Make me coffee.'
His student answered, 'Wa-aleykum as-salaam, my sheikh,'and began to
prepare the coffee. He moved the pot over the hot coals. The sheikh
looked at him
and said,'Yusuf , can you answer the question, what is this bubbling
water saying?' Yusuf reflected within himself very deeply, as if he was
thinking hard, then he said, 'Ah, my sheikh, Bismillah, my sheikh, this
water is saying...' and he repeated exactly what was in the letter,
exactly what the
sheikh had said the night before. In conclusion, Yusuf added, 'And the
water is saying, what is burning me is from me.' The sheikh's face
turned red.

He looked at him and said, 'Ah Yusuf, and what is burning me is from
me.'

One should watch one's tongue. Especially in daily life. Because the
tongue can truly be the sweetest or the most bitter thing in the world.
How often have we had the experience of feeling fine, and then we look
at somebody and say, 'You are really doing well today,' or 'How kind it
was of you to do that for that person,' or 'My heart really goes out to
you.' Observe how
that person is affected.

We've also had the experience of being grumpy, and we just look at
someone and say, 'Look, get out of here,' or 'I dislike you,' and we
know the effect that has without even taking it to a point of gossip.
Within gossip, the soul of the speaker as well as that of the listener
can be lost.

The tongue is tied to the heart. It is said that a man's character is
hidden beneath his tongue, because the tongue says what is in the heart.
So when we speak, we're expressing what is in our hearts.

Author: Unknown
*********************
Narrated by Abu Musa(may Allah be pleased with him): Some people asked
Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-alaihi-wassallam), "Whose Islam is the best?

i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming
the Muslims with his tongue and hands." [Bukhari]

Sufyan bin Abdullah al Saqfy (may Allah be pleased with him) reports
that he inquired, "O Apostle of Allah! What is the most dreadful of the
things which you consider fearful for me?" He states that he caught hold
of his tongue and said: "This one" [Tirmizi]

Uqbah ibn Aamir(may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I said, "O
Rasullullah! What is salvation?" He (sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) said,
"Hold your tongue! Your house should suffice you! And cry over your
(own) faults!" [Tirmidhi]

Abu Saeed Khudr(radhiyallahu anhu) reports that the Prophet(sallallahu
alaiyhu wassallam) has said that, when Man wakes up in the morning, all
the limbs tell the tongue to have fear of Allah. They are with it. If it
remains straight, they will also remain straight, but if it is crooked,
they will also go crooked. [Tirmizi]

2004-02-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

Bush baloney

* I'm a patient man. When I say I'm a patient man, I mean I'm a patient man.

* I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe, I believe what I believe is right.

* I promise you I will listen to what's been said here, even though I wasn't here.

*When Iraq is liberated, you will be treated, tried, and persecuted as a war criminal

*These people don't have tanks. They don't have ships. They hide in caves. They send suiciders out

*It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber

*There's no question that the minute I got elected, the storm clouds on the horizon were getting nearly directly overhead

*Security is the essential roadblock to achieving the road map to peace

Master Stroke from Donald Rumsfeld.

There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns.

2004-02-16T23:30:00.000-08:00

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

---------------------------------

What Is Taught vs What Should be Taught

What Is Taught: The science of geography was revived during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries when the ancient works of Ptolemy were discovered. The Crusades and the Portuguese/Spanish expeditions also contributed to this reawakening. The first scientifically-based treatise on geography were produced during this period by Europe's scholars.
What Should be Taught: Muslim geographers produced untold volumes of books on the geography of Africa, Asia, India, China and the Indies during the 8th through 15th centuries. These writings included the world's first geographical encyclopedias, almanacs and road maps. Ibn Battutah's 14th century masterpieces provide a detailed view of the geography of the ancient world. The Muslim geographers of the 10th through 15th centuries far exceeded the output by Europeans regarding the geography of these regions well into the 18th century. The Crusades led to the destruction of educational institutions, their scholars and books. They brought nothing substantive regarding geography to the Western world.

What Is Taught: Robert Boyle, in the 17th century, originated the science of chemistry.
What Should be Taught: A variety of Muslim chemists, including ar-Razi, al-Jabr, al-Biruni and al-Kindi, performed scientific experiments in chemistry some 700 years prior to Boyle. Durant writes that the Muslims introduced the experimental method to this science. Humboldt regards the Muslims as the founders of chemistry.

What Is Taught: Leonardo da Vinci (16th century) fathered the science of geology when he noted that fossils found on mountains indicated a watery origin of the earth.
What Should be Taught: Al-Biruni (1lth century) made precisely this observation and added much to it, including a huge book on geology, hundreds of years before Da Vinci was born. Ibn Sina noted this as well (see pages 100-101). it is probable that Da Vinci first learned of this concept from Latin translations of Islamic books. He added nothing original to their findings.

What Is Taught: The first mention of the geological formation of valleys was in 1756, when Nicolas Desmarest proposed that they were formed over a long periods of time by streams.
What Should be Taught: Ibn Sina and al-Biruni made precisely this discovery during the 11th century (see pages 102 and 103), fully 700 years prior to Desmarest.

What Is Taught: Galileo (17th century) was the world's first great experimenter.
What Should be Taught: Al-Biruni (d. 1050) was the world's first great experimenter. He wrote over 200 books, many of which discuss his precise experiments. His literary output in the sciences amounts to some 13,000 pages, far exceeding that written by Galileo or, for that matter, Galileo and Newton combined.

What Is Taught: The Italian Giovanni Morgagni is regarded as the father of pathology because he was the first to correctly describe the nature of disease.
What Should be Taught: Islam's surgeons were the first pathologists. They fully realized the nature of disease and described a variety of diseases to modern detail. Ibn Zuhr correctly described the nature of pleurisy, tuberculosis and pericarditis. Az-Zahrawi accurately documented the pathology of hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and other congenital diseases. Ibn al-Quff and Ibn an-Nafs gave perfect descriptions of the diseases of circulation. Other Muslim surgeons gave the first accurate descriptions of certain malignancies, including cancer of the stomach, bowel and esophagus. These surgeons were the originators of pathology, not Giovanni Morgagni.

What Is Taught: Paul Ehrlich (19th century) is the originator of drug chemotherapy, that is the use of specific drugs to kill microbes.
What Should be Taught: Muslim physicians used a variety of specific substances to destroy microbes. They applied sulfur topically specifically to kill the scabies mite. Ar-Razi (10th century) used mercurial compounds as topical antiseptics.

What Is Taught: Purified alcohol, made through distillation, was first produced by Arnau de Villanova, a Spanish alchemist, in 1300 A.D.
What Should be Taught: Numerous Muslim chemists produced medicinal-grade alcohol through distillation as early as the 10th century and manufactured on a large scale the first distillation devices for use in chemistry. They used alcohol as a solvent and antiseptic.

What Is Taught: The first surgery performed under inhalation anesthesia was conducted by C.W. Long, an American, in 1845.
What Should be Taught: Six hundred years prior to Long, Islamic Spain's Az-Zahrawi and Ibn Zuhr, among other Muslim surgeons, performed hundreds of surgeries under inhalation anesthesia with the use of narcotic-soaked sponges which were placed over the face.

What Is Taught: During the 16th century Paracelsus invented the use of opium extracts for anesthesia.
What Should be Taught: Muslim physicians introduced the anesthetic value of opium derivatives during the Middle Ages. Opium was originally used as an anesthetic agent by the Greeks. Paracelus was a student of Ibn Sina's works from which it is almost assured that he derived this idea.

What Is Taught: Modern anesthesia was invented in the 19th century by Humphrey Davy and Horace Wells.
What Should be Taught: Modern anesthesia was discovered, mastered and perfected by Muslim anesthetists 900 years before the advent of Davy and Wells. They utilized oral as well as inhalant anesthetics.

What Is Taught: The concept of quarantine was first developed in 1403. In Venice, a law was passed preventing strangers from entering the city until a certain waiting period had passed. If, by then, no sign of illness could be found, they were allowed in.
What Should be Taught: The concept of quarantine was first introduced in the 7th century A.D. by the prophet Muhammad, who wisely warned against entering or leaving a region suffering from plague. As early as the 10th century, Muslim physicians innovated the use of isolation wards for individuals suffering with communicable diseases.

What Is Taught: The scientific use of antiseptics in surgery was discovered by the British surgeon Joseph Lister in 1865.
What Should be Taught: As early as the 10th century, Muslim physicians and surgeons were applying purified alcohol to wounds as an antiseptic agent. Surgeons in Islamic Spain utilized special methods for maintaining antisepsis prior to and during surgery. They also originated specific protocols for maintaining hygiene during the post-operative period. Their success rate was so high that dignitaries throughout Europe came to Cordova, Spain, to be treated at what was comparably the "Mayo Clinic" of the Middle Ages.

What Is Taught: In 1545, the scientific use of surgery was advanced by the French surgeon Ambroise Pare. Prior to him, surgeons attempted to stop bleeding through the gruesome procedure of searing the wound with boiling oil. Pare stopped the use of boiling oils and began ligating arteries. He is considered the "father of rational surgery." Pare was also one of the first Europeans to condemn such grotesque "surgical" procedures as trepanning.
What Should be Taught: Islamic Spain's illustrious surgeon, az-Zahrawi (d. 1013), began ligating arteries with fine sutures over 500 years prior to Pare. He perfected the use of Catgut, that is suture made from animal intestines. Additionally, he instituted the use of
cotton plus wax to plug bleeding wounds. The full details of his works were made available to Europeans through Latin translations. Despite this, barbers and herdsmen continued be the primary individuals practicing the "art" of surgery for nearly six centuries after az-Zahrawi's death. Pare himself was a barber, albeit more skilled and conscientious than the average ones. Included in az-Zahrawi's legacy are dozens of books. His most famous work is a 30 volume treatise on medicine and surgery. His books
contain sections on preventive medicine, nutrition, cosmetics, drug therapy, surgical technique, anesthesia, pre and post-operative care as well as drawings of some 200 surgical devices, many of which he invented. The refined and scholarly az-Zahrawi must be regarded as the father and founder of rational surgery, not the uneducated Pare.

What Is Taught: William Harvey, during the early 17th century, discovered that blood circulates. He was the first to correctly describe the function of the heart, arteries and veins. Rome's Galen had presented erroneous ideas regarding the circulatory system, and
Harvey was the first to determine that blood is pumped throughout the body via the action of the heart and the venous valves. Therefore, he is regarded as the founder of human physiology.
What Should be Taught: In the 10th century, Islam's ar-Razi wrote an in-depth treatise on the venous system, accurately describing the function of the veins and their valves. Ibn an-Nafs and Ibn al-Quff (13th century) provided full documentation that the blood circulates and correctly described the physiology of the heart and the function of its valves 300 years before Harvey. William Harvey was a graduate of Italy's famous Padua University at a time when the majority of its curriculum was based upon Ibn Sina's and ar-Razi's textbooks.

What Is Taught: The first pharmacopeia (book of medicines) was published by a German scholar in 1542. According to World Book Encyclopedia, the science of pharmacology was begun in the 1900's as an off-shoot of chemistry due to the analysis of crude plant materials. Chemists, after isolating the active ingredients from plants, realized their medicinal value.
What Should be Taught: According to the eminent scholar of Arab history, Phillip Hitti, the Muslims, not the Greeks or Europeans, wrote the first "modern" pharmacopeia. The science of pharmacology was originated by Muslim physicians during the 9th century. They developed it into a highly refined and exact science. Muslim chemists, pharmacists and physicians produced thousands of drugs and/or crude herbal extracts one thousand years prior to the supposed birth of pharmacology. During the 14th century Ibn Baytar wrote a monumental pharmacopeia listing some 1400 different drugs. Hundreds of other pharmacopeias were published during the Islamic Era. It is likely that the German work is an offshoot of that by Ibn Baytar, which was widely circulated in Europe.
What Is Taught: The discovery of the scientific use of drugs in the treatment of specific diseases was made by Paracelsus, the Swiss-born physician, during the 16th century. He is also credited with being the first to use practical experience as a determining factor in the treatment of patients rather than relying exclusively on the works of the ancients.
What Should be Taught: Ar-Razi, Ibn Sina, al-Kindi, Ibn Rushd, az-Zahrawi, Ibn Zuhr, Ibn Baytar, Ibn al-Jazzar, Ibn Juljul, Ibn al-Quff, Ibn an-Nafs, al-Biruni, Ibn Sahl and hundreds of other Muslim physicians mastered the science of drug therapy for the treatment of specific symptoms and diseases. In fact, this concept was entirely their invention. The word "drug" is derived from Arabic. Their use of practical experience and careful observation was extensive. Muslim physicians were the first to criticize ancient medical theories and practices. Ar-Razi devoted an entire book as a critique of Galen's anatomy. The works of Paracelsus are insignificant compared to the vast volumes of medical writings and original findings accomplished by the medical giants of Islam.

What Is Taught: The first sound approach to the treatment of disease was made by a German, Johann Weger, in the 1500's.
What Should be Taught: Harvard's George Sarton says that modern medicine is entirely an Islamic development and that Setting the Record Straight the Muslim physicians of the 9th through 12th centuries were precise, scientific, rational and sound in their approach. Johann Weger was among thousands of Europeans physicians during the 15th through 17th centuries who were taught the medicine of ar-Razi and Ibn Sina. He contributed nothing original.

What Is Taught: Medical treatment for the insane was modernized by Philippe Pinel when in 1793 he operated France's first insane asylum.
What Should be Taught: As early as the 1lth century, Islamic hospitals maintained special wards for the insane. They treated them kindly and presumed their disease was real at a time when the insane were routinely burned alive in Europe as witches and sorcerers. A
curative approach was taken for mental illness and, for the first time in history, the mentally ill were treated with supportive care, drugs and psychotherapy. Every major Islamic city maintained an insane asylum where patients were treated at no charge. In fact, the Islamic system for the treatment of the insane excels in comparison to the current model, as it was more humane and was highly effective as well.

What Is Taught: Kerosine was first produced by the an Englishman, Abraham Gesner, in 1853. He distilled it from asphalt.
What Should be Taught: Muslim chemists produced kerosine as a distillate from petroleum products over 1,000 years prior to Gesner (see Encyclopaedia Britannica under the heading, Petroleum).

Source: Excerpted from 'The Miracle of Islamic Science' by Dr. K. Ajram

For authors and books mentioned in this article, refer to the author's book 'The Miracle of Islamic Science'. Also, Refer to Dr. Ajram's companion book 'Incredible Islamic Scientists: Incredible Facts About Incredible Men - 500 Multiple Choice, Short Answers and True-False Questions', 1992, p. 136. ISBN 0911119485.

"Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
And consult with them in ways that are best and most gracious."
(Al Qur'an, 16:125)

2004-02-15T23:03:00.000-08:00

Ya Allah (A poem)

Today, upon a bus,
I saw a girl with golden hair.
and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, a smile.
Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.
The man who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I was late, it would do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with people like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Later I was walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped for a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew, he couldn't hear.
Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.
Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

2004-02-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

An 'UN-FORGETTABLE' Love...

It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman, in his 80s, showed up to have sutures (stitches)removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry, as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On examination, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors,and got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while, and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease.

As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him. "And you are still going every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me,but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life." ........She was one fortunate lady.

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be.

Courtesy: www.everymuslim.com

2004-02-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have seen this, it's worth looking at again. For those of you who have not, some pretty good thoughts to live by.

1 - The Most Important Lesson

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz.
I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2 Second Important Lesson -

Always remember those who serve. In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table.
A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?"
he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing
impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied." The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table.There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

3- Third Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none
did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse ! contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the
gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little
brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him
hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at The doctor
and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
You see, after all, understanding and attitude, are everything.

2004-01-25T21:16:00.000-08:00

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go on a camping trip, set up their tent, and fall asleep. Some hours later, Holmes wakes his faithful friend.

"Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."

Watson replies, "I see millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?"

Watson ponders for a minute.

"Astronomically speaking,

it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three.

Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"

Holmes is silent for a moment, then speaks.

"someone has stolen our tent".

2004-01-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

" You are from me and I am from you..."

YOUR WEALTH IS YOUR FAITH AND CHARACTER

There was a poor and weak person. He wore a torn garment with many patches on it. He was barefoot and hungry. Along with his having an obscure lineage, he possessed no status, wealth, or family. Without a roof to shelter him, he would steep in the mosque and drink from public fountains. His pillow was his own arm and his mattress was the uneven, rough ground beneath him. But he always remembered his Lord and he was constantly reciting the verses of Allah's book. He would not be absent from the first row in prayer or the front lines of battle. One day he met the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him), who upon seeing him, called him by his name, "O' Julaybeeb, will you not marry?" "And who would give me their daughter? With a man without rich and without any position?" was his reply. He passed by two others who asked the same question, to which he gave a similar reply. The Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) said to him, "O' Jualaybeeb, go to so and so, the Ansari, and say to him, 'The Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) sends his greetings of peace to you and he requests you to marry me your daughter."' This particular Ansari was from a noble household with an esteemed family. When Julaybeeb carried out the Prophet(Blessings and peace be upon him)'s order, the Ansari replied, "And peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. O' Julaybeeb, how can I marry you my daughter when you have neither wealth nor status?" His wife heard of the news, and she exclaimed in astonishment, "Julaybeeb! He who has neither wealth nor status!" But their believing daughter heard the words of Julaybeeb, words that to her, contained the message of the Messenger of Allah, and she said to her parents, "Do you turn down the request of the Messenger of Allah? By Allah, no! " Forthwith, the blessed wedding took place. When their first night came, a caller was in the streets announcing a forthcoming battle. Julaybeeb responded without delay and set out for the battleground. With his own hands, lie managed to kill seven disbelievers, and then he himself became martyred. He embraced death pleased with Allah and His Messenger, and pleased with the morals for which he sacrificed his own life. After the battle, the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) was asking about those who were martyred. The people began to inform him of those who died, but they forgot to mention Julaybeeb because of his obscurity.

Nevertheless, the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) remembered him, and he said, "But I have lost Julaybeeb. " He found Julaybeeb's corpse; dust covered his face. He shook off the dust from his face and said, "You killed seven and then you were killed! You are from me and I am from you..." And the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) repeated the second part three times - "You are from me and I am from you..." This medal of distinction from the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) is by itself an arnple reward and prize.

The value of Julaybeeb was his faith and his love for the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him), along with the principle for which he died. His humble circumstances and obscure family name did not prevent him from the great honour that was bestowed upon him. With his meagre resources he achieved martyrdom, contentment, and happiness for this world and the Hereafter.

A verse reads:

"They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve." (Quran 3:1 70)

So remember, your value is determined by your principles and by your character. Poverty has never stood immovable in the way of distinction and the achievement of higher aims.

(Source Al-Islaah Publication )

2004-01-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

The Necklace

Ibn Rajab and others gave an account of a worshipper who ran out of resources while he was in Makkah. He became extremely hungry and was about to die from lack of nourishment. One day, as he was wandering in the precincts of Makkah, he found an expensive necklace. He put it into his sleeves and headed for the Masjid. On his way he came across a man announcing that he had lost a necklace. The poor man later said, " I asked him to describe it to me, and he did so, perfectly, leaving no room for doubt. I gave him the necklace without taking reward from him. I said,: " O Allah, I have given it for You, so compensate me with what is better." He went to the ocean and began a journey in a small boat. Only a brief period of time passed before a storm came with heavy winds crashing into the boat. The boat smashed into pieces and the man was forced to cling to a piece of wood. The winds were violent, propelling him to the left and to the right.

Finally, he was washed ashore onto an island. He found there a Masjid filled with people who were praying, so he joined them. He found papers with parts of the Qur'an written on them and he began to recite from them. The people of the island asked him, "Do you read Qur'an?" He answered in the affirmative. They said, " Teach our children Qur'an." So he began to teach them and he took a salary for his services. One day, they saw him writing and they asked, " Will you teach our children to write?" Again he answered in the affirmative and began teaching them for a salary.

A short time later, they said to him, " There is an orphaned girl with us whose father was a good man. Will you marry her?" He agreed to the marriage and later related, " I married her and found that she was wearing the exact same necklace. She said that her father lost it in Makkah and a man found it and returned to him. She said that her father would always supplicate while prostrating, for her daughter to become blessed with a husband similiar to the honest man. I then informed her that I was that man."

" O Allah, I have given it for You, so compensate me with what is better."
Abandoning something for the sake and Pleasure of Allah- Allah will definitely compensate with something that is better, either sooner or later, in this world or Hereafter.

(Source : Al -Islaah Publication)

2004-01-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

High suicide rate of US soldiers in Iraq . Another reason for US to pull back its troops from Iraq.

2004-01-11T23:25:00.000-08:00

ABC of Islam

A is for Allah
Lord of the Universe, who is One,
He made the earth, stars, and sun
He made angels to worship and pray,
He made man from a dab of clay

B is for Bilal
Bilal is that tall, brave African man,
Islam freed him and gave him iman
Calling the Muslims to come and pray,
Was his duty each night and day

C is for Children
Black, white, red, yellow, and brown,
Better than the jewels in a crown
Laughing or crying, short or tall,
Allah loves children, one and all

D is for Du'a
Remembering Allah all nights and days,
By giving Him our thanks and praise
Thank Allah with "Al Hamdulillah"
And praise Him with "Subhanallah

E is for Earth
With its mountains, rivers, and seas,
Animals, birds, fruits, and trees
They all declare Allah's Might,
Following His laws, wills, and light

F is for Faith
That which the Muslims call Iman,
Is in the heart of the believing man
Will come from his lip and hand,
Love for Allah pouring out like sand

G is for Gabriel
An angel(called Jibraeel in Islam) created by Allah from light,
His duty is to serve Allah all day and night
To Prophet Muhammad (S) he did appear,
To bring mankind the Holy Qur'an so dear

H is for Heaven
God's garden of joy, peace, and love,
The home for Muslim's souls above
The path to this heavenly place
Is faith in Allah's guidance and grace

I is for Islam
A way of life for all of who,
Give to Allah the praise that is due
We worship and pray five times a day,
Because we know it is the best way

J is for Jesus
Peace be upon him, 'Isa, the son of Maryam,
To his people Allah's word did he carry
By Allah's help he made the sick well,
So people would believe what he had to tell

K is for Ka'bah
First house of Allah in Makkah was made,
By Ibrahim and Isma'il the stones were laid
Millions of believers from every race,
Come for Hajj tot his extra special place

L is for Life
A precious gift from Allah to you,
Don't waste it, he knows what you do
Don't chase pleasure or forget Allah,
No matter how little, say "Al-Hamdulillah

M is for Muhammad
Peace be upon him, Abdullah's son,
From Allah's enemies he did not run
Of all the Prophets he was the last,
Islam his message which we hold fast

N is for Nuh
Peace be upon him, a Prophet who was very good,
Allah told him to build an ark, fast as he could
Take pairs of animals and the believers-all,
The flood was coming and the waves would be tall!

O is for Obedience
It is the duty of each Muslim to obey,
The Qur'an and the Sunnah all the way
Go for Hajj, give Zakah, fast, and pray,
And to your parents do not say, "Nay!"

P is for Prayer
It is the cornerstone of Muslim life,
And the devil it cuts like a knife
Prayer five times a day is a must,
In Allah you should put your trust

Q is for Qur'an
A blessing and guide for all of mankind,
In it Allah's message you will find
Of all His messages it is the last,
Perfect for present, future, and past

R is for Ramadan
For Muslims this blessed month of fasting,
Is to celebrate Allah's love everlasting
All day, no food, nor drink, nor evil deeds,
Pray and read Qur'an, to heaven this leads

S is for Surah
One hundred and fourteen in the Qur'an,
Read them and trust in Al-Rahman,
Do you know ten of them that you can say?
Knowing them will help you pray

T is for Tawheed
La ilaaha illallah, Allah is the only one,
There is no partner with Him, nor son
Allah is the answer to all that we need,
Watch your heart and tongue, He knows every deed

U is for Ummah
The Muslim community which Muhammad (S) found,
The brotherhood of Islam made it sound
Allah's laws in the Qur'an and Sunnah,
Are to help everyone in the Ummah

V is for Victory
It is the help from Allah to you,
His guidance in everything you do
Work and prayer a Muslim does need,
To celebrate Allah's victory, indeed!

W is for Wudu'
We must keep our minds and bodies clean,
Because by Allah we are always seen
Whenever you hear the call of athan,
Prepare and come pray as soon as you can

X is for ......
X is not easy for us to rhyme,
So we'll not waste much of your time
In higher math X is hard to find,
But Allah's path is clear even to the blind

Y is for Yunus
Peace be upon him, a good man in a wicked town,
He ran to the sea and a whale gobbled him down
By the mercy of Allah he was saved to tell,
His people to become good and obey Allah well

Z is for Zero-sin
It is the way we each begin,
Free from wordly sin
So, don't let yourself forget,
Keep out of the devil's threat!

2004-01-10T23:32:00.000-08:00

When Islaam is against idol worship why do the Muslims worship, and bow down to the Ka'abah idol in Their Prayer?
Answer..
Ka'abah is the Qiblah i.e. the direction Muslims face during their prayers. It is important to note that though Muslims face the Ka'abah during prayers, they do not worship the Ka'abah. Muslims worship and bow to none but Allaah.

It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah: "We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction." [Al-Qur'ân 2:144]

1. Islam believes in fostering unity
For instance, if Muslims want to offer Salaah (Prayer), it is possible that some may wish to face north, while some may wish to face south. In order to unite Muslims in their worship of the One True God, Muslims, wherever they may be, are asked to face in only one direction i.e. towards the Ka'abah. If some Muslims live towards the west of the Ka'abah they face the east. Similarly if they live towards the east of the Ka'abah they face the west.

2. Ka'abah is at the Centre of the World Map
The Muslims were the first people to draw the map of the world. They drew the map with the south facing upwards and north downwards. The Kaaba was at the centre. Later, western cartographers drew the map upside down with the north facing upwards and south downwards. Yet, Alhamdullilah the Ka'abah is at the centre of the world map.

3. Tawaf around Ka'abah for indicating one God
When the Muslims go to Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah, they perform tawaf or circumambulation round the Ka'abah. This act symbolizes the belief and worship of One God, since, just as every circle has one centre, so also there is only one Allah (swt) worthy of worship.

4. Hadith of Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him)
Regarding the black stone, hajr-e-aswad, there is a Hadeeth (tradition), attributed to the illustrious companion of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

According to Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, book of Hajj, chapter 56, H.No. 675. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Prophet (pbuh) touching (and kissing) you, I would never have touched (and kissed) you".

5. People stood on Ka'abah and gave the adhaan
At the time of the Prophet, people even stood on the Ka'abah and gave the ‘adhaan’ or the call to prayer. One may ask those who allege that Muslims worship the Ka'abah; which idol worshipper stands on the idol he worships?

2004-01-10T00:13:00.000-08:00

Those of you who are using Nokia 8210 ,Beware! it can explode anytime!!.
Read this Article

2004-01-08T05:11:00.000-08:00

Question :
Where should I deposit my money in an age when people have become so negligent and the banks are dubious because of riba, and we have no Islamic banks and keeping the money at home is not safe? I want to deposit my money in a place that is permissible, without committing any sin. And I want to invest it and pay zakaah on it, otherwise it will get used up and the amount of zakaah will be reduced.

Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Depositing one’s money in a riba-based bank helps the bank to deal in riba; this applies even if you do not get any interest on your deposit.
If you do get interest, this is the riba that is forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and the one who gives it.

Whoever has wealth that he wants to save or invest should look for a permissible way of doing so. He may give the money to a trustworthy man to do business with it for him, and they can share the profit in whatever manner they agree upon.

If he cannot find any way to save it other than depositing it in the bank, then there is no sin in that if it is done out of necessity, so long as that does not involve any interest.

He should choose the least evil of the banks, and the one that is closest to the way of dealing that is prescribed in sharee’ah.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

With regard to depositing money in bank accounts that pay interest monthly or annually, this is a kind of riba that is forbidden according to scholarly consensus. With regard to depositing it without interest, it is better not to do that except in cases of necessity if the bank deals with interest, because depositing money with the bank, even if no interest is paid, helps the bank to engage in its riba-based transactions, so there is the fear that the one who does this may come under the heading of those who help others in sin and transgression, even if he does not intend to do so. We must beware of that which Allaah has forbidden and look for sound ways of preserving and disposing of wealth. May Allaah help the Muslims to do that which will lead to their happiness and victory and salvation. May He help them to quickly establish Islamic banks that are free of riba, for He is Able to do that. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 4/30, 311

And Allaah knows best.

from www.islam-qa.com

2004-01-07T05:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Gurmeet,

I am in a well here and hoping you in the same well there.
I'm writing this letter slowly, because I know you cannot read fast.
We don't live where we did when you left home.
Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happen 20 miles from home, so
we moved 20 miles. I wont be able to send the address as the last Sardar who
stayed here took the house numbers with them for their new house so they
wouldnot have to change their address.
Hopefully by next week we will be able to take our earlier address Plate here,
so that our address will remain same too.
This place is really nice.It even has a washing machine,situated right above the
commode.
I m not sure it works too well. Last week I put in 3 shirts, pulled the chain
and havent seen them since.
The weather here isn't too bad. It rained only twice last week. The first time
it rained for 3 days and second time for 4 days. The coat you wanted me to send
you, your Aunt said it would be
a little too heavy to send in the mail with all the metal buttons, so we cut
them off and put them in the pocket.
Your father has another job. He has 500 men under him. He is cutting The grass
at the cemetery. By the way I took bahu to our club's poolside.
The manager is badmash. He told her that two piece swimming suit
is not allowed in this club.We were confused as to which piece should we remove?
Your sister had a baby this morning.I haven't found out whether it is a girl
or a boy, so I don't know whether you are an Aunt or Uncle.

Your uncle, Jetinder fell in a the nearby well. Some men tried to pull him out,
but he fought them off bravely and drowned. We cremated him and he burned for
three days.
Your best friend, Balwinder, is no more. He died trying to fulfil his fathers
Last wishes. His father had wished to be buried in the sea after he died. And
your
friend died while in the process of digging a grave for his father.
There isn't much more news this time. Nothing much has happened.
Love Mom.
P.S : Beta, I was going to send you some money but by the time I realized,I had
already sealed off this letter.

Regards,
Jassi jaisi koi nahin (Jaswinder kaur)

2003-12-30T06:20:00.000-08:00

In LOVE, Love is Never planned and nor does it happen for a REASON.
But when the Love is real, it becomes your plan for life and your REASON for living.

2003-12-28T22:59:00.000-08:00

Herez some thing for females to smile upon....
Wives Vs Husbands
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word.
An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position.

As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?"
Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

------------------------------------------------------------------

A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day... 30,000 to a man's 15,000.

The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men... The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"

------------------------------------------------------------------

A man said to his wife one day, "I don't know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time."

The wife responded, "Allow me to explain. God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

------------------------------------------------------------------

Husband and wife were in the midst of a violent quarrel, and hubby was losing his temper. "Be careful," he said to his
wife. "You will bring out the animal in me." ...
"So what?" his wife shot back. "Who is afraid of a mouse?"

2003-12-18T04:15:00.000-08:00

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair and his beard cut as always. He started to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him. They talked about so many things and various subjects. existance

Suddenly, they touched the subject of ALLAH. The barber said : "Look man, I don't believe that ALLAH exists as you say so." "Why do you say that?" Asked the client. Well, it's so easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize that ALLAH does not exist. Oh, tell me, if ALLAH existed, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If ALLAH existed, there would be no suffering nor pain. I can't think of a ALLAH who permits all of these things." The client stopped for a moment thinking but he didn't want to respond so as to prevent an argument.

The barber finished his job and the client went out of the shop. Just after he left the barber shop he saw a man in the street with a long hair and beard (it seems that it had been a long time since he had his cut and he looked so untidy). Then the client again entered the barber shop and he said to the barber : " know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How come they don't exist?"-asked the barber. "Well I am here and I am a barber." "No!" - the client exclaimed. "They don't exist because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who walks in the street."

"Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me." "Exactly!"- affirmed the client. "That's the point. ALLAH does exist, what happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him that's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

2003-12-16T22:10:00.000-08:00

CALIPH UMAR'S ADDRESS AFTER JERUSALEM

After receiving the surrender of Jerusalem and completing the tour of Syria when Caliph Umar was returning to Madina he led the prayer at Jabiah. On this occasion he delivered an address which is preserved in history. The major part of his address was:

"O ye people I counsel you to read the Qur’an. Try to understand it and ponder over it. Imbibe the teachings of the Qur’an. Then practise what the Quran teaches. The Qur’an is not theoretical; it is a practical code of life. The Qur’an does not bring you the message of the Hereafter only; it is primarily intended to guide you in this life. Mold your life in accordance with the teachings of Islam for that is the way of your well being. By following any other way you will be inviting destruction.

"Fear Allah (The One True God), and whatever you want seek from Him. All men are equal. Do not flatter those in authority. Do not seek favors from others. By such acts you demean yourself. And remember that you will get only that is ordained for you, and no one can give you anything against the will of God. Then why seek things from others over which they have no control? Only supplicate God for He alone is the sovereign.

"And speak the truth. Do not hesitate to say what you consider to be the truth. Say what you feel. Let your conscience be your guide. Let your intentions be good, for verily God is aware of your intentions. In your deeds your intentions count. Fear God, and fear no one else. Why fear others when you know that whatever sustenance ordained for you by God you will get under all circumstances? And again why fear when you know that death is ordained by God alone and will come only when He wills?

"Allah has for the time being made me your ruler. But I am one of you. No special privileges belong to ruler. I have some responsibilities to discharge, and in this I seek your cooperation. Government is a sacred trust, and it is my endeavor not to betray the trust in any way. For the fulfillment of the trust I have to be a watch-man. I have to be strict. I have to enforce discipline. I have to run the administration not on the basis of personal idiosyncracies; I have to run it in public interest and for promoting the public good. For this we have the guidance in the Book of God. Whatever orders I issue in the course of day to day administration have to conform to the Qur’an. God has favored us with Islam. He sent to us His Messenger (Muhammad, pbuh). He has chosen us for a mission. Let us fulfil that mission. That mission is the promotion of Islam. In Islam lies our safety; if we err we are doomed."

'Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: (in his letter to the Commander S'ad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) , when he sent him for the conquest of Persia):

"...Then after, I order you and all that troops that are along with you to be obedient to Allah swt in all circumstances as this (being obedient to Allah swt) is better than the weapons against the enemy and a strong stratagem (device) in the war. I order you and the soldiers who are with you to be more cautious and afraid of your own crimes and sins (and not to commit them) than your enemy, as the crimes and sins of the soldiers are more dangerous to them than their enemy. The Muslims are victorious only because their enemies are disobedient to Allah swt, and had it not been so, we have no power over them, because neither our number is equal to their number, nor our weapons are like theirs. If we commit crimes and sins as they do, then they (our enemies) will have superiority over us in power. And if we will not gain victory over them by our merits, we do not overpower them by our strength. And you should also know that in this marching of yours (for Allah's Cause) there are guards (angels) upon you from Allah (swt) (to watch you), and they know all what you do. So be shy from them and do not commit Allah's disobedience (crimes and sins) while you are going in Allah's Cause and do not say: 'Our enemy is worse than us, so they will not overpower us.' Perhaps some people who are worse than the others may overpower the others as the (disbelievers) Magians overpowered the Children of Israel when they (the latter) involved themselves with Allah's disobedience (crimes and sins). So they (disbelievers, Magians) entered the very innermost parts of their homes and it was a promise (completely) fulfilled. And ask Allah (swt) the assistance over your own selves, (to save you from crimes and sins) just as you ask Allah for the victory over your enemies... I ask Allah (swt) for that, both for you and for us."

Taken from:
Jihaad In Qur'ân And Sunnah - By Sheikh Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid

2003-12-13T05:01:00.000-08:00

Laloo Biz ways: what they do not teach you at Harvard

Laloo Prasad Yadav talks to his son
Laloo : I want you to marry a girl of my choice
Son : "I want to choose my own bride".
Laloo : "But the girl is Ambani's daughter."
Son : "Well, in that case..."

Next Laloo approaches Mukesh Ambani
Laloo : "I have a husband for your daughter."
Ambani : "But my daughter is too young to marry."
Laloo : "But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank."
Ambani : "Ah, in that case..."

Finally Laloo goes to see the president of the World Bank.
Laloo : "I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president."
President : "But I already have more vice-presidents than I need."
Laloo : "But this young man is Ambani's son-in-law."
President : "Ah, in that case....."

This is how business is done!!

2003-12-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

If you are insulted, ignore it, if you can't ignore it, overcome it, if you can't overcome it, laugh at it, if you can't laugh at it, then you deserve it.

Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.

There are two types of people in this world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more.

There are three kinds of lies; lies, damned lies and statistics.

I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing... and then they marry him.

By all means marry. If you get a good wife you will become happy, and if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher

2003-11-30T23:11:00.000-08:00

"Indeed this aqeedah is truly a source of amazement. When it enters the hearts it produces a mixture of love, companionship, and affection between hearts which it causes to become tender and sensitive, it ties them with a bond that is strong, profound, and gentle. So that the glance of an eye, the touch of the hand, and the beat of the heart contain realities of mutual compassion and mutual acquaintance, mutual friendship and alliance, mutual aid, liberality and forbearance; whose secret is not know except by the One who through His mercy united these hearts. And these things are not experienced except by these hearts."
[Sheikh Salem al-Hilali- "Love & Hate for the Sake of Allah]

2003-11-12T01:41:00.000-08:00

Before the battle of Tabuk, the Holy Prophet delivered a classical address which has passed into history.
He said:

"Verily the most veracious discourse is the Book of Allah.
The most trusty stronghold is the word of piety.
The best of religions is the religion of Islam.
The best of the precedents is the precedent of Muhammad.
The noblest speech is the invocation of Allah.
The finest of the narratives is the Quran.
The best of the affairs is that which has been firmly resolved upon.
The worst in religion are those things, which are created without sanction.
The best of the ways is the one trodden by the Prophets. The noblest death is the death of a martyr.
The most miserable blindness is the waywardness after guidance.
The best of the actions is that which is beneficent.
The best guidance is that which is put into practice.
The worst blindness is the blindness of the heart."

2003-11-11T01:06:00.000-08:00

Inshallah, i wil be going to Umra. i ask forgiveness from all the people i might have hurt ,knowingly or unknowingly. i ask his Almighty's forgiveness for me and you all. i ask all of u to pray that my Umra is accepted.. i will be coming after Eid, so Eid Mubarak in Advance!.

2003-11-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

Monks by Night, Knights by Day
In the decisive battles against the Romans during the time of the Caliph Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, the Muslim soldiers, although always out-numbered by the enemy, proved mysteriously indomitable and strong-willed opponents. They Roman commanders were baffled as to how the once barbaric and irregular desert army could display such vigour and chivalry against a battle-hardened regular Roman army. They sent some informers to see how the Muslim soldiers spent their time in the leisure periods, especially at night. This is what they were informed:

One informer said, 'They are knights by day and monks by night. They pay for what they eat in territories under their occupation. They are the first to salute when they arrive at a place and are valiant fighters who just wipe out the enemy.'

Another testified, 'During the night it seems that they do not belong to this world and have no other business than to pray, and during the day, when one sees them mounted on their horses, one feels that they have been doing nothing else all their lives. They are great archers and great lancers, yet they are so devoutly religious and they remember Allah so much and so often that one can hardly hear them talking about anything else in their company.'

The third said, 'You will find them prayerful; during the day you will find them fasting. They keep their promises, order good deeds, suppress evil and maintain complete equality among themselves.'

How did they do it? What was it that created miracles in their lives? To understand it one has to understand the message of Islam and the person of the Messenger of Allah. From the moment Allah Almighty placed Islam in their hearts they became a totally different people, equipped with:

* a deep understanding of Islam, the meaning of life and contemporary challenges,
* the deepest relationship with Allah and love for the Prophet, peace be upon him,
* liberated minds, which they filled with visionary ideas for the good of humankind,
* the characteristic features of Muslims,
* unwavering commitment for Islam and balance in life.

2003-11-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Abu Huraira said the Messenger (S) of Allah (T) said:
"The supplications of three groups of people's are not rejected; the du'aa
(Supplication) of the fasting person when he is breaking his fast, the du'aa of
the just Imam and the du'aa of the oppressed." [Tirmidhee, Ibn Majah and Ibn
Hibbaan]

2003-11-01T01:38:00.000-08:00

A very good Islamic article on arabnews.com

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Believers, do not enter houses other than your own unless you have obtained permission and greeted their inmates. This is best for you, so that you may take heed.

If you find no one in the house, do not enter it until you are given leave; and if you are told to go back, then go back, as it is most proper for you. God has full knowledge of all that you do.

You will incur no sin if you enter uninhabited houses in which you have something of use. God knows all that you do openly, and all that you would conceal. (Light, Al-Noor: 24: 27-29).....

2003-10-29T21:41:00.000-08:00

The Wisdom of Sahoor

Allah (T) made fasting obligatory upon us as He (T) had made it
obligatory on the people ot the Book before us. He (T) said , (which
means):

{O you who believe Fasting is prescribed upon you as it was prescribed
upon those before you so that perhaps you may attain Taqwaa.}
[Al-Baqarah 2 : 183]

In the first period of Islam, the duration and regulations of fasting
were in accordance with what was legislated by Allah upon the People of
the Book. They were not allowed to eat, drink or engage in sexual
intercourse after they slept. That is once one sleeps, he could not eat
nor do any of the above until the night of the following day, this
implied that they took no Sahoor (Pre-dawn meal).

However, when the above ruling was abrogated, the Messenger (S)
commanded the Muslims to take the Sahoor (Pre-dawn meal) as a means of
being different in our fasting from the fasting of the People of the
Book. 'Amr Ibn al-Aas reported that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
"The distinguishing feature between our fast and the fast of the People
of the Book is in the eating at the time just before dawn." [Muslim]

The Sahoor is Barakah (blessed)

Salmaan (R) said that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: Blessings are
found in three things, the Group (Al-Jama'ah), Ath-thareed (a type of
food) and As-Sahoor (the Pre-dawn meal)." [At-Tabaraanee, Abu Na'eem]
Abu Hurairah (R) said that the Messenger (S) of Allah (T) said: "Verily
Allah placed Barakah (blessing) in the Sahoor (pre-dawn meal) and in
perfect measurement (weighing)."[Ash-Shairazee]

'Abdullah Ibn Haarith said that one of the Sahabah (companion) said: 'I
entered the house of the Messenger (S) whilst he was taking the Sahoor
(pre-dawn meal), and he (S) said: "Indeed it (the Sahoor) is blessing
that Allah has given to you so do not leave it out." [An-Nasaaee and
Ahmad]

The reality that there are great blessings in the Sahoor (Pre-dawn
meal) is very apparent because there is in it:

(a) the following of the Sunnah,
(b) it makes the fast easier upon the person who is fasting,
(c) it increases the desire in the person to want to continue to fast
because of the ease upon the fasting person and
(d) there is also in it the principle of being different from the
People of the Book because they are prohibited from taking the Sahoor
(pre-dawn meal).

For this reason the Messenger of Allah (S) called it the blessed meal.
Allah (T) and the Angels send Salaah upon the people who take the
Sahoor (pre-dawn meal)

The greatest blessing of the Sahoor (pre-dawn meal) may be that Allah
(T) engulfs those who partake in it with His Forgiveness, showers His
Mercy on them, while His angels ask of Him to forgive and pardon them.
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree said that the Messenger (S) said: "Eating the
Sahoor is blessed. Do not neglect it even if you take a gulp of water,
because Allah and His angels invoke blessings upon those who partake in
the pre-dawn meal." [Ahmad]

It is very important that the Muslim does not allow this great blessing
from his Merciful Lord to escape him.

What is the best thing the Muslim can eat for Sahoor

The Messenger (S) said: "The best Sahoor for the believer is dates."
[Abu Dawood, Al-Baihaqee and Ibn Hibbaan]
Note: If one does not find food to eat then a gulp of water would
suffice as is substantiated in the hadeeth.
Delaying the Sahoor

It is recommended to delay the Sahoor (pre-dawn meal) till just before
dawn. Zaid ibn Thaabit said: "We ate the Sahoor with the Messenger (S),
then we got up to offer the Salaah (prayer - in this case the Fajr
prayer). I asked "What was the time between the Adhaan (call to prayer)
and the Sahoor?" He said: "(The time it would take) to recite fifty
verses." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

It must be known that it is allowed to eat, drink and have sexual
relationship with one's spouse as long as one doubts and is uncertain
that the dawn has started. Allah (T) and His Messenger (S) have made
clear the criterion for establishing the Fajr, and this is what one is
required to go by.

The Ruling for Sahoor

The Messenger of Allah (S) commanded that whoever wants to fast must
take the Sahoor (pre-dawn meal). He (S) said: "Whoever wishes to fast,
then let him eat something for Sahoor." [Ibn Abi Shaibah, Ahmad and
others]

And he (S) also said: "Take the Sahoor because in the Sahoor is Barakah
(blessings)."[Bukhaaree and Muslim]

Then he (S) also prohibited the Muslims from neglecting it. He (S)
said: "What differentiates our fast from the fast of the People of the
Book is the Sahoor meal." [Ibn Abi Shaibah, Ahmad]

The author concludes:

It is clear that the Messenger (S) emphatically commands us to eat the
Sahoor from three different angles:

(a) He (S) ordered it.
(b) It is one of the highlight of the Muslim's fast and it
distinguishes the fast of the Muslim from the fast of others.
(c) He prohibited us from neglecting it.

All three of the above inferences are very strong and they all seem to
be pointing to one specific thing.

(Source : DiscoveringIslam Yahoo group)

2003-10-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW?

Following are some things you should keep in mind when preparing for a job interview:

Assuming you have a well-written and honest resume, review it often, especially before an interview. Many questions asked will be generated by the information in your resume. Question yourself about every item on it, and be ready to respond, preferably using anecdotes and concrete examples.

Do your homework about each company with whom you interview. Go to the library and check available reference sources to enable you to ask intelligent questions. By researching a company, you demonstrate that you have a real interest in the position, which can ultimately impress an employer.

Know precisely how to get to the site of the interview, even if it means making a trial run a few days in advance.

Know how long it takes you to get to the interview, and leave enough time to arrive early. Being late for an interview will almost always doom your chances. Candidates who arrive just in time are also generally flustered, which can hurt the interview. Get there early and use the cushion of time to gather your thoughts.

Choose the appropriate wardrobe and have it ready ahead of time. Arriving with a button missing or scuffed shoes doesn't make a good initial impression. Dress conservatively, even if the culture of the company with which you're interviewing is informal. You can always dress down once you've landed the job.

Leave any negative feelings at home; bring only your positive, upbeat self to the interview. Pledge to be friendly with everyone with whom you come in contact, including the receptionist, the interviewer's secretary, and everyone else introduced to you. Managers often ask others who come in contact with a candidate for their evaluation.

Be committed to speaking positively and kindly about other people, including fellow students, professors, and previous employers. If the interview has come through your college placement office, there is a good possibility you will know some other students with whom you are in competition. If their names come up, avoid the natural temptation to point out something negative. Rather than enhancing your own potential for getting the job, you diminish yourself in the interviewer's eyes.

Potential employers want "proof" of the things you say, so be ready to present examples of the skills and abilities attained in school and in previous jobs.

Be alert to your surroundings and listen carefully to what the interviewer says. Often, you'll learn what the interviewer likes and doesn't like in a candidate, as well as gain insight into what the job demands. A good listener is able to build upon that knowledge and come back with the sort of responses an interviewer wants to hear.

Remember that any answer you give to a question is likely to be followed by additional questions. If you're asked if you like to read, simply saying "yes" isn't sufficient when the interviewer follows up with, "What books have you read lately, and which have impressed you most?"

Avoid accepting offers of food or beverages during the interview. Spilling coffee on yourself does nothing to enhance your image. If the interview should involve lunch or dinner, order smart. You may love spaghetti, but it can be pretty messy to eat. Also, decline the offer of alcoholic beverages.

Every interview should be followed with a short, courteous note thanking the interviewer. The note could indicate something positive in your favor that you forgot to bring up during the interview itself, as well as express your continued interest in the position.

(SOURCE: New Accountant, April 1995)

2003-10-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

The dangerous bond with TV

Most children love watching the TV after school but do you really know what effect it's having on your sons and daughters?

Earlier this month parents in Britain were accused of using televisions as electronic babysitters, which the government's chief inspector of schools believes has resulted in a generation of youngsters starting school unable to speak properly.

The children grow up passively, receiving information from the small screen and the lack of interaction with other human beings means their communication skills are not developed, said David Bell.

The children's isolation can lead to behavioural problems when they start school, which also has a detrimental impact on their education.

"TV and computer games use up time which could otherwise be devoted to family things, play or reading, all of which are important for normal speech and language development as well as the development of social skills," added BBC consultant Dr Trisha Macnair.

"Television is turning children to tubbies as they sit around more and get out and about less. "TV also encourages children to follow a junk food diet because it bombards them with images of high fat, high sugar snacks and drinks."

Shortly afterwards it was revealed that a third of children under three had televisions in their bedrooms, where parental supervision is slight. One in three children under the age of six were found to be watching television for between two and six hours a day.

British sleep deprivation expert Prof Jim Horne found that up to two-thirds of British children were not getting enough sleep and that by the time a child reaches seven he will have missed out on as much as 4,500 hours sleep. The culprits are televisions and computer games, says Mr Horne.

"Bedrooms are changing from a place of rest and tranquillity to places where there are lots of things to keep children awake," he noted.

Sleep deprivation can harm neurological development and can contribute to behavioural problems.

Two-year-olds should be getting 13 hours a day, three and four-year-olds 12 hours and five and six-year-olds 11 hours. Many get much less.

The actual content of the programming is another a topic of hot debate, with concerns about violence topping the agenda.

If your child is sitting down in front of cartoons every day you may not think it's a problem, but a US national television violence study found that nearly two-thirds of programmes contained violence and that children's programmes actually contained the most violence.

Psychologist Dr George Gerbner found that children's television shows contain about 20 violent acts an hour.

By the time your child is 18 he or she will have witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, according to the American Academy of Paediatrics (APA).

By the time he reaches 70 he will have spent seven to 10 years of his life in front of the box.

In fact child development specialist Dr Steve Green says youngsters will have spent more time in front of the TV than in the classroom when they graduate from school. The APA argues that children who see too much violence on television become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, become more fearful of the world around them and are more likely to behave aggressively.

It also estimates that the average American child views 10,000 murders, rapes and aggravated assaults per year on television and says that American television and movies are the most violent in the world.

Many of these programmes are screened on satellite channels beamed into Bahrain.

The impact of TV violence can be seen immediately and can even shape a child's future. In a study at Pennsylvania State University, US, 100 pre-school children were observed before and after watching different cartoons.

Those who had watched aggressive cartoons were more likely to strike out at playmates, argue, disobey authority and were less patient than those who watched the non-violent shows.

In a longer study Dr Leonard Eron observed youngsters who watched many hours of television violence, from elementary level to the age of 30. Those who were avid viewers were more aggressive as they grew up and more likely to be convicted of criminal acts than those who hadn't been.

In rare cases children can experience deep psychological trauma after watching inappropriate programmes for their age group.

Two 10-year-olds were separately referred to a psychiatric unit in Britain after watching the horror programme Ghostwatch one Hallowe'en.

They were diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and one had to be admitted to the unit for two months to give staff a chance to ease his fears. The youngsters experienced nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks.

Satellite television is contributing to the ever-increasing amount of TV children are viewing. Ten years ago children in Bahrain were restricted to just a few hours a day of cartoons and children's shows, but now there are 24-hour cartoon channels which can tempt them at any time of the day or night.

The array of adult programmes on during the day mean that channel surfing youngsters can easily stumble upon violent, frightening or even sexually provocative shows.

"Technological advances, including satellite television and the information superhighway, give children easier access to a wide range of violent images, with less prospect of effective censorship," says consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Dora Black.

However, most experts are agreed that television is useful and beneficial for children in moderation. Parents should also choose shows which have an educational content and which encourage children to participate in activities away from the screen, like making crafts. It's also important to get your children involved in other sociable activities so they interact with others, get exercise and learn that there is more to life than the television.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Written By: Sara Horton.

2003-10-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Asalamu alaikum,

This Tulsa, Oklahoma television station is taking a poll on whether or not religious clothing should be allowed in schools. So far, there are a lot more votes for NOT allowing religious (clothing) in schools. I would like to urge all the muslims in our community to vote. Please access this web site and look on the right side of the page for the poll. So far 25% are saying yes and 74% are saying NO. the poll is in the very left corner of the page under the news section. jazakallahukharan

http://www.ktultv.com/

2003-10-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

When Lips Don't Move but Words are Spoken

When lips don't move but words are spoken,
Closed eyes tremble from internal violence.
A mind and heart whose link is broken,
The strongest emotions are expressed in silence

2003-10-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

* In addition to all this, men in Hinduism are treated literally as among the gods. In one of the religious Hindu celebrations, unmarried girls pray for and worship an idol representing a particular god (Shira) so that they may have husbands like him. Even my own mother had asked me to do this. This made me see that the Hindu religion which is based on superstitions and things that have no manifest proof, but were merely traditions which oppressed women could not be right.

Subsequently, when I came to England to study, I thought that at least this is a country which gives equal rights to men and women, and does not oppress them. We all have the freedom to do as we like, I thought. Well, as I started to meet people and make new friends, learn about this new society, and go to all the places my friends went to in order to "socialise" (bars, dance halls, etc.). I realised thats "equality" was not so true in practice as it was in theory.

Outwardly, women were seen to be given equal rights in education, work, and so forth, but in reality women were still oppressed in a different, more subtle way. When I went with my friends to those places they hung out at, I found everybody interested to talk to me and I thought that was normal. But it was only later that I realised how naive I was, and recognised what these people were really looking for. I soon began to feel uncomfortable, as if I was not myself: I had to dress in a certain way so that people would like me, and had to talk in a certain way to please them. I soon found that I was feeling more and more uncomfortable, less and less myself, yet I could not get out. Everybody was saying they were enjoying themselves, but I don't call this enjoying.

I think women in this way of life are oppressed; they have to dress in a certain way in order to please and appear more appealing, and also talk in a certain way so people like them. During this time I had not thought about Islam, even though I had some Muslim acquaintances. But I felt I really had to do something, to find something that I would be happy and secure with, and would feel respected with. Something to believe in that is the right belief, because everybody has a belief that they live according to.

If having fun by getting off with other people is someone's belief, they do this. If making money is someone's belief, they do everything to achieve this. If they believe drinking is one way to enjoy life then they do it. But I feel all this leads to nowhere; no one is truly satisfied, and the respect women are looking for is diminishing in this way.

In these days of so called "society of equal rights", you are expected to have a boyfriend (or you're weird!) and to not be a virgin. So this is a form of oppression even though some women do not realise it. When I came to Islam, it was obvious that I had finally found permanent security. A religion, a belief that was so complete and clear in every aspect of life. Many people have a misconception that Islam is an oppressive religion, where women are covered from head to toe, and are not allowed any freedom or
rights. In fact, women in Islam are given more rights, and have been for the past 1400 years, compared to the only-recently rights given to non-Muslim women in some western and some other societies. But there are, even now, societies where women are still oppressed, as I mentioned earlier in relation to Hindu women. Muslim women have the right to inheritance. They have the right to run their own trade and business. They have the full right to ownership, property, disposal over their wealth to which the husband has no right. They have the right to education, a right to refuse marriage as long as this refusal is according to reasonable and justifiable grounds. The Qur'an itself, which is the Word of God, contains many verses commanding men to be kind to their wives and stressing the rights of women. Islam gives
the right set of rules, because they are NOT made by men, but made by God; hence it is a perfect religion.

Quite often Muslim women are asked why they are covered from head to toe, and are told that this is oppression -it is not. In Islam, marriage is an important part of life, the making of the society. Therefore, a woman should not go around showing herself to everybody, only for her husband. Even the man is not allowed to show certain parts of his body to none but his wife. In addition, God has commanded Muslim women to cover themselves for their modesty: "0 Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they could be known as such (i.e. decent and chaste) and not molested. " (Qur'an 33:59)

If we look around at any other society, we find that in the majority of cases women are attacked and molested because of how they are dressed. Another point I'd like to comment on is that the rules and regulation laid down in Islam by God do not apply just to women but to men also. There is no
intermingling and free-running between men and women for the benefit of both. Whatever God commands is right, wholesome, pure and beneficial to mankind; there is no doubt about that. Averse in the Qur'an explains this concept clearly: "Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and protect their private parts (i.e. from indecency, illegal sexual acts, etc.); that will make for greater purity for them. And God is well aware of what they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and protect their private parts (from indecency, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.); and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments. .. " (Qur'an, Surah AI-Nur 24:31)

When I put on my hijab (veil), I was really happy to do it. In fact, I really want to do it. When I put on the hijab, I felt a great sense of satisfaction and happiness. Satisfied that I had obeyed God's command. And
happy with the good and blessings that come with it. I have felt secure and protected. In fact people respect me more for it. I could really see the difference in behaviour towards me.

Finally, I'd like to say that I had accepted Islam not blindly, or under any compulsion. In the Qur'an itself there is averse which says "Let there be no compulsion in religion". I accepted Islam with conviction. I have seen, been there, done that, and seen both sides of the story. I know and have experienced what the other side is like, and I know that I have done the right thing. Islam does not oppress women, but rather Islam liberates them and gives them the respect they deserve. Islam is the religion God has chosen for the whole of mankind. Those who accept it are truly liberated from the chains and shackles of mankind whose ruling and legislating necessitates nothing but the oppression of one group by another and the
exploitation and oppression of one sex by the other. This is not the case of Islam, which truly liberated women and gave them an individuality not given by any other authority.

2003-10-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

Baghdad Burning is a blog about a girl from Iraq. she writes nicely about the real happenings and day to day activities in Iraq. A must read , if you really want to know what happens in iraq.

2003-10-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

Now Israel Attacks Syria. what could be the real motives of attackign a Syria. Read the Editorial of Arabnews... .it makes lot of sense to me. Pray that Allah showers his Rahmah on those helpless Muslims from the ruthless maniac Sharon.

2003-10-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

[b]Recently the father of physics made a visit to earth to watch a movie.He watched a few Indian movies and had his head spinning. He was convinced that all his logics and laws in physics were just a huge pile of junk and apologised for everything he had done.

In the movie of Mithun chakravarthy Newton dada was confused to such an extent that he went paranoid. Here are a few scenes: [/b]

1) Mithund has a Brain Tumor which, according to the doctors can't be cured and his death is imminent. In one of the fights, Our great Mithunda is shot in the head. To everybody's surprise, the bullet passes through his ears taking away the tumor along with it and he is cured. Long Live Mithunda

2) In one of the movies, Mithunda is confronted with 3 gangsters. Mithunda has a Gun but unfortunately only one bullet. Guess, what he does....... He holds a knife in his hand and throws at the middle gangster.. & shoots the bullet towards the knife. The knife cuts the bullet into 2 pieces and kills both the gangsters on each side of the middle gangster & the knife kill the middle one ... Then, Mithunda utters the following dialogue
"Apun ka naam hai HIRA, Apun ne sabko Chiraa".

3) Mithund is chased by a gangster. Mithund has a revolvver but he got no bullets in it. Guess, what he does. Nah not even in your remotest imaginations. He waits for the gangster to shoot. As soon as the gangster shoots, Mithund opens the bullet compartment of his revolver and catches the bullet. Then, he closes the bullet compartment and fires his gun. Bang... And the gangster dies....

4) The heroine is tied to an electric chair and the remote is in the hands of the villain about 100 km away. As usual, the villain confronts the hero saying "Hathiyar phek do warna main yeh remote ka button dabake tumhari mehbooba ko mar doonga". The usual fight occurs and just as the hero makes the final blow, the villain dies but not before he presses than damn button. Now what to do? Sure enough, there is a horse and the hero jumps on it. Now there is a race: The current in the cable connected to the electric chair is moving fast but our hero and his horse are desparately trying tocatch up.... goes on for a few km and just as the current would hit the chair, the hero jumps from the horse and picks the girl away from the chain and husssshhhh. She is saved. The poor electric current only goes to an empty chair. Climax, taaalian. Hero! Hero!! Hero!!!

This was too much for our Newton to take and he was completely shaken and he decided to go back. But he happened to see a Rajnikanth movie for one last time and thought that atleast one movie will follow his theory of physics.

The whole movies goes fine and newton is happy that all in the world hasnt changed. Oops not so fast. The climax finally arrives.Rajni gets to know that the villian is on the the other side of a very high wall. So high that Rajni can't jump even if he tries like one of those superman techniques that our heroes normally use. Rajni has to desparalety kill the villian because its the climax Newton dada is smiling since it is virtually impossible).. Rajni suddenly pulls two guns from his pocket (Probably a backup). He throws one gun in the air and when the gun has reached the height of the wall he shoots at the trigger of the first gun in air, with his second gun. Now the first gun fires off and the villian is dead.

2003-09-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

Prophet Muhammed(Peace be Upon Him) said “Should there be three of you, then let not two of them be in conversation to the exclusion of the third, because this will hurt him.” (Related by Al-Bukahri and Muslim)

2003-09-20T01:41:00.000-07:00

Kitaab Sharh us-Sunnah
by Al-Barbahaaree
Trans. Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank

61: One must accept and be pleased with the decree of Allah.

To be pleased with the decree of Allah, to have patience with the
Judgement of Allah, to believe in whatever Allah, the Mighty and
Majestic, has said and to believe in all that Allah has pre-decreed,
the good and the bad and the sweet and the bitter. Allah knew what the
servants were going to do and to where they were heading. They cannot
escape the Knowledge of Allah. There is nothing in the earths or in the
heavens except that Allah, the Most High, knows it. You should know
that whatever befalls you was never going to miss you and whatever
missed you was never going to befall you. [1] There is no creator
besides Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. [2]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTES

[1] There occurs in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiallaahu
anhumaa), “…know that if the Ummah gathered together to benefit you
with something, they could not benefit you unless Allah had written it
down for you and if they gathered to harm you with something, they
could not do so unless Allah had written it down for you. The pens have
been raised and the scrolls have dried.” Reported by at-Tirmidhee
(no.2518), who declared it hasan-saheeh. Refer to an-Nawawee’s Forty
Hadeeth (no.19).

To have Faith in Allah’s pre-decree (Qadr) is one of the Pillars of
Faith. Whoever rejects it is not a Believer. It has four principles:

That Allah knew everything that would ever be
That Allah wrote everything that would ever be in the Preserved Tablet
That Allah willed whatever occurs and
That Allah created everything.

For a more detailed explanation of these principles refer to Faith in
Predestination, edited by Dr. Suhaib Hasan.

[2] This is to emphasise that Allah creates everything, including man’s
actions. Unlike the Qadariyyah (the deniers of Qadr), who believe that
man creates his own actions, just as the Magians believed in two
creators: a creator of good and a creator of evil. The Prophet
(sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) foretold the appearance of this sect,
when he said, “The Qadariyyah are the Magians of this ummah. If they
fall ill, do not visit them and if they die then do not attend their
funeral.” Reported by Abu Daawood. Shaikh al-Albaanee declared the
hadeeth to be hasan in Saheehul-Jaami’. Concerning a person’s actions,
Allah the Most High, says:

Allah created you and your actions. Soorah Saaffaat (37): 96

Allah alone is the creator of everything, including man’s actions.
However, He gave man limited free will to choose between good and evil.
Furthermore, He, the Most High, sent His Messengers to call to goodness
and to that which leads to Paradise and to warn against evil and that
which leads to Hell-Fire. So man earns, and is fully responsible for,
his own actions. Imaam al-Bukhaaree wrote a whole book entitled Khalq
Af’aalul-‘Ibaad (The actions of the servants are created) on this
subject.

(Source : Discovering Islam Yahoo group)

2003-09-17T23:48:00.000-07:00

STUPID QUESTIONS WITH THE SMART ANSWERS:

BOY : May I hold your hand?
GIRL : No thanks, it isn't heavy.

GIRL : Say you love me! Say you love me!
BOY : You love me...

GIRL : If we become engaged will you give me a ring??
BOY : Sure, what's your phone number??

GIRL : I think the poorest people are the happiest.
BOY : Then marry me and we'll be the happiest couple

GIRL : Darling, I want to dance like this forever.
BOY : Don't you ever want to improve??

BOY : I love you and I could die for you!
GIRL : How soon??

BOY : I would go to the end of the world for you!
GIRL : Yes, but would you stay there??

SHARON : Have you ever had a hot passionate, burning kiss??
TRACY : I did once. He'd forgotten to take the cigarette out of his mouth.

MAN : You remind me of the sea.
WOMAN : Because I'm wild, romantic and exciting?
MAN : NO, because you make me sick.

WIFE : You tell a man something, it goes in one ear and comes out of the other.
HUSBAND : You tell a woman something: It goes in both ears and comes out of the mouth.

MARY : John says I'm pretty. Andy says I'm ugly.What do u think,
Peter?
PETER : A bit of both. I think you're pretty ugly.

1) Girlfriend : "...And are you sure you love me and no one else ?"
Boyfriend : "Dead Sure! I checked the whole list again yesterday".

2) Teacher : "Which is more important to us, the sun or the moon?"
Pupil : "The moon".
Teacher : "Why?"
Pupil : "The moon gives us light at night when we need it but the sun gives us light only in the day time when we don't need it".

3) Teacher : "What do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?"
Pupil : "A teacher".

4) Waiter : "Would you like your coffee black?"
Customer : "What other colors do you have?"

5) My father is so old that when he was in school, history was called current affairs.

6) Teacher : "Sam, you talk a lot !"
Sam : "It's a family tradition".
Teacher : "What do you mean?"
Sam : "Sir, my grandpa was a street hawker, my father is a teacher".
Teacher : "What about your mother?"
Sam : "She's a woman".

7) Tom : "How should I convey the news to my father that I've failed?"
David: "You just send a telegram: Result declared, past year's performance repeated".

8) Teacher : "Now, children, if I saw a man beating a donkey and stopped him, what virtue would I be showing?"
Student : "Brotherly love".

9) Teacher : "Now, Sam, tell me frankly do you say prayers before eating?"
Sam : "No sir, I don't have to, my mom is a good cook".

10) Patient : "What are the chances of my recovering doctor?"
Doctor : "One hundred percent. Medical records show that nine out of ten people die of the disease you have. Yours is the tenth case I've treated. The others all died".

11) Teacher : " Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?"
One Student : "Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day and at the same time."

12) Teacher : " George Washington not only chopped down his father's Cherry tree, but also admitted doing it.
Now do you know why his father didn't punish him ?"
One Student: " Because George still had the axe in is hand."

2003-09-09T01:25:00.000-07:00

I have a 6 years old niece who talks and talks a lot. shez cute, she does everything to show that what she has done is right. i just have to ask her why she didnt had her breakfast. she will go on and on . trying to convince me . i lover her. i pay attention to whatever she says.shez cute. why am i telling you all this?. from past few days i have been visiting Yaz's blog. Online version of my neice ramblings;). i hope my neice gets some literary sense of Yaz when she grows up. Yaz is sweet and cute too :).

if you want to read something unadulterated , something soothing, something innoncently coherent , something to smile about, something which takes u to your childhood, something that can brings back the child in you. i would highly recommend reading Yaz's blog.

RAMBLING MONOLOGUES

2003-09-03T23:58:00.000-07:00

Understanding Pentagon-Speak

It’s very difficult keeping up with Mideast news due to the Orwellian newspeak coming from Washington. So here’s handy list of key terms, translated into simple English.

LIBERATION – Invasion.

COALITION – The US and British invaders, plus some troops from rent-a-nations like Romania and Poland. In the past, ‘the coalition’ would have been called Imperial Forces and mercenary auxiliaries.

DICTATOR – A ruler you don’t like, or who does not cooperate.

STATESMAN – A cooperative dictator.

STABILITY – When things go the way Uncle Sam like, i.e. the status-quo.

INSTABILITY – When things don’t go the way Uncle Same wants, when trouble-makers try to change the status-quo.

IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION – A process whereby big firms that contribute to the US President’s re-election campaign obtain contracts, without any bidding, to rebuild the damage caused by US bombing.

FREEING IRAQ’S OIL ASSETS – Washington’s seizure and sale of Iraqi oil, this in no way can be compared to Cuba’s seizure and sale of US-owned property, a dastardly crime.

MIDEAST DEMOCRACY- Regimes that hold rigged elections and obey Washington’s orders.

FREE TRADE – Pouring goods and services into the newly ‘liberated’ country, and buying up its key industrial assets at fire-sale prices.

TERRORISM – Violent acts by dangerous fanatics and malcontents who refuse to accept the downtrodden status assigned to them by Washington. Also, haters of western culture, which has reached its zenith in Crawford, Texas.

ANTI-TERRORISM – State terrorism.

URANIUM – A yellowish mineral from Niger that causes red faces in the While House.

IRAQ ADMINISTRATOR – A pro-consul or gauliter, disguised as a minor suburban bureaucrat.

DRONES OF DEATH – Iraqi remotely piloted aircraft that President George Bush claimed were poised to fly off Iraqi ships lurking in the North Atlantic – shades of Admiral Yamamoto – then shower fiendish germs on a sleeping America. Turned out to be two model airplanes, only one of which could fly. See ‘Vans of Death’.

VANS OF DEATH – Claimed by Washington to be Iraqi mobile germ warfare laboratories but turned out, on inspection, to be British-supplied trucks for inflating weather balloons.

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION – Nasty weapons, existing or non-existing, that the other side has. When your side has them, they become invisible.

TORTURE – A foul act committed by your enemies. When your side does it, it’s called intensive interrogation in Guantanamo.

HOMELAND SECURITY- Bolding the bar door after the horse has escaped by rounding up Muslims, beating them in prison, and denying them due process of law.

FRENCH – Insubordinate ingrates and depraved chain smokers who had the nerve to try to block the jolly little war in Iraq, and now sneer, ‘we told you so’

GERMANS – Untrustworthy. Just when you order them to b warlike again, they go soft. Wait until they see the next dozen WWII epics from Hollywood.

PAKISTANIS – Untrustworthy Muslims with terrorist under their beds who would all deserve to be in the Guantanamo terrorist Hilton if they were not lucky enough to have a true statesman as a leader. Still, the Taliban-loving Paks are on probation and cant be trusted with grown-up weapons.

FOX-NEWS – The Ministry of Truth

AL-JAZEERA NEWS – All the bad news we don’t want to hear. See ‘Fox-News’.

DIE-HARDS AND SADDAM LOYALISTS – Any Iraqis opposing the invasion of their country. Iraq ‘Administrator Bremer calls them ‘professional killers’. Not to be confused with US Army professional soldiers, who are…stability engineers.

TRAITORS AND FRIENDS OF SADDAM – Journalists who question the Bush Administration’s lurid claims over Iraq’s purported threat.

PEACEKEEPERS – Troops from browbeaten or bribed vassal states sent to perform garrison duty in US-occupied nations that the Pentagon wants to avoid, or lacks the troops to do.

NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT – An august body that leaps to its feet and salaams when a US soldier enters the room, and has total authority over garbage collection, sewers and camel catching.

SADDAM HUSSEIN – A former, close American ally who got too big for his britches. If not assassinated, may soon be needed again to run Iraq for Washington.

UDAY AND QUSAY – Most dictators have problem sons; just look at poor Ceausescu and Milosevic. Yes, Saddam’s boys were big-time delinquents, but Crazy Uday’s real crime was making fun in his newspaper of George W. Bush, and calling the touchy president a draft-dodging wimp. That’s why he and Qusay got blasted with a score of dozen anti-tank missies rather than a nice show trial in Baghdad. Texas justice. Panama’s General Noriega, aka ‘pineapple face’, called the more forgiving Papa Bush a wimp and got invaded and thrown into prison forever.

IRAQ (PRONOUNCED IN THE USA AS ‘EYE-RAQ’ – A democracy-seeking Arab state that volunteered for mentoring and tutelage from Washington in exchange for American automobile drivers keeping their tanks full of cheap gas.

2003-09-03T23:31:00.000-07:00

How to Identify An Idiot?

(1) He spends twenty minutes looking at an orange juice box because it said, "concentrate".

(2) He puts lipstick on the forehead because he wanted to makeup his mind.

(3) He gets stabbed in a shoot-out.

(4) He sends a fax with a stamp on it.

(5) He tries to drown a fish.

(6) If you gave them a penny for their intelligence, you'd get change.

(7) He trips over a cordless phone.

(8) He takes a ruler to bed to see how long he slept.

(9) At the bottom of the application where it says "Sign Here", he puts "Sagittarius".

(10) He takes 2 hours to watch "60 minutes".

(11) He invents a solar powered flashlight.

(12) He heard that 90% of all crimes occur around the home, so he moves.

(13) He misses the No. 14 Bus, and takes the 7 twice instead.

(14) He takes you to the airport and saw a sign that said, "Airport left", and he turned around and went home.

(15) He got locked in a furniture shop but sleeps on the floor.

(16) He spends time reading thru the above 15 points & analyzes if he is an IDIOT!

2003-09-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

Major and Minor Shirks

One of the most important obligations is to know the meaning of Shirk, its seriousness and its different types, so that our Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah) and our Islam may be complete, and our faith may be sound. We say – And Allaah is the Source of strength and true guidance comes from Him:

Know – may Allaah guide you – that the word shirk in Arabic means taking a partner, i.e., regarding someone as the partner of another. It is said [in Arabic]: ashraka baynahuma (he joined them together) when he regarded them as two of equal status; or ashraka fi amrihi ghayrahu (he introduced another into his affair) when he made two people involved in it.

In terms of sharee’ah or Islamic terminology, shirk means ascribing a partner or rival to Allaah in Lordship (ruboobiyyah), worship or in His names and attributes.

A rival is a peer or counterpart. Hence Allaah forbids setting up rivals with Him and he condemns those who take them (rivals) as gods instead of or besides Allaah in many verses of the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped)”

[al-Baqarah 2:222]

“And they set up rivals to Allaah, to mislead (men) from His path! Say: ‘Enjoy (your brief life)! But certainly, your destination is the (Hell) Fire!’”

[Ibraaheem 14:30]

In the hadeeth it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever dies claiming that Allaah has a rival, will enter Hell.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4497; Muslim, 92.

The types of shirk:

The texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that shirk and the ascribing of rivals to Allaah sometimes puts a person beyond the pale of Islam and sometimes does not. Hence the scholars divided shirk into two types which they call shirk akbar (major shirk) and shirk asghar (minor shirk). There follows a brief description of each type:

1 – Major shirk

This means ascribing to someone other than Allaah something that belongs only to Allaah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).

This kind of shirk may sometimes be outward, such as the shirk of those who worship idols and graves, or the dead or absent.

Or it may sometimes be hidden, such as those who put their trust in other gods besides Allaah, or the shirk and kufr of the hypocrites. For even though their (hypocrites’) shirk puts them beyond the pale of Islam and means that they will abide forever in Hell, it is a hidden shirk, because they make an outward display of Islam and conceal their kufr and shirk, so they are inwardly mushriks but not outwardly.

Shirk may sometimes take the form of beliefs:

Such as the belief that there is someone else who creates, gives life and death, reigns or controls the affairs of the universe along with Allaah.

Or the belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allaah, so they follow him in regarding as permissible or forbidden whatever he wants, even if that goes against the religion of the Messengers.

Or they may associate others with Allaah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as they love Allaah. This is the kind of shirk that Allaah does not forgive, and it is the shirk of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah”

[al-Baqarah 2:165]

Or the belief that there are those who know the Unseen as well as Allaah. This is very common among some of the deviant sects such as the Raafidis (Shi’ah), extreme Sufis, and Baatinis (esoteric sects) in general. The Raafidis believe that their imams have knowledge of the unseen, and the Baatinis and Sufis believe similar things about their awliya’ (“saints”), and so on. It is also shirk to believe that there is someone who bestows mercy in a manner that is befitting only for Allaah, so he shows mercy as Allaah does and forgives sins and overlooks the bad deeds of his worshippers.

Shirk may sometimes take the form of words:

Such as those who make du’aa’ or pray to someone other than Allaah, or seek his help or seek refuge with him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allaah, whether the person called upon is a Prophet, a wali (“saint”), an angel or a jinn, or some other created being. This is a kind of major shirk which puts one beyond the pale of Islam.

Or such as those who make fun of religion or who liken Allaah to His creation, or say that there is another creator, provider or controller besides Allaah. All of these are major shirk and a grave sin that is not forgiven.

Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions:

Such as one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other than Allaah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allaah and makes that the law to which people are obliged to refer for judgement; or one who supports the kaafirs and helps them against the believers, and other acts that go against the basic meaning of faith and put the one who does them beyond the pale of Islam. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.

2 – Minor shirk

This includes everything that may lead to major shirk, or which is described in the texts as being shirk, but does not reach the extent of being major shirk.

This is usually of two types:

1 – Being emotionally attached to some means which have no basis and for which Allaah has not given permission, such as hanging up “hands”, turquoise beads etc on the grounds that they offer protection or that they ward off the evil eye. But Allaah has not made them the means of such protection, either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe.

[Translator’s note: the “hands” referred to are objects made of metal, pottery etc, usually blue or turquoise in colour, that some people hang up to ward off the evil eye, according to their mistaken belief]

2 – Venerating some people or things in a way that does not go so far as ascribing lordship to them, such as swearing by something other than Allaah, or saying, “Were it not for Allaah and So and so,” etc.

The scholars have stipulated guidelines to distinguish major shirk from minor shirk when shirk is mentioned in the texts of sharee’ah. These guidelines include the following:

(i) – When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) states clearly that this action is minor shirk, such as in al-Musnad (27742) where it is narrated that Mahmoud ibn Labeed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The thing that I fear most for you is minor shirk.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what is minor shirk?” He said: “Showing off, for Allaah will say on the Day when people are recompensed for their actions: ‘Go to those for whom you were showing off with your deeds in the world, and see what reward you find with them.’” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 951.

(ii) – When the word shirk is used in the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah in the indefinite form [without the definite article al-]. This usually refers to minor shirk, and there are many examples of this, such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Incantations, amulets and love spells are shirk.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3883; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 331.

What is meant by shirk here is minor shirk, not major shirk.

Amulets are things that are hung on children such as turquoise beads and the like, which they claim will protect them from the evil eye.

Love spells are something that they do, claiming that it will make a woman beloved to her husband and a man beloved to his wife.

(iii) – If the Sahaabah understood from the texts of sharee’ah that what was meant by shirk here was minor shirk, not major. Undoubtedly the understanding of the Sahaabah carries weight, because they are the most knowledgeable of the people concerning the religion of Allaah, and the most knowledgeable as to the intent of the Lawgiver. For example, Abu Dawood (3910) narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Tiyarah (superstitious belief in omens) is shirk, tiyarah is shirk,” three times, and there is no one among us but (will have some of that) but Allaah will rid him of it by means of tawakkul (putting his trust in Allaah). The words “there is no one among us…” are the words of Ibn Mas’ood, as was explained by the prominent scholars of hadeeth. This indicates that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) understood that this was minor shirk, because he could not have said, “There is no one among us…” referring to major shirk. Moreover, major shirk cannot be eliminated by means of tawakkul, rather it is essential to repent therefrom.

(iv) – If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) interpreted the words shirk or kufr in a manner which indicates that what is meant is a minor form thereof and not the major form. For example al-Bukhaari (1038) and Muslim (74) narrated from Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led the morning prayer for us at al-Hudaybiyah following rainfall during the night. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished, he turned to face the people and said to them: “Do you know what your Lord has said?” They said: “Allaah and his Messenger know best.” He said: “This morning one of My slaves became a believer in Me and one a disbeliever. As for him who said: ‘We have been given rain by the grace of Allaah and His mercy,’ that one is a believer in Me, a disbeliever in the stars; and as for him who said: ‘We have been given rain by such-and-such a star, that one is a disbeliever in Me, a believer in the stars.’”

The interpretation of the word kufr here is given in another report narrated from Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not know what your Lord said? ‘I do not send any blessing upon My slaves but a group among them become kaafirs thereby because they refer to the stars and attribute things to the stars. This explains that if a person attributes rainfall to the stars by believing that they caused it to fall – when in fact Allaah has not made the stars a means of causing rainfall – his kufr is a kind of ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah. It is well known that ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah is minor kufr. But if a person believes that the stars are controlling the universe and they are the ones that cause the rain to fall, then this is major shirk.

Minor shirk may sometimes take the form of outward actions, such as wearing talismans, strings, amulets and the like, and other words and deeds. And sometimes it may be hidden, like a little bit of showing off.

It may also take the form of beliefs:

Such as the belief that something may be a cause of bringing benefit or warding off harm, when Allaah has not made it so; or believing that there is barakah (blessing) in a thing, when Allaah has not made it so.

It sometimes takes the form of words:

Such as when they said, “We have been given rain by such and such a star,” without believing that that the stars could independently cause rain to fall; or swearing by something other than Allaah, without believing in venerating the thing sworn by or regarding it as equal with Allaah; or saying, “Whatever Allaah wills and you will,” and so on.

It sometimes takes the form of actions:

Such as hanging up amulets or wearing a talisman or string to dispel or ward off calamity, because everyone who attribute powers to a thing when Allaah has not made it so either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe, has associated something with Allaah. This also applies to one who touches a thing seeking its barakah (blessing), when Allaah has not created any barakah in it, such as kissing the doors of the mosques, touching their thresholds, seeking healing from their dust, and other such actions.

This is a brief look at the division of shirk into major and minor. We cannot go into great detail in this short answer.

Conclusion:

What the Muslim must do is to avoid shirk in both its minor and major forms. The greatest sin is shirk and transgression against the unique rights of Allaah, which are to be worshipped and obeyed alone, with no partner or associate.

Hence Allaah has decreed that the mushrikeen will abide forever in Hell and has told us that He will not forgive them, and He has forbidden Paradise to them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin”

[al-Nisa’ 4:48]

“Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers”

[al-Maa'idah 5:72]

Every wise and religiously-committed person should fear shirk for himself and should turn to his Lord, asking Him to help him avoid shirk, as al-Khaleel [Ibraaheem – peace be upon him] said:

“and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols”

[Ibraaheem 14:35 – interpretation of the meaning]

One of the salaf said: “Who can claim to be safe from this after Ibraaheem?”

So the sincere believer’s fear of shirk should increase as should his desire for his for his Lord to keep him away from it, and he should say the great du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to his companions when he said to them: “Shirk among you will be more subtle than the footsteps of an ant, but I will teach you something which, if you do it, both minor and major shirk will be kept away from you. Say: Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a’lam wa astaghfiruka lima la a’lam (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware).”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3731

The above refers to the difference between major and minor shirk, defining each and describing its types.

With regard to the difference between them as far as the ruling is concerned:

Major shirk puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, so the one who does that is judged to be out of Islam and to have apostatized therefrom, so he is a kaafir and an apostate.

Minor shirk does not put a person beyond the pale of Islam, rather it may be done by a Muslim but he still remains in Islam; but the one who does that is in great danger because minor shirk is a major sin. Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “If I were to swear by Allaah falsely, that is better for me than if I were to swear by something other than Him sincerely.” So he regarded swearing by something other than Allaah (which is minor shirk) as being worse than swearing by Allaah falsely, and it is well known that swearing by Allaah falsely is a major sin.

We ask Allaah to make our hearts steadfast in adhering to His religion until we meet Him, and we seek refuge in His Might – may He be glorified – from going astray, for He is the Ever-Living Who never dies, but the jinn and mankind will die. And Allaah knows best and is most wise, and to Him is the final return of all. Ameen.

2003-08-28T01:25:00.000-07:00

Subject: Classic! A must read for very citizen of the world!!!

This is a converstaion between an All American Dad and All American Kid!!

Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction, honey.

Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.

Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.

Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.

Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.

Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.

Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had
all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.

Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons.
We had another good reason to invade them anyway.

Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was
a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.

Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his
country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.

Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.

Q: So if a country lets its people get exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.

Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.

Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.

Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.

Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.

Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.

Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.

Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.

Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.

Q: Kind of like China and the @!#$ movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein
came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.

Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by
force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.

Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.

Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.

Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.

Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.

Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men, fifteen of them Saudi Arabians, hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.

Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.

Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.

Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.

Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.

Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.

Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing other people’s bread.

Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.

Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.

Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.

Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.

Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan
talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.

Q: So the Soviets, I mean, the Russians, are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.

Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.

Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.

Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.

Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.

Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.

Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.

Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.

Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.

Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?

Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.

Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W.Bush and tells him what to do.

Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A.Yes! You finally understand how the world works.

Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.

2003-08-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

BUSINESS LOVE LETTER PROPOSAL
--------------------------------
Dearest Ms Juliet,

I am very happy to inform you that I have fallen in love with you
since the 14th of October (Sunday). With reference to the meeting held
between us on 13 Oct. at 1500 hrs, I would like to present myself as a
prospective lover.
Our love affair would be on probation for a period of three months and
depending in compatibility, would be made permanent. Of course, upon
completion of probation, there will be continuous on the job training and
performance appraisal schemes leading up to promotions from lover to
spouse.
The expenses incurred for coffee and entertainment would initially be
shared equally between us. Later, based on your performance. I might
take up a larger share of the expenses. However, I am broad-minded
enough, to be taken care of, on your expense account.
I request you to kindly respond within 30 days of receiving this
letter, failing which, offer would be cancelled without further notice and
shall be considering sometime else.
I would be happy, if you could forward this letter to you sister, if
you do not wish to take up this offer.
Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours sincerely, Mr. ROMEO

BUISNESS REPLY TO THE ABOVE LETTER
----------------------------------
Dear Mr.Romeo,
Please refer to you letter dated today.

I am pleased to inform you that I hope to accept your proposal for
romance. However, you should be informed that there are certain conditions
of acceptance. Promotional prospects are to my satisfaction. However,
please enlighten me as to your retirement benefits. Gratuity should be
generous. I also need to be assured that there is sufficient security
concerning this commitment.
If there is any chance at all of retrenchment or consequent
disinterest on your part, then I should receive monetary compensation according
to union standards.
Due tot he nature of my position, I am sure you will agree that an
expense account should be arranged for my access in light of the 'VIP' I
shall be entertaining. In addition, housing and transport allowances
should be in order and nothing less than a luxury condominium and a Jag
are in order. Please also note that there should be no moonlight
restrictions placed on myself.
If you are still interested in the relationship, please reply on an
urgent basis as other prospective lovers have sent indications of
interest.
Please also note that my sister is happily employed.

2003-08-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am not married. so, cant say how much this is true. Married folks there should be able to put some light on this;)
-----------------------------------

Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 and noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of space and valuable resources. No mention of this phenomenon was included in the product brochure.

In addition, Wife 1.0 installs itself into all other programs and launches during system initialization, where it monitors all other system activity. Applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Drunken Boys Night 2.5 and Saturday Football 5.0 no longer run, crashing the system whenever selected.

I cannot seem to keep Wife 1.0 in the background while attempting to run some of my favorite applications. I am thinking about going back to Girlfriend 7.0 but the uninstall does not work on this program. Can you help me, please?

Thanks,
Joe
**********************************************************************

From: Tech Support
To: Joe

Dear Joe:

This is a very common problem that men complain about but is mostly due to a primary misconception. Many people upgrade from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 with the idea that Wife 1.0 is merely a UTILITIES & ENTERTAINMENT program....... Wrong!

Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM designed by its creator to run everything. It is unlikely you would be able to purge Wife 1.0 and still convert back to girlfriend 7.0. Hidden operating files within your system would cause Girlfriend 7.0 to emulate Wife 1.0, so nothing is gained.

It is impossible to uninstall, delete or purge the program files from the system once installed. You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is not designed to do this.

Some have tried to install Girlfriend 8.0 or Wife 2.0 but end up with more problems than the original system. Look in your manual under "Warnings- Alimony/Child Support." I recommend you keep Wife 1.0 and just deal with the situation.

Having Wife 1.0 installed myself, I might also suggest that you read the entire section regarding General Partnership Faults (GPFs). You must assume all responsibility for faults and problems that might occur, regardless of their cause. The best course of action will be to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE.

In any case, avoid excessive use of the Esc key because ultimately you will have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the operating system will return to normal. The system will run smoothly as long as you take the blame for all the GPFs. Wife 1.0 is a great program, but requires very high maintenance. Consider buying additional software to improve the performance of Wife 1.0.

I recommend Flowers 2.1, VictoriasSecrets 38.D and Chocolates 5.0. Do not, under any circumstances install SecretaryWithShortSkirt 3.3. This is not a supported application for Wife 1.0 and is likely to cause irreversible damage to YOUR main operating system.

Best of luck,
Tech Support

2003-08-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

If you know cricket a popular sport in indian sub continent

Sachin Tendulkar the greatest batsman india or the world has ever produced(some might question this, i personally rate Viv Richards better). Everyone in india vouch for his commitment to his country. his dedication , his patriotism. until one fine day our little master Sachin spreads his ugly wings. he asks for a custom duty waiver on a Ferrari gift recieved from Fiat. the customs duty comes up to 1.25 Crores(12.5 Million Indian Rupees) and the govt waves it saying its in public intrest. now the question is why should sachin actually ask for waiver when he can easily pay it(the guy earns millions in endorsments) and why should the govt waive it .

To quote from one of the comments in the article am listing.
Quote: "Centre was "satisfied" that the exemption was necessary in "public interest." Unquote. The Centre has never known & will never know where public interest lies. Instead of waiving duty for a person who can very well afford to pay it, they should utilise the tax that Tendulkar pays them for his free car to improve infrastructure. They could start with the so-called roads which we have, which will indirectly benefit Tendulkar, so that his precious Ferrari does not get damaged driving on them! . Read on..................

2003-08-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

Playing Basketball..........Are you ready for your turn ?

He was a student, probably in his early twenties. I didn't know his name-I really didn't care. All I know is he was going for a lay-up while playing basketball, lost his balance and fell on the ground--flat on his back.

We thought he would shake it off and continue the game--so no one really cared. To everyones surprise, he never got up. At first a few people on his team (later everyone) went up to him but he just wouldn't reply.

CPR did no good. The ambulance personel couldn't save him from dying. The result at the ER was no better. HE WAS DEAD!

As I came home tonight, I thought to myself, it could have been me going up for that lay-up. It is very possible that I could be laying in the cold city morgue, right this minute, as I type this e-mail.

Am I ready to die? Did I communicate with Allah today? Did I perform my daily prayers? Did I seek the pleasure of Allah?

Did I treat my parents and family with respect and love? Did I give any at all in charity (sadaqa) today? How many times did I remember Allah and recount His name?

The entire day I made time to go to school, check my e-mail, read the news, chat with friends, watch TV, play basketball.......but did I even once say "Astagfirullah"? Did I ask Allah to forgive the sins that I've commited today? NO! Not once.

Did I say "Alhamdulillah" other than in my daily prayers? NO! Not once my friends. Would you like to know why? Because I was too caught up with myself and my daily activities.

Well, guess what. I could have lost my life during a lay-up in a basketball game and what do I have with me? Not a thing. Nothing that I did today do I get to bring with me to the grave. Nothing.

A few words that I could have uttered were the only things that I could have brought with me. A few words that would've taken a few seconds of concentration out of the 24 hrs. that was alloted to me.

A few cents in charity instead of cold drinks and candy bars could have saved my soul. But I insisted to continue with my careless attitude.

Thank Allah! it wasn't my turn to go, because I sure wasn't ready.

Now I close my eyes and say Alhamdulillah. Now I look back and say Astagfirullah. Now I have a different attitude. Now, I want to prepare for my turn.

Did you perform your prayers today? Did you give in charity and love? Did you ask for forgiveness yet? Do you care? I'm asking because I don't want to see you fall, knowing you aren't ready for your turn.

Are you ready for your turn?

Author: Unknown

Courtesy: www.everymuslim.com

2003-08-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

If you are from sub-continent . you might have gone atleast once to the tasbeeh's people call to fulfill some of their important needs. Such tasbeeh's in india are called Ayat-e-kareema. where people join in a group and read "Lailaha illa Anta Subhanaka Inni kuntu Minazzalimeen" and drop a bead. the beads are over hundred thousand in numbers. i always wondered , whether this is a innovation or a part of religion. this recent mail from Discovering islam has showed me how far from the true religion of Allah. and how deep we are into Innovations. May Allah Guide us to his true religion.

Read this

A striking example of how small innovations lead a person into
committing major innovations is found in the narration reported by
ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (1/79):

'Amr ibn Salmah said: We used to sit by the door of 'Abdullah ibn
Mas'ood before the Morning Prayer, so that when he came out we would
walk with him to the mosque. (one day) Abu Moosaa al-Ash'aree came to
us and said, "Has Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan come out yet?" We replied, "No."
So he sat down with us until he came out. When he came out, we all
stood along with him, so Abu Moosaa said to him, "O Abu 'Abd
ar-Rahmaan! I have just seen something in the mosque which I deemed to
be evil, but all praise is for Allaah, I did not see anything except
good." He enquired, "Then what is it?" (Abu Moosaa) replied, "If you
live you will see it. I saw in the mosque people sitting in circles
awaiting the Prayer. In each circle they had pebbles in their hands and
a man would say 'repeat Allaahu Akbar a hundred times.' So they would
repeat it a hundred times. Then he would say, 'say Laa ilaaha illallaah
a hundred times.' So they would say it a hundred times. Then he would
say, 'say Subhaanallaah a hundred times.' So they would say it a
hundred times." (Ibn Mas'ood) asked, "What did you say to them?" (Abu
Moosaa) said, "I did not say anything to them. Instead I waited to hear
your view or what you declared." (Ibn Mas'ood) replied, "Would that you
had ordered them to count up the evil deeds they acquired and assured
them that their good deeds would not be lost!" Then we went along with
him (Ibn Mas'ood) until he came to one of these circles and stood and
said, "What is this which I see you doing?" They replied, "O Abu 'Abd
ar-Rahmaan! These are pebbles upon which we are counting takbeer,
tahleel and tasbeeh." He said, "Count up your evil deeds. I assure you
that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe to you, O Ummah of
Muhammad (saws)! How quickly you go to destruction! These are the
Companions of your Prophet and who are widespread. There are his
clothes which have not yet decayed and his bowl which is unbroken. By
Him in Whose Hand is my soul! Either you are upon a Religion better
guided than the Religion of Muhammad (saws) or that you are opening the
door of misguidance." They said, "O Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan! By Allaah, we
only intended good." He said, "How many there are who intend good but
do not achieve it. Indeed Allaah's Messenger said to us 'A people will
recite the Qur'aan but it will not pass beyound their throats.' By
Allah! I do not know, perhaps most of them are from you." Then he left
them.

Umar ibn Salmah (the sub-narrator) said: We saw most of those peope
fighting against us on the day of Nahrawaan, along with the Khawaarij.

Authenticated by Sh. Saleem al-Hilaalee in al-Bid'ah (pp. 26-29).

2003-08-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

Pepsi an Coke are nailed. In a recent study in India, it is found that they contained ''deadly pesticide cocktail'' 11 to 70 times more of then the prescribed limit by European Limits. Read on.......

2003-08-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Microsoft's IE has yet another flaw(Gosh, i am gettig sick of this with Ms, they never test their product well) . Read more about it ......

2003-07-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

This is a hillarious one...

A letter from an Punjabi mother to her son.

My dear Jagjit,

I am in a well here and hoping you are also in a well there.

I'm writing this letter slowly, because I know you cannot read fast.

We don't live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happen 20 miles from home, so we moved 20miles.

I won't be able to send the address as the last Sardar who stayed here took the house numbers with them for their new house so they would not have to change their address. Hopefully by next week we will be able to take our earlier address plate here, and that our address will remain same too.

This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine, situated right above the toilet I'm not sure it works too well. Last week I put in 3 shirts, pulled the chain and haven't seen them since.

The weather here isn't too bad. It rained only twice last week. The first time it rained for 3 days and second time for 4 days.

The coat you wanted me to send you, your Aunt said it would be a little too heavy to send in the mail with all the metal buttons, so we cut them off and put them in the pocket.

Your father has another job. He has 500 men under him. He is cutting the grass at the cemetery.

By the way I took Bahu to our club's poolside. The manager is Badmash. He told her that two piece swimming suit is not allowed in his club. We were confused as to which piece should we remove?

Your sister had a baby this morning. I haven't found out whether it is a girl or a boy, so I don't know whether you are an Aunt or Uncle.

Your uncle, Jetinder fell in the nearby well. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off bravely and drowned. We cremated him and he burned for three days.

There isn't much more news this time. Nothing much has happened.

Love - Mom.

P.S. Jagjit, I was going to send you some money but by the time I realized, I had already sealed off this letter.

2003-07-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

Now US blames Saudi for 9/11 . if only they do some soul searching......

2003-07-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

I have been following the news of Iranian twins closely. its sad that the operation has failed and one of them died. May Allah give them Jannah. Read on.....

2003-07-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

Bring them On thats Macho Bush!(he can be more then Macho , as long as he doesnt have to face those bullets)

2003-06-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Which country alone in the Middle East...

...has nuclear weapons?
Answer = Israel

...refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars
international inspection?
Answer = Israel

...seized sovereign territory of other nations by military force
and continues to occupy it in defiance of UN Security Council
Resolutions?
Answer = Israel

...created 762,000 refugees and refuses to allow them to return to
their homes, farms and businesses it confiscated?
Answer = Israel

...is in defiance of 69 UN Security Council Resolutions and has
been protected by U.S. vetoes?
Answer = Israel

...confiscated almost 750,000 acres of land from the 1.5 million
acres comprising the West Bank & Gaza Strip?
Answer = Israel

...has killed 435 Palestinian school children?
Answer = Israel

...has demolished 7000 homes?
Answer = Israel

...refuses to prosecute its soldiers who have acknowledged executing
prisoners of war?
Answer = Israel

...had a high ranking United Nations Diplomat assassinated?
Answer = Israel

...has the second most powerful lobby force in the United States, according
to a recent Fortune Magazine survey of Washington insiders?
Answer = Israel

...has the authorities forcefully preventing Palestinian refugees
the right to return to their homeland against the UN Security Council
resolution 194?
Answer = Israel

...has 90,000 Palestinian students been deprived from attending
school.
Answer = Israel

..! .uprooted over 112,000 olive trees in Palestinian land.
Answer = Israel

...hit 165 ambulances, killed 4 ambulance drivers and seriously
injured 122.
Answer = Israel

...killed 1,251 and injured 18,507 people by the security forces
and settlers.
Answer = Israel

...receives over $5 Billion aid each year from the U.S. more than
the whole of Africa.
Answer = Israel

We are very fortunate not to be born a Palestinian, a woman or
children?
You should also be fortunate not to be born Blind!

2003-06-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

SATAN'S MEETING:
(Read even if you're busy)

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.

In his opening address he said,

"We can't keep Muslims from going to Mosque."

"We can't keep them from reading their Quran and knowing the truth."

"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their
Allah and his messenger Muhammad."

"Once they gain that connection with Allah, our power over them is broken."

"So let them go to their Mosques; let them have their covered dish dinners,
BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with
Allah and his messenger Muhammad."

"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:

"Distract them from gaining hold of their Allah and maintaining that vital
connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes
to occupy their minds," he answered.

"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."

"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work
6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty
lifestyles."

"Keep them from spending time with their children."

"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the
pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small
voice."

"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive." "To
keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see
to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays music constantly."

"This will jam their minds and break that union with Allah and his messenger
Muhammad."

"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."

"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."

"Invade their driving moments with billboards."

"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and
every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services
and false hopes."

"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands
will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become
dissatisfied with their wives. "

"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."

Give them headaches too!

"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to
look elsewhere."

"That will fragment their families quickly!"

"Give them story books to distract them from teaching their children the
real meaning of Salat."

"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on Allah's creation.
Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies
instead. "Keep them busy, busy, busy!"

"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and
small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."

"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power
from Allah."

"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health
and family for the good of the cause."

"It will work!" "It will work!"

It was quite a plan!

The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Muslims everywhere to
get busier and more rushed, going here and there.

Having little time for their Allah or their families.

Having no time to tell others about the power of Allah and his messenger
Muhammad to change lives.

I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?

You be the judge!!!!!

Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke

2003-06-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

What is Marketing?

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!"
That's Direct Marketing

You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a
gorgeous girl.
One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you
says,
"He's very rich. Marry him."
That's Advertising.

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and get her telephone number.
The next day you call and say, "Hi, I'm very rich.
Marry me."
That's Telemarketing.

You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
You get up and straighten your tie; you walk up to her
and pour her a drink.
You open the door for her, pick up her bag after she
drops it, offer her
a ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm very rich "Will
you marry me?"
That's Public Relations.

You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
She walks up to you and says, "You are very rich...”
That's Brand Recognition.

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, "I'm rich. Marry me"
She gives you a nice hard slap on your face. That's
Customer Feedback

2003-06-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

Power of Prayer

There is this atheist swimming in the ocean. All of a sudden he sees this shark in the water, so he starts swimming towards his boat. As he looks back he sees the shark turn and head towards him. His boat is a way off and he starts swimming like crazy.

He's scared to death, and as he turns to see the jaws of the great white beast open revealing its teeth in a horrific splendor, the atheist screams, "Oh God! Save me!"

In an instant time is frozen and a bright light shines down from above. The man is motionless in the water when he hears the voice of God say, "You are an atheist. You dont b'live on GOD.....Why do you call upon me when you do not believe in me?"

The atheist with confusion and knowing he can't lie the man replies, "Well, that's true I don't believe in you, but how about the shark? Can you make the shark believe in you?"

The Lord replies, "As you wish," and the light retracted back into the heavens and the man could feel the water begin to move once again. As the atheist looks back he can see the jaws of the shark start to close down on him, when all of sudden the shark stops and pulls back. Shocked, the man looks at the shark as the huge beast closes its eyes and bows its head and says, "Thank you Lord for this food for which I am about to receive..."

2003-06-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

It was early in the morning at four, When death knocked upon a bedroom door, Who is there? The sleeping one cried. I'm Malkul Mawt, let me inside. At once, the man began to shiver, As one sweating in deadly fever, He shouted to his sleeping wife, Don't let him take away my life. Please go away, O Angel of Death! Leave me alone; I'm not ready yet. My family on me depends, Give me a chance, O please prepense! The angel knocked again and again, Friend! I'll take your life without a pain, Tis your soul Allah requires, I come not with my own desire. Bewildered, the man began to cry, O Angel I'm so afraid to die, I'll give you gold and be your slave, Don't send me to the unlit grave. Let me in, O Friend! The Angel said, Open the door; get up from your bed, If you do not allow me in, I will walk through it, like a Jinn. The man held a gun in his right hand, Ready to defy the Angel's stand. I'll point my gun, towards your head, You dare come in; I'll shoot you dead. By now the Angel
was in the room, Saying, O Friend! Prepare for you doom. Foolish man, Angels never die, Put down your gun and do not sigh. Why are you afraid! Tell me O man, To die according to Allah's plan? Come smile at me, do not be grim, Be Happy to return to Him. O Angel! I bow my head in shame, I had no time to take Allah's Name. From morning till dusk, I made my wealth, Not even caring for my health. Allah's command I never obeyed, Nor five times a day I ever prayed. A Ramadan came and a Ramadan went, But no time had I to repent. The Hajj was already FARD on me, But I would not part with my money. All charities I did ignore, Taking usury more and more. Sometimes I sipped my favorite wine, With flirting women I sat to dine. O Angel! I appeal to you, Spare my life for a year or two. The Laws of Quran I will obey, I'll begin SALAT this very day. My Fast and Hajj, I will complete, And keep away from self-conceit. I will refrain from usury, And give all my wealth to charity, Wine and wenches I will detest, Allah's oneness I will attest. We Angels do what Allah demands, We cannot go against His commands. Death is ordained for everyone, Father, mother, daughter or son. I'm afraid this moment is your last, Now be reminded, of your past, I do understand your fears, But it is now too late for tears. You lived in this world, two score and more, Never did you, your people adore. Your parents, you did not obey, Hungry beggars, you turned away. Your two ill-gotten, female offspring, In nightclubs, for livelihood they sing. Instead of making more Muslims, You made your children non-Muslims. You ignored the Mua'dhin Adhaan, Nor did you read the Holy Quran. Breaking promises all your life, Backbiting friends, and causing strife. From hoarded goods, great profits you made, And your poor workers, you underpaid. Horses and cards were your leisure, Moneymaking was your pleasure. You ate vitamins and grew more fat, With the very sick, you never sat. A pint of blood you never gave, Which could a little baby save? O Human, you have done enough wrong, You bought good properties for a song. When the farmers appealed to you, You did not have mercy, tis true. Paradise for you? I cannot tell, Undoubtedly you will dwell in hell. There is no time for you to repent, I'll take your soul for which I am sent. The ending however, is very sad, Eventually the man became mad With a cry, he jumped out of bed, And suddenly, he fell down dead. O Reader! Take moral from here, You never know, your end may be near Change your living and make amends For heaven, on your deeds depends. If this poem inspires you, It can help someone too.

2003-06-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Read this line very slowly and let it sink in...

THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's
too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat, hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.
"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented ide door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message:
"Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!"
God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

2003-06-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

Praise be to Allaah.

If you refer to Arabic language dictionaries you will find out that the meaning of the word Islam is: submission, humbling oneself, and obeying commands and heeding prohibitions without objection, sincerely worshipping Allaah alone, believing what He tells us and having faith in Him. The word Islam has become the name of the religion which was brought by Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Why is this religion called Islam? For all the religions on earth are called by various names, either the name of a specific man or a specific nation. So Christianity takes its name from Christ; Buddhism takes its name from its founder, the Buddha; the Zoroastrians became well known by this name because their founder and standard-bearer was Zoroaster. Similarly, Judaism took its name from a tribe known as Yehudah (Judah), so it became known as Judaism. And so on. Except for Islam, for it is not attributed to any specific man or to any specific nation, rather its name refers to the meaning of the word Islam. What this name indicates is that the establishment and founding of this religion was not the work of one particular man and that it is not only for one particular nation to the exclusion of all others. Rather its aim is give the attribute implied by the word Islam to all the peoples of the earth. So everyone who acquires this attribute, whether he is from the past or the present, is a Muslim, and everyone who acquires this attribute in the future will also be a Muslim.
(source www.islamqa.com)

2003-05-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

100 Yard-Dash at the Special Olympics...
A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.

At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them.

One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. We may be able to change our hearts as well as someone else's.

2003-05-20T22:28:00.001-07:00

Lamar tine the renowned historian speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders:
"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls.... his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words.
"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is MUHAMMAD. As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask, IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?"
(Lamar tine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp 276-277)
The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.
Not so this man. Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticities of the record so preserved are vouched for not only by the faithful followers but also even by his prejudiced critics.
Muhammad (pbuh) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life - but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (pbuh) to achieve such incredible perfections.

2003-05-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms:
".... A mass of detail in the early sources show that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him:
"If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam."
"I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion, which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence, which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him - the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of Humanity."
"I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today."
(Sir George Bernard Shaw in 'The Genuine Islam,' Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.)
He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come.
"HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD" May Peace of God Be Upon Him (pbuh)
He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E. (common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three.
During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since - and IMAGINE all these unbelievable wonders in JUST OVER TWO DECADES.
MICHAEL H. HART in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of mankind writes:
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." (M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33)

2003-05-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

Two men, both seriously ill.....

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young couples walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed. One morning, the nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Lessons: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

People will forget what you said...

People will forget what you did...

But people will never forget how you made them feel...

Make someone happy, share a kind word today.

A good word is charity. (Bukhari, Muslim)

2003-05-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

Comforting her crying baby, a mother rediscovers God's Greatness.
Motherhood and Miracles
By Dalia Mogahed

According to the Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him)...God created mercy, and spread one part of it among all the mothers on the Earth, the human, the jinn and the animals, that they should love and nurture their young, from the beginning of time until the end. And He saved ninety-nine parts of mercy for Himself to use when judging the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection.

My 2-month-old baby Tariq had been crying for the past six hours. His rhythmic plea, whah, whah, whah, whah; was a desperate cry for help, an appeal to humanity. I was pacing with my arms wrapped around his soft but strong 12-pound body as he howled; his back arched, face red, eyes
pinched and mouth gaping in audible torment.

The dim night light in the open kitchen enveloped the adjoining living room in a brown film, as a fan on the counter hummed at full blast,unable to cut through the heavy humid air. It was 2:37A.M. and a blistering summer night.

I was one of those moms who wanted to do everything right; no short cuts. I took Tariq on long walks in a front carrier and pointed out every flower, every bird, every ladybug I noticed, and told him these were all gifts from God. We spent hours in the rocking chair while I read to him from colorful board books, knowing how precious this time was, and knowing that before too long I will be the one trying to squeeze into his busy schedule. I cuddled my baby, nursed him before he had to cry out of hunger, played with him, and describing every activity I did in that motherly running-commentary fashion the baby books encouraged. My sense of well-being was innately tied to his, and as long as the sun was shining, I was a capable, in control mother, with a happy, well cared for child.

This sense of competence would unravel with the fading of the daylight. It was always the same: my otherwise contented, healthy child would begin to fuss at around 6:00 p.m. and then his irritation would turn into all out war by around 8:00 p.m. and continue into the night. I dreaded the darkness, the backdrop to my weakest moments. After the third hour of trying unsuccessfully to comfort him, I would move beyond rational thought, when all that would seem real was the screaming, when it was the only sound I could imagine. No matter what anyone tried to tell me about how "normal" it was, Tariq's inconsolable crying tormented me with worry and shook my mothering confidence at the root.Doctors told me all this was "just'"colic. But with my husband working nights, to me it was no less than a test of faith.

That night, as the summer heat wrapped around my body like a heavy wool coat, I bounced Tariq, walked across the living room, and sang every song I knew. Water! The faucet had worked last night, I desperately remembered. I turned on the water in the kitchen sink full blast. The crying ceased. Tariq looked at the sparkling stream in silent surprise.Thank God, I sighed and leaned against the counter. At that moment, he started screaming again; the novelty of the water had worn off.

I turned my mind from problem solving to desperate prayer. Please God,I am so in need. Oh please God, I need strength, give my baby peace,give me patience. I have no power except by You, I have no strength except what you give me. I am your humble servant, and I need your
help.I felt so vulnerable, so weak, so exposed and so painfully in need of God. Tariq continued to scream, as if begging me for help. "Something hurts me, Mommy. Rescue me," I heard him cry to his powerless mother. As a last desperate attempt and more to calm myself than Tariq, I began to say the call to prayer(Azaan) as loud as I could, Allahuakbar...Allaaaaaaaahu akbar ; "God is greater, God is greater." The profound meaning of these familiar words came alive for me in this moment of need. God is greater than this situation, I thought. God is greater than this moment of difficulty. God is greater than this weakness I feel.

Apparently startled, Tariq stopped crying and looked at me with his round black eyes glistening in the glow of the kitchen night-light.Ash-hadu aLa Ihlaha illah Allah, I went on: "I bear witness there is no god but God." He is sufficient as a helper, I told myself, He is sufficient as a friend. I was not alone.I felt the weight of Tariq's head as he rested it against my shoulder while I continued, Ash-hadu annah Muhammadan rasul allaaaaaaaah: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God." I let the heavy meaning of this statement sink into my consciousness, now rendered pliant by my new found humility, ready to hear, ready to understand. He is the prophet of God, I silently repeated. What he said was Truth, absolute truth, and I must believe it whole-heartedly.

When Muhammad(peace be upon him) told a man to stay home from jihad to take care of his mother because "paradise is at her feet," that was truth, and when he advised another to honor his mother three times above his father, that was truth.

Such status cannot be easy to achieve, I realized. Such reverence is earned. There is honor in this endeavor, there is privilege in it. I was joining the ranks of some of the greatest and most important people in human history. I was a mother!

Hayaa alasalaah, hayaa ala alfalaa: "Come to prayer, come to success." The words continued to resonate within me; prayer was the model for success in life. Success was submission to God's will. Success was perseverance, was patience, was finding in myself the strength that could only be born in a trial. Success was discovering the love that my heart was capable of by giving birth to a human being that I would take a bullet for without a second thought. This experience itself was success, it was not a struggle in vain.

An immense wave of tranquility had drowned my tension. The drone of the fan seemed imposing now in the new stillness of the room. The small couch and chair in the living room, my silent witnesses, were covered with a golden blanket of soft light, thrown upon them by the tiny lamp in the kitchen. Tariq's soft cheeks were pressed against my shoulder and he was sound asleep.

I looked down at my son, the test, responsibility, and gift God had entrusted me with, and was awestruck. There in the dim light with his eyelids closed and laced with long black eyelashes, his pink cheeks bulging into his button nose, and his heart-shaped lips resting peacefully, he was a miracle, a sign of the Divine.I understood at that moment that to draw closer to the Merciful, I had to strive to eternalize His attributes as much as is possible with my limited human capacity.

This bittersweet journey called motherhood had brought me one step closer to understanding Ar-Rahman, A-Raheem; the All Merciful, the Most Benevolent. For I knew that the immense love, tenderness and compassion that I felt for my son, all my unconditional love, all my limitless giving, was infinitely dwarfed by God's love and mercy. I was just one mother, one insignificant speck in the family of creation, sharing in the mercy bestowed on mothers by God.

Recognizing my smallness erupted in me an epiphany of God's greatness,and the magnitude of His benevolence. While bestowing one part of mercy on the Earth for all mothers to share, He had saved ninety-nine parts for Himself.

I felt hot tears well up in my eyes as I whispered, Allahu akbar,Allahu akbar, La illah illa Allah;"God is greater, God is greater,there is no god but God," completing the ancient call to prayer(Azaan) as it had been recited by billions before me for the past 1400 years. Yet on that night, I felt these words were spoken especially for me, like a personal letter from a friend.
(Source Study Islam yahoo group )

2003-05-01T00:52:00.000-07:00

Alhumdulillah, US forces Exit from Saudi gives some solace to the Muslim world. Read this intresting artilce about US-Saudi relationship.

Osama bin Laden rose to prominence stoking Muslim anger over the American military presence in the land of Islam's holiest shrines. So yesterday's announcement that United States military forces will withdraw from Saudi Arabia fortifies the Saudi royal family against its most vociferous critics at home.

But that does ......

2003-04-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

A Bihari professor was unable to control the class. The guys were just talking without giving any attention to him. So he wanted to send a guy who was creating most of the problem out. But he doesn't know how to put it in English. He went near the guy. Shouted "follow me". The guy followed him till he went out of the class. Now the lecturer turned back and again shouted "Don't follow me" and went inside the class..........

Inside the Class:

Open the doors of the window. Let the atmosphere come in.
Open the doors of the window. Let the Air Force come in.
Cut an apple into two halves - take the bigger half.
Shhh...Quiet, boys...the principal just passed away in the corridor
You, meet me behind the class. ( meaning AFTER the class )..
Both of u three, get out of the class.
Close the doors of the windows please .. I have winter in my nose today...
Take Copper Wire of any metal especially of Silver.....
Take 5 cm wire of any length....
About his family:

I have two daughters. Both of them are girls...(?)
At the ground:

All of you, stand in a straight circle.
There is no wind in the balloon.
To a boy, angrily:

I talk, he talk, why you middle middle talk ?
Giving a punishment:

You, rotate the ground four times...
You, go and under-stand the tree...
You three of you, stand together separately.
Why are you late - say YES or NO ....(?)
Sir at his best:

Sir had once gone to a film with his wife. By chance, he happened to see one of our boys at the theatre, though the boy did not see them. So the next day at school... (to that boy) - " Yesterday I saw you WITH MY WIFE at the Cinema Theatre."