How to Perform Eid Prayer - Hanafi type

Mufti Taqi Uthmani
The Eid Prayer has two rak'ah to perform in the normal way, with the
only addition of six takbirs, threeof them in the beginning of the
first rak'ah, and three ofthem just before ruku' in the second rak'ah.
The detailed way of performing the 'Eid prayer is as follows:
The Imam will begin the prayer without Adhan or Iqamah. He will begin
the prayer by reciting takbir of Tahrimah (Allahu Akbar). You should
raise your handsup to the ears, and reciting the takbir, you give a
little pause during which you should recite Thana' (Subhanak
Allahumma.......)· After the completion of Thana' the Imam will recite
takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times, and after reciting each Takbir
(Allahu Akbar) in a low voice, you should bring your hands down
andleave them earthwards. But,after the third takbir, you should set
them at the levelof your navel as you do in the normal prayer.
After these three takbirs theImam will recite the Holy Qur'an, which
you should listen quietly. The rest of the rak'ah will be performed in
the normal way.
After rising for the second rak'ah, the Imam will begin the
recitations from the Qur'an during which you should remain calm and
quiet. When the Imam finishes his recitation, he will recite three
takbirs once again, but this time it will be before bowing down for
ruku'. At each takbir you should raise yourhands up to the ears, and
after saying "Allahu Akbar' bring them down and leavethem earthwards.
After these three takbirs have been called and completed, the Imam
will say another takbir for bowing down into the ruku' position. At
this takbir you need not raise your hands. You just bow down for your
ruku' saying, 'Allahu Akbar'. The rest of the Salah will be performed
in its usual way.

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And Allah knows best./

How to Pray Eid Prayer - shafi type

Eid Prayer
Eid prayer can be performed in congregation, or individually any time
between sunrise and noon. The best time of theEid prayer is after the
sun has reached the height of a spear (approximately 20 minutes from
sunrise). However if one missed it one should make it up.
The Eid prayer is not preceded by the adhan (the call to announce the
prayer time) or iqamah (the call to start prayer).
The one who performs theEid prayer must satisfy theconditions and
avoid the invalidators of prayer.
The Eid prayer consists of two Rak^ahs. It is initiated with the
opening takbir, with the intention to perform ^Id Prayer with the
Imam, followed by the opening supplication, and seven takbirs. In
between each takbir of the seven takbirs one recites the following
du^a':
"Subhanallah, walhamdulillah, wala ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar".
Then one recites al-Isti^adhah (seeking refuge with Allah from
theshaytan by saying"A^outhu billahi minash-Shaytanir-Rajeem"),
Suratul-Fatihah and Surat Qaf or Suratul al-'A^la alternatively.
In the second rak^ah one says five takbirs before reciting the Fatihah
followed by Suratul-Qamar or Suratul-Ghashiyah. If one started with
the Fatihah leaving out any or the entire takbirs, ones prayer is
still valid, however one would miss out on the reward of the takbirs.
Hence one should continue with one's prayer order.
After the prayer, it is recommended that the Imam delivers two
speeches (same as the Friday speech) starting with nine takbirs in the
first half of the khutbah and seven in the second. The Imam should
teach the people the rules of breaking the fast, visiting one's
relatives, and other significant matters pertaining to Eid.

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And Allah knows best./

Biologically Men and Women are two different sexes but complementary to each other

One may well ask that if there is such a complete and comprehensive
spiritual equality between the two sexes, why is this identical
treatment not found in other rights, duties and privileges. Muslims
and especially non-Muslims question why men go out to work while women
are encouraged to stay at home, why women have to wear the Hijab
(veil), why a brother receives a largershare of inheritance than his
sister, why a man can be a ruler but a woman can not, etc., and they
then conclude that Islam treats women as inferior beings. Laws can
never be discussed without being explainedfirst, so we must first
consider the fundamental Islamic ethos that men and women are two
different yet complementary sexes. It is an established medicalfact
that men and women have different biological compositions and
temperaments. Allahthe All-Mighty created and knows this biological
difference better than we do, and has thus assigned to men and women
the roles that each excels in due to its nature. Neither gender is
inferior or superior to the other; instead they complement each other
like the two halves of a whole. In everyday life we see that society
consists of many different kinds of people, all of whom playtheir
particular roles to keep society intact. The farmer and the doctor
make different contributions to the society, but both are equally
important. Each excels in his own field, and each provides a service
for the other. Similarly, men and women are different sexes and play
vital rolesin their own areas of excellence.

Worth of Women in Islam

The Prophet's narrationsspeak of women with praise and respect. He once said:
"The world and all things in it are precious, and the most precious
thing in the world is a virtuous woman." (Ahmad and Muslim)
He also said:
"Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can have? It is
a virtuous woman who pleases him when he looks at her, who obeys him
when he commands her, and who guards herself when he is absent from
her."
The Prophet said:
"Made beloved to me from your world are women and perfume, and the
coolness of my eyes is in prayer."

The Honour of Mother in Islam

In a famous incident, a man came to the Prophet and asked:
"O Messenger of Allah, who is the person who has the greatest right
onme with regards to kindness and attention?"He replied: "Your
mother." "Then Who?" He replied: "Your mother." "Then who?" He
replied: Your mother." "Then who?" He replied: "Your father." (Ahmad
and AbuDawud)
The Qur'an also discussesthe immense honor and respect due to both
parents, and especially to mother:
"And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents.
His mother borehim in weakness and hardship upon weaknessand hardship,
and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and toyour parents,
unto Me is the final destination." (V.31:14)

The Reward of upbringing Girls

In the days when it was a custom to cherish the birth of male children
and to bury the female children alive because ofshame and poverty, the
Prophet has said:
"Whoever looks after two girls till they reach maturity, he and I will
enter Paradise together like these two (fingers).�(Muslim and At-
Tirmidhi)

Understanding the Concept of Tawbah in Islam (Repentance)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon
His Messenger.
Dear questioner! Thanks a lot for the apparent interest you show in
understanding the teachings of Islam that enlightens the hearts and
the minds of people.
Brother! Tawbah is an Arabic words derived from the origin " Taaba"
i.e. returned back. Tawbah thus means turning back in repentance. It
means showing regret for the error and the sin one has got himself
involved in.
To have a clear view of the concept of Tawbah and what it does mean,
read the following:
Repentance ( Tawbah ) means that one feels regret and filled with
remorse for his or her sins, turns to Allah with the intention to obey
Him. According to truth-seeking scholars, repentance signifies a
sincere effort to no longer oppose the Divine Essence in one's
feelings, thoughts, intentions, and acts, and to comply sincerely with
His commands and prohibitions. Repentance does not mean being
disgusted with what is bad or prohibited and thus no longer engaging
in it; rather, it means remaining aloof from whatever Allah hates and
prohibits, even if it seems agreeable to sense and reason.
Repentance is usually used with Nasuh , literally meaning pure,
sincere, reforming, improving, and repairing. Tawbah Nasuh (genuine
repentance) means a pure, sincere repentance that perfectly reforms
and improves the one who feels it. One who feels such a sincere,
heartfelt, and true remorse for thesin committed seeks to abandon it,
thereby setting a good example for others. The Quran points to this
when it mentions true repentance: " O you who believe! Turn to God in
true, sincere repentance."� (At-Tahrim: 8).
There are three categories of repentance:
1-The repentance of those who cannot discern Divine truths. Such
people are uneasy about their disobedience to Allah and, conscious of
the sinfulness clouding their hearts, turn toward Allahin repentance
saying, forexample: "I have fallen or committed a sin. Forgive me, or
I ask for Allah's forgiveness."�
2-Those half-awakened to Divine truths beyond veils of material
existence, who feel an inward pang of sinfulness and remorse right
after thinking or doing anything incompatible with the consciousness
of always being in Allah's presence, or after every instance of
heedlessness enveloping their hearts, and who immediately take refuge
in the mercyand favor of Allah. Such people are described in the
following Hadith:. "One who sincerely repents of his sin is as if he
had never committed it. When Allah loves one of His servants, his sins
do not harm him. Then he recited the verse: aAssuredly, Allah loves
the oft-repentant and those who always seek to purify themselves.'"�
3-Those who live such a careful life that, their eyes sleep but their
hearts do not, their hearts are awake. Such people immediately discard
what-ever intervenes between Allah and their hearts and other
innermost faculties, and regain the consciousness of their relation to
the Light of Lights. They always manifest the meaning of:. "How
excellent a servant! Truly he was ever turning in contrition (to his
Lord)"� (Sad:44).
Repentance means regaining one's essentialpurity after every spiritual
defilement, andengaging in frequent self-renewal.
The Stages of Repentance:
1-Feeling sincere remorse and regret.
2-Being frightened whenever one remembers past sins.
3-Trying to eradicate injustice and support justice and right.
4-Reviewing one's responsibilities and performing obligations
previously neglected.
5-Reforming oneself by removing spiritual defects caused by deviation and error
6-Regretting and lamenting the times when one did not mention or
remember Allah, or thank Him and reflect on His works. Such people are
always apprehensive and alert so that their thoughts and feelings are
not tainted by things that intervene between themselves and Allah.
(This last quality is particular to people distinguished by their
nearness to Allah.)
If one does not feel remorse, regret, and disgust for errors
committed, whether great or small; if one is not fearful or
apprehensive of falling back into sin at any time;and if one does not
take shelter in sincere servanthood to Allah in order to be freed from
deviation and error into which one has fallen by moving away from God,
any resulting repentancewill be no more than a lie.
A Muslim should cry:
I'm sorry for the mistakes I make.
And, I know of none thatcan be retrieved.
They're like the water over a dam.
To flow back, it cannot be achieved.
There are things I wish I had never said.
Now, I wish that I had bit my tongue instead.
To make another feel that pain,
For those thoughtless words, I am disdain.
Repentance is an oath ofvirtue, and holding steadfastly to it requires
strong willpower. The lord of the penitents, peace and blessings be
upon him, says that one who repents sincerely and holds steadfastly to
it is has achieved the rank of a martyr, while the repentance of those
who cannot free themselves from their sins and deviations, although
they repent repeatedly, mocks the door toward which the truly
repentant ones turn in utmost sincerity and resolution.
One who continues to sin after proclaiming a fear of Hell, who does
not engage in righteous deeds despite self-proclaimed desires for
Paradise, and who is indifferent to the Prophet's way and practices
despite assertions of love for theProphet, peace and blessings be upon
him, cannot be taken seriously. This is also the case with one who
claims to be sincere and pure-hearted, but spends his or her life
oscillating between sin and repentance.
An initiate's first station is repentance, while the second is. Inabah
(sincere penitence). While repentance requires the training of
feelings, thoughts, and acts in order to move them from opposition
toacceptance and obedience, sincere penitence demands a critique of
the authenticity, sincerity, and sufficiency of that acceptance and
obedience. Repentance is a progressing or journeying toward
Allah""that is, seeking to do what is pleasing to Allah and refraining
from what is forbidden by Him. Sincere penitence is striving to live
an upright life so that one may seek Allah'spleasure in all actions
and thoughts."�
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.thewayrtotruth.org
In conclusion, we would like to cite for you the following lines of
verse by Imam Ash-Shafi`i, mayAllah be pleased with him:
"To You, the Creator, I raise my longing,
Though I am a sinner and a wrongdoer.
When it becomes black before my eyes,
I seek refuge in You and place my trust and hope.
When the heaps of my sins are compared to Your Grace.
Your Grace is greater and covers all the globe. "�

Earliest Return for Silah Rehmi - Categories: Hadith

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Of all
good deeds, the earliest returnone gets is on Silah Rehmi (caring for
relatives); to the point that even if the members of a bad and
disobedientfamily (rebellious to Allah) practice Silah Rehmi their
wealth is increased. A person who practices Silah Rehmi never has any
member ofhis clan become dependent." [Saheeh Ibn Hibban]
Some people think that Silah Rehmi (taking care of relatives) can only
be done with money. This is a defective understanding. Silah Rehmi is
the effort one undertakes to bring any good and to prevent anything
bad from reaching your near and distant relatives.
Silah Rehmi is rewarded even if done by a Kaafir or Munaafiq. Of
course, their reward is limited to returns in this world only, for
they have no share in the Hereafter.!-
Tags: islam , religion

Shaykh Zahir Mahmood

Shaykh Zahir Mahmood , the erudite scholar was born in England and has
gained licenses to teach (ijaazas) in many Islamic sciences including
Qur'an, Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Traditions (Hadith) of The Prophet
(SAW) from various Shyukh.
Following the completionof his secular studies at the age of 16,
Shaykh Zahir Mahmood enrolled at Dar al-Uloom al-Arabiyya
al-Islamiyya, Bury (a satellite college to al- Azhar University),
where he initiated his studies of the Alimiya course. Thereafter, he
studied 3 years in the presitigious seat of learning al-Jamia
al-Islamiyya Karachi, Pakistan.
Shaykh Zahir Mahmood went on to complete his Alimiya course at the
pioneering Dar al-Uloom Newcastle, South Africa which has since been
used as a template for other seats of learning inthe region. Here, the
Shaykh studies included a detailed analysis of Sahih al-Bukhari with
therenowned scholar Shaykh Qasim Seema.
Returning back to the UK,he gained a BA in AppliedTheological Studies
from the University of Birmingham and taught the Alimiya course at
Madina al-Uloom Kidderminster for a subsequent 2 years. He also
translated to English part of the classical Hanafi text on Fiqh,
al-Shurunbulali's Nur al-Idah .
For the past four years Shaykh Zahir Mahmood has been an khateeb
(preacher) at one of Birmingham's largest mosques, Jame Masjid . From
this base, he has taught many workshops including Arabic at various
levels and Seerah (the Life of The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon
Him). He has endeavoured to reach out to the local youth as well as
spanning the country to deliver the message of Islam in the English
language.
In 2004, he committed himself to delivering a weekly study circle
(dars)from Birmingham Jame Masjid covering many Islamic aspects
ranging from the detailed study of the lives of the Prophets (AS), the
Companions (RA), the LastMessenger of Allah (SWT) Muhammad (SAW) and
most recently Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh)…etc. In this same year, he
founded the as-Suffa Institute of Learning in Birmingham where he is
one of the resident scholars.
source: http://www.as-suffa.org/
Some of the talks given by Shaykh Zahir Mahmood can be heard on Darul
Islam website. May Allah swt give good health and long life to Shaykh
Zahir Mahmood in order that the ummah continue to benefit from his
lessons and knowledge. Ameen.

Sultan Mahmood Ghaznawi and the Thieves

One night Sultan Mahmood Ghaznawi went walking among his subjects
after taking off his royal clothes and putting on ordinary clothes. He
chanced to come upon a group of thieves who were consulting amongst
themselves. On seeing him they asked: "Who are you?"
The King (Sultan) replied:"I am also one like yourselves." They
understood that to mean that he was also a thief like themselves and
allowed him to join their company. They then continued the
conversation amongst themselves and it was decided that each one of
them should explain what speciality or skill hepossesses so that at
the time of need a task couldbe put before him to show that special
skill.
One of the thieves said: " Friends , I have a special gift in my ears,
that whenever a dog barks, I fully understand what hesays."
The second one said: "I have a special gift in my eyes, that whatever
I see in the darkness of night, Iam able to recognize it inthe light
of day."
The third one said: "I have this speciality in my arms that through
the strength that lies in my arms, I can make a hole in the strongest
wall, to enter a house."
The fourth one said: "I have this special gift in my nose that by
smelling the sand on the ground I am able to ascertain whether there
is any treasure buried underneath it or not. It isjust like in the
case of Majnoon, who without being told, merely by smelling the
ground, got to know where Layla wasburied."
The fifth one said: "I havesuch strength in my hands that no matter
how high a building is, I can climb along its wall with my rope ladder
and easily enter the building in this manner."
Thereafter they all asked the King: "O man, what special gift do you
possess which we can make use of in our thieving activities?"
The King replied: "I have this speciality in my beard that when
criminals are handed over to their executioner,I merely shake my beard
and such criminals are immediately set free." (Inother words, if as a
showof mercy I shake my beard, the criminals found guilty of murder,
are set free).
On hearing this the thieves said: "O dear Qutub, on the day of
difficulty, you will be our one means of salvation." (In other words,
if we arearrested, then through you blessings we will be saved. Now we
do not have to fear, because therest of us had the special gift which
would help us in our thieving exploits, but none of us had the means
of granting safety from punishment. This speciality lies only with
you. Now we need not have any fear of punishment. Now we canget on
with our work).
They all went in the direction of the palace ofShah Mahmood with the
King in their midst. Alongthe way a dog barked and the one who
understood the dog's language translated: "The King is also in you
midst." Although they heard it, no one paid anyattention to this
information, as their greed was uppermost in their minds. One of them
smelled the ground and explained that this is the Royal Palace . There
is a treasure in this place. Theother one threw a rope ladder against
the wall. The other one made a hole in the wall and they all entered
to burgle. Afterwards they divided the loot amongst themselves and
hastily each one of them went to hide his share of the spoils.
The King noted each one's description and found out where each of them
resided. He left them and secretly re-entered the Royal Palace . The
following day the King related the entire story to his courtiers and
thereafter sent the policemen to arrest them and to inform them of
their death sentence.
When they were broughtbefore the Court with hands bound together, they
were all trembling in fear before the King's throne. However, the
thief who had this special gift of recognizing anybody during the day
whom he had seen during the darkness, was quite at ease. In him
together with the signs of fear there were also sights of hope. In
other words, although he was struck by awe while standing before the
King and although fearing the King's wrath and revenge, he also had
the hope, that the King would be true to his word, that when in mercy
he shakes his beard, criminals will be set free. Furthermore he also
had the hope of setting free al his companions because the King will
surely not turn away from all those whom he knew and recognized.
This person's face was changing from yellow to red, as within himself
thefeelings of fear and hopealternated. The Sultan Mahmood in Kingly
dignity passed judgment that they all should be handed over to the
Executioner to be hung on the gallows. As the King himself was witness
to their crime, there was no need for any other witnesses.
As soon as the King announced his judgement, this person appealed in
great humility: "Sire, with you permission, may I say something?" The
King permitted him to speak and he said: "O Master, each one of us had
exhibited his special gift which helped in this crime. Now it is time
that the Kingly speciality should be exhibited according to the
promise. I have all the while recognized you. Remember you had
promised that in you beard there is this speciality, that if you cause
it to move in mercy, the criminal will be saved from punishment.
Hence, O King, shake you beard, sothat through the blessings of your
grace, all of us can be saved from the punishment of our crimes. Our
specialities have broughtus to the gallows. Now it is only you special
gift that is left which can save us from being punished of our crimes.
Our specialities have brought us to the gallows. Now it is only you
special gift that is left which can save us from being punished. Now
is the time for the exhibition of your speciality. Kindly shake your
beard. Because of fear our lives have reached right up to our mouths.
Please save us with the special gift that lies in your beard."
Sultan Mahmood smiled at the plea and became filled with mercy and
grace as he heard their pitiful admission of guilt. He said: "Each one
of you have exhibited his special quality to such an extent that it
has brought you to the brim of destruction, except in the case of this
one. He recognized me as the Sultan. He saw me in the darkness of the
night and recognized me as the Sultan. Hence for his having recognized
me, I set all of you free. I feel ashamed at those eyes which
recognized me notto shake my beard and thereby exhibit my special
quality."
Lessons
The first lesson containedis this story is that while a person is
committing a crime the true King of Kings is with him, and is fully
aware of all that he does. "And He is with youwherever you are." When
a person commits any disobedience to Allahhe is actually committing
treachery against Him. Anyone who fails in his duty to Allah or in the
rights which are due to me, is like a thief committing the theft of
Allah's treasures. For this reason, one should always bear in mind
that the Master is the witness, seeing us at all times, andis aware of
all that we do. If we commit any disobedience or iniquity, it means
that in His very presence His treasury is being looted and robbed.
Think for a moment! Whom are you robbing? That King and Master
tellsyou: "I am seeing what you do. I am with you. Mylaws have been
revealed to you. Today your breaking that law. Today,in this world I
will hide your fault, hoping that perhaps you will come upon the right
road. But if you do not come to your senses, then tomorrow on the day
of Qiyamat when you will be brought before Me, with hands bound
together, then who will be able to save you from My anger and
revenge?"
The second lesson from this story is that Allah willpunish sinners in
the hereafter although He may initially overlook them in this world.
We see that at the time the thieves were looting the Royal treasury,
the Sultanwitnessed the entire incident. He was with them and allowed
them to proceed without being punished. However in the end, he had
them arrested. If, at all times, this thought is uppermost in our
minds that Allah sees all our deeds then there will surely be fear in
the heart against committingsins.
The third lesson from thisstory is this that on the day of Qiyamat no
specialquality will be of any benefit. All those deeds which
contravene the laws of Allah will on the day of Qiyamat be boundaround
man's neck even though, in this world, they were considered as being
special qualities. The thieves mentioned those special gifts and
qualities as if the were qualities of virtue, but in reality those
very qualities were the cause of their destruction:
"Each one of them exhibited their special quality,
But all their qualities onlycaused their misfortune to increase."
Any special quality whichdoes not bring a person nearer to his
Creator, andwhich does not connect the heart to Allah, and which is
not a medium towards the remembrance of Allah is no quality of virtue.
In fact it is a cure and a misfortune. All the powers and attributes
of man which are used in rebellion against Allah and towards
disobedience and negligence, will one day cause him to be brought
before Allah as a criminal. All those nationswho have made great
progress and through scientific inventions havemade this world
subservient to them, but turn away from Allah, passing their lives in
disobedience, will realizeon the day of Qiyamat, whether the
speciality of scientific progress had been the cause of receiving
Allah's grace or His anger.
"Blessed be to you the subjugation of the sun and moon,
But if there is no light in the heart there is no lightanywhere."
The fourth lesson from this story is that no special quality will be
of benefit except that which leads towards recognizing Allah, just
like the person who having seen the Sultan, recognized him and through
this special quality, he not only savedhimself but was also able to
intercede on behalf of this companions. As for his other companions,
their special quality became a means towardsearning Allah's
punishment.
"Only the sight of the fortunate one was of any use
Who recognized the Sultan during darkness of night."
The lesson derived is thatthis world is like a place of darkness. In
the darkness of this world, every servant of Allah who follows the
Divine Laws of Shariat and through its blessings recognizes Allah,
will be provided with salvation against the punishment on hell-fire,
on the day ofQiyamat. This recognitionwill also be a means towards
intercession on behalf of other criminals,from among the sinners of
the people of faith. However, there should not be any pride and over
confidence in this recognition. In fact, one should alternate between
fear and hope and in utmost humility beg for this intercession. Then
Allah will accept this intercession from whomever He wishes according
to His Mercy . For those whom He will not accept this intercession, He
will in perfect justice exhibit Hisoverwhelming vengeance. Hence,
fortunate indeed is the person who, in the world, created within
himself the knowledge ofrecognizing Allah. The Aarifeen (True knowers
of Allah) who through their spiritual efforts andexercises recognize
Allah with their souls, will tomorrow on the day of Qiyamat see Allah
and attain salvation. Furthermore their intercession on behalf of
other sinners will also be accepted. But the disbelievers and
criminals will through their special qualities be admitted into
hell-fire. On that day these poor starving ones with pale faces,
patched coarse clothing, who today are being ridiculed and jeered at,
will feast their eyes upon the countenance of Allah. On that day, the
criminals will envy them:
"Would that we had livedlike them in the world and acquired their qualities.
Would that we had recognized Allah properly!"
The fifth lesson is this that the story also illustrates the high
position these righteous and saintly ones have as far as their
humanity is concerned. What a pity that nations and people, just like
those thieves, spend their short span of worldly lives looking upon
means of delight and comfort as special gift and accomplishment,and
look upon material progress as being actual progress. Whereas on
theother hand, they have adopted uncouth habits like urinating while
standing and cleansing themselves with paper after defecating. They
also consider it normal totake a bath sitting in a tub and allow the
water, which had become dirtied through being in contact with the anus
to be drawn into their mouth and nose. They consider those actions as
the norms of society. Can such people ever be considered to be
cultured and people of progress? What a pity it is that the beloved
cultural ways of Muslims should be cast aside and that such despicable
ways of these people should be adopted.

Story - Princess

I miss my ex. I saw the words reminded me of her. The reason is
because the first time shehurt my feelings she kissed my cheek and she
said "are you cranky? Mr. Cranky needs to go to bed!" And I told her
"no, you just broke my heart and it can't find its way home" like
Whitney Houston's song "Where do Broken Hearts go" and she told me not
to beupset with her and she told me to think of all thepositive things
shes donefor me and the positive way shes impacted my life and the
wonderful relationship we had and Ijust smiled and covered her in
kisses.
I love her so much but I can't be with her anymore. I should move on,
I know...but how can I if she was such a great person? If she was the
one that was always there for me? If she was the one I fell in love
with? I can't stand being without her, it's such a horrible
experience. I know I can't be with her, there's no way. I can't even
talk to her and tell her how I feel. I miss her so much and I just
want that sense of comfort in knowing shes there for me and that I'm
deeply loved. I hate not being able to talk to her...having to just
drop off the face of the earth and having to ignore her as I have been
doing and feel like I am forced to hate her to stop me from missing
her. I don't hate her, I don't hate her at all.
I'm angry at myself for falling in love with her and missing her the
way Ido. I hate the fact that I can't even tell her "I love you" and
get a response. I hate having to pretend Idon't feel anything for her.
Shes such a great, great girl. Shes the first one I've fallen for
because of personality, not looks and its so hard to be able to let go
of what we had and move on. I know I'm strong enough to do so, to
succeed but I don't want to.
I don't want her to just fade into a memory...to fade into a "once
was" type of thing. I can't let that happen, she means far too much to
me to even think of just letting her go like that. I hate having to
keep to myself about everything and notbeing able to get her much
valued opinion on things. She made me so happy and she was such a
great help to be. I lovedbeing able to call her mine... my love or my
friend. I loved having that sense of happiness in knowing that she was
in my life and she was always gonna be there for me. I just miss her
so much. No matter how I try to distract myself she just comes to mind
and I cant tell anyone about it.
I cant tell anyone how I feel about her and how I want her in my life
again.She was what I called"ugly" when I first saw her. I disliked her
and disliked everything she did and was a part of in the beginning but
we soon talked more and I fell in love with her as she was. Ever since
then I've looked at her and thought "Damn. I did so good. Shes so
amazing." Iwould thank the lord for her every night, thankinghim for
inserting such a bright light into the blackhole which I called life.
I wasn't afraid of the dark anymore because there was no dark. There
was no reason to fear something that wasn't there. She lit up the
room, she lit up my life...she lit up my heart...my soul..my
everything.
Jesus knew I needed an angel and she gave her to me and damn, was
sheperfect! She influenced me to be the best I could. We sometimes had
our issues but we'd get through them. She'd say stupid things, as
would I, but we still got through the jungle without any scratches, so
to speak. I was there for her from the beginning, even when I disliked
her. I stood with open arms, I'dallow her to cry on my shoulders. She
was wortheverything I had to sacrifice...I meant every word I ever
said to her about loving her...even when I said it at irrelevant and
bad times. I was there for her.
If someone dared to hurt her I'd sure show them how wrong they were to
do so. No one could hurt my sweetheart, my friendand get away with it.
Shemeant everything to me and she still does. She may not know how I
feel about her now and probably never will but thats okay. It's also
okay if I fade into only a small memory in her mind...its okay. I'm
one drop in herwhole ocean...one chapter in her gigantic novel. Shes
my 7abibti. Shes my milosc. Mi amor. My love. I'll love her no matter
what. One never forgets their first real love...and she was mine. I'll
keep her in my heart and in my mind forever. She had a great impact on
my life and I'll never forget her.

Story - It hurts….

Hi, friends.
I thought that I had overcome this. I believed that I got it over and
I was going to continue forward. But there are moments when pain
clutches me and I miss him…. Our relationship lasted quite long
considering the fact that we were married. We loved each other
withoutmaking promises. We knew that if we had changed our relations,
magic would have disappeared. The thought of divorcing my husband and
marrying him has never crossed mymind. We are grown up people with
realistic outlook after all.
The time that I spent withhim was very precious to me because this
wasn't a trivial adultery story. It was love – tender and passionate,
filled with trust and laughter, a bright harbour where wefound shelter
from daily problems… I loved him very much in the knowledge that I
love myhusband more (yes, It's possible to love two men at the same
time) Finally, I decided that I was getting too irresponsible and I
was not that type ofperson. We tried to part from each other for
months. I went away andthen came back again, allburning with passion.
Months went by while I was gathering strength to leave him forever. I
obtained my wish.
We are not seeing each other anymore. But I misshim…
How can you forget something that was so important to you? I lost a
part of myself. I know this was the right decision.
I'm happy with my husband I would replace him under no circumstances.
But how can I stop the pain of thinking about the other man. He ran
into my soul as a prickle…
If my jumbled story has made any sense to somebody – please leave a
comment. I think I'm not looking for a piece ofadvice because I've
tried almost everything. My only hope is in the courseof time. Still,
I want to hear a word from an outsider. The truth is out there….

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Friday Prayers - Speaking during the interval when the imaam falls silent between the two khutbahs

Is it permissible to speak during the interval when the imaam falls
silent between the two khutbahs at Jumu'ah (Friday) prayer? Is it
permissible to make a gesture by pointing to one's lips with one's
forefinger in order to remind a person that he should not speak during
the khutbah?
Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible to speak during the interval
when the imaam falls silent between the two khutbahs, if there is a
need to do so. It is OK to gesture to one who speaks whilst the imaam
is preaching, to tell him to be quiet, just as it is also permissible
to gesture during the prayer if there is a need to do so. May Allaah
helpus all.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh
al-'Allaamah 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn 'Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have
mercy on him), part12, p. 337

Friday Prayers - Employees whose work means that they have to continue working at the time of Jumu’ah

Some sensitive jobs require the constant presence of an employee,
including at the times of obligatory prayers and Jumu'ah (Friday)
prayers. Should these employees leave their work and go and pray, or
should they stay on the job?
Praise be to Allaah.
The basic principle is that Jumu'ah prayer is obligatory upon
individuals, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the
Salaah (prayer) on Friday (Jumu'ah prayer), come to the remembrance of
Allaah [Jumu'ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)] and
leave off business (and every other thing). That is better for you if
you did but know!"
[al-Jumu'ah 62:9]
And Imam Ahmad narrated from Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
concerning some peoplewho were failing to attend Jumu'ah prayers: "I
had thought to tell a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would
burn down the houses of men who fail to attend Jumu'ah
prayers."(Ahmad, 1/402; Muslim, 1/452). Muslim narrated from Abu
Hurayrah and Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah bepleased with them) that they
heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) say from the minbar: "There are people who should stop neglecting
Jumu'ah,or else Allaah will put a seal on their hearts, thenthey will
surely be among the negligent." And there is consensus among the
scholars on this point (that Jumu'ah is obligatory). But if a person
for whom Jumu'ah is obligatory has a legitimate shar'i excuse – such
as one who is directly responsible for a matter of national security
and protecting the interests of the ummah, and he is required to do
that job at the time of Jumu'ah, such as those who are incharge of
security, traffic, wireless and telephone communications, etc, those
whose shift happens to be at the time of the second call toJumu'ah
prayers or the time of a prayer in congregation – then such people are
excused for not praying Jumu'ah or prayers in congregation, because of
the general meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabun 64:16]
And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Whatever I forbid you to do, avoid it, and whatever I
command you to do, do as much ofit as you can." Moreover,such a person
has no lessan excuse than one who is excused because he fears for his
life or his wealth etc., who the scholars have said is excused for not
praying Jumu'ah or prayers in congregation so long as the reason is
present. But the obligation to pray Zuhr still stands, and he must
pray it on time; whenever he can pray in congregation he is obliged to
do that, as is the case with all the five daily obligatory prayers.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth wa'l-Ifta', 8/189

Friday Prayers - Jumu’ah prayers in a room at work

My Employer has provided us with a small prayer room at work. We have
about 4 or 5 brothers who pretty much regularly pray Zuhur and Asr in
this room. Is it permissible tomake Friday prayers in this room?
Considering that every alternate Friday is off for us and nobody makes
a prayer in that room on such Fridays.
Praise be to Allaah.
If in the city where you live there is a mosque in which Jumu'ah
prayers are held, then you must pray with them, and it is not
permissible for you to introduce another Jumu'ah prayer. But if there
is no Jumu'ah prayer in the city, then you must establish it andit is
not permissible for you to pray Zuhr instead,because "Establishing
Jumu'ah prayer in their towns and villages is obligatory upon the
Muslims and offering theJumu'ah prayer in congregation is a condition
of it being valid. There is no shar'i evidence that stipulates a
certain number being required for it to be valid. In order for it to
be valid it is sufficient for there to be three or more. It is not
permissible for one on whom Jumu'ah is obligatory to pray Zuhr instead
on the grounds that the number is less than forty, according to the
most correct scholarly opinion."
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, no. 1794 (8/178).
It says in the fatwa of the committee no. 957:
"With regard to the number required to holdJumu'ah prayers, we do not
know of any text which stipulates a specific number. Because there is
no text which stipulates a specific number, the scholars differed
concerning the number required. Among the opinions which have been
stated concerning that is the view that it may be done if there
arethree men who are local residents. This was reported from Imam
Ahmad, and was the view favoured by al-Awzaa'i and Shaykh Taqiy
al-Deen Ibn Taymiyah, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 'come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu'ah religious talk
(Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)]' [al-Jumu'ah 62:9] – the verbal form
used is plural, which implies a minimum of three." (8/210).

* Friday Prayers - What should be done if Eid coincides with Friday

If Eid al-Fitr coincides with Friday, is it permissible for me to pray
the Eid prayer and not to pray Jumu'ah or vice versa?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with
the imaam does nothave to attend Jumu'ah (it is not obligatory on
him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu'ah, he
has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam.
Asfor the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu'ah and lead those
Muslims who attend the prayer. The Jumu'ah prayer should not be
forsaken completely on this day.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

Friday Prayers - What is your opinion of a Jumu’ah khutbah that, along with the prayer, lasts ten minutes?

What do you say about an imam whose khutbah, along with the prayer,
takes only ten minutes? Yes, ten minutes! Is this Jumu'ah valid?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
There can be no doubt that keeping the Jumu'ah khutbah short is
indicative of the khateeb's understandingof Islam, as he can compile
many meanings in a few words, and does not speak for so long that the
people forget the first things he said by the time he reaches the end.
This was the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) in his regular khutbahs; indeed this is what he enjoined, and
itis the best way. Similarly his exhortations were few so that what he
exhorted the people could be remembered. So his Jumu'ah khutbahswere
short and the exhortations few.
Abu Waa'il said: 'Ammaaraddressed us and he spoke briefly but
eloquently. When he came down (from the minbar), we said: O
Abu'l-Yaqzaan, you spoke eloquently but briefly, would that you had
made it longer. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (S) say: "A
man's lengthening his prayer and shortening his khutbah is a sign of
his understanding (of religion), so make your prayers lengthy and your
khutbahs brief, for there is charm in eloquent speech."
Narrated by Muslim (969).
There are many comments from the scholars to confirm this idea:
1.
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
As for making the khutbah short, it is a Sunnah to be followed. The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
enjoined that and did it. According to the hadeeth of 'Ammaar ibn
Yaasir: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) enjoined making the khutbah short. And he used to give khutbahs
with good words and few, and he disliked prattle and long-windedness.
The scholars disapprove of exhortations in whichsome is forgotten
because of the length, and they like that in which the listener can
focus on what is said and learns from it after memorizing it. That can
only occur when the exhortation is brief.
Al-Istidhkaar (2/363, 364).
2.
Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible to make the khutbah lengthy.
Al-Muhalla (5/60).
3.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is better to keep the khutbah short, because there are two benefits
ofkeeping the khutbah short:
(i) The listeners do not get bored, because if the
khutbah islengthy – especially if the khateeb delivers it ina boring
manner which does not move their hearts and does not motivate them –
then the people will get bored and fed up.
(ii) That makes the listener remember better, because if
it is too long, the first part ofit is lost by the time he reaches the
end, but if it is short, then it is possible to remember it and learn
from it. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "A man'slengthening his prayer and shortening his khutbah is a
sign of his understanding (of religion)," i.e., it is indicative of
his understanding of religion and shows that he pays attention to
people's circumstances. But sometimes there is a need for a lengthy
exhortation, and if a person speaks at length because the situation
requires that, it does notmean that he is excludedfrom the description
of being one who understands religion, because length and shortness
are relative matters. It is proven that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) would sometimes give a khutbah by
reciting Soorat Qaaf, and Soorat Qaaf, when recited slowly and
carefully (tarteel) and pausing at every verse, takes a long time.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti' 'ala Zaad al-Mustaqni' (5/65).
Secondly:
This keeping the khutbah short should not be done in such a way as to
erode the khutbah altogether, so that the people do not benefit at all
from the khutbah. They have not travelled long distances or come out
of their homes merely to see the khateeb, or to hear the tone of his
voice, rather they have come to attainsome benefit by hearing his
exhortation or an Islamic ruling and so on. Hence attention should be
paid to moderation in this matter.
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurah (mayAllaah be pleased with
him) said: I was praying with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his prayer was moderate and his
khutbah was moderate.
Narrated by Muslim (1433).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
i.e., it was somewhere between being very long or too short to be any benefit.
Sharh Muslim (6/159)
He also said:
It is mustahabb to keep the khutbah short, because of the hadeeth
quoted above, and so that they do not get bored by it. Our companions
said: Keeping it short should be done in moderation, and should not be
taken to such extremes that (itsbenefit) is erased altogether.
Al-Majmoo' (4/358)
Thirdly:
But we cannot say that akhutbah that is very short does not count,
when most of the scholars are of the view that if the khutbah contains
the essential parts (lit. pillars) then it is valid. There is a great
difference of opinion as to the definition of those essential parts.
Thecorrect view is that thereis nothing that can be called the
essential parts or pillars of the khutbah,and everything that maybe
called a khutbah, even if it is only a few words, is counted as such
and is valid as a khutbah.
This is the view of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and Shaykh Ibn Sa'di,
whose views we have mentioned in the answer to question no. 115854. In
the answer referred to, Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him) supported this view, but he pointed outthat it should not be
followed. Please see his words in that answer.
Fourthly:
This khateeb whose khutbah and prayer together take ten minutes does
not have deep understanding of Islam, rather he is ignorant, because
understanding of the religion means keeping the khutbah short and
making the prayer long, not effectively destroying them both!
Let us read what the Khateeb of al-Masjid al-Haraam, Shaykh Sa'ood
al-Shuraym, says concerning the length ofthe Jumu'ah khutbah and
prayer, with approximate length of time:
Shaykh Sa'ood al-Shuraym (may Allaah preserve him) said:
In order to reach an approximate definition of what is meant by the
prayer being long and the khutbah being short in modern terms, I say –
and Allaah is the source of strength –
If you recite in Fajr prayer, for example, al-Jumu'ah and
al-Munaafiqoon at a moderate speed, the prayer will take you no less
than ten minutes, if not fifteen. I tried it and I found that to be
the case. All of this applies if you recite at a moderatespeed, with
the rukoo' (bowing) and sujood (prostration) of the prayer. So how
about if the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was
following the command of his Lord, "And recite the Qur'aan (aloud) in
a slow, (pleasant tone and) style" [al-Muzzammil 73:4], andhe used to
make the bowing, rising, prostration and sitting between two
prostrations lengthy, and the narrator of the hadeeth said: "to such
an extent that one would think he had forgotten"? In the hadeeth of
al-Bara' ibn 'Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) it says: The
prayer of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and his bowing, and when he raised his head from bowing, and
when he prostrated, and the time between two prostrations were all
nearly the same.
Al-Shaamil fi Fiqh al-Khateeb wa'l-Khutbah(p. 154)
From this it is clear that it is not possible for this khateeb to
deliver the Friday khutbah and offerthe Jumu'ah prayer in ten minutes,
unless thereis clear undermining of both matters, the khutbah and the
prayer.
Such a person needs to be told, because perhapshe may have
misunderstood something from the Sunnah with regard to this matter, so
he is spoiling both the khutbah and the prayer, whilst thinking that
he isone of those who do good!
If he does not respond to your telling him, then look for someone else
who establishes the Sunnah in a proper way or close enough, and pray
with him, and protect your prayer, and keep your heart sound. As for
him who does not learn and does not want to, leave him to his own
devices.
And Allaah knows best.

Friday Prayers - Khateeb reciting in Jumu’ah prayer verses that are appropriate to the topic of the khutbah

Some khateebs doe not recite Soorat al-A'la (87) and al-Ghaashiyah
(88) in Jumu'ah prayer, rather they choose passages from the Qur'aan
that are appropriate to the subject of the khutbah. What is the ruling
on that?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The Muslims in general should respect the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and strive to learn it and act
upon it, because this is a sign of their sincere lovefor Allaah and a
means of them attaining Allaah's love for them. Allaah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): 'If you (really) love
Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the
Qur'aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive youyour
sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful'"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:31]
If the Muslim is sincere inhis love of Allaah, that will be manifested
in his following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) in all things. The khateeb isthe first one who should be adhering
to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), because the people take him as an example, so hehas to present
the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
to the people and teach them about it.
How can this khateeb enjoin the people to follow and venerate the
Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
then come down from the minbar and openly go against the Sunnah of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?!
The way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
wasto recite two soorahs in Jumu'ah prayer: Sabbih isma rabbika
al-A'la (Soorat al-A'laa 87) and al-Ghaashiyah (88), or hewould recite
al-Jumu'ah (62) and al-Munaafiqoon(63).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not choose
verses from the Qur'aan that were appropriate to the topic of his
khutbah. The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Does this khateeb – or anyone else – think that he is more guided than
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or that he
knows something that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) did not?!
This action on the part of the khateeb is an innovation (bid'ah)
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did
not do it.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
But there is something that some imams do: when they give a khutbah
then recite in the prayer verses that are appropriate to it. This may
be described asan innovation, because the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) always recited Soorat al-A'la (87)
and al-Ghaashiyah (88), or al-Jumu'ah (62) and al-Munaafiqoon (63),
and he did not pay any attention to the topic of the khutbah. End
quote.
Liqaa'aat al-Baab il-Maftooh (155/18).
Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always did
three things in his recitation in Jumu'ah prayer: he recited
al-Jumu'ah (62) and al-Munaafiqoon (63), or al-Jumu'ah and
al-Ghaashiyah (88), or al-A'la (87) and al-Ghaashiyah.
Nowadays it has becomecommon for some of them to ignore that which is
prescribed and recite whatever verses the imam sees fit, or soorahs of
the Qur'aan that are appropriate to the subject of the khutbah.
This striving to recite something that was appropriate to the topic of
the khutbah was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and was not known among the early generations of
this ummah, so adhering to that is an innovation. Similarly,
deliberately ignoring what is prescribed and doing something else
implies that one believes that there is something missing in what is
prescribed and it should be made up, and that may cause confusion to
ordinary Muslims. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
Tasheeh al-Du'aa' (p. 319).

Amr ibn al-Jamuh - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Amr ibn al-Jamuh was one of theleading men in Yathrib in the days of
Jahiliyyah. He was the chief of the Banu Salamah and was known to be
one of the most generous and valiant persons in the city.
One of the privileges of the city'sleaders was having an idol to
himself in his house. It was hoped that this idol would bless the
leader in whatever he did. Hewas expected to offer sacrifices to it on
special occasions and seek its help at times of distress.The idol of
Amr was called Manat. He had made it from the most priceless wood. He
spent a great deal of time, money and attention looking after it and
he anointed it with the most exquisite perfumes.
Amr was almost sixty years old when the first rays of the light of
Islam began to penetrate the houses of Yathrib. House after house was
introduced to the new faith at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr, the first
missionary sent out to Yathrib before the hijrah. It was through him
that Amr's three sons--Muawwadh, Muadh and Khallad--became Muslims.
One of their contemporaries was the famousMuadh ibn Jabal. Amr's wife,
Hind, also accepted Islam with her three sons but Amr himself knew
nothing of all this .
Hind saw that the people of Yathrib were being won over to Islam and
that not one of the leaders of the city remained in shirk except her
husband and a few individuals. She loved her husband dearly and was
proud of him but she was concerned that he should die in a state of
kufr and end up in hell-fire.
During this time, Amr himself began to tell uneasy. He was afraid that
his sons would give up the religion of their forefathers and follow
the teaching of Musab ibn Umayr who, within a short space of time, had
caused many to turn away from idolatry and enter the religion of
Muhammad. To his wife, Amr therefore said:
"Be careful that your children donot come into contact with this man
(meaning Musab ibn Umayr)before we pronounce an opinionon him."
"To hear is to obey," she replied."But would you like to hear fromyour
son Muadh what he relates from this man?" "Woe to you! Has Muadh
turned away from hisreligion without my knowing?" The good woman felt
pity from the old man and said: "Not at all.But he has attended some
of themeetings of this missionary and memorized some of the things he
teaches." "Tell him to come here," he said. When Muadh come, he
ordered: "Let me hear an example of what this man preaches." Muadh
recited the lalihah (the Opening Chapter of the Quran):
"In the name of God, the most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.All
praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds, The most
Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. Lord of the Day of Judgment!
You alone do we worship and toYou alone do we turn for help. Guide us
on the straight way, the way of those upon whom you have bestowed Your
blessings, not of those who havebeen condemned by You, nor of those
who go astray."
"How perfect are these words, and how beautiful!" exclaimed the
father. "Is everything he sayslike this?"
"Yes indeed, father. Do you wish to swear allegiance to him? All your
people have already done so" urged Muadh.
The old man remained silent from a while and then said, "I shall not
do so until I consult Manat and see what he says.""What indeed would
Manat say, Father? It is only a piece of wood. It can neither think
nor speak." The old man retorted sharply, "I told you, I shall not do
anything without him."
Later that day, Amr went before Manat. It was the custom of the
idolators then to place an old woman behind the idol when they wished
to speak to it. She would reply on behalf of the idol, articulating,
so they thought, what the idol had inspired her to say. Amr stood
before the idol in great awe and addressed profuse praises to it. Then
he said:
"O Manat no doubt you know that this propagandist who was delegated to
come to us from Makkah does not wish evil on anyone but you. He has
come only to stop us worshipping you.I do not want to swear allegiance
to him in spite of the beautiful words I have heard from him. I have
thus come to get your advice. So please advise me."
There was no reply from Manat. Amr continued:
"Perhaps your are angry. But up till now, I have done nothing to harm
you... Never mind, I shall leave you for a few days to let your anger
go away."
Amr's sons knew the extent of their father's dependence on Manat and
how with time he had become almost a part of it. They realized however
that the idol's place in his heart was being shaken and that they had
to help him get rid of Manat. That must be his path to faith in God.
One night Amr's sons went with their friend Muadh ibn Jabal to Manat,
took the idol From its place and threw it in a cess pit belonging to
the Banu Salamah. They returned to their homes with no one knowing
anything about what they had done. When Amr woke up the following
morning, he went in quiet reverence to pay his respects to his idol
but did not find it.
"Woe to you all," he shouted."Who has attacked our god last night"
There was no reply from anyone. He began to search for the idol,
fuming with rage and threatening the perpetrators of the crime.
Eventually he found the idol turned upside down on its head in the
pit. He washed and perfumed it and returned it to its usual place
saying.
"If I find out who did this to you,I will humiliate him." The
following night the boys did the same to the idol. The old man
recovered it, washed and perfumed it as he had done before and
returned it to its place. This happened several times until one night
Amr put a sword around the idol's neck and said to it: "O Manat, I
don't know who is doing this to you. If you have any power of good
inyou, defend yourself against thisevil. Here is a sword for you."
The youths waited until Amr was fast asleep. They took the sword from
the idol's neck and threw it into the pit. Amr found the idol Lying
face down in the pit with the sword nowhere in sight. At last he was
convinced that the idol had no power at alland did not deserve to be
worshipped. It was not long before he entered the religion ofIslam.
Amr soon tasted the sweetness of Iman or faith in the One True God. At
the same time he felt great pain and anguish within himself at the
thought of every moment he had spent in shirk. His acceptance of the
new religion was total and he placed himself, his wealth and his
children in the service of God and His Prophet.
The extent of his devotion was shown during the time of the battle of
Uhud. Amr saw his three sons preparing for the battle. He looked at
the three determined young men fired by the desire to gain martyrdom,
success and the pleasure of God.The scene had a great effect on him
and he resolved to go out with them to wage jihad under the banner of
the messenger of God. The youths, however, were all against their
father carrying out his resolve. He was already quite old and was
extremely weak.
"Father," they said, "surely God has excused you. So why do you take
this burden on yourself?"
The old man became quite angryand went straight away to the Prophet to
complain about his sons: "O Rasulullah! My sons herewant to keep me
away from thissource of goodness arguing thatI am old and decrepit. By
God, I long to attain Paradise this way even though I am old and
infirm."
"Let him," said the Prophet to his sons. "Perhaps God, the Mighty and
the Great, will grant him martyrdom."
Soon it was time to go out to battle. Amr bade farewell to his wife,
turned to the qiblah and prayed: "O Lord, grant me martyrdom and don't
send me back to my family with my hopes dashed." He set out in
thecompany of his three sons and a large contingent from his tribe,
the Banu Salamah.
As the battle raged, Amr could be seen moving in the front ranks,
jumping on his good leg (his other leg was partially lame), and
shouting, "I desire Paradise, I desire Paradise."
His son Khallad remained closely behind him and they both fought
courageously in defense of the Prophet while many otherMuslims
deserted in pursuit of booty. Father and son fell on thebattlefield
and died within moments of each other.

PRINT HAJJ GLOSSARY

Al-Haram
The Holy City of Makkah and its surrounding areas. Al-Haram has
different boundaries. These boundaries extend to three miles on one
side, seven on the other and nine miles towards Jeddah. Within these
boundaries of Al-Haram itis forbidden to hunt, bother any animal, or
to cut grass or trees. One is permitted to kill dangerous animals like
snakes, scorpions, rats or animals with rabies (dogs, etc.)
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Al-Mash'ar/Muzdalifa
The Valley between Arafaat and Mina, where pilgrims should make a Du'a
after they have sleptin Muzdalifa while they are going to Makkah to
throw Jamrat al-Aqabah on the morning of the 10 th of Dhul-Hijjah.
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Allahu Akbar
God is great.
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Arafah (Arafaat)
The area that surrounds Mount Rahmah, Southeast of Makkah.
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Ashwat
Plural of Shawt - See Shawt.
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Asr
Afternoon. The Asr prayeris the prescribed prayer to be performed
between afternoon and sunset.
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Black Stone
The stone in the Southeast corner of the Kaa'bah from which Muslims
begin the Tawaf.Also called as Hijr Al-Aswad.
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Circumambulating
To walk around (something), especially aspart of a ritual. See also: Tawaf.
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Du'a
Supplication for Allah.
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Dhul-Hijjah
See Thul-Hijjah.
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Eidul Adha
One of the Islamic holiday. It represents the celebration of sacrifice.
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Fajr
Dawn. The Fajr prayer is the prescribed prayer to be performed between
dawn and sunrise.
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Ghusul
Complete bathing.
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Ghurub
Sunset. Maghrib prayer isthe prescribed sunset prayer. Also see Maghrib
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Hajira/Hajar/Hager
Wife of prophet Ibrahim/Abraham (pbuh) and mother of prophet
Ismail/Ishmael (pbuh).
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Hajj
The 5 th pillar of Islam, to be performed at least once in a lifetime.
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Ifadah
Refers to the Tawaf that is done by a Muslim whenshe/he comes from Muzdalifa.
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Ihraam/Ehram
The state in which one starts Umrah or Hajj, and during which certain
actsare prohibited. Some of these acts are: cutting hair, shaving any
parts ofthe body, clipping nails, putting perfumes or colognes,
killing or hunting animals, sexual intercourse, making marriage
proposals, or marriage contracts.
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Isha
Isha. The Isha prayer is the prescribed prayer to be performed between
once the night settles until dawn.
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Istlam
The act of kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad (Black Stone) is called Istlam.
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Jam' Prayers
Combining prayers. Under certain circumstances, Zuhur andAsr prayers
can be combined, and Maghrib and Isha prayers can be combined. When
this is done, the two prayers are offered at the same time, with one
adhan and two separate Iqamahs, one for each prayer.
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Jamrah
The pillar at which the pilgrim throws pebbles. There are three
Jamrahs pillars at which pilgrims throw pebbles. Jamrah Al-Ula, Jamara
Al-Wusta & Jamrah Al-Aqabah.
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Kaa'bah
The square stone building in al-Haraam mosque in Makkah and towards
which all Muslimface in every prayer.
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Kaffara
Means expiation.
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Labbaik
A call meaning "Here I Come". It is the Muslim's expression of
answering the invitation of God to perform pilgrimage.
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Madinah
The city which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) migrated, about 450 km
northeast of Makkah.
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Maghrib
Sunset. The Maghrib prayer is the prescribed prayer to be performed
between sunset and the time when all day light is gone.
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Makkah
The holiest city for Muslims, located in Western Saudi Arabia.
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Maqam-e-Ibraheem
Abraham's station, a small glass station 30 meters from the Kaa'bah
door. It is the place where prophet Abraham used to stand when he was
building the Kaa'bah.
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Marwah
The hill on which a pilgrim ends his/her sayee. It is about 250 meters
Northeast of the Kaa'bah.
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Mina
An area close to Makkah on the road to Arafah.
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Miqat
The place where Muslims declare their intention tomake Hajj or Umrah
and begin the state of Ihraam. The Miqat boundary is anchored by
different townships and locations in different directions around the
Kaabah. They are (1)Dhul-Hulaifa in the North, (2)Yalamlam in the
South-East, (3)Zat Irq in the North-East, (4)Al-Johfa in the
North-West, (5)Qarn al-Manazil in the East.
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Muzdalifa/Al-Mash'ar
The place between Arafah and Mina where pilgrims stay the night onthe
9 th of Thul-Hijjah.
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Nafl
A Nafl (supererogatory) act is an act of worship done because it has
beensuggested to us by the Prophet (pbuh) and practiced by him on at
least one or two occasions. It earns a reward for the person
performing it and its omission does not incur any punishment.
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Niyyah
Intention. When a personis performing pilgrimage,he/she has to set the
intention.
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Odhiya
See Udhia
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Pilgrimage
The English word for Hajj.One of the 5 pillars of Islam.
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Qiran(Combined Hajj)
The type of Hajj where a pilgrim makes Umrah in the same state of
Ihraam.This is applicable only to persons who are residentwithin a
radius of 16 Farsakh or 48 miles Shariiof Makkah.
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Ruku
A position in the prayer where the Muslim leans forward and puts
his/her hands on the knees.
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Safa
The hill on which a pilgrim begins his/her sayee (walking). It is
about 200 m Southeast ofthe Kaa'bah.
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Sayee
The act of walking between the two hills - Safa and Marwah.
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Shawt
Each complete round (circuit) around the Kaa'bah constitutes a Shawt.
Plural of Shawt is Ashwat. The pilgrim performs 7 Ashwat in a Tawaf.
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Takbeer
Saying Allahu Akbar.
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Talbiyah
The response to Allah's call for Hajj.
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Tamattu(Advantageous Hajj)
The type of Hajj where a pilgrim starts with Umrahthen makes Hajj
later on but in the same year.
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Tarwiyah
The 8 th day of Thul-Hijjah.
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Tashreeq
The 11 th , 12 th , and 13 th days of Thul-Hijjah.
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Tawaf
Circumambulating the Kaa'bah. There are many types of Tawaf, such as
Tawaf al-Qudum (upon arriving to Makkah), Tawaf al-Ifadah (when coming
to Makkah from Mina after the day of Arafah), Tawafun-Nisa (The Tawaf
of Women) and Tawaf al-Wada (Farewell Tawaf) before departing from
Makkah.
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Thul-Hijjah
The twelfth month of the Islamic lunar year.
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Udhia
It is the animal sacrifice that a Muslim offers to God.
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Umrah
An Islamic ritual that is performed at Makkah anytime of the year
except between the 9 th and the 13 th of Thul-Hijjah (these days are
only reserved for the full pilgrimage or Hajj). It includes Tawaf 7
times, Sayee between the hills of Safa and Marwah. It also requires
some obligations from the pilgrim until the state of Ihraam is ended.
Enteringinto the state of Ihraam and removal of Ihraam is carried out
in the same manner as for the full pilgrimage.
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Vudu
See Wudu.
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Wadah
Tawaf al-Wadah is the last (farewell) circuit around the Kaa'bah.
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Wudu
The act of performing ablution.
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Yawm
Literally means Day. There are many meaningful days in the Hajj
proceedings such as Yawm-e-Tarwiyah (first day of Hajj/8 th day of
Thul-Hijjah), Yawm-e-Arafa (second day of Hajj /9 th day of
Thul-Hijjah), Yawm-e-Nahr (third day of Hajj/Qurbani in Mina/10 th day
of Thul-Hijjah), etc.
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Zamzam
The name of a well of water that sprang up beneath Prophet Ishmael's
(pbuh) feet's, when he was an infant. Itis about 150 m Southeast of
the Kaa'bah.
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Zuhur
Noon. The Zuhur prayer is the prescribed prayer to be performed
between mid-day and afternoon.

Ch 9: Inside the House

Leaving the auspicious and glowing meeting at the house of Ziad b.
Umar, Isabella took the road straight to her home which ran through
the Palace of Martyrs to Suqul Asafir. Isabella's house was just a few
paces away. The meeting had filled her with such joy that, unmindful
of everything around, she walked quietly and soberly with downcast
eyes. Half an hour later she reached home whereher mother was waiting
impatiently for her. On enquiry about the cause of her delay Isabella
named a friend of her's, at whose house she was delayed. On her
mother's order the dining table was set and she immediately sat down
and began to eat. Soon her father (the head priest) also arrived and
the night passed peacefully.
Early next morning the Muezzins called for the Fajr prayer from all
mosques of Cordova. Howpleasant is the sound andhow, in the salubrious
hour of morning, people were being roused for bowing and prostrating
for the Fajr prayer with the name of Allah. How enchanting is the
sound of Allah-o-Akbar, Allah-o-Akbar, (Allah is great, Allah is
great). Now the gongs of churches also began to toll. How jarring and
meaningless is the sound. Truly the condition of each community is
known from its rites. From mosques devotees beganto emerge. Labourers,
traders and cultivators took their respective ways to places of work,
markets and fields. The chirping of birds had somewhat subsided.
Hearing the call of prayerIsabella got out of her bed and went to the
library room of her houseand sitting at a table began to study a book.
Inthe meantime Peter and Michael also came there and Isabella stood up
andreceived them with respect. A little later Isabella's father also
came and took his seat inthe room and Isabella's mother was also
called in. Isabella was frightened at this unexpected, uncalled
andstrange gathering and suspected that these people had assembled
onher account and probably her association with Islam had come to
their knowledge . Colour went out of her face and her heart began to
throb quickly and so, taking theexcuse of thirst, she wentfor water to
another room.
The head priest, addressing Isabella's mother, Peter and Michael said:
Do you know what is the state ofIsabella and how is she trying to
humiliate and degrade us? It is to think about this matter that I have
given you the trouble to come over here.
Peter: Oh ! What is the matter!
Head Priest: It is all very serious. I have been hearing for some time
that Isabella has given upChristian creed and has secretly embraced
Islam.
Helena (Isabella's mother): Fie, fie ! What are you talking? Jesus
Christ may never do it. What is the matter that you are so enraged
todaythat, without any reason,you have made my daughter a Muslim ?
Head Priest: What I am saying is quite true. If nottoday, you will
learn it a few days after.
Peter: Holy father, you have said something strange. Isabella is a
very good girl. She has studied theology. She is not ignorant as to
accept the bloody religion of Islam.
Helena: Well, I am just calling the girl. I do not know what caused
this suspicion in you.
So saying Helena went to the room where Isabella was sitting horrified
in a corner. Helena at once caught the hand of Isabella and said to
her: Listen, daughter, your father calls you. Isabella who had
realised the situation rose up and followed her mother to the large
room and presented herself to the head priest.
Isabella's father beckoned to Michael and asked him to talk to her.
Michael: Daughter, we have heard that you haverevolted from
Christianity. Is it true? If anyone has given wrong report about you,
you may refute it.
Isabella heard this and kept quiet and, lowering her eyes, began to
weep. Warm tears began to drop on her rosy cheeks.
Helena: Just see. Did not I tell you that someone hasfalsely accused
my daughter. What refutation could she give!Her tears speak that the
allegation of her revolt from Christianity is quite false.
Head Priest: You just keepquiet for a while and let Isabella herself
reply. Yes,daughter, tell me what is this report about you?
Isabella continued to remain silent with bowed head. But on persistent
questioning from Peter and Michael she was compelled to open her lips.
Isabella: I have not yet accepted Islam but continue to remain Christian.
Michael: If you have not yet accepted Islam, do you intend to accept
it in future?
Isabella: Why do you ask me about future? I can put the same question to you.
Michael: Then tell me what is your opinion about Islam?
Isabella: I do not abuse Islam like others for in the Muslim sacred
Books Christ is praised and Muslims speak well of him.
Michael: Then you love Islam and Muslims?
Isabella: You may call it love or anything else. Anyway I am not
ungrateful. If Muslims respect our Christ, then I also must respect
their Prophet and their Sacred Book.
Peter: So it is clear now that in your heart you have become a Muslim,
otherwise you would nothave so praised Islam andMuslims. But now tell
me what do you think about the religion you have been believing, that
is Christianity.
Isabella: I have faith in the Bible and all revealedbooks, but I do
not accept the flaws which later Christians have introduced in
religion.
Head Priest (addressing Michael, Peter and Isabella's mother): Now you
have known her ideas. There is no other remedy to it except the sword.
Peter: Please give me time. I will explain to her and she will surely
be reformed. I will remove her misunderstandings. Anyway, she has
studied books on theology.
Head Priest: Well, you may try and see, otherwise I will think of some
other remedy for her.
After this talk the meeting dispersed and the head priest, taking
Peter and Michael with him, left for the great church as there was a
large crowd of Christians of Spain to see the relics (bones, etc.) of
Prophets and the head priest. Theyhad come from long distances to
participate in the ceremony and the head priest had gone to bless
thousands of Christians.
The priests having left, Isabella went to her room and silently
thought about her future. She was now convinced that she was sure to
be put to torture and she will have to face severe trials. Yet she
found her mind at ease and heart strong and prepared to meet all
troubles.
She took out a paper from her table and wrotea letter to her friend
Mirano (daughter of Priest Michael) to the following effect:
"My dear sister!
"Last night at nine I attended the meeting of Muslim divines at which
my spiritual father Umar Lahmi and other divines were present. How can
I describe its atmosphere, my sister ! A wonderful spiritual assembly
it was. My participation in it greatly fortified my heart. I wish you
were also present there. I have made a promise with their spiritual
leader Ziadb. Umar to take you with me tomorrow or day after to them.
A strange thing happened today. It appears that I am going to be put
to trial. Pray that God may keep me ever on the right path. It so
happened that my father got some information about me that I have
embraced Islam and so he called your father [Michael] andPeter to his
house and many questions were asked from me. Now, justfancy with my
father on one side and Michael andPeter on the other, in what
difficult position I was placed. But I also gave them stunning
replies. Now, Peter has given promise to my father that he will make
me understand. If any such occasion comes you must also be present
along with other three friends . Other details I will give you
verbally.
"Your sister, Isabella."
After finishing the letter she called her maidservant and told herto
go to Mirano and bring from her a book. She also gave her the letter
which, she said, was lying with her for some time and asked her to
deliver it to Mirano. The maid-servant did as she was ordered and,
going to Michael's house,gave the letter to Mirano,who immediately
openedand read it and said to the maid-servant that shewill herself
bring the book in the evening.
Isabella and her other friends met together in the evening in the same
garden in which Isabella had first heard the talk ofUmar Lahmi. She
informed her friends all that had happened and consulted them. It was
also decided that next evening they should all go to attend the
meeting of Ziad b. Umar and also inform him of everything. After
enjoying the evening walk of the garden all the girls left for their
respective homes.
Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

NOBEL PRIZE Understanding cells - Shinya Yamanaka of Japan.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2012 goes to scientists
John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka fortheir pioneering researchon stem
cells.
-But the idea that the specialised cells could somehow be made to
de-differentiate never completely disappeared. Experimental strategies
were attempted at various times to achieve this. Hans Spemann (Nobel
Prize 1935) had conceived of what he had called a "fantastic
experiment" in which nuclei from differentiated cells could be
transferred into the cytoplasm of an immature cell and its development
potential tested.
This basic idea came to be realised in the early 1950s by Robert
Briggs and Thomas King, who developed a technique totransfer cell
nuclei from both undifferentiated and differentiated cells to an
enucleated (from which the nucleus had been removed) fertilised egg in
the frog species Rana pipiens. Briggs and King found that the transfer
of the embryonicundifferentiated cell nucleus led to the development
of the enucleated egg cell into the tadpole stage and that this did
not happen in the case of the nucleusof the differentiated cell.
Therefore, they concluded that differentiated cells undergo
irreversible changes in such a way that their capacity to support
development was lost. This only confirmed the prevalent view.
Gurdon's research
Enter Gurdon, who had trained in embryology at Oxford. In 1958, as a
graduate student, he repeated the Briggs-King experiment but with a
different frog family, Xenopus laevis. He enucleated the eggs by
ultraviolet radiation and found that a few tadpoles were indeed
created when the eggs were transplanted with nuclei from cells from
thelining of tadpole intestines (Figure 1). ThusGurdon succeeded
whereBriggs and King had failed. He also showed that the efficiency of
the process could be greatly increased by performing serial
transplantation, through which he could revert the status of a large
proportion of all the epithelial cells of the tadpole intestine. This
ledhim to conclude that differentiated somatic cell nuclei had the
potential to revert to pluripotency.
So his discovery was not immediately accepted by the scientific
community given the results of scientists of the calibre ofBriggs and
King. "Indeed," Gurdon said in the post-prize announcement
interviewwith the Nobel Foundation, "there was quite a period after
the early work when people did not believe the results. So it took
nearly 10 years for the major result to be accepted."
Soon after his major finding Gurdon left his frogs, which he had grown
by nuclear transfer, with his supervisor and moved to Caltech where he
had taken a post-doctoral position and began to work in a completely
unrelated field. The frogswere tended to by his supervisor and a
technician. "So by 1962," Gurdon recalls, "they were adults and one
could publish a paper to say that these animals, derived from nuclear
transfer, really were absolutely normal. So it took a little time to
get through…. So it's entirely reasonable for the skeptics to say,
'well, these well-established people have already done the experiment
andhere is a graduate student from Europe whois disagreeing with them…
why should we pay attention to that?'"
SOURCE: NOBEL FOUNDATION
Figure 1: John gurdon used ultraviolet light to destroy the cell
nucleus in a frog egg (1). He then replaced the cell nucleus with a
differentiated intestinal epithelial cell from a tadpole (2). Many
manipulated eggs did not develop, but in some cases normal swimming
tadpoles were generated(3). This showed that the genetic information
required to generate the differentiated cells in a tadpole remained
intact in the donor cell nucleus. Later studies have shownthat mammals
can also becloned by this technique (4).
Gurdon's discovery introduced a new research field based on somatic
cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) as a method to understand how cells
change as they become specialised and also how this process could be
reversed. This formed the basis for the first cloned mammal, the sheep
Dolly, by Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell, which the SCNThad created by
turning an adult mammary gland epithelial cell into an enucleated
sheep egg. One significant modification that Wilmut and Campbell did
was to induce the mammary epithelial cells into
quiescence—non-dividing state—which was found to be better to
synchronise with the embryo in the early development phase.Since
Dolly, many mammalian species have been cloned using SCNT, including
mouse, cow, pig, wolf and African wildcat.
A fundamental question remained, however, afterGurdon's path-breaking
work. What Gurdon had shown was that a differentiated cell nucleus had
the capacity to revert to an undifferentiated pluripotent state. But
is itpossible to induce this reversal in an intact differentiated cell
without any nuclear transfer? This was considered to be impossible or
at the very least requiring very complex reorganisation in the cell to
unlock the differentiated state.
Yamanaka's research
Then came Shinya Yamanaka, who believed otherwise. He approached the
problem of reprogramming adult somatic cells systematically.
Interestingly, Yamanaka had started out his careeras an orthopaedic
surgeon but found that "he was not so good at surgery". He felt that,
as asurgeon, he was not able to help many patients. Hewas also
concerned about finding cure for intractable diseases such as the
motor neuron disease amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Andso he
decided to take up basic medical sciences. Hedid his PhD in
pharmacology. During hispostdoctoral work at the Gladstone Institute
in the mid-1990s involving knock-out (KO) mice, he came across
embryonic stem (ES) cells. He had identified a new gene that seemed to
have significance for cancer. To study that gene, he made a KO mouse
and discovered that the gene was very important for pluripotency in
mouse ES cells.
Back in Japan, he set up his own laboratory at theNara Institute of
Science and Technology to study this problem of reprogramming. His
laboratory focussed on transcription factors expressed in ES cells
that were important for maintaining pluripotencyin ES cells. From his
work and that of the others, it seemed that a large number of factors
were responsible. It was also known then that ES cells could induce
pluripotency in somatic cell nuclei after induced cell fusions between
ES cells and somatic cells. Armed with this knowledge, Yamanaka
identified a set of 24 factors as candidates to reinstate
pluripotency.
In one of his first experiments, he introduced all 24 genes, encoding
these transcription factors into skin fibroblasts (connective tissue
cells), and a few of them actually generated cell colonies that
resembled ES cells. He whittled down the number of genes one by one to
identify finally a combination of only four transcription factors
(Myc, Oct3/4, Sox2 and Klf4) that were sufficient to convert mouse
embryonic fibroblasts to pluripotent stem cells (Figure 2). These
pluripotent stem cells, which he called induced pluripotent stem cells
(iPScells), appeared at a very low frequency.