The Heart of the Matter

Sometimes we have a problem with a Muslim or Muslims, and we get
frustrated and we think, "I don't want to be around those people
anymore." Or something happens at theMasjid (the mosque) that we don't
like, maybe the Imam says something we don't agree with, or we don't
like the Masjid policies, and we feel offended and we stop going.
Maybe we pray at home, and stop associatingwith Muslims, then maybe
over time we become slackin our prayers, but we tell ourselves it's
okay because we're still Muslim "in our hearts".
That's one kind of trap.
On top of that it's hard to represent this deen among non-Muslims.
It's hard to carry yourself as a Muslim at work when you're the only
one there and you're aware that some of your co-workers are bigots or
are operating on negative stereotypes. It's hard to wear the hijab
when some people look at you as if you're a terrorist.
So maybe we give up the outer trappings of Islam, telling ourselves
that we have to survive in this society.
That's another trap.
And if you're a convert and your family is opposed to your conversion
to Islam, that's another weight to carry. If they are openly hostile,
and if you still live with them as they mock your deen (maybe in front
of your children) and try to undercut your childrens' practice of
Islam by feedingthem pork or letting them have "a little taste" of
wine… or something comeson the news about a conflict in the Muslim
world and your family says,"Look, those Muslims are atit again…" And
you don't know how to respond, or you don't want to start another
fight so you keep your mouth shut, but inside you feel humiliated and
confused…
And if you are isolated from the Muslim community for racial reasons
(this is not supposed to happen but it does) or for simple cultural
reasons, because you can't speak Arabic or Urdu and you don't fit in,
and you haven't been able to make any Muslim friends, or you feel that
the Masjid crowd don't regard you in the same way as so-called "born
Muslims"… instead they look at you as an oddity, or a child, or a
trophy of some kind, as if your conversion somehow validates their
faith…
Well, then, you might start to say to yourself, "What's the point? Is
it really worthit? Is it even really true?"
That's obviously a huge, deadly trap.
Okay, if you're a "born Muslim" you might not reach the point of that
last statement ("Is it even true?") because for most ofus who were
raised Muslim, Islam is bred into us from childhood, and it's a part
of us even when we don't understand it or appreciate it. But you still
might feel that identifying as a Muslim is too much trouble… it's
easier to associate with non-Muslims, abandon your prayers, drink wine
at the company dinner, have relationships with non-Muslims, and not
have to battle against society every day, not to mention battling
against your own nafs (desires). This is an easy trap to fall into if
you are a professional living alone.
We fall into these traps because we forget what this deen is. Shaytan
(Satan) isolates us just as a wolf isolates a sheep, driving it away
from the herd; then he plays games with our minds so that we become
reactive, responding emotionally to circumstances in our environments.

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Fight for It

Anything I have in my life, Ihave fought for. Yes, it all comes from
Allah. The two are not mutually exclusive.
There are universal gifts that Allah gives to all. Life, the soul, the
will… beyond that, nothing is assured. Breath? Some people fight to
breathe. Food? Some people struggle for a bit of grain. Water? Some
people work an entire day to get water. Health? Some people are born
sick and fight for every day of life. Freedom? Millions of children
are born in refugee camps.
Allah gives us opportunities. He gives us abilities, talents, gifts,
and it's up to us to make something out of them. Allah gives us
guidance andtruth, but if we want to follow that truth then we'llhave
to fight for it, and it won't be easy. As soon as we dedicate our
lives to truth, we'll see obstacles appearing in our paths.
I don't mean physically fight (though that is sometimes the case). I
mean strive, struggle, workhard, deal with personal attacks and
naysayers, staypositive, find a way forward when the path appears to
be blocked, and refuse to give up!
If you want to pursue your dreams, you'll have to struggle. If you
want (halal) love in your life, if you want something real, ifyou want
to make something happen, well then brother and sister, you'll have to
strive with all your might. That's how it is.
"And those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our
paths." – Quran, Al-Ankaboot, 29:69.

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Your “Stuff” is Not a Part of You

You are not defined by the stuff you own. Your "stuff" is not a part
of you. Your "stuff" will break, disappear, or be left behindone day.
In fact what truly defines our character is how we react to loss. If
we were stripped of all the possessions we love, who would we be in
that moment? Would we still be grateful to Allah, patient, trusting?
Hopefully it never comes tothat. But seriously, those times of
greatest sadness and joy are when our thoughts must turn to Allah, The
Eternal, The Merciful, The Wise.
Allah says, "Never will you attain the good until you spend from that
which you love. And whatever you spend – indeed, Allahis Knowing of
it." [Quran 3: 92]
Think about that. Allah is telling us to give away the things that we
love the most! SubhanAllah! Why does Allah ask this of us? Is it to
liberate us from slavery to material possessions? To f0cus our minds
on Allah and the aakhirah (hereafter)? To prevent the evil that
results from the love of money? To benefit the poor?
Yes, for all of those reasons. Excessive attachment to any
materialthing is misguidance. The love of possessions is a spiritual
trap.
I have at times given away things that were precious to me, thinking
they wouldmean as much to the otherperson as they do to me. Sometimes
they do, and sometimes they don't, and yes it hurts my feelings when
the other person doesn't value my gift; but eventually I get over it,
because the point is the actof giving. And maybe – Insha-Allah – I'll
have something to show Allah on Yawm Al-Qiyamah (the Day of
Resurrection), maybe I'll be able to say, "O Allah, I gave away
thesethings that I loved," and maybe that will earn me some
forgiveness, Allah knows.
There is a powerful spiritual lesson in taking anobject that you love,
and giving it away. I remembera middle-aged brother named AbdulKareem
(Damis-Salaam, for those ofyou who know him). He worked hard,
supported a family, and got by on a tight budget. One time he got a
nice brown leather coat, the long kind that comes down to the knees.
It looked good on him. Then a younger brother, a teenager with poor
manners, said, "Man, that's a cool coat. Can I have it?" Without a
word, AbdulKareem took off the coat and gave it to the teenager.
There's such a strength of character, such freedom from attachment, in
being able to do that. That was 27 years ago and I imagine that
AbdulKareem (who is an old man now) has forgotten all about it. But
Allah sees and remembers.
This deep generosity was one of the qualities of the Prophet Muhammad
(peacebe upon him). It's said that he never refused anyone who asked
him for anything, if it was his to give.
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was the
mostgenerous of all the people, and he used to reach the peak in
generosity in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used
to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him the Qur'an. Allah's
Messenger was the most generous person, even more generous than the
strong uncontrollable wind." [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 1, Number
5]
Aside from being generous,the Messenger of Allah (sws) had no
attachment to"stuff". The extreme simplicity of his lifestyle was
astounding. He never ate lavish food (not even soft bread), never ate
on a dining cloth, and never filled his belly even with barley bread.
His household often went many days with no cooking fire in the oven,
living on dates and water, and occasionally a glass of milk donated by
the neighbors. His mattress was a piece of tanned skin filled with
rough palm fibers.
Once Umar Ibn al-Khattab (radhi allahu anhu) enteredupon the Messenger
of Allah (sws) when he was lying on a mat of palm fibers that had left
marks on his side. Umar (ra) said: "O Messenger of Allah, why do you
not get something more comfortable than this?" He (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said: "What do I have to do with this world? My
relationship with this world is like that of a traveler on a
hotsummer's day, who seeksshade under a tree for an hour, then moves
on." [Musnad Ahmad and al-Hakim. Saheeh al-Jamee (5545)]
So you see, he lived like this not out of necessity, but out of
choice. Money often came into his household (especially later in his
life when Islam has spread to all of Arabia) but he would give it all
to the poor, retaining nothing.
Excessive possessions are anchors that drag us down.The hunger for
material goods is a kind of sickness. It causes us more stress than
happiness, and in the end we gain nothing genuine.
I once got angry with my daughter when she was nomore than four years
old, because she pulled the softcover off my headphones and tore it.

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Laa ilaha il-Allah

Frankly, if you became Muslim for any reason other than this, then you
never understood Islam to begin with. And if you were raised Muslim
but were not taught the infinite importance of this single sentence,
then you were not really raised as Muslim. You were only taught
cultural practices.
This is Islam. This is what all reality is based on. This is what
religion has been since the beginning of time. This is what all the
Prophets brought (may Allah bless them all). Every element of creation
acknowledges this truth except us; every child is born on this truth
(which iswhy we are all "born Muslim"): This truth that we were
created by a single, indivisible God; that our Creator is Loving,
Merciful and Compassionate; that everything we are and everything we
own comes from Him; that we began with Him as a breath, and we return
to Him as dust; that He witnesses everything we do; that He rewards
the good and punishes evil; that He lovesus and wants good for us in
this life and the next; that He answers when we call and guides us
when weask; that we owe gratitudeto Him for every heartbeat,every lung
full of air, every bite of food, and every glimpse of truth.
No one deserves our love and obedience before Allah. Our first loyalty
is to Him.
No one can help us but Allah; and no one can harmus but Him. When
we're struggling and we cry out to ourselves, "What am I going to do?
Who will helpme? What is the way forward for me?", we need to address
those cries to Allah! The answers will not come from our own thoughts
or tears; the answers won't come from banging our fists or pullingour
hair. The answers will come from Allah.

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This is Who I Am

I can only come as I am to you, Allah
You're not the only thing inmy heart
But can't I still give it, full of everything as it is, back to you?
You're not the only thing on my mind
But can't I still ask you to help me with my random, sinful thoughts?
I'm not perfect, and You even said You wouldn't want this
You want those who can be forgiven
And I need forgiveness Yousee, because
I sometimes am fine with having more than just You in my life
I sometimes am fine with thinking things I shouldn't
I sometimes am fine with skipping a prayer or two
I sometimes am fine with eating a haraam burger
I sometimes am fine with saying a bad word
This is who I am Allah, a girl who is sometimes fine with sin in my life
But I don't forget You, everywhere I look I see You
And I'm just tired of being told to be someone else, just to come to You
I am who I am Allah, and while I am making my bad choices
I am also hating that people are being hurt
Whether it's by me or someone else
I am hating that people aremistreating one another
Whether in the name of Islam or any other cause
Allah I am who I am, and I am someone who loves goodness
I love fairness and compassion
My favorite thing is to see people come into a blessing of any kind
And find their heart's desire, to see them really find You
So this is who I am Allah, I am a contradiction
I am a lover of Your attributes even while I am rejecting them in my own life
By means of my own actions
I am messed up and hurt and scared, all while hopeful and trusting and strong
I cry that things don't go my way, and I cry at the story of Muhammad (saws)
I argue for the fun of it, yetsometimes Your words take the fight
right out of me
You are ultimate and real and deep and pricelessly complex
And I am whimsical, moody, emotional, nafsy and greedy
And all I want is to be able to come to You and be who I really am
While You make me who I was always meant to be.

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Advice from a Cloud (Ifa Cloud Could Speak)

Everyone deserves water to drink, so shower your kindness on sinners
and saints alike.
People will see different things in you: relief, or comfort, or a
fearsome signof a storm. Pay no attention to any of that; but do your
job peacefully.
It's a beautiful thing to provide shade on a hot day(to comfort those
in distress).
You sometimes drift aimlessly, but by the will ofAllah, you get in the
right drift and current again.
Oppose evil with thunder and lightning, but with others be soft as cotton.
Not everything is what it seems: the darker the cloud, the more water
it carries within, to cleanse the earth and bring new life.
Never forget, you are mainly made from water. Make sure to always
replenish yourself with pure sustenance.
There's a rainbow right behind the storm.
Can you think of any other advice a cloud might give?

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Islam is a Game Changer

Islam is a game changer. Every other system, every human-made "ism" –
feudalism, tribalism, nationalism, monarchism, capitalism, communism,
fascism – treats human beings like commodities or less. Every other
system simply plays around with variables like distribution of wealth
and labor, or elevates one group of human beings based on lineage or
geography, while devaluing others to less-than-human status.
All these systems are fundamentally uncivilized, even barbaric.
Islam changes everything. Islam says, we're going to uphold the
fundamental dignity of all human beings.
"And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them
on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and
preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite]
preference." – Quran, 17:70
Allah has honored all the children of Adam. Not only Muslims, not only
men, not one race or nation, not only the wealthy or beautiful, but
all humans. As for the nature of man, Allah says, "[So mention] when
your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I am going to create a human
being from clay. So whenI have proportioned him and breathed into him
of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.'" – Quran,
38:71-72
A being into whom Allah breathed cannot help but be noble by nature.
Yes, wehumans are corruptible and shortsighted, but we don't have to
be. Our nature is pure. We can, at times, rise above our own
foolishness and become great.
When it comes to morality,Islam takes the approach of trusting human
beings to live by values like compassion, justice, fairness, help for
the poor, brotherhood and sisterhood, devotion to God, and
non-attachment to material luxuries.
That's what Islam is supposed to be!
This is why certain oppressive cultural practices found in parts of
the Muslim world are so abominable. I'm talking about so-called honor
killings, female genital mutilation, denial of education to women,
violence against religious minorities, etc. These practices must be
abolished. They are anathema to everything Islam represents.
Islam came to promote an idea of human dignity based on:
1- Our relationship with Allah;
2- The love and mercy we show one another;
3- The utilization of our free will for a higher purpose.
All human beings are created in the best of molds ( You Are Perfectly
Created ). All human beings are born on the fitrah , the pure and
natural way, withan inborn inclination to recognize the Creator and do
good. Racism and nationalism are abhorred and abolished. Women are
recognized as intellectual and spiritual beings, not property,
objects, or vassals.
That's Islam as it should be.It's a revolutionary system. Rather than
a limited material or tribal system, itis for the first time in
history a human system. If we're practicing anything less then we're
not practicing Islam. If we look down on certain races, if we hate
people because of their nationality or religion,if we subjugate women,
then we're practicing a fraud, and shaming ourselves before the world.
Islam rises above everything that came before. Islam came to change
the world, and to elevate the essential nobility all human beings, a
nobility not based on nation or tribe, but on our eternal souls.
That's the callof Islam. That's the path we must follow.

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“The writer Mustapha wrote,

'When I looked into history I found a small number of individuals
whose lives mirrored the life cycle of a grain of wheat. They were
torn from their roots, then crushed, then ground in mills, then
kneaded with fists, then rolled out and baked in ovens at high
temperatures… just so they could provide food for others.'
Patiently persevere in the face of hardship hoping for a good outcome
because you never know how manydead hearts you will bring to life in
the process. No hardship lasts forever. There is always an end."

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Where Are the Answers?

"What am I going to do? Why is my life so messed up? Why can't I find
happiness? Why am I alone? Why do I feel stuck?Why do I have these
problems?'…
These questions only have meaning if we direct them to Allah. No one
else can answer them. Consider the words of the Prophet Ya'qub
(alayhis-salam, peace be upon him) when his son Yusuf (as) was
secretly thrown into a well by his brothers. They then reported to
their father that Yusuf had been killed by a wolf.
And he turned away fromthem and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Yusuf," and
his eyes became white from grief, and he fell into silent melancholy.
They said, "By Allah , you will not cease remembering Yusuf until you
become fatally ill or become of those who perish."
He said, " I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah , and
I knowfrom Allah that which you do not know.
- Quran, Surat Yusuf, 12:84-86
"I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah…"
When you feel stuck, when you feel that no one understands your
situation,when you're in pain and you can't even imagine a solution,
only Allah has the answers. You can't see a way forward, but He can.
You don't see your own worth, but He does. You can't figure out the
road to happiness, but He can show you.
I remember a night in Arizona when I was twentysix years old. I lay on
a cot in a small, frigid cell. There was snow outside and I had only a
thin blanket. As I often did, I put on all my clothing in layers –
three pants, three shirts, an armyjacket and a pair of boots –and
still I kept waking up shivering and shaking. Yet, even more than the
physical discomfort, my spirit was tired. I had mademistakes in my
youth and had been locked up for almost five years. I had become hard
mentally and physically, but my heart was full of sorrow. I lay there
that night and I thought, "I have nothing inlife. I have accomplished
nothing. I have no university degree, no wife, no children, and not
even my freedom."
That was a bad time. But I had my faith, and I used to weep to Allah,
asking Him to have mercy on me. I think I gave up on myself for a
while, but I never gave up on Allah. It would not even have occurred
to me to do so. I did cry to Him sometimes saying, "Why, Allah? Why?
Why am I here, suffering like this?" But it wasn't despair,only
confusion. In my heartI knew that He heard me and that an answer would
come.
Shortly after that I receiveda letter from the parole board granting
me early release. I had previously been told very clearly that Iwas
not eligible. It was entirely unexpected, and if you are familiar with
the American penal system, miraculous. But for Allah, nothing is
impossible or even difficult.
Within a few months I was free. I found a job a week after my
release, and I excelled. I began writing, sitting at my desk every
night after work and disciplining myself to work on poetry, stories
and articles. Eventually I went back to school and began anew career,
got married, bought a beautiful house, and one day had a child…
What can I say except Alhamdulillah! SubhanAllah! What can I doexcept
weep in gratitude for these blessings that I did nothing to earn, but
were given to me by my Lord who loves me and cares about me, and wants
good for me. I am so deeply touched and movedby the way Allah has
answered my prayers from the depths of darkness. If I did anything to
merit His blessings, perhaps it was only that I directed my pleas to
Him. I knew that no one else could help me.
This is a very emotional post for me to write. I want every Muslim to
havethis sense of Allah as their friend, as someone who cares for them
deeply. I want to put that awareness into your heart like a gift.
When I was in that cell I used to pray the same dua'over and over,
begging Allah repeatedly. If I had made such pleas to a human being
they would have stopped hearing me long ago. When we're needy with
people it pushes them away, but when we're needy with Allah He comes
closer to us! He never tires of answering our need and forgiving us.
I know of many similar stories of people who havehit rock bottom and
have called upon Allah – or , not even knowing "Allah" by that name,
have called to the Supreme Being, saying, "I know you hear me, tell me
what I need to do, show me the way!" – and then, like a circle of
sunlight piercing a cloud, something or someone comes into their lives
to show them the way forward.
When we're out of ideas, surrounded by problems, and feeling totally
alone… we're not alone . Allah is with us. If we pray sincerely and
strive, He willput light in our hearts and help us from directions we
did not expect.
Ask Allah sincerely, open yourself to Him, and acceptwhat He gives you
even when it goes against your own desires.

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Faith, love and kindness are secret weapons to change the world

Faith, love and kindness are not cute ideas or naive catchphrases.
They are elemental forces with the power to alter human hearts, and to
change the world. They are transformative emotions and behaviors that
were bestowed upon us by Allah,who is Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful)
and Al-Wadood (The Most Loving). They are stronger than hurricanes,
and they transcend the birth and death of individuals, and the rise
and fall of nations.
Don't we still have love for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), and for
the Sahabah, all of whom lived many generations and nations ago? In
fact we look upon them as our heroes and leaders and we love them as
if they were dear friends. This is proof of the enduring nature of
love, which survives when all else changes around us.
Faith, love and kindness are the secret weapons that Allah has given
us to conquer corruption, cynicism, hatred, racism, and evil, in
ourselves and in the world.
These ideas are not naive, as some might say. Was the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) naive? He suffered in his mission, but he persevered. His
mission was rooted in faith and love of Allah, and expressed through
kindness to all people. There are so many stories about him showing
tremendous kindness to rude and even murderous people, and changing
their hearts in the process. He succeeded in the face of impossible
odds. His success is a testament to the power of these noble emotions
and behaviors.
That's why I illustrated thispiece with a photo of sun rays shining on
a dark and snowy world. Because these powerful emotions and behaviors
are not thestuff of sunny afternoons, cotton candy and daisies. They
are like a guiding starthat is only seen in the darkness. They come
into their own and show their true power by confronting and overcoming
hatred, bitterness, painful loss, war, poverty and despair.
I describe them as behaviors because faith that exists only in the
heartis not true faith. Faith is proven by action. Faith is defined by
the way you live your life. The same is true for love and kindness.
Love is a verb, not a noun. It's not an abstract feeling in your
heart, but a matter of behavior, the way you treat people, the way you
help, forgive, and show mercy to people.
Love Works Miracles in the Heart
It may be a cliche' to speak about love changing the world. It's not
something we can envision in concreteterms. So let me bring it down to
the level of one human being.
Growing up, I had a friend named Ismail. He was a few years younger
than me– when I was 17 he was 14, I think – and had grown up in a
dysfunctional family that had moved around constantly and had not
bothered to educate the children, so that at the age of 14, Ismail was
functionally illiterate.
I began tutoring Ismail andhis younger brother, teaching them to read
and write. I started from scratch, teaching them the alphabet and the
sounds ofthe letters, and working upto small phonetic words. I tutored
them for one hour every day, seven days a week, in the living room of
their apartment. Their parents were not supportive. I was never paid.
Sometimes their parents were fighting with each other at the same time
I was trying to teach. At times I noticed that the two boys could not
concentrate because they were hungry, so I began feeding them before
our study sessions, and giving them multivitamins. Slowlythey began to
learn, until they could write short essays and letters on their own.
Back then I worked for the United States Geological Survey, measuring
water levels at farms in the Central Valley, and taking water samples
to be testedfor various fertilizers and pesticides. It was hot,
difficult work. I'd ride my motorcycle more than hourto the huge
corporate farms on the west side of the valley. Armed with survey
maps, I would trudge across vast farms in 100 degree heat, seeking the
sumps that brought up ground water for irrigation.If the farms had
been recently irrigated the ground might be soft and my feet would
sink into the mud with every step. Some of the sumps were a dozen feet
deep or more, so in order to get a sample I had to toss a chain link
ladder down into the sump, climb down, fill a test tube, and climb
back out. I was very aware that if the ladder broke I could get stuck
in the sump, and I might not even be missedfor two or three days (no
cell phones in those days). It worried me.
So I began asking Ismail to come to the farms with me. He wasn't doing
anything anyway – he was not enrolled in school because he could not
function anywhere near hisgrade level.

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Resilience is Contagious

"Resilience is contagious." –Amy Estrada. Sure, life comes along now
and thenand blows you off your feet. That's alright. What matters is
that you get back up.
You don't have to have theanswers. You don't have tobe superman or
superwoman. When the thundercloud opens up, who among us can stop the
rain? When the hurricane blows, who can stay on his feet? No one.
When the storm passes, stand up. Dust yourself off, take stock, and
move forward in the name of Allah. If the storm has disoriented you
and you don't see the way forward, look to the Quran. "And if there
should come to youguidance from Me – then whoever follows My guidance
will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]."
(Quran, Surat TaHa, 20:123). The Quran is a mighty book. Never
underestimate it. If you cannot speak Arabic and find the English
translations unwieldy, get one of the modern translations that are
easier to read, like those by Umm Muhammad, or Thomas Cleary.
When you get knocked down and then stand up tall, with strength,
others see it, and it rallies them. Your spouse sees it, your children
see it, your friends see it, and of course Allah sees it. Don't think
of it as showing off. Not at all. Think of it as brotherhood and
sisterhood, all of us helping each other, giving each other strength,
being good shepherds to our flocks.
Superman is no hero, he's impervious to bullets! Real heroes get hurt,
they get down on themselves sometimes, they're imperfect, they
struggle to pay the bills and raise theirchildren, they struggle to be
become stronger in their faith, but they struggle! They don't give up.
That's inspiring, and it's contagious, and maybe sometimes it will be
someone else inspiring you, and maybe sometimesit will be you, getting
up after the hurricane, showing us all how it's done.

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RULERSHIP IN YEMEN:

The folks of Sheba were one of the oldest nations of the pure Arabs,
who lived in Yemen. Excavations at "Or" brought to light their
existence twenty five centuries B.C. Their civilization flourished,
and their domain spread eleven centuries B.C.
It is possible to divide their ages according to the following estimation:
1. The centuries before 650 B.C., during which their kings were called
"Makrib Sheba". Their capital was "Sarwah", also known as "Khriba",
whose ruins lie in a spot, a day's walk from the western side of
"Ma'rib". During this period, they started building the "Dam of
Ma'rib" which had great importance in the history of Yemen. Sheba was
also said to have had so great a domain that they had colonies inside
and outside Arabia.
2. From 650 B.C. until 115 B.C. During this era, they gave up the name
"Makrib" and assumed the designation of "Kings of Sheba". They also
made Ma'rib their capital instead of Sarwah. The ruins of Ma'rib lie
at a distance of sixty miles east of San'a.
3. From 115 B.C. until 300 A.D. During this period, the tribe of
Himyar conquered the kingdomof Sheba and took Redan for capital
instead of Ma'rib. Later on, Redan was called "Zifar". Itsruins still
lie on Mudawwar Mountain near the town of "Yarim". During this period,
they began to decline and fall. Their trade failed to a very great
extent, firstly, because of the Nabetean domain over the north of
Hijaz; secondly, because of the Roman superiority over the naval
traderoutes after the Roman conquest of Egypt, Syria and the north of
Hijaz; and thirdly, because of the inter-tribal warfare. Thanks to the
three above-mentioned factors, families of Qahtan were disunited and
scatteredout.
4. From 300 A.D. until Islam dawned on Yemen. This period witnessed a
lot of disorder andturmoil. The great many and civil wars rendered the
people of Yemen liable to foreign subjection and hence loss of
independence. During this era, the Romans conquered 'Adn and even
helped the Abyssinians (Ethiopians) to occupy Yemen for the first
timein 340 A.D., making use of the constant intra-tribal conflict of
Hamdan and Himyar. The Abyssinian (Ethiopian) occupation of Yemen
lasted until 378 A.D., whereafter Yemen regained its independence.
Later on, cracks began to show in Ma'rib Dam which led to the Great
Flood (450 or 451 A.D.) mentioned in the Noble Qur'ân. This was a
great event which caused the fall of the entire Yemeni civilization
and the dispersal of the nations living therein.
In 523, Dhu Nawas, a Jew, despatched a great campaign against the
Christians of Najran in order to force them to convert into Judaism.
Having refused to do so, they were thrown alive into a big ditch where
a great fire had been set. The Qur'ân referred to this event:
*.
*. "Cursed were the people of the ditch." [85:4]
This aroused great wrath amongthe Christians, and especially the Roman
emperors, who not only instigated the Abyssinians (Ethiopians) against
Arabs but also assembled a large fleet which helped the Abyssinian
(Ethiopian) army, of seventy thousand warriors, to effect a second
conquest of Yemen in 525 A.D., under the leadership of Eriat, who was
granted rulership over Yemen, a position he held until he was
assassinated by one of his army leaders, Abraha, who,after
reconciliation with the king of Abyssinia, took rulership over Yemen
and, later on, deployed hissoldiers to demolish Al-Ka'bah, and ,
hence, he and his soldiers came to be known as the "Men of the
Elephant".
After the "Elephant" incident, the people of Yemen, under the
leadership of Ma'dikarib bin Saif Dhu Yazin Al-Himyari, and through
Persian assistance, revolted against the Abyssinian (Ethiopian)
invaders, restored independence and appointed Ma'dikarib as their
king. However, Ma'dikarib was assassinated by an Abyssinian
(Ethiopian) he used to have him around for service and protection. The
family of Dhu Yazin was thus deprived of royalty forever. Kisra, the
Persian king, appointed a Persian ruler over San'a and thus made
Yemena Persian colony. Persian rulers maintained rulership of Yemen
until Badhan, the last of them, embraced Islam in 638 A.D., thus
terminating the Persian domain over Yemen.

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HEALTH - ~ 3 Ways to Cut Calories + Increase Longevity

Did you know that one pound of fat equals a whopping 3500 calories?!
By cutting just 500 calorieseach day, you can lose up to one pound a
week to reach your goal weight. The good news is that you don't have
to suffer from starvation or exercise burn out to achieve this. By
making a few tweaks to your diet and exercise routine, you will be
cuttingthose calories almost without even realizing it!
If cutting 500 calories sounds a bit overwhelming, start with cutting
just 250 each day. Here are eight surprising but effective ways you
can cut calories and increase longevity!
Food For Thought
Making smart food choices and modifying your eating habits can make a
huge difference in the amount ofcalories you consume. When studying
the habits of centenarians for twenty years, I learned that peopletend
to live longer when they consume fewer calories. Try the following
simple strategies to slash unnecessary calories and gain a flatter
belly.
1. Downsize your cups and plates. Some studies show that we tend to
eat everything on our plate, even if we are already full. Centenarians
I have interviewed shared a common habit—they all stopped eating once
they were three-quarter's full, which is less taxing on the digestive
system than overeating. We can work towards this same habit bymaking a
few dish switches. Opt for a 10-inch plate instead of a 12-inch one
and you can save about 500 calories by eating 20-25% less. Beware of
those oversized coffee beverages, which can contain up to 700
calories! Lose the whipped cream, flavored syrups, andfull-fat milk
and save yourself even more calories.
2. Don't go nuts! Althoughnuts should be eaten for their heart-healthy
fats and trove of nutrients, it is easy to overindulge in these
crunchy companions.Depending which nut you choose, one handful
contains about 175–200 calories. If you are not careful, you may find
yourself eating a bowl—and about 500 calories. To save some calories,
portion out one handful and eat nuts that require shelling like
pistachios, which will slow down your munch time.
Bonus Tip: Some of my patients nibble on High Performance supplements
for a vitality-enhancing snack. High Performance is a combination of
unique Chinese food herbs, exotic seeds and wholesome grains that
strengthens digestion and boosts your energy naturally.
3. Dress for less. What's healthier than indulging in a big green
salad, right? Although you are on the right track, watch out for those
toppings and dressings that can pack on the calories. Tossing in a
small handful of nuts or dried fruit is ok, but those buttery
croutons, extra cheese, bacon, and sugar-laden dressings can sabotage
your health goal. Stick with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinaigrette that
contains heart-healthy olive oil and calorie-free balsamic vinegar.
You can also swap a fresh squeeze of lemon for the balsamic vinegar
and add herbs and spices for a flavor kick! If you must choose that
blue cheese dressing, stick to just one tablespoon.
Boost Your Metabolism toBurn Calories
Increased muscle mass equates to a higher metabolism. That means by
just sitting, you will effectively burn more energy. Strength training
iseffective for building strength and improving your overall health.
However, if pumping iron isn't part of your workout plan, multiple
forms of cardiovascular exercise willimprove the power in yourmuscles,
burn calories, and boost your cardiovascular health. Just remember, if
you are outdoors, put on your sunscreen to protect your skin from the
UVA andUVB rays. Try the following fun activities to become a burning
machine!

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STORY - ~ The Emperor and the Seed

An emperor in the Far Eastwas growing old and knew it was time to
choose his successor. Instead of choosing one ofhis assistants or his
children, he decided something different. He called young people in
thekingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down
and choose the next emperor. Ihave decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give
each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you
toplant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with
what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants
that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story.
She helped him get a pot and planting soil,and he planted the seed and
watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if
it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began
to talkabout their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, 4
weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking
about their plants but Ling didn'thave a plant, and he felt like a
failure. Six months went by-still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew
hehad killed his seed.
Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling
didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for
his seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their
plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he
wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened,
Ling felt sick to his stomach, but heknew his mother was right. He
took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were
beautiful-in all shapes andsizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor
and manyof the other kinds laughedat him. A few felt sorry for him and
just said, "Hey nice try."
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young
people. Ling just tried to hide in the back."My, what great plants,
trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of
you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor
spotted Ling at the back ofthe room with his empty pot. He ordered his
guardsto bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor
knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will haveme killed!"
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is
Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him.
The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then
announced to the crowd,"Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"
Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could
he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I
gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it,
water it, and bringit back to me today. But I gave you all boiled
seeds which would not grow. Allof you, except Ling, have brought me
trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not
grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was
the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my
seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
The Prophet taught,"Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and
righteousness leads to Paradise.

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STORY - ~ The Patient Old Man

When passing through a mountain pass, a bedouin (villager) once came
acrossan old man who was blindand who seemed to be afflicted with
various ailments all over his body. It was clear that he was wasting
away. He was even paralyzed and was constantly forced to remain in a
seated position. The Bedouin could clearly hear him say,"All praise is
for Allah, Whohas kept me safe from ailments with which He has tested
many among His creation; and He has indeed preferred me over many
among those that He created."
"My brother!" exclaimed the bedouin. "What have you been saved from?
By Allah, I think that you have been afflicted with every single kind
of ailment!"
"Go away from me," said the old man, as he raised his head. "Do I not
still have a tongue with which I can pronounce His Oneness, and with
which I can remember Him every single moment? And do I not still have
a heart with which I can know Him?"
These words of the old man were enough for the bedouin to repent to
Allahfor his sins and ask Him forforgiveness.
Remember, there is always someone else who is in more problem than you.

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STORY - ~ Beware of the Dog

DOWN below there was only a vast white undulating sea of cloud. Above
there was the sun, and the sun was white like the clouds, because it
is never yellow when one looks at it fromhigh in the air.
He was still flying the Spitfire . His right hand was on the stick,
and he was working the rudder bar with his left leg alone. It wasquite
easy. The machine was flying well, and he knew what he was doing.
Everything is fine, he thought. I'm doing all right. I'm doing nicely.
I know my way home. I'll be there in half an hour. When I land I shall
taxi in and switch off my engine and I shall say, help me to get out,
will you. I shall make my voice sound ordinary and natural and none of
them will take any notice. Then I shall say, someone help me to get
out. I can't do it alone because I've lost one of my legs. They'll all
laugh and think that I'm joking, and I shall say, all right, come and
have a look, you unbelieving bastards. Then Yorky will climb up onto
the wing and look inside. He'll probably be sick because of all the
blood and the mess. I shall laugh and say, for God's sake, help me
out.
He glanced down again at his right leg. There was not much ofit left.
The cannon shell had taken him on the thigh, just above the knee, and
now there was nothing but a great mess and a lot of blood. But there
wasno pain. When he looked down, he felt as though he were seeing
something that did not belong to him. It had nothing to do with him.
It was just a mess which happened to be there in the cockpit;
something strange and unusual and rather interesting. It was like
finding a dead cat on the sofa.
He really felt fine, and because he still felt fine, he felt excited
and unafraid.
I won't even bother to call up onthe radio for the blood wagon, he
thought. It isn't necessary. And when I land I'll sit there quite
normally and say, some of you fellows come and help me out, will you,
because I've lost one of my legs. That will be funny. I'll laugh a
little while I'm saying it; I'll say it calmly and slowly, and they'll
think I'm joking. When Yorky comes up onto the wing and gets sick,
I'll say, Yorky, you old son of a bitch,have you fixed my car yet?
Then when I get out I'll make my report and later I'll go up to
London. I'll take that half bottle of whisky with me and I'll give it
to Bluey. We'll sit in her room and drink it. I'll get the water out
of the bathroom tap. I won'tsay much until it's time to go to bed,
then Ill say, Bluey, I've got a surprise for you. I lost a leg today.
But I don't mind so long as you don't. It doesn't even hurt. We'll go
everywhere in cars. I always hated walking, except when I walked down
the street of the coppersmiths in Bagdad , but I could go in a
rickshaw . I could go home and chop wood, but the head alwaysflies off
the ax. Hot water, that's what it needs; put it in the bath and make
the handle swell. I chopped lots of wood last time I went home, and I
put the ax in the bath. . . .
Then he saw the sun shining on the engine cowling of his machine. He
saw the rivets in the metal, and he remembered where he was. He
realized that he was no longer feeling good; that he was sick and
giddy. His head kept falling forward onto his chest because his neck
seemed no longer to have any strength. But he knew that he was flying
the Spitfire , and he could feel the handle of the stickbetween the
fingers of his right hand.
I'm going to pass out, he thought. Any moment now I'm going to pass out.
He looked at his altimeter . Twenty-one thousand. To test himself he
tried to read the hundreds as well as the thousands. Twenty-one
thousand and what? As he looked the dial became blurred, and he could
not even see the needle. He knew then that he must bail out; that
there was not a second to lose, otherwise he would become unconscious.
Quickly, frantically, he tried to slide back the hood with his left
hand, but he had not the strength. For a second he took his right hand
off the stick, and with both hands he managed to push the hood back.
The rush of cold air on his face seemed to help. He had a moment of
great clearness, and his actions became orderly and precise. That is
what happens with a good pilot. He took some quick deep breaths from
his oxygen mask, and as he did so, he looked out over the side of the
cockpit. Down below there was only a vast white sea of cloud, and he
realized that he did not know where he was.
It'll be the Channel, he thought. I'm sure to fall in the drink.
He throttled back, pulled off his helmet, undid his straps, and pushed
the stick hard over to the left. The Spitfire dripped its port wing,
and turned smoothly over onto its back. The pilot fell out.

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- - - - - - -

A part of a story - The Ambitious Guest

ONE SEPTEMBER NIGHT a family had gathered round their hearth, and
piled it high with the driftwood of mountain streams, the dry cones of
the pine, and the splintered ruins of great trees that had come
crashing down the precipice . Up the chimney roared the fire,
andbrightened the room with its broad blaze. The faces of the father
and mother had a sober gladness; the children laughed; the eldest
daughter was the image of Happiness at seventeen; and the aged
grandmother, who sat knitting in the warmest place, was the image of
Happiness grown old. They had found the "herb, heart's-ease," in the
bleakest spot of all New England. This family were situated in the
Notch of the White Hills, where the wind was sharp throughout the
year, and pitilessly cold in the winter--giving their cottage all its
fresh inclemency before it descended on the valley of the Saco . They
dwelt in a cold spot and a dangerous one; for a mountain towered above
their heads, so steep, that the stones would often rumble down its
sides and startle them at midnight.
The daughter had just uttered some simple jest that filled them all
with mirth , when the wind came through the Notch and seemed to pause
before their cottage--rattling the door, with a sound of wailing and
lamentation , before it passed into the valley. For a moment it
saddened them, though there was nothing unusual in the tones. But the
family were glad again when they perceived that the latch was lifted
by some traveller, whose footsteps had been unheard amid the dreary
blast which heralded his approach, and wailed as he was entering, and
went moaning away from the door.
Though they dwelt in such a solitude, these people held daily converse
with the world. The romantic pass of the Notch is a great artery,
through which the life-blood of internal commerce is continually
throbbing between Maine , on one side, and the Green Mountains and the
shores of the St. Lawrence , on the other. The stage-coach always drew
up before the door of the cottage. The way-farer, with no companion
but his staff, paused here to exchange a word, that the sense of
loneliness might not utterly overcome him ere he could pass through
the cleft of the mountain, or reach the first house in the valley. And
here the teamster , on his way to Portland market, would put up for
the night; and, if a bachelor, might sit an hour beyond the usual
bedtime, and steal a kiss from the mountain maid at parting. It was
one of those primitive taverns where the traveller pays only for food
and lodging, but meets with a homely kindness beyond all price. When
the footsteps were heard, therefore, between the outer door and the
inner one, the whole family rose up, grandmother, children, and all,
as if about to welcome someonewho belonged to them, and whose fate was
linked with theirs.
The door was opened by a young man. His face at first wore the
melancholy expression, almost despondency , of one who travels a wild
and bleak road, at nightfall and alone, but soon brightened up when he
saw the kindly warmth of his reception. He felt his heartspring
forward to meet them all,from the old woman, who wipeda chair with her
apron, to the little child that held out its arms to him. One glance
and smile placed the stranger on a footing of innocent familiarity
with the eldest daughter.
"Ah, this fire is the right thing!" cried he; "especially when there
is such a pleasant circle round it.I am quite benumbed; for the Notch
is just like the pipe of a great pair of bellows; it has blown a
terrible blast in my face all the way from Bartlett ."
"Then you are going towards Vermont ?" said the master of the house,
as he helped to take a light knapsack off the young man's shoulders.
"Yes; to Burlington , and far enough beyond," replied he. "I meant to
have been at Ethan Crawford's tonight; but a pedestrian lingers along
such a road as this. It is no matter; for, when I saw this good fire,
and all your cheerful faces, I felt as if you had kindled it on
purpose for me, and were waiting my arrival. So I shall sit down among
you, and make myself at home."
The frank-hearted stranger had just drawn his chair to the fire when
something like a heavy footstep was heard without, rushing down the
steep side of the mountain, as with long and rapid strides, and taking
such a leap in passing the cottage as tostrike the opposite precipice
. The family held their breath, because they knew the sound, and their
guest held his by instinct.
"The old mountain has thrown a stone at us, for fear we should forget
him," said the landlord, recovering himself. "He sometimes nods his
head and threatens to come down; but weare old neighbors, and agree
together pretty well upon the whole.

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Deadly market bombing hits north-west Pakistan town

A car bomb near a marketplace in north-western Pakistan has killed at
least 13 people, officials say.
More than 20 were injured in the blast, which occurredat a bus stand
in Landi Kotal, a town near the Afghan border.
The bomb appeared to be aimed at members of a pro-government tribe who
have formed an anti-Taliban militia.
Landi Kotal is in the Khybertribal agency, part of Pakistan's tribal
north-westwhich has seen frequent attacks by Taliban militants.
The town lies close to the Torkham crossing into Afghanistan.
"The blast was so powerful,it was heard far and wide and caused damage
to nearby buildings," resident Sher Mohammad Shinwari told Reuters
news agency.
The bomb went off at a time when many passengers were at the busstand,
a local official told the BBC.
The death toll may rise as many sustained serious injuries, officials say.
The attack is believed to have been aimed at members of the Zakha
Kheltribe, which has been targeted by militants before.
No group has so far claimed the attack.

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A 165-million-year-old fossil spiderfound in China

A 165-million-year-old fossil spider discovered in the Daohugou region
of Northern China is one of the oldest fossil spider specimens found
to date. Another noteworthy characteristic of this fossil is that, as
can be seen in the picture, it is perfectly preserved. Paul Selden, a
paleontologist from the University of Kansas, says, "The level of
detail preserved in the fossils is amazing." (Archeology Daily News)
As shown in the picture, this spider that lived 165 million years ago
possessed all the features of those living today. Having remained
unchanged for millions of years, spiders represent a huge dead-end for
the theory of evolution. Spiders always appear with the same
characteristics in the fossil record, and are one of the proofs that
living things never evolved. The spider in the picture below is
165million years old, and there is no difference between it and
present-day spiders.
A 165-million-year-old spider
A spider living today is identical to a fossil spider that lived 165
million years ago, and has never changed at all; in other words, it
never evolved.

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Muslims have a responsibility to wait until the time ordained by Allah comes to achieve success

One of the secrets our Lordpoints to in the verses of the Qur'an is
the need for believers to display patience in order for something to
be resolved. When we look at our Noble Book, the Qur'an, we see that
the Prophets as well as all true believerswere advised to wait for a
specific time before achieving the promised success. This important
fact can also be seen from a look at the lives of the Prophets. The
first revelation came to our beloved Prophet (saas) when he was 40.
Allah appointed a 40-day waiting period for the Prophet Moses (as).
Allah reveals this in the verse:
We set aside thirty nights for Moses and then completed them with ten,
so the appointed time of his Lord was forty nights in all. Moses said
to his brother Aaron, "Be my khalif [successor, representative] among
my people. Keep order and do not follow the way of the corrupters."
(Surat al-A'raf, 142)
Almighty Allah has also appointed 40 as the age ofmaturity for human beings:
We have instructed man to be good to his parents. His mother borehim
with difficulty and with difficulty gave birthto him; and his bearing
and weaning take thirty months. Then when he achieves his full
strengthand reaches forty , he says, "My Lord, keep me thankful for
the blessing You bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting
rightly, pleasing You. And make my descendants righteous. I have
repented to You and I am truly one of the Muslims." (Surat al-Ahqaf,
15)
In the Qur'an, Allah also appoints a waiting period for Muslims to
achieve success and dominion. It can be seen that the Prophets and the
believerswho followed them preached to their own communities, reminded
them with the Qur'an and were then advised to wait.Verses referring to
Muslimswaiting patiently are as follows:
What are theywaiting for but for the angels to come to themor for your
Lord Himself to come, or for one of your Lord's signs to come? On the
day that one of your Lord's signs does come, no faith which a self
professes will be of any use to it if it did not have faith before and
earn good in its faith. Say: "Wait, then;We too are waiting." (Surat
al-An'am, 158)
He said, "Punishment and anger have come down on you from your Lord.
Do you argue with me regarding names which you and your forefathers
invented andfor which Allah has sent down no authority? Wait, then; I
am waiting with you." (Surat al-A'raf,71)
Say: "If your fathers or your sons or your brothers or your wives or
your tribe, or any wealth you have acquired, or any business you fear
may slump, or any house which pleases you, are dearer to you than
Allah and His Messenger and striving in His Way, then wait until Allah
brings about His command. Allah does not guide people who are
deviators." (Surat at-Tawba, 24)
Say: "What do you await for us except for one of the two best things
[martyrdom or victory]? But what we await for you is for Allah to
inflict a punishment on you either directly from Himself or at our
hands. So wait, we are waiting with you!" (Surat at-Tawba, 52)
They say, "Why has a sign not been sent downto him from his Lord?"
Say: "The Unseen belongs to Allah alone. So wait, I am waiting with
you." (Surah Yunus, 20)
What are they waiting for but the same fate as those who passed away
before them? Say: "Wait, I will be among the people waiting with you."
(Surah Yunus, 102)
He [Solomon] said, "We will [wait and] soon see if you have told the
truthor are a liar." (Surat an-Naml, 27)
So turn from them and wait. They too are waiting. (Surat as-Sajda, 30)
Among the believers there are men who have been true to the
contractthey made with Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pact
by death and some are still waiting to do so, not having changed in
any way at all. (Surat al-Ahzab, 23)
We have made it easy in your own tongue so thathopefully they will pay
heed. So watch and wait.They too are waiting. (Surat ad-Dukhan, 58-59)
We will send the she-camelas a trial for them. Just keep a watchful
eye on them and be steadfast. (Surat al-Qamar, 27)
It can be seen from the above verses that communities of unbelievers
also have waiting periods. While believers wait for Allah's promise to
come true and,by His leave, to achieve victory, unbelievers also await
the punishment to come. For believers, this waiting time means an
increase in their patience, closeness to Allah and in their reward.
This period permitted to unbelievers, however, merely means an
increase in sin.

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- - - - - - -

Verses from Qur’an indicating prevalence of Islamicmoral values

Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that
He will make them successors inthe land as He made those before them
successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with
whichHe is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security.
'They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.' Any who are
unbelievers after that, such people are deviators. (Surat an-Nur, 55)
It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of
Truth to exaltit over every other deen, though the associaters hate
it. (Surat as-Saff, 9)
It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of
Truth to exaltit over every other deen, even though the associaters
detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 33)
When Allah's help and victory have arrived and you have seen people
entering Allah's religion in droves, then glorify your Lord's praise
and ask His forgiveness. He isthe Ever-Returning. (Surat an-Nasr, 1-3)
And other things you love: support from Allah and imminent victory.
Give good news to the believers! (Surat as-Saff, 13)
Say: "Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Falsehood is always
bound to vanish." (Surat al-Isra, 81)
We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong. Their
Messengers brought them the clear signs, but they were never going to
believe. That is how We repay evildoers. Then We appointed you after
them to be successors on the earth so We might observe how you would
act. (Surah Yunus,13-14)
Our Word was given before to Our servants, the Messengers, that they
would certainly be helped. It is Our army which will be victorious.
(Surat as-Saffat, 171-173)
Allah has written, 'I will be victorious, I and and My Messengers.'
Allah is Most Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Mujadala, 21)
Do not imagine that Allah will break His promise to His Messengers.
Allah is Almighty, Exactor of Revenge. (Surah Ibrahim, 47)
It is He Who sent His Messenger with the Guidance and the Religion of
Truth to exaltit over every other deen and Allah suffices as a
witness. (Surat al-Fath, 28)
We will leave you the land to live in after them. That is the rewardof
those who fear My station and fear My threat. They asked for Allah's
victory, and everyobdurate tyrant failed. (Surah Ibrahim, 14-15)
Truly We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive
you your earlier errors and any later ones and complete His blessing
upon you, and guide you on a Straight Path. And so that Allah may help
you with a mighty help. (Surat al-Fath, 1-3)
Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: "You will enter
theMasjid al-Haram in safety, Allah willing, shaving your heads and
cutting your hair without any fear."He knew what you did not know and
ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Surat al-Fath, 27)
Those before them plotted but all plotting belongs to Allah. He knows
what each self earns, and the unbelievers will soon know who has the
Ultimate Abode. (Surat ar-R'ad, 42)
Except those who believe and do right actions and remember Allah
repeatedly and defend themselves after they have been wronged? Those
who dowrong will soon know the kind of reversal they will receive!
(Surat ash-Shu'ara', 227)
Then We will rescue Our Messengers and those who believe as well. It
is incumbent upon Us to rescue the believers. (Surah Yunus, 103)
And We bequeathed to the people who had been oppressed the easternmost
part of the land We had blessed, and its westernmost part as well. The
most excellent Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the tribe of Israel
on accountof their steadfastness. And We utterly destroyed what
Pharaohand his people made and the buildings they constructed. (Surat
al-A'raf, 137)
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths. But Allah
refuses to do other than perfect His Light, even though the
unbelievers detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 32)
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths but Allah
will perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it. (Surat
as-Saff, 8)

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The Qur’an commands us to show affection and compassion to devout Jews and Christians

Muslims believe in all the Prophets sent by Allah before our Prophet
(saas), and love and respect themall equally. Similarly, they also
harbor a profound love and respect for those people who were genuinely
devoted to these true Prophets and who defended the truth with them.
Verses from the Qur'an referring to the peoples of the Prophets read
as follows:
You who believe! Be helpers of Allah as Jesus son of Maryam said to
the Disciples, 'Who will be my helpers to Allah?' The Disciples said,
'We will be the helpers of Allah.' One faction of the tribe of Israel
believed and the other disbelieved. So We supported those who believed
against their enemy and they becamevictorious. (Surat as-Saff,14)
... There is a community among the People of theBook who are upright.
They recite Allah's signs throughout the night, and they prostrate.
They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin the right and
forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are among the
righteous. You will not be denied the reward for any good thing you
do. Allah knows those who have taqwa [fear of Allah]. (Surah Al
'Imran, 113-115)
Because Muslims behave according to the Qur'an and the Sunna of our
Prophet (saas), they also love the People of the Book. They feel
affection for those who remained loyal to Allah's Prophets and the
mission imparted to them. It is for these reasons that there can be no
question of a Muslim who has faith in Allah and His Book ever adopting
an anti-Semitic line. That is because it is wrong to be anti-Semitic,
in other words to harbor enmity toward devout Jews who obeyed the
Prophet Moses(as) and his mission. It is unlawful, according to the
Qur'an, to feel anger toward the People of Israel because they live by
the Torah sent down by Allah to them through the Prophet Moses (as).
Such a moral conception is unbecoming of Muslims.
What matters for us is the attitude of our Prophet (saas), who always
treatedJews believing in Allah in his own day with great understanding
and justice.The People of the Book were treated with great compassion
in the time of our Prophet (saas) and thefour Caliphs who
followed.These people were watched over and protected, and their
rights preserved with justice. Our Prophet (saas) both called on them
to convert to Islam but also treated them well and allowed them to
live by their own faith.
If according to the Qur'an, the attitude to be adoptedtoward the
People of the Book were one of hostility,then the first person to do
that would obviously havebeen our Prophet (saas) himself. The fact is,
however, that historic documents make it clear that in the time of our
Prophet (saas) and the Caliphs who came after him, devout Jews and
other People of the Book who sought shelter with Muslims, asked for
protection and did not fight against them were always treated in a
loving and protective manner. (You can read more detailsfrom here. )
Allah clarifies this in these verses:
Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought
you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just
towards them. Allah loves those who are just. (Surat al-Mumtahana, 8)
Those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabaeans and the
Christians, all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly
will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 69)
It is for these reasons that,according to the verses of the Qur'an, it
is atheists, associaters that Muslims need to wage an intellectual
struggle against, both in the time of our Prophet (saas) and in the
present day, and not devout believers. Our Prophet (saas) never fought
devout Jews or Christians who believed in the Oneness of Allah. The
Prophet (saas) and his companions only fought against atheists and
those pagans and hypocrites who did all they could, physically and
psychologically, to harm Muslims and prevent the spread of the
religion and stop Muslims preaching.
Looking at the battles fought by our Prophet (saas), these were always
fought for defensive purposes. In other words, the Prophet (saas)
never embarked on war against those who did not declare war on him,
and never continued fighting againstthose who wished to put astop to
it or asked for terms. Our Prophet (saas) remained completely loyalto
the conditions regarding war revealed byAllah in the Qur'an. Allah
reveals this in the Qur'an on the subject:
Permission to fight is given to those who are fought against because
they have been wronged– truly Allah has the power to come to their
support – (Surat al-Hajj, 69)
But if they cease, Allah isEver-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara, 192)

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The Qur’an with vowel points has notchanged until our day

Allah stated in the verses that the Qur'an is unchangeable:
...THERE IS NO CHANGING THE WORDS OF Allah... (Surat al-An'am, 34)
The Words of your Lord are perfect in truthfulness and justice. NO ONE
CAN CHANGE HIS WORDS. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Surat
al-An'am, 115)
IT IS WE WHO HAVE SENT DOWN THE REMINDER AND WE WHO WILL PRESERVE IT.
(Surat al-Hijr,9)
It is truly a noble Qur'an ina WELL PROTECTED Book. (Surat al-Waqi'a, 77-78)
FALSEHOOD CAN NOT REACH IT FROM BEFORE IT OR BEHIND IT – it is a
revelation from One Who is All-Wise, Praiseworthy. (Surah Fussilat,
42)
As our Lord reveals in the verses above the Qur'an will remain
unchanged. The Qur'an has not survived to our day merely in written
form. In the time of our Prophet (saas) there were hafidhs learning
the Qur'an by heart. Consequently the Qur'an with vowel points in our
day was prepared ina way convenient to the memorization of the Hafidhs
of the time. The Qur'an memorized by the Hafidhs of the time of our
our Prophet (saas) is exactly the same as the Qur'an in our day
insha'Allah.

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There is a great secret in the difficulttests undergone by the Prophets

Almighty Allah of course knows that all the prophets He created were
pure believers possessed of lofty moral values; it is He Who created
them with a true depth and pure faith. Yet despite being our Lord's
chosen, superior and honored servants, the prophets were still
subjected to difficult tests all through their lives. Difficulties are
agreat means whereby people could witness theirhonesty and adopt their
moral values as role models, for the prophets to improve their
closeness to and love of Allah, and for their goodness to increase
many times over in the Hereafter.
This climate of testing is described by means of the stories related
in the Qur'an. When he came to the sea, pursued by Pharaoh's army, the
Prophet Moses (as) saw no apparent way of escape. Those who failed to
properly appreciate the infinite might of Allah said,"We are trapped,"
but as revealed in verses the Prophet Moses (as) said "Never! My Lord
is with me and He will guide me." (Surat ash-Shuara', 62)
Throughout that difficult time when he was imprisoned in the belly of
the fish, the Prophet Jonah (as) constantly turned to Allah and, as
revealed in a verse, "...called out (to the Lord) in absolute
despair." (Surat al-Qalam, 47) The Prophet Jonah (as), who sincerely
turned to Allah during this difficult test, was rescued from the belly
of the fish through our Lord's mercy and compassion, and was then sent
to a community as their prophet. This difficult test of the Prophet
Jonah is describedas follows in the Qur'an:
Jonah too was one of the Messengers.
When he ran away to the fully laden ship
and cast lots and lost.
Then the fish devoured him and he was to blame.
Had it not been that he was a man who glorifiedAllah,
he would have remainedinside its belly until the Day they are raised again.
So We cast him up onto the beach and he was sick;
and We caused a gourd tree to grow over him.
We sent him to a hundred thousand or even more.
They believed and so Wegave them enjoyment for a time.
(Surat as-Saffat, 139-148)
When our holy Prophet (saas) was attacked by thepagans on two sides
together with his community there appeared to be no escape. This was
the day of a mostdifficult test. At the same time, it was a very
special test in which true believers with a genuine faith in Allah,
Who trusted in Allah's help with all their hearts, and who trusted in
and embraced Him, could remain strong and expect His help. As ordained
by Allah, those who were unable to properly appreciate Him and the
hypocrites lost hope of His mercy and began dreaming up false ideas of
their own. Our All-Mighty Lord described this difficult climate in
another verse:
When they came at you from above you and below you, when your eyes
rolled and your hearts rose to your throats, and you thoughtunworthy
thoughts about Allah, at that pointthe believers were tested and
severely shaken.
When hypocrites and people with sickness in their hearts said, 'What
Allah and His Messenger promised us was mere delusion.' and a group
ofthem said, 'People of Yathrib, Your position is untenable so
return!' some of them asked the Prophet to excuse them, saying, 'Our
houses are exposed,' when they were not exposed; it was merely that
they wanted to run away. (Surat al-Ahzab, 10-13)
In this difficult climate, ourProphet (saas) and the pure believers
with him hoped for Allah's help and support and placed their trust in
Him, saw that this had been promised by ourAlmighty Lord and gave
thanks. Almighty Allah reveals in a verse:
When the believers saw the Confederates they said: 'This is what Allah
and His Messenger promised us. Allah and His Messenger told us the
truth.' It only increased them in faith and in submission. (Surat
al-Ahzab, 22)
As our Lord reveals in a later verse; "Allah made itunnecessary for
the believers to fight. Allah is Most Strong, Almighty." (Surat
al-Ahzab, 25)
The Prophet Yusuf (as) also underwent many great tests and hardships
in his life. The way he was falsely accused and left in a dungeon for
years are ofcourse very difficult tests. But there is no doubt that
one of the greatest tests he faced, and bore bravelyand happily for
Allah's approval, is the way he was thrown into a well by his brothers
at an early age and waited in the darkness to be rescued. If a caravan
had not passed by during his time in the well, if the people in it
hadnot decided to draw waterfrom the well, then he would have gone
through a martyrdom lasting several days. There is no doubt that
everything happens by Allah's Will, however. Allah created Prophet
Yusuf (as) as a worthy, superior and holy prophet and also ordainedhis
salvation in the finest manner in destiny.

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According to the Qur'an Muslims have possessions and leada beautiful life in abundance and blessings

In many verses of the Qur'an Allah promises the dominion of the
morality of Islam all over the world.The promise of our All-Mighty
Lord is true andAllah never fails to keep His promise.
Those who believe in Allahalso believe that Allah's promise will
absolutely come true. Because our All-Mighty Allah gives the news of
the dominion of the morality of Islam over the world and promises it,
what befalls to sincere believers is to pray for its realization by
heart, demand it and strive for it with all their might. Believing
that morality of Islam will reign and making effort for the
realization of this blessed event is obligatory for every Muslim who
abides by the Qur'an. In one verseour All-Mighty Allah says:
Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that
He will make them successors inthe land as He made those before them
successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with
whichHe is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security.
'They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.' Any who are
unbelivers after that, such people are deviators. (Surat an-Nur, 55)
Some other verses in which Allah promises the dominion of the morality
of Islam over the world are as follows:
Allah has written, 'I will be victorious, I and and My Messengers.'
Allah is Most Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Mujadala, 21)
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths but Allah
will perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it. It is He Who
sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exaltit
over every other religion, though the associaters hate it. (Surat
as-Saff, 8-9)
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths. But Allah
refuses to do other than perfect His Light, even though the kafirun
detest it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the
Religion of Truth to exaltit over every other deen, even though the
associaters detest it. (Surat a-Tawba, 32-33)
Allah confirms the Truth by His words, even though the evildoers hate
it. (Surah Yunus, 82)
Those before them plotted but all plotting belongs to Allah. He knows
what each self earns, and the unbelievers will soon know who has the
Ultimate Abode. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 42)
We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong. Their
Messengers brought them the clear signs, but they were never going to
have faith. That is how We repay evildoers. Then We appointed you
after them to be successors on the earth so We might observe how you
would act. (Surah Yunus,13-14)
That those people of pure natural belief in Allah whodo not associate
any partners to Him will be theinheritors of this world is adivine Law
which is stressed in many verses of the Qur'an:
We wrote down in the Psalms, after the Reminder came: 'It is My
servants who are righteous who will inherit the earth.' (Surat
al-Anbiya, 105)
We will leave you the land to live in after them. That is the rewardof
those who fear My station and fear My threat.' They asked for Allah's
victory, and everyobdurate tyrant failed. (Surah Ibrahim, 14-15)
Moses said to his people, 'Seek help in Allah and be steadfast. The
earth belongs to Allah. He bequeathes it to any of His slaves He
wills. The successful outcome is for those who fear [and respect
Allah].' They said, 'We suffered harm before you came to us and
afteryou came to us.' He said,'It may well be that your Lord is going
to destroy your enemy and make you the successors in theland so that
He can see how you behave.' (Surat al-A'raf, 128-129)
We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong. Their
Messengers brought them the clear signs, but they were never going to
have faith. That is how We repay evildoers. Then We appointed you
after them to be khalifs on theearth so We might observe how you would
act. (Surah Yunus, 13-14)
Rather We hurl the truth against falsehood and it cuts right through
it and it vanishes clean away! Woe without end for youfor what you
portray! (Surat al-Anbiya, 18)

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Birthday greating Tips

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.
@
May pretty flowers greet you on your sweet birthday.May you get all
that you wish and may wonderful things come your way.
@
Happy birthday 2 u. may uhave many more. u have been a great friend to
me. i have a little wish, may we be friends, till the world ends.
@
you were born many yearsback to bring love n happiness into my
life.Once again i believe in god.happy birthday

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STORY - ~

A muslim man proposed toa muslim woman
Muslimah: Me? If I do not know how to sew, or cook, or iron.. How am I
going to marry you?
Man: Do you know how to pray?
Do you worship Allah Subhana wa ta'ala without associating with
anyone? Do you give the zakat? Are you afraid of Allah?.
Muslimah: Yes, I pray everyday, I love Allah and no one else, I give
charity whenever I can and the one I fear is Allah Subhana wa taa'ala.
Man: *smiling* That's enough for me, I want you to be the half of my
Deen, not my maid —

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