An unauthentic story about ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him

Question
Salam alaikum, I have read this story on a website andwould like to
know, if this story is known and authentic? 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, radi
Allahu anhu, said that a man cameto his house to complain about his
wife. On reachingthe door of his house, he hears 'Umar's wife shouting
at him and reviling him. Seeing this, hewas about to go back, thinking
that 'Umar himselfwas in the same position and, therefore, could
hardlysuggest any solution for hisproblem. 'Umar, radi Allahuanhu, saw
the man turn back, so he called him and enquired about the purpose of
his visit. He saidthat he had come with a complaint against his wife,
but turned back on seeing the Caliph in the same position. 'Umar, radi
Allhu anhu, told him that he tolerated the excesses of his wife for
she had certain rights against him. He said,"Is it not true that she
prepares food for me, washes clothes for me and suckles my children,
thus saving me the expense of employing a cook, a washerwoman and a
nurse, though she is not legally obliged in any way to do any of these
things? Besides, I enjoy peace of mind because of her and am kept away
from indecent acts on account ofher. I therefore tolerate all her
excesses on account of these benefits. It is right that you should
also adopt the same attitude." (Quoted in Role of Muslim Women in
Society: Afzular Rahman, page 149) Salam alaikum Nuha
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
is His slave and Messenger.
We have neither known of anyone who reported this story with its chain
of narrators nor did we find anyone who clarified whether it is
authentic or weak. Nonetheless, Al-Bujayrimi from the Shafi'i School
of jurisprudence, mentioned itin his "Haashiyah" saying: " Note: It
was reported that a man came to 'Umar… ", sohe mentioned it with the
form which indicates uncertainty 'it was reported'. Moreover,
Ash-Shablanji (Egyptian) quoted it from Al-Bujayrimi in his book "Noor
Al-Absaar Fi Manaaqib Aal Bayt An-Nabi Al-Akhyaar" when he mentioned
the merits of 'Umar .
Allaah Knows best.

{Rewrite Article} - Do You See it In Yourself?

One of Allah's names is Al-Wadood, The Most Loving, and this is
appropriate because a Creator must have love in order to create works
of beauty and power. Allah created you out of love. He created you
with intent. Hecreated you to succeed, notto fail, and He gave you all
the tools that you need to thrive. Open your eyes and see what a
miracle you are,what a thing of beauty, what a gift to the world. I
see that in every person I know. If I met you, I'm sureI would see the
miracle and beauty in you too. Do you see it in yourself?

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ The Way to Paradise is Very Hard

4.36 out of 5 Most Popular Paradise is very high, and ascending
tolofty places takes a great deal of effort. The way to Paradise is
filled with things that go against human wishes and inclinations. This
needs strong determination and willpower. In a hadith narrated by
Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah,the Messenger of Allah,
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said: "Hell has been veiled with desires,
and Paradise has been veiled with hardships." The version recorded by
Muslim says"surrounded" instead of"veiled." [Jami al-Usul, 10/521, no.
8069] An-Nisa'i, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud report from Abu Hurayrah that
the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: "When Allah
created Paradise, He told Jibril, 'Go and look at it.' So he went and
looked at it, then he came back and said: 'By Your Glory, no one will
hear of it but he will enter it." So He surrounded it with hardships
and siad, 'Go and look at it.' So he went and looked at it, thencame
back and said: 'By Your Glory, I fear that noone will enter it." [Jami
al-usul, 10/520, no. 8068. Tirmidhi said: It is a gharib sahih hasan
hadith] An-Nawawi commented onthe first hadith: "This is an example of
the beautiful, eloquent and concise speech of which the Prophet,
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, was capable, in which he gives a
beautiful analogy. It means that nothing will help you to reach
Paradise except going through hardships, and nothing will lead you to
Hell but whims...

The Lowest Rank of Those in Paradise

.. hu `anhu, narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam
said: "I know the last person who will come out of Hell and the last
one to enter the Paradise. A man comes out crawling and Allah
(subhanahu wa ta`ala) says: Go, enter the Paradise. Then he approaches
it and it appears to him as if filled, then he returns back and says:
O Allah, I found it full. Then Allah says: Go, enter the Paradise. He
approaches it and it appears to him as if filled. He then returns back
and says: O Allah, I found it to be full. Allah says to him: Go, enter
Paradise, you have what is equal to the whole world and ten folds (or,
you have what is equalto ten times this world). Hethen says: "O Allah,
are youmocking me (or laughing at me) while You are the King?" Ibn
Mas`ood said: I saw the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam laugh
till his molar teeth were seen. Abdullah stated that the Prophet
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: "That is thelowest rank of those in
the Paradise." [Al Bukhari and Muslim] In the Hadith narrated by Ibn
Mas`ood and the Hadith narrated byAbu Saeed al Khudri, is the story of
the man of the tree, who is in the lowest rank of Paradise. Allah
reminds him, beseech such and such. When he says all and has nothing
more to beg, Allah says: That is for you with ten folds more. Then he
enters his house where his two wives of black and white eyed Hoor
al`Ein came to him and say:We thank Allah who brought you alive to us
and brought us alive to you. Then he says: No person is given like
what I have been given." [Muslim] Al Mughira ibn Shu`ba narrated that
the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam,said: "Musa `alaihis salam
asked Allah: Who is of the lowest rank among those of Paradise....

A Post, Comment, our Reply

Our Posts Topic:-> ''With Allah, in Islam''

María: comments

I was in your facebook page and my first vision was this, I don´t
agree with this.
"Those who love to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet them, and those who
detest to meet Allah, Allah detests to meet them". Do you agree with
this?
Tell me something, knowing that God has created everything us
included, you as a father, do you think if you have two children that
you are going to treat them differently? do you think that if one of
your childrenis in the wrong way, you are going to despise him or her
or you are going to try hard to get him or her in the right way?
If we as human with all our defects, when we are parents we care and
love the way we do, then God Almighty, Merciful…….. Love us beyond our
human emotions, we are just human beings, and if any of us condemns a
brother or a sister we are telling who we are, these are human
attributes, God is far beyond our simple human understanding
andknowledge.
The word "detest" shows a side of a reality, I mean we are in a world
where we handle two sides, God is Oneness, Wholeness,…. includes in
Him both sides,how do you think He is going to show preferencesfor one
of His creatures and not for the others, He knows everything,…. He
cares of every single creature, ……I don´t know if you get my point
here,….
The Word is one of the most powerful tools we have and is good to
remember that behind a Word there is always a Thought.
Allah(swt) knows best.
Beslama/
~
Our Reply:
*I was paraphrasing a hadith qudsi:
Abu Huraira narrates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that Allah says:
"If My servant loves to meet Me, I love to meet him; and if he
dislikes (abhors) to meet Me, I dislike (abhor) to meet him."
Aisha said: "Oh Allah's Messenger, as for death, we all hate it."
Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said:"It is not that, but that when a
believer (at the time of death) is given theglad tidings of the mercy
of Allah, His Pleasure, and of Paradise, he loves to meet Allah, and
Allah also loves to meet him, and when an unbeliever is given the news
of the torment and hardship which he is going to face at the Hand of
Allah, he abhors to meet Allah and Allah also abhors meeting him."
***
Maria, I understand the point you are making. It's true that Allah
cares for every one of His creatures, and He wants the best for every
creature. But it's alsotrue that Allah is a just God. True justice
cannot exist without reward and punishment.
If someone comes to Allahon the Day of Judgment never having believed
in Him, having lived a corrupt life full of sins – maybe a murderer,
maybea child molester, maybe anoppressor, or whatever the case may be
– that person will not like to meet Allah. He will fear to meet Allah
because he knows he will be punished. Similarly, Allah will not like
to meet him, because He must punish him.
So, yes, of course Allah prefers some creatures over others. He
prefers those who believe in Him and obey Him, who do good in the
world, who show love and compassion to other creatures. This is
natural. And He loves to meet those people, as they will be happy to
meet Him.

China - Hongcun: a village thriving on water

2012-06-01 03:06:24 GMT 2012-06-01 11:06:24(Beijing Time) Xinhua English


Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.

The Aim Is To Attain The Good Pleasure Of Allah

Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, makingmy religion sincerely
His." (Surat az-Zumar: 11)
Once having grasped the extent of Allah's infinite might, to forget
His existence and remain heedless is merely to delude oneself. What
Allahdemands from human beings is that they seek to earn His good
pleasure as their sole priority in life.
Since it is Allah Who created man, provided him his sustenance and all
other such blessings, and Who promised him eternallife in the , it
would be an act of ingratitude for man to seek the pleasure of others,
or the gratification of his own self, as his primary aim. The
punishment for such ungratefulness is eternal hellfire.
There are two choices a man can make; he can either found his life on
Allah's good pleasure, and thus earn the reward of His Paradise, or
choose thepath that leads to Hell. A third option is not available for
him. This is clearly expressed in the following verse:
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and
His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brinkof a
crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of
Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)
Those values praised in the Qur'an are those founded on purely that
which achieves Allah's pleasure. For example, self-sacrifice, which is
pleasing to Allah, is valid only if the person does notexpect anything
for it in return, but rather only to attain Allah's good pleasure. It
is related in the Qur'an that believers conduct themselves correctly
only to seek Allah's countenance:
They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and
captives: "We feed you only out of desire for theFace of Allah. We do
not want any repayment from you or any thanks." (Surat al-Insan: 8-9)
Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) also stated in ahadith that Allah's Pleasure must always be
held above man's pleasure:
Whoever seeks Allah's Pleasure at the expense ofmen's displeasure,
will winAllah's Pleasure and Allah will cause men to be pleased with
him. And whoever seeks to please men at the expense of Allah's
Displeasure, will win the Displeasure of Allah and Allah will cause
men to be displeased withhim. (narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh)
The greatest honor and gratification man can ever attain is Allah's
good pleasure. Allah makes His servants pleased with Himthrough the
multitude of blessings He bestows on them. In a verse of the Qur'an,
the reward for believers who are pleased with Allah, and with whom
Allah is pleased, is related as follows:
Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing
under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is
pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is for those who
fear their Lord. (Surat al-Bayyina: 8)
Allah's good pleasure is not only earned solely by performing certain
acts of worship at definite times. Allah's good pleasure is also
earned by conducting oneself correctly throughout one's lifetime. The
following verse informs us that a believer's entire life must be
oriented towards a single goal:
Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah
alone, the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am:162)

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ Creation in Fruits

It is He Who stretched out the earth and placedfirmly embedded
mountains and rivers in it and made two types ofevery kind of fruit.
He covers over day with night. There are Signs in that for people who
reflect. (Surat ar-Rad, 3 )

Bijapur INDIA

The beautiful city of Bijapur is located in Karnataka in South India.
It is famous for the many historic marvels that dot the city. The
history of the city dates back to the 11thcentury when it was founded
by the Chalukya dynasty. They referred to it as Vijayapura.
It was since the 14th century that the city was being called Vijapur
or Bijapur when it came under the Bahamani sultanate of Gulbarga . The
city was taken over by theAdil shah dynasty in the 15th century. Much
of the city's greatness belongs tothe monuments that wereconstructed
during this period. After India's independence the place became part
of the Bombay state but it was restored to Mysore in 1956.
The city comprises people of both Aryan and Dravidian descent. Most of
the city's population is Hindu Lingayat. There are very few Christian
and Muslim communities in the region.
There are several world famous locations in the city such as the following:
*. Gol Gumbaz , one of thelargest domes in the world
*. Ibrahim Rauza , an architectural marvel
*. Jumma Masjid , the largest mosque in the area
*. Malik-e-Maidan, the largest medieval cannon in the world. There are
many more equally magnificent structures like Asar Mahal, Chand Bawdi,
Gagan Mahal, Barakaman and Upri Buruj. Besides these the city also has
several sprawling gardens.
Bijapur still maintains its royal character and the many monuments are
sure to acquaint one with the rich culture and tradition of the area.

Agra India : Plains : Uttar Pradesh

The Taj Mahal
Agra [1] is the city of the Taj Mahal, in the north Indian state of
Uttar Pradesh , some 200 km from Delhi .
Agra has three UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Taj Mahal and the Agra
Fort in the city and Fatehpur Sikri nearby. There are also many other
buildings and tombs from Agra's days of glory as the capital of the
Mughal Empire.
The city has little else to recommend it. Pollution, especially smog
and litter, is rampant and travellers are pestered by swarms oftouts
and hawkers at every monument, mosque,temple or palace. That said, the
sites are some of the wonders of the world and no trip to India is
complete without at least one visit to the Taj.
[ edit ] Understand
While Agra's heyday was as the capital of the Mughal empire between
1526 and 1658, the city was founded much earlier.The earliest
reference to Agra is in the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, while
Ptolemy was the first person to call it by its modern name. The
recorded history of Agra begins around the 11th century, and over the
next500 years, the city changed hands between various kings, both
Hindu and Muslim.
In 1506, Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, moved
his capital from Delhi to Agra. His son Ibrahim Lodi was the last
ruler of the Lodi dynasty, as he was defeated in 1526 by Babur, the
first Mughal ruler, in the battle of Panipat. Agra fell too, and
became the capital of the Mughals, whose rule over Agra was
uninterrupted except for a brief period between 1540 and 1556. In
1540, Sher Shah Shuri overthrew Humayun became the ruler of much of
North India, including Agra. After Sher Shah Suri'sdeath his
descendants proved unequal to the task of ruling the kingdom, and
Hemu, a Hindu general of Suri became the effective ruler who would
later crown himself King HemachandraVikramaditya just as the kingdom
was facing an assault from the reinvigorated Mughals. In 1556, Hemu
would be defeated and killed in the second battle of Panipat, and the
Mughals regained Agra.
Mughals were great builders. Babur built the Aram Bagh (garden of
relaxation) modeled after the garden of paradise, where he was
eventually buried after his death. His grandson Akbar refurbished the
Agra fort and built the Fatehpur Sikri , an entire city just onthe
outskirts of Agra. He also renamed Agra after himself, and the city
was known as Akbarabad while it was in Mughal hands. Akbar's grandson
Shah Jehan would give Agra its most famous monument, the Taj Mahal ,
which is the mausoleum of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal . The Taj is
constructed in white marble. It took 20 years toconstruct, and is now
universally known as a monument to love. Legend has it that Shah Jehan
wanted a replica of the Taj constructed in black marble that would be
his final resting place. There is no actual support for this theory,
but even if it were true, it would havebeen unlikely to be eventuated.
His son Aurangzeb was austere and pious, and had no time or
inclination for the ostentation of his forefathers, preferring to
spend his money on wars in South India. In any case,even during Shah
Jehan's reign, which was the period when the Mughal empire was at its
height, the construction of the Taj put a strain on the resources of
the empire and caused a min-famine around Agra. Shah Jehan was
eventually buried in the white Taj, next to his beloved Begum.
Shah Jehan, in addition to giving Agra its greatest claim to fame, was
also responsible for beginning its decline, as decided to shift his
capital to Shahjehanabad, which we now know as Old Delhi, in 1658.
Though Aurangzeb ordered a move back, this too was short lived, as he
moved his headquarters down south to Aurangabad to be focus onhis
wars. Agra declined, and so did the Mughal Empire. The city was
eventually captured by theMarathas, who renamed it back to Agra. In
1803, it came under the British, who situated the Agra Presidency
there, and when India gained independence, the city was incorporated
into the state of Uttar Pradesh, anddid not gain even the limited
honour of being the state's capital, that distinction going to Lucknow
, further east. It isnow a tourist town, known for the Taj and a
couple of other monuments.
Anyone interested in reading a novel based on the remarkable story
behind the Taj Mahal's creation should consider Beneath a Marble Sky
by John Shors. Beneath a Marble Sky is an international bestseller,
has won multiple awards, and is being made into a movie by Hollywood.
Other book (historical fiction) is The Taj by Colin De Silva.
[ edit ] Get in
Agra is 200 km southeast from Delhi and is one of the points of the
tourist's Golden Triangle of Agra- Delhi - Jaipur . Agra is also very
well connected via rail/

Hollywood, California

Although Hollywood is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, for some it's
more a state-of-mind. "I'mgoing to Hollywood," say young hopefuls who
dream of acting in movies or on television.
Indeed, they're going to Los Angeles but probably not to Hollywood
itself. Though Hollywood has long represented the glitz and glamour of
the film, television, and music industries, most studios have moved
away from this quirky district in favor of other L.A. neighborhoods,
like Burbank.
Nevertheless, Hollywood still attracts millions of visitors each year
who travel there to pay homage to their favorite stars and perhaps
even catch a glimpse of a few famous personalities. Sometimes they're
lucky! And while, for years, Hollywood had a rather seedy reputation,
the town has endeavored to make recent improvements in the areasmost
visited by tourists, adding a new kind of charm to this interesting
neighborhood.
-
Hollywood is fun to explore on foot but, by far,the best way to see
Hollywood and all of its sights is by taking a narrated bus tour of
the city, especially if it's your first visit. Visitors will find lots
of companies with kiosks on Hollywood Boulevard touting their tours as
the best available.In fact, many of them are very good and will
provide you with an excellent overview of the landmark attractions in
the city.
Some of the tours are fairly short while others will consume the
better part of the day. Which youchoose will depend on justhow
star-struck you mightbe! Most of the tours also venture into nearby
neighborhoods, particularly Beverly Hills, the area where many
starsmake their homes and have for decades. Though the buses aren't
allowed to come to a complete stop in front of the houses,you'll still
get a good look at them.

NEWS - ~ Britain marks Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, HCMR, form up in the early
hours of this morning Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Palace of
Westminster, London during the Queens Diamond Jubilee Procession
rehearsal. (AP)
Mugs celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
on sale in Trafalgar Squareon June 1, 2012 in London,England. (AP)
Britain on Saturday kicks off four days of celebrations to mark Queen
Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee, includinga 1,000-boat river pageantand
a star-studded concert.
The queen starts the festivities by indulging in her love of horse
racing at the Epsom Derby on Saturday before riding in aceremonial
barge on the Thames at the centre of the giant flotilla on Sunday.
One million people are expected to line the river to see the
extravaganza ofsteam boats and tugs, speed boats and historic vessels.
A concert in the shadow ofBuckingham Palace featuring Paul McCartney
and other top names is the highlight on Monday before the four-day
extravaganza culminates in the pomp and splendour of a ceremonial
parade on Tuesday.
Aside from the setpiece events in London, millions of people up and
down the country are commemorating the jubilee by throwing a party at
home.
"It looks like the entirety of Britain is going to turn out," said
historian Kate Williams, the author of"Young Elizabeth: The Making of
our Queen".
They will be making the most of the two-day public holiday granted for
an historic occasion -- the queen is only the second British monarch
to celebrate a diamond jubilee, after queen Victoria, in 1897.
Union Jacks are fluttering in streets and shop windows and retailers
report that red, white and blue bunting and even jubilee garden gnomes
areselling fast.
The celebrations take place as the royal family enjoys its highest
support for decades, with a recent poll showing that 80 percent of
Britons want the country to remain a monarchy.
Those levels of support are comparable to 1953, the year of the
queen's coronation.
Coming hot on the heels of Prince William's wedding to the then Kate
Middleton last year, the jubilee is likely to further boost the
royals' popularity.
Amid the acclaim for the queen it is easy to forget that just a decade
ago, thepicture was very different.
Following the death of Diana, princess of Wales, ina Paris car crash
in 1997, the monarch was widely criticised for failing to join in the
public outpouring ofgrief.
She did eventually bow toDiana's coffin as it passed, a moment that
Williams says was a turning point.
Now there is a "massive surge" of affection for the queen both in
Britain and across the Commonwealth, said Williams.
"At the moment the queen's popularity is as high as it's ever been
sinceher coronation," she told AFP.
"This is really quite incredible when you think about how
extraordinarilyunpopular she was after the death of Diana."
At the centre of the celebrations is an 86-year-old great-grandmother,
who was visiting Kenya in February 1952 when she was told that her
father, king George VI, had died atthe age of 56, thrusting her into
the role of queen.
When she ascended to thethrone in 1952 aged just 25, Winston Churchill
was prime minister of Britain, Jawaharlal Nehru led the
newly-independent India and swathes of Africa and Asia were still
governed by Britain.
She has visited 116 countries over the past six decades, but in a nod
to her age she and her husband Prince Philip have given their children
the task of visiting the countries of the Commonwealth in the jubilee
year.
Philip has recovered from emergency heart surgery in December and is
expected to play a full partin the jubilee celebrations, just a week
before his 91stbirthday.

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Islamic Article :- The Second Wife

I heard a commentary the otherday which hit home like little else has
in a long time. A news commentator had just finished interviewing some
local youngsters on the impact that the Clinton/Lewinsky affair had
upon them. Most of the young people said the same. "It is personal."
"Let him be." "No oneis perfect." and so forth... The commentator,
when summing up his report said, "The President is supposed to
represent the morals and valuesof the society that he represents." He
paused and then said, "Maybe that is the problem."
That pretty much summed it up.Clinton represents the morals and values
of America. He is the poster-child for the greedy, over-indulgent
American who isconcerned with nothing more than self gratification. So
why do so many Muslims idealize this society? Why are so many of us so
enamoured with the values of these people that we either appologize
for or even deny basic tenents of our belief?
One such tenent is polygyny. Polygyny is the practice of marrying more
than one wife. Unfortunately, often the term polygamy - the practice
of marrying more than one spouseis used to describe the practice in
Islam. This is incorrect. Islam allows more than one wife, up to four.
I have found that Muslims have fallen prey to the Western ideal of one
woman for one man, which is laughable when you look to the reality of
their relationships. The majority of men admit to committing adultery
and a growing numberof women do the same. The system in the West has
been described by some as serial monogomy because of the insane
divorce rate, but is in reality little more than a charadefor an open
unchecked worshipof human desire.
Unfortunately, I have heard Muslim women say, I would rather that my
husband commit adultery than that he bring a second wife. What a low
state we have reached that such a comment could ever come from a
Muslim. May Allah (SWT) Guide us, Ameen!
I have even heard Muslims actually ask, "Why is it allowed for men but
not for women to have more than one spouse at atime?" Our level of
faith in the Wisdom of Allah has fallen to such an all-time low, that
we no longer think that it is wrong or even disliked to question the
judgement of Allah.
Too many of us follow the West into the lizard hole, and we don't even
bother to take a lightwith us to see if it is safe. We nolonger care.
We assume that they know what they are doing and we jump in with no
fear. I wish such Muslims would have the same amount of faith in Allah
(SWT) that they have in theWest.
We have to start dealing with Islamic issues with the eyes andears and
minds of Muslims, not with the tongues of the Kafirs, Insha-Allah.
Look to this society. Any sane, rational human being can see the
destruction they have brought upon themselves with their modern
concepts of love, justice, equality and humanrights. The only true
definitions of these concepts are those revealed by Allah (SWT) and
taught and practiced by His beloved Messenger. America hasshown itself
to be devoid of values, time and time again, but too many Muslims
blindly ignorethe results of these actions and continue to follow
them, footstep by footstep.
Allah (SWT) has made it so easy for us. He has given us all that we
need to deal with any issue that may present itself. He has paved an
even, straight path forus, so why do so many of us consistantly veer
to roads that are clearly wraught with dangerand isapointment? Allah
(SWT) has blessed us with guidance. He has blessed us with knowledge.
He has blessed us with Islam. So, which of the blessings of our Lord
will we ignore?
Allah (SWT) says,
"... Marry of the women that please you; two, three or four, but if
you fear you will not be able to deal justly, then only one..."
(An-Nisa 4:3)
I have looked to this statement many times. Some people point out to
me the part that speaks of dealing justly, and they matchit with,
"And you have it not in your power to do justice between wives, even
though you may wish (it), but be not disinclined (from one) with total
disinclination, so that you leave her as it were in suspense; and if
you effect a reconciliation andguard (against evil), then surely Allah
is Forgiving, Merciful."
(An-Nisa 4:129).
Here, they say, it is impossible for a person to be fair, therefore it
is not allowed to marry more than one. This doesnot match what is
written. The verse says to not desert them. How can this be a command
to not marry more than one? Also, I find this theory hard to accept
since I know that the prophet, the companions, the second generation,
the third generationand so forth were all practicers of polygyny. If
it were wrong, oreven makru - as some state - then we would not find
the majority among our best generations practicing it.

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Let go of anger and replace it with forgiveness

A man said to the Messenger of Allah, (sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam–
peace be upon him): "Advise me! "The Prophet said, "Do not become
angry and furious." The man asked (the same) again and again, and the
Prophet said in each case, "Do not become angry and furious."
[Al-Bukhari; Vol. 8 No. 137]
Resolve to give up anger, even ifonly for today. Whatever anger you
are harboring against others, let it go. Whatever angeryou have
against yourself for mistakes you have made, or for wrongs you have
done, let it go.It's not helping you, it is only damaging your own
spirit.
Remember that we are human; we are all imperfect. From the very
beginning, starting with Adam and Hawaa (Adam and Eve) we humans made
mistakes.
Other people have made mistakes and harmed you in thepast because they
are human; forgive them. You have made mistakes because you are human;
forgive yourself, and turn to Allah in
tawbah (repentance).
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)has taught us some strategies for dealing
with anger. For example, he said:
"I know a word, the saying of which will cause him to relax, if he
does say it. If he says: 'I seek Refuge with Allah from Satan' then
all his anger will go away."
[Al-Bukhari; Vol. 4, No. 502]
And he said,
"Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created of fire, and fire
is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry, he
should perform ablution."
[Abu Daud; Book 41, No. 4766]
Abu Dharr narrated: The Apostleof Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam,
said to us: "When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should
sit down. If the anger leaves him,well and good; otherwise he should
lie down."
[Abu Daud; Book 41, No. 4764]
In another hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:
"If one of you becomes angry then he should be silent."
Narrated 'Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakra: Abu Bakr wrote to his son who
was in Sijistan: Do not judge between two personswhen you are angry,
for I heardthe Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, saying:
"A judge should not judge between two persons while he is in an angry
mood." [Al-Bukhari; Vol. 9, No. 272]
So the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, has given us
several strategies to deal with anger:
Seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan. This reminds us that fury and
rage are not good things; they are evil forces that we need to get rid
of before they take us over. Seeking refuge with Allah reminds us that
Allah is near, watching us; also it reminds us to turn the matter over
to Allah, so that we can let go of our anger.
Perform wudu' (ritual washing for purity). SubhanAllah, what a
beautiful thing. The wudu' is a source of blessings and barakah for
us. It also has a powerful symbolic value, washing away our anger and
making us peaceful and pure.
Sit down, or even lie down. Modern science has learned thatthe body
influences the emotions as well as the other way around. So assuming a
peaceful posture leads to peaceful emotions. Sitting downor lying down
are non-threatening positions. This helps to defuse any conflict
before it escalates.
Stay silent. This is very important. All too often spousesor family
members say things toeach other in anger, and later they deeply regret
their words. By then it's too late: the words have been uttered and
the damage is done. When you are most angry is precisely the time to
remain silent. Seek refuge with Allah, make wudu, pray, gofor a walk,
go to the masjid… allow yourself time to calm down and reflect.
Do not judge between people (in other words make importantdecisions).
Obviously making important decisions out of anger is a formula for
disaster.
These are all wonderful points for dealing with anger in the moment.
However, in todays " Islamic Sunray" I am also speaking about past
anger. We all have old emotional wounds that we carry around like
scars. We have old resentments and hurts.
If you hold on to these hurts, they will destroy your marriage, or at
least make it an unhappy, chafing relationship. Holding onto
resentments and grudges will destroy your friendships, leaving you
isolated. These persistent negative emotions will eat into your own
soul, leaving you bitter and unhappy.
Let them go. Modern medicine tells us that carrying around these old
resentments and anger is bad for the health.
Steven Stosny, PhD, and author of "The Powerful Self: A Workbook of
Theraputic Self Empowerment", says,
"Consistent, prolonged levels of anger give a person a five
timesgreater chance of dying before age 50. Anger elevates blood
pressure, increases threat of stroke, heart disease, cancer,
depression, anxiety disorders, and, in general, depresses the immune
system (angry people have lots of little aches and pains or get a lot
of colds and bouts of flu or headaches or upset stomachs).

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Towards the Right Path

For all the Muslim brothers & Sisters out there who have atleast a
little Faith & Fear of Allah in their heart & wish to change & move
through the RIGHT PATH !! Allah Bless Us All!

Reaching the top is easy. Preserving it is difficult. Tothose whom
Allah guided to become practicing, preserve your peak because Satan is
waiting to get you down. I have seen people who lost it because they
were over confident in themselves. The minute you depend on yourself,
thinking that you can do it, Allah will leave you on your own. In the
famous supplication ofthe Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam: O
Ever living and Sustainer, in your mercy I seek refuge. Fix all of my
matters and do not leave me depending on myself not even a blink of an
eye. I wonder, how many of us are left to themselves and are lost
without Allah's guidance.

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The Prophet's Last Sermon

This sermon was delivered on the ninth day of Dhul Hijah, 10 A.H. (632
A.D.) in the valley of Mount Arafat. The contents of the message were
collected from different narrations, and there are other parts to it
that are not mentioned here. This sermon still needs the authenticity
of all of its parts to be checked.
"O People , lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether, after
this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen to
what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those
who could not be present today.
O People , just as you regard this month, this day,this city as
sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred
trust. Return the goods entrusted to youto their rightful owners. Hurt
no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet
your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has
forbidden you to take interest, therefore, all interest obligations
shall henceforth be waived. Yourcapital, however, is yours to keep.
You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. Allah has judged that
thereshall be no interest and that all interest due to Abbas bin
Abdul-Muttalib (the prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth
waived and the first such right I waive is that arising from the
murder of Rabiyah bin Al-Harith (relative of the prophet). O Men, the
unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make
permissible that which Allah forbade, and to forbidthat which Allah
had made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve; four of them
are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between
the months of Jumadah and Shaaban. Beware of Satan, for the safety of
your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead
you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People , it is true that you have certain right withregard to your
women, butthey also have rights over you. If they abide by your right
then to them belongsthe right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do
treat your women well andbe kind to them for they are your partners
and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make
friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never
commit adultery.
O People , listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily
prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in
zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam
andEve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has
any superiority over anArab; also a white has no superiority over a
black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and
good action. Learn that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim,
and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shallbe
legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was
given freely and willingly. Do not,therefore, do injustice to your
selves.
Remember , one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your
deeds.So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I
am gone.
O People , no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith
will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my
words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran
and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you willnever go
astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others, and those
to others again; and may the last ones understand my wordsbetter that
those who listen to me directly. Be mywitness O Allah, that I
haveconveyed Your message to Your people."

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ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ Meditation

Relax your mind. There is nothing to think about right now, nothing to
worry about. Release the burdens that you carry in your mind.
As you breathe deeply, the warmth spreads to your face. Let your face
relax. Relax your eyes. Whatever your eyes have seen that isunhappy or
that causes you pain, let it go. Release it with your breath.
Relax your cheeks and yourmouth. Whatever you havespoken that you
regret, let it go, release it with your breath. It's in the past and
is gone now with your breath.
Relax your ears. There is nothing for you to listen toright now except
the peacefulness of your own breath. Whatever you haveheard that has
hurt you, at any time in your life, let it go now. You don't need it
anymore. Release it with your breath.
Relax your jaw. Any tension that you are holding in your jaw, let it
go, release it. Feel the warmth spread through your mind, your face,
your neck. Relax your neck.
Know that you are safe. You are protected. You are in a place of
shelter. You are in Allah's care. You are in a safe place, a good
place. You have nothing to fear, nothing to regret. The past is gone,
and the future has not arrived. All that existsis this peaceful
moment, this safe place where youare protected and warm.
Continue to breathe deeplyand softly. Your breath warms you. The
warmth spreads now into your shoulders and relaxes your shoulders.
Whatever burden you have been carrying on your shoulders,let it go.
Give to Allah, and He will hold it for you until you are ready to take
it back. For now, let it go with your breath. Relax your shoulders.
Let go of your fear and your worry. You are following Allah's guidance
and that is peaceful. You are at harmony with the entire universe and
that is peaceful.
Breathe deeply and softly. The breath spreads now into your back and
warms your back. Relax your shoulder blades, and the middle of your
back. Relax your lower back. As you breathe out, release the burdens
that you have borne on your back. All the troubles, all the weight on
your back, release them with your breath, and let them disappear. You
don't need them anymore.
Allah is on your side and He will always be with you. You have the
strength of Imaan. Know that whatever challengesyou face in life, you
are strong and capable.
As you breathe, warmth continues to spread through your body, now
moving into your chest andyour stomach. Relax your chest. Whatever
fears you have for the future, let them go. Release them with your
breath. Trust in Allah; He is with you right now, at this moment, and
He will protect you. Relax your stomach. Whatever tightness you have
in your stomach, whatever tensionyou carry there, release it, let it
go with your breath.
Know that Allah created you pure, with the purity of fitrah. That
purity is always inside you, like a light. Allow yourself to feel it,
to be in touch with it; let that purity come out, and with it comes
peace.
Your breath is warm and soothing. As it spreads through your body it
makes you warm. It brings peace and tranquility to your mind, to your
soul, and to your heart. Feel it now spreading into your arms. Relax
your upper arms, and your forearms. Relax your hands and your fingers.
Relax your thumbs.Your hands work hard for you every day, but right
now let them relax. Whatever burdens you carry in your hands,
releasethem. Whatever private pain or shame your hands have witnessed,
release it. You don't need it anymore.Let it escape with your breath,
let it go.
Know that Allah created you beautiful with the best of forms as He
said in the Quran. That beautyis inside you. Let yourself feel it and
believe it.
Breathe deeply now and let it flow into your legs. Relax your thighs.
Relax your knees. Relax your calves. Relax your feet. Relax your toes.
Your legs work hard for you every day, they have earned a rest. Relax
your legs and letthe tension flow out of them; release the tension
with your breath.
Now all of your body is relaxed and warm. Every cell in your body,
every part of you inside and out is soothed and peaceful. Allof your
body is pure and light and warm.
Allah is with you now, and He is As-Salam, the giver of peace. Allah
created you in peace. Inside you, at your center, is peace. That peace
is your birthright. Your breath is peace. Your center is peace.
Yoursoul is at peace, your mind is at peace, your heart is at peace,
your blood is at peace, your breath is at peace, your eyes are at
peace, your hearing is at peace, your tongue is at peace, your hands
are at peace, your feet are at peace, every part of you is at peace
with Allah. Every part of you is at peace with yourself. Every part of
youis at peace. Every part of you is peaceful.

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HEALTH - ~ The Nutrition Source High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Health

The Nutrition Source
Sugary Drinks or Diet Drinks: What's the Best Choice?
~
Soft drinks are the beverage of choice for millions of Americans. Some
drink them morning, noon, night, and in between. They're tasty,
available everywhere, and inexpensive. They're also a prime source of
extra calories that can contributeto weight gain. Once thought of as
innocent refreshment, soft drinks are also coming under scrutiny for
their contributions to the development of type 2 diabetes, heart
disease, and other chronic conditions. Diet soft drinks,made with
artificial sweeteners, may not be the best alternatives to regular
soft drinks./

--
2] The Nutrition Source
High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Health:
~
How we satisfy our cravingfor sugar has changed dramatically over the
past fifty years. We once relied almost exclusively on sucrose—common
table sugar—made from sugar cane and sugar beets. Today, more than
half of our sugar comes from corn,most of it in the form of
high-fructose corn syrup. Itis found in everything fromsodas to baby
food. Sally Squires, a former nutrition columnist for the Washington
Post , has called it "the floozy of the sugar world: sweeter and
cheaper than sucrose, but viewed with distrust by some consumers." ( 1
)
Some researchers have fingered high-fructose cornsyrup as one of the
villains behind the obesity epidemic. ( 2 ) They note that the
dramatic increase in high-fructose corn syrup use closely parallels
the trajectory of obesity rates. They also point out that the body
metabolizes fructose differently from glucose, and that the
differences in the way the body metabolizes fructose may predispose
the body to turn fructose into fat.
But there's a catch to this argument. Table sugar is made of one
glucose molecule joined to one fructose molecule, so it contains
glucose and fructose in equal proportions. High-fructose corn syrup
also contains glucose mixed with fructose, with just slightly more
fructose than glucose(or, in some varieties, slightly more glucose
than fructose). Since table sugar and corn sweeteners are made up of
the same "raw materials"—glucose and fructose—and these raw materials
are used in roughly similar proportions, it is likely thattable sugar
and corn sweeteners have the same physiological impact on blood sugar,
insulin, and metabolism.
At least for now, high-fructose corn syrup doesn't seem to be any
better or any worse than any other kind of added sugar. What is
important islimiting your intake of all added sugars. That's why
sugary drinks and sweets are at the use-sparingly tipof the Healthy
Eating Pyramid . A good goal is keeping added sugars fromall sources
to under 10 percent of your daily calories. Learn how to spot added
sugars on the food label /

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Allah's infinite Greatness and Power

--
Allah created the order of the universe in superb detail to allow man
to grasp His greatness. A verse referring to this order reads, "...so
that you might know that Allah has power over all things and that
Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge." (Suratat-Talaq: 12).
Faced with the sublimity of the detailsof this order, man becomes in
awe, recognizing that Allah's wisdom, knowledge and might is infinite.
So expansive is Allah's knowledge that what for us is "infinite" is in
His Sight already ended. Everyevent that has taken placesince the
creation of time, until deep into eternity, was predetermined and
ended in Allah's Sight. (See Timelessness and The Reality of Fate, by
Harun Yahya) This is related in the Qur'an as follows:
We have created all things in due measure. Our command is only one
word, like the blinking of an eye. We destroyed those of your kind in
the past. But is there any rememberer there? Everything they did is in
the Books. Everything is recorded, big or small. (Surat al-Qamar:
49-53)
Man must seek to appreciate the extent of Allah's knowledge, and
reflect to comprehend His greatness.
Billions of people have appeared on Earth since time immemorial.
Therefore, Allah created billions of pairs of eyes, billions of
different fingerprints, billions of different eye tissues, billions of
different types of humans... If He so willed, He could also create
billions more. As stated in the Qur'an, "...He adds to Creation in any
way He wills. Allah has power over all things." (Surah Fatir: 1)
Allah also possesses the power to create many other things beyond our
limited imagination. The entire extent of the treasures Allah has
bestowed in this world forHis servants is all within His Sight. He
sends down to us only that which He wills, all within a measure
predetermined:
There is nothing that does not have its stores with Us and We only
send it down in a knownmeasure. (Surat al-Hijr: 21)
This matter, manifested everywhere in Allah's superb Creation, holds
true for both that which we know as well as that which we do not.
Allah states this fact in the verse, "...and He creates other things
you do not know." (Surat an-Nahl: 8), He creates many other things of
which we are entirely unaware.
Allah has created many worlds and beings which we cannot see. To
better understand the possibility of the existence of other worlds, we
should consider the following: a picture is two dimensional-width and
length. The world in whichwe live, however, is 3 dimensional-width,
lengthand depth-(time can be considered as the 4th dimension). The
rest is beyond our comprehension. However, in the sight of Allah,
there are other dimensions. Angels, for instance, are beings that live
in anotherdimension. In the Qur'an itis stated that angels can see and
hear us from the dimension and space in which they exist. Furthermore,
the two angels, seated on our either shoulder, each, and at every
moment, is recording every word we speak and every deed we do. Yet, we
do not see them. Jinn are also beings of another dimension, as we are
informed by the Qur'an. They, like us human beings, are also tested,
all through their lives, and will ultimately be brought before
judgment by Allah. However, they are possessed of completely different
attributes than humans; their existence is dependent upon an entirely
different system of cause and effect.
These are all facts that deserve careful consideration in order to
attain a better grasp of Allah's splendid Creation. Itis within
Allah's power to create innumerable new worlds, beings and situations.
Furthermore, each is He able to create with a limitless degree of
differentiation. Indeed, in a nature unknown to us, Allah will create
Paradise and Hell. While systems left to their own in this world tend
to age, become corrupted, and eventually expire, in Paradise,
unaffected by the passage of time, nothing will deteriorate;"rivers of
milk whose tastewill never change" is an example which states this
feature of Paradise. The human body too will not degenerate; nor will
anything ever age. As is related in the Qur'an, everyone in Paradise
will be of like age, will live together for all eternity, inthe best
condition, and without growing older or losing their beauty. Allah
also informs us in the Qur'an that in it will be bursting springs for
us from which to drink. Hell, on the other hand, will be utterly
different; in it, Allah will create unimaginable torment. Noone will
be able to conceive the pain of such torment until he experiences it.
On everything in this world, Allah has placed a limit.

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''The thunder glorifies His praise''

3 billion thunders a year…
A source of energy that moves at a speed of 96.000 km per hour and
releases 30.000 degrees ofheat.
Have you ever thought how thunder, one of the most magnificent
atmospheric incidents thatAllah creates, is formed and how it is
capable of releasing such a high amount of energy?
During rainfall, thunder and lightning that are made up of bright
lights forming in the course of atmospheric discharge of electricity
are in fact energy resources producing more electricity than thousands
of power plants; besides being a climatic phenomenon. Theanswer to the
questions ofhow these natural energy sources are formed and how
powerful they give out light and heat is a wonder of creation
revealing the Ever-Lasting Might and Glory of Our Lord.
A magnificence forming in a split second: Miracle of Lightning
• The energy released bya single lightning bolt is greater than the
energy produced in all power plants across the entire America.
• One lightning can lighta 100 watt bulb for more than 3 months.
• At the contact point of a lightning to the ground, weather is
warmed up to 25.000oC. The speed of a lightning bolt is 150.000 km per
second and its average thickness is 2.5-5 cm.
• Lightning produces nitrogen molecules that are essential for the
vegetation covering our Earth to sustain its life.
• An average lightning possesses 20.000 ampere of electric power. A
welderuses only 250-400 ampereto weld steel.
• Lightning moves at a speed of 150.000 km per second, that is
almost at half of the speed of light and it is 100.000 times faster
than sound.
Light released by one lightning is greater than that of 10 million
100-watt light bulbs. That is to say; if every house in Istanbul had a
light a bulb on, illumination from a single lightning bolt would be
greater. Allah announces this glamorous flash of lightning as: "…The
brightness of His lightning almost blinds the sight.." (Surat An-Nur,
43)
How is lightning formed?
Air, warmed by the sunlight rises carrying along the water evaporating
inside it. When this risen air reaches2-3 km, it comes into contact
with the layers of cold air.
Ice crystals that are formed inside the clouds at the time of air
rising, release static electric energy formed due to friction. This
electrical energy is loaded positive (+) on top layers of the clouds
and negative (-) on low layers. When the cloud is loaded enough to
ionize the air; lightning is formed.
Why does it thunder?
Lightning heats the air nearby up to 30.000 degrees Celsius in one
millionth of a second. The air warmed up dilates. Andit propagates
sound waves much faster than the speed of sound; with apressure 100
times greater than the normal atmospheric pressure. Similar to the
airplanes crossing the speed of sound, this causes an explosion sound
in the air.And this is named as thunder.
Why does not the light and sound of thunder reach the earth simultaneously?
This is because the sound of thunder reaches us at the speed of sound
(340 m/seconds in air); whereasthe visual aspect of the lightning
reaches us at thespeed of light (299.793 km/seconds). This causes
atime difference between the two incidents and thusresults in the
bolt reaching the earth before the thunder.
What is the difference between lightning and thunderbolt?
When the difference in electric charge becomes greater between the
earthand the cloud, it becomes easier for air to be pierced and from
earth to the cloud; electrical discharge starts through the conductor
duct formed by the pierced air. The electrical discharge from the
clouds is called lightning and the electricaldischarge from the earth
back to the cloud is called thunderbolt or return stroke.
The fact of lightning declared in the Holy Quran
Surah Ar-Ra'd is one of thechapters in the Quran and it means "The Thunder".
Allah announces that the thunder formed by the lightening repeats His praises:
"The thunder glorifies His praise, as do the angels, out of fear of
Him. …" (Surah Ar-Ra'd, 13)
Strike of lightning reminds us of death
Experiences of those who survived a strike of lightning that causes
the death of hundreds of people every year, remind us of death as well
as revealing the helplessness of man in the Presence of Allah.
The possibility of getting struck by lightning is one in 700,000; yet
one shouldnot underestimate this possibility as well as the effects of
the lightning. According to the statements made by thosewho have been
struck by lightning, the electrical current can explode the buttons
and zippers on the clothes and people canfaint and fall down.

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Birthday greating tips

--
Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age.Sometimes age just shows up
all by itself.Happy Birthday.
@
I remember when the candle shop burned down.Everyone stood around
singing "Happy Birthday".
@
The return of my birthday,if I remember it,fills me with thoughts
which it seems 2 be the general care of humanity 2 escape.Happy
Birthday.
@
Nothing in life is easy..except having fabulous birthdays.Try it out
for yourself.Happy Birthday.

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Your Way To Islam

--
.. Stand up saying"Allahu Akbar" in order to begin a new Rak'ah,
exactly as the first Rak'ah. After finishing the second "Rak'ah" you
sit down and recite Part One and Part Two of "At-Tashahhud". Finally
you turn the face to the right hand side and say: "As-Salamu 'alaykum
wa rahmatul-lah" which means Peace be upon you and The Mercy of Allah!
Then you do the same to the left side. Thus a two- Rak'ah prayer is
completed,such as the Fajr Prayer. As for 4 Rak'ah prayers such as the
Dhuhr, only the first part of At-Tashahhud is recited after completing
the second Rak'ah. Then you stand up to perform two more Rak'ahs in
the same way, but without reciting any verses from The Qur'an after
Al-Fatihah.The 'Asr and t 'Isha' prayersare performed exactly as the
Dhuhr. In the Maghrib Prayer, the final Tashahhudand "As-Salam…" come
after the third Rak'ah. WHY WE PRAY The Muslim observes his Prayers
to show devotion and obedience to Allah, becausePrayer is one of the
greatest forms of worship that Allah likes His servantsto offer. To
thank Him for creating us in the best formof creation. Because He has
guided us to the Deen (Complete way of Life, Religion) of Islam.
Prayer isa chance for a Muslim to express to his Lord whatever he
feels and needs through Divine Words of Allah i.e. the Qur'an. To
remember his Lord and not forget His commands amid life's
pre-occupations. To ask Allah, The Exalted, to give him aid and
continuous guidance in the darkness oflife. To strengthen love andfear
of Allah in the Muslim'sheart so that he might remain sticking to the
Right Path of Islam, and its laws and manners. Gaining good rewards
from Allah and having our sins forgiven. To rejoice when he finds
himself on the LastDay pleased with the great reward allotted to him
in the Gardens of Bliss. Prayer is a unique training and developmental
program which, if well and devotedly performed, can achieve for
Muslims many valuable physical, ethical and spiritual gains such as
cleanliness, health, order, punctuality, brotherhood, equality, social
consolidation,… etc. CHAPTER 17 ZAKAT (Poor Due, Alms) WHAT IS ZAKAT
The term "Zakat" originally means: growth, and purity.In Islamic Law,
it means paying every lunar year a certain percentage of your savings
to certain charitable usage defined byThe Qur'an. If you have, for
that period, an amount of money equal to the value of 85 grams of pure
gold (now 1985, is about $1000)or more, you must pay 2.5%. Zakat is
paid for the poor and the needy Muslims, for the wayfarers, for
propagating Islam or fighting for Islam, for helping new Muslims or
encouraging non-Muslims to embrace Islam, for thosewho are burdened
with debts and are unable to pay them. If you have articles of trade,
you calculate their Zakat in the same way. You can ask some Muslim
scholar or refer to any good referencebook to know more about Zakat.
WHY WE PAY ZAKAT To show devotion to Allah Who commanded us to do so
and informed us that Heloves the charitable. CHAPTER 18 SAWM, or
SIYAM (Fasting) ABOUT THE FAST In Ramadan, (the 9th month of the lunar
Islamic year) Muslims fast in obedience to Allah's command and in
gratitude for Allah's Grace for revealing His Glorious Book, The
Qur'an, in Ramadan. Sawm (Fasting) is to abstain from eating, drinking
and intimate intercourse from dawn to sunset. If sick or on a journey,
a Muslim is permitted to break his fast.If he breaks the fast, he
hasto make it up by fasting a number of days equal to the days in
which he broke fasting in Ramadan. After the end of Ramadan comes"Eid
al-Fitr" (the Holy day of Breaking the Fast) whichis the 1st day of
Shawwal, the month following Ramadan. On the Eid mor ning, all Muslims
congregate, in open grounds or in mosques, to perform " Eid Prayer" to
express their happiness and gratitude to Allah for enabling them to
completethis duty of Fasting. Concerning this important duty, Allah
says: "O you who believe. Fasting is prescribed to you as it was
prescribed to those before you, that you may (observe) piety and
self-restraint" [The Qur'an 2:183] Also, He says: "Ramadan is the
month in which was sent down The Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also
clear (signs) for guidance and judgement (between right and wrong).
So, every one of you who is present (at his home, village, or town)
during that month should fast it, but if any one is ill, or on a
journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by other days".
[The Qur'an 2:185]. WHY WE FAST We fast in obedience to Allah's
command, and because Allah loves those who fast. To show our gratitude
to Allah's Grace of sending down His Guidance, The Qur'an, to guide us
and the whole humanity.

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HADEES - ~

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Beloved Prophet SalAllahu Alyehe Wasallam said, "No one witnesses that
there is none worthy of Worship but Allah and that I am Allah's
Messenger - truthfully, from his heart - except that Allah makes the
Fire of Hell forbidden totouch him." [Reported by Muslim, Ahmad, and
al-Bayhaqi]
"Ash Hadu Alla ilaaha ilAllahu Wahdahu Laa Shareekalahu Wa Ash
HaduAnna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasuluhu"
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللہُ وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهٗ وَ
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدً اعَبْدُهٗ وَرَسُوْلُهٗؕ
[I bear witness that none isworthy of Worship but Allah, the One
alone, without any partner and I bear witness that Muhammad (SalAllahu
Alyehe Wasallam) is His servant and Messenger]

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