Story Part 5 - Under the Willow Tree

I LOOKED IN THE direction where Satchel went but he was no where in
sight. I furrowed my eyebrows.
That was weird, he was just here a minute ago. I jumped when the back
door slammed open by the wind. By now the sunwas nearing its end,
setting over the hills painting the sky a mesmerizing hue.
A light brush of wind swept my hair as I stepped outside into the
yard. I squinted when I could make out a red flagfluttering in the
distance.
I followed it as my navigation point.
My high heels stuck into the grass making me grunt and moan. I had to
remind myself that I'd have to buy some more as the gritty mud would
devalue them to zero.
I shivered a little. I really should have put a jacket on. I was still
in my blousse.
The tiny hutt was visible now as well as Point Lakeand I marveled at
how a few pieces of wood had turned into such an architectural
structure.
It started out with a few tiny pieces of wood that sat crookedly on the ground.
Satchel and I made it partof our pact that we'd transform it into an
enormous hide out. Now it was a tree hutt sitting high in the willow
tree.
The thick trunk knotted around loosely, while theleaves draped to the
ground. The weeping willow tree.
My name sake so my grams used to say. My real mom loved coming here,
sitting under it to read. I'd looked alot like her, but she died a few
hours after having me. She died of a fever. Not so much I knew about
that, my father refused tospeak of her. If it weren'tfor my Grams, I'd
probably know next to nothing about her.
I ached to know her and what it would be like to meet her. I guess I
got myfix by visiting this tree. My dad married a year later like he'd
banished her memory and moved on.
I let my finger skim over the scratched letters that were carved in the trunk.
S.M & H.G was hea Jun 16 1978
I smiled. My parents, Sherri Micheals, my mom and my dad Henry
Garrison ingraved their names in here when theyfirst moved here. They
promised to marry as soon as I was born, but I guess, life had a
differentplan for the two of them.
I moved my eyes further down the trunk and caught myself laughing at
the messy kid writing Ihad done when I was five.
W.G & S.H was hea Feb 1996
Satchel and I had markedour spot here too. I sat down and over-looked
the horizon. Orange and pink brushed over the sky. It was beautiful.
"You really shouldn't sit there, not unless you want to ruin your
pretty clothes. I hear it can get alittle dirty around here." Ialmost
jumped out of my skin. I turned to the voice. It was Satchel.
His hair was hanging freeagain, shirt rolled up to his elbows, and his
piercing gaze reflected nicely with the sunset, he'd gotten himself
dirty...again. I shrugged.
"Figured they'll get dirty from the wind. So I didn'treally see the
point in trying." I said avoiding his eyes. He scoffed.
"That bad?" I grimaced.
No it was worst, but sitting here was nice. Peaceful. I almost missed
this feeling. Having dreams beyond the horizon, Wanting to be somebody
you wanted tobe instead of what other people expected you to be. I
sighed.
New York had shaped meinto a lot of things, but I never thought I'd be
someone I didn't like. Too many people wanting me to be somebody and
I'd been so overwhelmed with pressure I'd changed my whole lifestyle
to fit in.
I had a boyfriend that was more into himself than he was with me. A
BFF that I was sure was sleeping with him, and a life that existed of
cheerleading and mindless parties.
Sitting here made me think of what I'd dreamed of being when Iwas
little. A writer. But that dream was lost and gone with the wind. It
was all about status nowadays. Looks and fashion only went so far. If
you had wealth? You had the world at the tip of your fingers. Or so I
thought.
He pointed to the groundbeside me. "May I?" I shrugged.
"Free country." I muttered.
I skimmed my hands overmy arms and shivered slightly. It was getting cold.
"Here. I promise it's not dirty." he said handing me his jacket. I
eyed him warily and almost smiled.
Here I was being a rude little brat and this boy sitting next to me
was worried I'd get a cold. I took it and he helped me with it,
draping it over my shoulders. The heat instantly warming me.
"I never picked you for the gentleman type." I said a moment later. He shrugged.
"I never picked you for the spoilt type either." Heteased and a smirk
twitched at his lips. I sighed.
"Yeah well, people change." He nodded and looked out over at the sun
that was dipping lower.
"That they do." he agreed. We sat in silence for a while just drinking
in the sunset. I'd almost thought it was romantic, if my head wasn't
so caught up in my life.
"Can I ask you something?" I turned to him in earnest. He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Shoot." I pursed my lips.
"Do you think...that maybe if my mom was still alive, I'd be a
different person? I'd be easier to be around?"
"Ah..." I shook my head.
"You know what? Don't answer that. I already know what I'm like. I'm
reminded of it everyday in New York." I said finally.
"What are they saying?"
"That I'm a self centered bitch with lots of money. Sometimes I think
if anyone really likes me forme you know? Instead of some girl with
gold."
"Well, they obviously don't know the real Willy.The one I remember
didn't care what other people thought about her. She was the same girl
I used to chase around this tree." I giggled and blushed at the same
time.
God that was one of my favorite memories. Satchel singing to me. He
carried a tune even back then.
"I remember that. Even that silly song you used to sing, how does it
go? Under the willow tree..." Istarted humming the restbecause I had
forgotten the words. I almost gasped as he finished it. He sang.
"-my Willow is waiting for me...eyes that sparkle tenderly, sleepy
hollow mystery...my heart goes wild when she looks at me...because...I
finally found my Willow, sitting under the willow tree..."
His sweet voice gave me butterflies.
My ears could listen to him singing forever. It was sensual and
soothingat the same time. A lot deeper and huskier than the boy who
used to singit to me wriggling his fingers at me as he chased me
around the tree.
"God, how'd you remember the words?" I marveled. It had been so long
ago I'd only remembered one line.
He cleared his throat as ifhe were embarrassed. Then he lifted his
head and looked at me with those light green eyes of his. Hair falling
in his long eyelashes. He smiled.
"Because I wrote them."

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Muslim Women

Children are a great gift from Almighty Allah to all parents. Parents
must think of their children as such treasures that the allthe wealth
and material resources are worthless as when compared to one�s
children. We, as parents, should thank Almighty Allah for blessing us
with children whether they are boys orgirls. Today, it is quite
disheartening to see that some parents rejoice when the newborn child
is a male and show their dissatisfaction when the child is a female.
But, thisshould not be the attitude. Islam does not condone this type
of behaviour, as such was the manner of the parents in the time of
ignorance.
Daughters are without doubt a great blessing from Almighty Allah.
Theyare a means of salvation and a path to Jannah for their parents.
The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated that when a
boy is born, then he brings one Noor (light) and when a girl is born,
then she brings two Noors. It has been narrated in a Hadith that the
Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated that if parents
are kind and generous towards their daughters, then they will be so
close to the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) in Jannah,
like one finger is to the next. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) has also stated that the person who is faced with hardship
due to his daughters, and makes Sabr (is patient), then his daughters
will be a Purdah (curtain) between him and Hell.
The crux of one narrationstates that one who loveshis daughters and
withstands the hardship of grooming and getting them married, then
Almighty Allah makes Jannah Waajib (compulsory) on him and keeps him
protected from the Fire of Hell.
Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Haaroni (radi Allahu anhu), the Peer-o-Murshid of
Khwaja-e-Khwajegaan, Hazrat Sheikh Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (radi Allahu
anhu), states: "Daughters are a gift from Almighty Allah. Those
parents who are kind towards them, then Almighty Allah is generous
towards such parents. Those who are merciful to their daughters,
Almighty Allahis Merciful towards them." The great Saint also said,
"When a girl is born to a family, then between the parents andHell,
there shall be a distance of five hundred years."
It has been stated that when parents rejoice at the birth of a
daughter, this is greater than making Tawaaf of the Kaaba seventy
times. Muslims should also remember that the familyof the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is from his beloved daughter
Sayyidah Fatima Zahra (radi Allahu anha).
Dear brothers and sisters,rejoice on the birth of your daughters, love
and guide them and give them that which is due tothem from your
belongings. Do not deprive them of their inheritance as they also have
say in this. Remember! Daughters are a blessing and not a burden.
ISLAMIC HIJAB - ARE MUSLIM WOMEN OPPRESSED?
The feeling still persists insociety that Muslim women wear Hijab or
the outer covering because they are slaves to tradition, so much so
thatit is seen as a symbol of oppression. Western society says that
women'sliberation and independence is impossible unless they first
remove the Hijab . This view is not correct. Why do Muslim women wear
the outer covering that sometimes covers their face and hides the rest
of their body?
Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran, Chapter 33, Verse 59: "O
Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that
they should cast their outer garments over their persons; that is
better, that they should be known (as such) and not be molested." And
in Chapter 24, Verse 31: "And say to the believing women that they
should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; thatthey should not
display their beauty and ornaments except what appear thereof; that
theyshould draw their scarvesover their bosoms - "
Muslim women all over the world are wearing Hijab as a religious
requirement and a sign of respect, not out of a misdirected sense
of"tradition." It is both a sign of a women's obedience to Allah and a
manifestation of her faith. The Hijab is part of a Muslim's religious
identity. It gives women dignity and self-respect.
Islam commands women to cover their bodies so as not to trouble men
who are weak and unable to resist temptation. In Islam, menand women
are commanded to dress modestly and not appear"naked" in public, even
in all male and female situations.
Just as a short skirt or a see-through dress can send the signal that
the wearer is available to men, so the Hijab signals, loud and clear:
"I am forbidden to you." Wearing the Hijab protects the female from
harassment and men. It isthe western women who are to be pitied for
displaying their private self for all to see.
An American, Ruth Anderson, has said: "Hijabis not a sign of
backwardness, ignoranceor mental incompetence, but a woman's duty and
her right."
A women in Hijab is like a jewel that is of high exceptional value and
that which must be kept hidden. Wearing the Hijab is a choice that
Muslim women make. To discard the Hijab or expose that part of her
body ordered covered bythe Divine Law is to disobey Islamic
principlesand a women's basic Islamic belief.
RE-INTRODUCTION OF HIJAAB IN INDONESIA
Growing popularity of Islamic dress code in Indonesia has started a
new trend. Women from the middle-income grouphave explicitly shown
escalating preference to Islamic clothes resulting in a multi-million
fashion industry as admitted by Aami Waamsu, Editor of the fashion
magazine"Femina."
According to Taufiq Abdullah Nigar of Indonesian Science Institute,
this shocking trend has developed in the short span of the last 2 - 3
years. This has been in the wake of the recognition that Indonesian
men are more respectful towards women in Islamic attire. Previously,
modern Indonesian women wore tops, pants and ordinary scarves.
Nowadays, preference is given to dignified loose clothing with scarves
completely covering the head.
The fever has caught on to such an extent that even non-Muslim
designers have resorted to designing Islamic clothes. Muslim women are
active in social, religious and political fields dressed according to
Islamic dressing code. A really interesting angle of this "fashion
revival" isthat so impressed are thenon-Muslim women by this trend
that they too have begun to imitate it!
BEIJING WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN CONSPIRE TO "LIBERATE" MUSLIM WOMEN
FROM ISLAM
At the Beijing World ("anti-Islam & anti-religion") Conference,
"experts" talked about the need to liberate Muslim women from Islam,
and in general all women from religion. It was easy to see that there
were openattacks against Islam and religion in general. Therewere also
open talks about rights for prostitutes, lesbians and homosexuals. The
Conference also discussedabout the rights of children over their
sexuallives.
Betty Freidan, an American feminist leader and author, talked about
the dangers Islamic conservatism poses to women. In a panel session
entitled "Muslim Women in North America", led by a Muslimdelegate
chosen by the Clinton administration to represent the US as a liaison
between the US and the Muslim and Arab worlds, a panel member
vehemently attacked the Imams of North Americanmosques for fanaticism
against Muslim women inthe "land of freedom".
In another session that was chaired by a feministHindu, she described
how the Vatican had come together with Islamfor the purpose of denying
women's rights. Another speaker in this session, who was a liberal
Catholic, encouraged women to become more "open" and to acquire power.
She also said that "the biggest mistake in the universe" is to
envision an "omnipotent or perfect God." Dr Riffat Hassan, a professor
in Islamic studies from the University of Louisville, explained how
she had been engaged in the last 20 years in developing a"feminist
theology in the context of Islam".
It was also clear from the Conference that the powers who were running
the UN have an agenda to impose their own "Shariah" on the entire
world. Just by attending the Conferenceat government level, the Muslim
countries accepted the principle that they could negotiateabout this
imposed Shariah. Muslim delegates did not realise that they were
actually"dignifying" a gathering that could not be dignified.
The Conference failed to encourage the individuals need in altering
their life styles inorder to combat sexually transmitted diseases; did
not encourage family life and morality; for women (and men) to abstain
from early sex; etc. The UN also encourages that for women to work in
a factory or an office is a right; to stay at home is an oppression. A
woman should not be dependentof her husband; she should be dependent
on her boss.
Muslims throughout the world, including all SouthAfrican Muslims, must
condemn and reject this Conference. What about the women in Kashmir
who jumped into the Jhelum River in Kashmir to protect their honour
from the Indian forces? Why did the World Conference on Women not
speak about that! What about the 70, 000 Muslim women raped, abused
and beaten in Bosnia? What about the millions in Iraq, Kashmir and
Bosnia who are without food and medicine? The "women's right" which
the Conference speaks about is far from the women's rights which Islam
grants.This is nothing but an attempt by the UN and the world in
condemningIslam, Islamic values and creating a world and society
completely devoid of all sensibility and shame. (Facts extracted from
"Impact International" - Vol.25 No.10)
DUTY TOWARDS OUR MOTHERS
A Saint relates that once, having made intention ofperforming Haj, he
left for Baghdad from where he was to proceed to Hijaz. In Baghdad, he
arrived at the house of Hazrat Abu Hazim Makki (rahmatullahi alai)
wherehe found Hazrat Abu Hazim Makki (rahmatullahi alai) fast asleep.
When he awoke from his asleep, he came over to the Saint and toldhim,
"I had the good fortune of seeing Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) in my dream just now, and he asked me to convey a message to
you."
"What is the message?" asked the Saint.
"He asked me to inform you that it would be better for you if you
called off your journey toHijaz for purpose of making Haj, and spent
time looking after your ageing mother and keeping her happy at all
times. This would enable you to perform your Haj in the future with
Allah's Pleasure."
The Saint, upon hearing this, returned home without performing Haj.
ESCALATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MUSLIM COMMUNITY
This almost taboo issue is being brought out to the open. Violence
against women has reached suchhigh levels in the Muslim community that
almost 1 in 5 families is adversely affected. Whether it is physical,
emotional or sexual abuse, it threatensthe very existence of healthy
communities. If women are abused how does a mother then fulfillher
major roles as a wife and a mother? Yet Muslims in South Africa have
not yet acknowledged this as one of the major social problems them all
the time. Research clearly shows that children from abusive homes,
themselves become abusive parents. The highrate of divorce,
separation, extra-marital relationships is a daily occurance in our
society. The disruption and breakdown of families leads to a variety
of social problems. (Courtesy: JIMASA - Dec. 1996)
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE
It is Haraam for women to touch the hand, feet orbody of any strange
man and it is also Haraam for the man to give her the permission to do
so. The Mashaa'ikh and Peers of today should take a lesson from this.
The evil practice of Mureedas (female Mureeds) kissing the hands and
feet of their Peer-o-Murshid must stop. It is totally Haraam for both
to kiss and to be kissed. It is FARD on the Sheikh to strongly forbid
their female Mureeds from doing such un-Islamic acts. Sayyidah Ayesha
Siddiqa (radi Allahu anha) states that there was never an instance
when a woman touched the hands of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam) at the time of Bai'at. Likewise, those persons who
visit massage parlours, etc. and have their bodies massaged or rubbed
by strange women is strictly Haraam and a great sin (Kabeera). It is
Fard on them to abstain from such immoral acts and fear Allah, the All
Knowing and All Powerful.
A FEW REASONS FOR POVERTY
Wealth and poverty comes from Almighty Allah. However, the
piousservants and learned scholars have given a fewreasons as to why
poverty comes and what to abstain from to avoid poverty:-
1. By not reading Namaaz and Quran.
2. By reading Quran without Wudhu.
3. By calling parents by their names or disrespecting them.
4. To be annoyed with receiving visitors.
5. By being unkind to relatives.
6. To hit and scold your children without reason.
7. To eat without saying Bismillah.
8. To eat without washingthe hands.
9. To eat without a hat or with the left hand.
10. To eat near a deceased or in the dark.
11. To leave food opened.
12. To delay food that has been already served.
13. To leave dishes unwashed after eating.
14. To wash your hands ineating utensils.
15. To take a false oath.
16. To talk of worldly things in the Musjid orduring Wudhu.
17. To sleep until the sun rises.
18. To sleep between Maghrib and Esha.
19. To sleep naked.
20. To urinate in the bathroom.
21. To go to the toilet without a hat.
22. To talk in the toilet.
23. To pass urine or stool on a pathway or under a tree.
24. To laugh in a cemetery.
25. To use broken utensils.
26. To use a broken comb.
27. For ladies to remain with the head uncovered.
28. To stand and comb or tie the hair.
29. To sweep at night.
30. To sweep the house and keep the dirt in the house.
31. To keep long nails, of bite one's nails.
32. To sew torn clothes onthe body.
33. To have a haircut while Na-Paak.
34. To keep the pubic hairs more than forty days.
35. To put off a flame by blowing it.
36. To sit on the stoop of the house.
37. To leave shoes upside down and not straighten it.
38. To leave spider cob-webs in the house.
39. To burn the peel of garlic or onions.
40. Not to help a person in trouble at night.
41. It has been mentionedby some pious personsthat to be intimate with
the wife on Saturday after sunset till Sunday morning and on Tuesday
after sunset till Wednesday morning is not regarded as a good time.
They said that if the wife becomes pregnant in this time they there is
a risk of sickness and bad habits in the child.

Advice to Muslim Sisters

In this Western world and environment that welive in, we sadly see
that Muslim females (teenagers) are the target of the Kufaar. Their
aim is to cause Muslim females to lose their respect and integrity,
taking them away from a pious and truly fruitful Islamic life. Many
Muslims females throughout the world today are caught in the trap of
drugs, alcohol, club going, adultery and various other
detrimentalactivities.
My respected Muslim Sisters! Look at what you are doing and see for
yourself whether you arecausing benefit or harm to your selves?
Think of what you are doing and, then Remember! That AlmightyAllah is
watching your every action. My dear Muslims sisters! Dress
Islamically, Do not try to copy the West. Do not strive to look and
dress like the Kufaar. After you leave this world, you being a
duplicate of any film or pop-star will not be of any assistance to you
in your grave or in the hereafter. Forget anddivorce yourself from
thetraps of the West. Instill in yourself true beauty, true respect
and true integrity. Rather than trying to portray a pop-star or any
other Kaafir. Portray Sayyida Faatima Zahra (radi Allahu anha), the
Blessed daughter of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). She
who will be the Queen of the Maidens of Jannat.
Do you wish to enter Jannah? Do you wish to be in the companionship?

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

Umm Salamah - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Umm Salamah! What an eventfullife she had! Her real name was Hind. She
was the daughter of one of the notables in the Makhzum clan nicknamed
"Zad ar-Rakib" because he was well known for his generosity
particularly to travelers. Umm Salamah's husband was Abdullah ibn
Abdulasad and theyboth were among the first persons to accept Islam.
Only Abu Bakr and a few others, who could be counted on the fingers of
one hand, became Muslims before them.
As soon as the news of their becoming Muslims spread, the Quraysh
reacted with frenzied anger. They began hounding andpersecuting Umm
Salamah and her husband. But the couple did not waver or despair and
remained steadfast in their new faith.
The persecution became more and more intense. Life in Makkahbecame
unbearable for many of the new Muslims. The Prophet, peace be upon
him, then gave permission for them to emigrateto Abyssinia. Umm
Salamah and her husband were in the forefront of these muhajirun,
seekers of refuge in a strange land. For Umm Salamah it
meantabandoning her spacious home and giving up the traditional tiesof
lineage and honor for something new, hope in the pleasure and reward
of Allah.
Despite the protection Umm Salamah and her companions received from
the Abyssinian ruler, the desire to return to Makkah, to be near the
Prophet and the source of revelation and guidance persisted.
News eventually reached the muhajirun that the number of Muslims in
Makkah had increased. Among them were Hamzah ibn Abdulmuttalib and
Umar ibn al-Khattab. Their faith had greatly strengthened the
community and the Quraysh they heard, had eased the persecution
somewhat. Thus a group of the muhajirun, urged on by a deep longing in
their hearts, decided to return to Makkah.
The easing of the persecution was but brief as the returnees soon
found out. The dramatic increase in the number of Muslims following
the acceptance of Islam by Hamzah and Umar only infuriated the Quraysh
even more. They intensified their persecution andtorture to a pitch
and intensity not known before. So the Prophet gave permission to his
companions to emigrate to Madinah. Umm Salamah and her husband were
among the first to leave.
The hijrah of Umm Salamah and her husband though was not as easy as
they had imagined. In fact, it was a bitter and painful experience and
a particularly harrowing one for her.
Let us leave the story now for Umm Salamah herself to tell...
When Abu Salamah (my husband) decided to leave for Madinah, he
prepared a camel from me, hoisted me on it and placed our son Salamah
on my lap. My husband then took the lead end went on without stopping
or waiting for anything. Before we were out of Makkah however some men
from my clan stopped us and said to my husband:
"Though you are free to do whatyou like with yourself, you have no
power over your wife. She is our daughter. Do you expect us to allow
you to take her away from us?"
They then pounced on him end snatched me away from him. My husbands
clan, Banu Abdulasad, saw them taking both me and my child. They
became hot with rage.
"No! By Allah," they shouted,"we shall not abandon the boy. He is our
son and we have a first claim over him." They took him by the hand and
pulled him away from me. Suddenly in the space of a few moments, I
foundmyself alone and lonely. My husband headed for Madinah by himself
and his clan had snatched my son away from me.My own clan, Banu
Makhzum, overpowered me and forced me to stay with them.
From the day when my husband and my son were separated from me, I went
out at noon every day to that valley and sat in the spot where this
tragedy occurred. I would recall those terrible moments and weep until
night fell on me.
I continued like this for a year orso until one day a man from the
Banu Umayyah passed by and saw my condition. He went back to my clan
and said: "Why don't you free this poor woman? You have caused her
husband and her son to be taken away from her." He went on trying to
soften their hearts and play on their emotions. At last they said to
me. 'Go and join your husband if you wish."
But how could I join my husband in Madinah and leave my son, a piece
of my own flesh and blood, in Makkah among theBanu Abdulasad? How
could I befree from anguish and my eyes be free from tears were I to
reach the place of hijrah not knowing anything of my little son left
behind in Makkah?
Some realized what I was going through and their hearts went out to
me. They petitioned the Banu Abdulasad on my behalf and moved them to
return my son. I did not now even want to linger in Makkah till I
found someone to travel with me and Iwas afraid that something might
happen that would delay or prevent me from reaching myhusband. So I
promptly got my camel ready, placed my son on my lap and left in the
direction of Madinah .
I had just about reached Tanim (about three miles from Makkah)when I
met Uthman ibn Talhah. (He was a keeper of the Kabah inpre-lslamic
times and was not yet a Muslim.)
"Where are you going, Bint Zad ar-Rakib?" he asked.
"I am going to my husband in Madinah."
"And there isn't anyone with you?"
"No, by Allah. Except Allah and my little boy here."
"By Allah. I shall never abandon you until you reach Madinah," hevowed.
He then took the reins of my camel and led us on. I have, by Allah,
never met an Arab more generous and noble than he. When we reached a
resting place, he would make my camel kneel down, wait until I
dismounted, lead the camel to a tree and tether it. He would thengo to
the shade of another tree. When we had rested he would get the camel
ready and lead us on.
This he did every day until we reached Madinah. When we got to the
village near Quba (about two miles from Madinah) belonging to Banu Amr
ibn Awf, he said, "Your husband is in this village. Enter it with the
blessings of God. "
He turned back and headed for Makkah. Their roads finally met after
the long separation. Umm Salamah was overjoyed to see her husband and
he was delighted to see his wife and son.
Great and momentous events followed one after the other. There was the
battle of Badr in which Abu Salamah fought. The Muslims returned
victorious and strengthened. Then there was the battle of Uhud in
which the Muslims were sorely tested. Abu Salamah came out of this
wounded very badly. He appeared at first to respond wellto treatment,
but his wounds never healed completely and he remained bedridden.
Once while Umm Salamah was nursing him, he said to her: "I heard the
Messenger of God saying. Whenever a calamity afflicts anyone he should
say,"Surely from Allah we are and to Him we shall certainly return."
And he would pray, 'O Lord, give me in return something good from it
which only You Exalted and Mighty, can give."
Abu Salamah remained sick in bed for several days. One morning the
Prophet came to see him. The visit was longer than usual. While the
Prophet was still at his bedside Abu Salamah passed away. With his
blessed hands, the Prophet closed the eyes of his dead companion. He
then raised thesehands to the heavens and prayed:
"O Lord, grant forgiveness to Abu Salamah. Elevate him among those who
are near to You. Take charge of his family at all times. Forgive us
and him, O Lord of the Worlds. Widen his grave and make it light for
him."
Umm Salamah remembered the prayer her husband had quoted on his
deathbed from the Prophet and began repeating it,"O Lord, with you I
leave this my plight for consideration . . ." But she could not bring
herself to continue . . . "O Lord give me something good from it",
because she kept asking herself,"Who could be better than Abu
Salamah?" But it did not take long before she completed the
supplication.
The Muslims were greatly saddened by the plight of Umm Salamah. She
became known as"Ayyin al-Arab"-- the one who had lost her husband. She
had no one in Madinah of her own except her small children, like a hen
without feathers.
Both the Muhajirun and Ansar felt they had a duty to Umm Salamah. When
she had completed the Iddah (three months and ten days), Abu Bakr
proposed marriage to her but she refused. Then Umar asked tomarry her
but she also declined the proposal. The Prophet then approached her
and she replied:
"O Messenger of Allah, I have three characteristics. I am a woman who
is extremely jealous and I am afraid that you will see in me something
that will anger you and cause Allah topunish me. I am a woman who is
already advanced in age and I am a woman who has a young family."
The Prophet replied: "Regarding the jealousy you mentioned, I pray to
Allah the Almighty to let it go away from you. Regarding the question
of age you have mentioned. I am afflicted with the same problem as
you. Regarding the dependent family you have mentioned, your familyis
my family."
They were married and so it wasthat Allah answered the prayer of Umm
Salamah and gave her better than Abu Salamah. From that day on Hind al
Makhzumiyahwas no longer the mother of Salamah alone but became the
mother of all believers, Umm al-Mumineen.

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Dought & clear - evil eye - Correct ruling on one who practices magic or witchcraft .

What is the correct ruling on one who practices magic or witchcraft?
Praise be to Allaah.
Magic in all its forms in haraam according to all divinely-revealed
laws, and there is scholarly consensus that magic and learning magic
are haraam.
Magic goes against that which the Messengers brought and it opposes
the purpose for which the Books were revealed.
Most of the scholars were of the view that the one who practices magic
is a kaafir whom the authorities are obliged to execute.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Sulaymaan did not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen (devils)
disbelieved, teaching men magic…"
[al-Baqarah 2:102]
"but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till
they had said, 'We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this
magic from us)'"
[al-Baqarah 2:102]
This proves that that magic is kufr
Most of the Shaafa'i fuqahaa' were of the view that the one who
practices magic is not a kaafir unless he believes that magic is
permitted or he believes something like the people of Babylon
believed, that practicing magic would bring themcloser to the seven
stars [which they used to worship].
This is subject to further debate; there is no evidence to suggest
that (describing the one whopractices magic as a kaafir) is
conditional upon his believing that to be permissible.
The correct view is that the one who practices magic is a kaafir,
whether he believes it tobe haraam or not. Simply doing magic is kufr.
This is the apparentmeaning of the evidence, and there are no other
texts to contradict this.
Once it is proven that a person is guilty of practicing magic, then he
must be killed. This was proven from a group of the Sahaabah, but it
is not for individuals to carry out this hadd punishment without the
command ofthe ruler or his deputy, because carrying out thehadd
punishments without the authority of the ruler may lead to mischief,
and destroy any sense of security in the society, and undermine the
position of the ruler.

Dought & clear - evil eye - Jinn entering human bodies.

In the last few days a controversy has arisen concerning the matter
ofjinn entering human bodies. Some say that this is rationally
impossible, because of the difference in the essences from which they
were created, as man was created from clay and the jinn from fire. It
has also been saidthat the shayaateen (devils) have no power other
than waswaas (insinuating whispers) and that Allaah has not given them
any power over man. And it is said that the recorded tapes that are in
circulation (recordings of jinn supposedly speaking through people)
are no proof of anything. What is your response to all this?
Praise be to Allaah.
The fact that jinn can enter human bodies is proven in the Qur'aan and
Sunnah, and by the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, and by
real-life events. No one disputes this apart from the Mu'tazilah who
give priority to their own rational analysis over the evidence of the
Qur'aan and Sunnah. Wewill mention a little about this below:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those who eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection)
except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan)
leadinghim to insanity. That is because they say: 'Trading is only
like Ribaa'…" [al-Baqarah 2:275]
Al-Qurtubi said in his Tafseer (part 3, p. 355): "This aayah is proof
that those people are wrong who deny that epilepsy is caused by the
jinn andclaim that its causes are only physical, and that the Shaytaan
does not enter people or cause madness."
Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (part 1, p. 32), after mentioning the
aayah quoted above: "They will not rise from their graves on the Day
of Resurrection except like the way in which the epileptic rises
duringhis seizure, when he is beaten by the Shaytaan. This is because
they will rise in a very bad state. Ibn 'Abbaas said: the onewho
consumes ribaa willrise on the Day of Resurrection crazy and choking."
According to a saheeh hadeeth narrated by al-Nasaa'i from Abu'l-Yusr,
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray:
"Allaahumma innee a'oodhu bika min al-taraddi wa'l-haram wa'l-gharaq
wa'l-harq, wa a'oodhu bika an yatakhabatani al-shaytaan 'ind al-mawt(
O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from being thrown from a high place,
old age, drowningand burning; and I seek refuge with You from being
beaten by the Shaytaan at the time of death)." Commenting on this
hadeeth in Al-Fayd (part 2, p.148), al-Manaawi said: "[The phrase]
'and I seek refuge with You from being beaten by the Shaytaan at the
time of death' means, lest he should wrestle with me and play with me,
and damage my religious commitment or mental state (at the time of
death) by means of his insinuating whispers which cause people to slip
or lose their minds. The Shaytaan could take control of a person when
he is about to depart this world, and misguide him or stop him from
repenting…"
Ibn Taymiyah (Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 42/276) said:"The fact that jinn can
enter human bodies is proven by the consensusof Ahl al-Sunnah
wa'l-Jamaa'ah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 'Those who
eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except likethe
standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan) leading him to
insanity. That is because they say: 'Trading is only like Ribaa'…'
[al-Baqarah2:275]. And in as-Saheeh it is narrated that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'The Shaytaan flows
through the son of Adam as the blood flows through his veins.'"
'Abd-Allaah ibn al-ImaamAhmad ibn Hanbal said; "I said to my father,
'There are some people who say that the jinn do not enter the body of
the epileptic.' He said: 'O my son, they are lying; the jinn could
speak through this person.'" Commenting on this, Ibn Qudaamah said:
"What he said is well known, because a person may suffer an epileptic
seizure and speak in a language that no one understands, and his body
may be beaten with blows that would fell a camel, but the epileptic
does not feel them at all, and he is also unaware of the words he is
saying. The epileptic and others maybe dragged about, or the carpet on
which he is sitting may be pulled, and utensils may be moved about
from place to place, and other things may happen. Anyone who witnesses
such a thing will know for sure that the one who is speaking
throughthe person and moving these things is not human." And he said,
may Allaah have mercy on him: "There is no one among the imaams of the
Muslims who denies that jinn may enter the body of the epileptic and
others. Anyone who denies that and claims that Islam denies it is
lying about Islam. There is nothing in the proofs of sharee'ah to show
that it does not happen."
So the fact that jinn may enter human bodies is proven in the Qur'aan
and Sunnah, and by the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, some
of whose comments we have quoted above.
As regards the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): "but they could
not thus harm anyone except by Allaah's Leave" [al-Baqarah 2:102],
this is undoubtedly a clear indication that the jinn cannot harm
anyone through witchcraft or epilepsy or through any other kind of
disturbance or misguidance, except with the permission of Allaah. As
al-Hasan al-Basri said: "WhomeverAllaah wills, He gives them power
over him, and whomever He does not will, He does not give them power
over him, and they cannot do anything to anyone except with the
permission of Allaah." The Shaytaan (who is the disbelieving jinn) may
gain power over the believers by making them sin and by making them
neglect the remembrance and Tawheed of Allaah and sincerity in
worshipping Him. But he has no power over the righteous slaves of
Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, My slaves (i.e. thetrue believers of Islamic Monotheism) —
you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a
Guardian" [al-Israa' 17:65]
During the Jaahiliyyah the Arabs were well aware of this and mentioned
it in their poetry. For example, the poet al-A'shaa likened his
she-camel's energy tothat of one who was touched by the jinn, and said
that it was the jinn who was giving her her energy.
As regards the causes of epilepsy, Ibn Taymiyah explained (in Majmoo'
al-Fataawa, 19/39) the causes. He said: "When the jinn touch a person
with epilepsy, it may be because of desire or love, just as happens
between one human and another… or it may – as is usually the case – be
because of hatred and punishment, such aswhen a person has harmed them
or they think that he has harmed them deliberately, either by
urinating on them or pouring hot water on them or killing them, even
if the person did that unknowingly. Thereare ignorant and wrongdoing
ones among the jinn who may punish a person more than he deserves, or
they may be playing with him and mistreating him, like foolish people
among mankind."
And I say: the way to save oneself from this is to remember Allaah and
speak His Name at the beginning of all things, as it was reported that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
mention Allaah in many cases, such as when eating, drinking, mounting
his riding-beast, taking off his clothes for any reason, having
intercourse and so on…
As regards treatment (of one whose body has been entered by the jinn),
Ibn Taymiyah said (Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 19/42): "When the jinn attack a
person, they should be told of the rulings of Allaah and His
Messenger, proof should be established against them, and they should
be commanded to do what is good and told not to do what is evil, just
as should be done inthe case of people, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning): 'And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger
(to give warning)' [al-Israa' 17:15]." Then he said: "If the jinn does
not leave after being addressed in this manner, then it is permissible
to rebuke him, tell him off, threaten him and curse him, as the
Messenger ofAllaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did
with the Shaytaan when he came with a falling star to throw it in his
face, and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "I seek refuge with Allaah from you and I curse youwith the
curse of Allaah" – three times. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari).We may also
seek help against the jinn by rememberingAllaah (dhikr) and reciting
Qur'aan, especially Aayat al-Kursi. The Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever recites it will remain under the
protection of Allaah and no shaytaan (devil) will be able to approach
him until the morning." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari). And al-Mi'wadhatayn
(the last two soorahs of the Qur'aan) may also be recited.
As for psychiatrists who do not treat the epilepticin the manner
described,they cannot do him any good at all.
This issue may be discussed in much more detail, but what we havesaid
here is sufficient forthose who want to know a little about this
matter, Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Dought & clear - evil eye - The effect of sihr on the marital relationship

Can sihr (magic, witchcraft) have an affect on the marital relationship?
The saahir (person who practises sihr) does things by which he affects
people with sihr. Sometimes this is by illusion or making thingsappear
to be something else, as Allaah said concerning the sorcerersof
Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning):
"and their sticks, by theirmagic, appeared to him as though they moved
fast" [Ta-Ha 20:66]
They do actions that change how things look in people's eyes, so that
they see things other than they really are, as Allaah says in Soorat
al-A'raaf (interpretation of the meaning):
"So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and
struckterror into them, and they displayed a great magic" [al-A'raaf
7:116]
So they do things to bewitch people's eyes, so that they see a rope as
a snake or a stick as a moving snake, when it isnot a snake at all but
only a stick or a rope.
They may also bewitch people in other ways, so that a man becomes
hateful to his wife, or vice versa. They may do this by bewitching
their eyes, or by giving them evil potions which they get from the
shayaateen,or by tying knots on which they blow and pray to the
shayaateen instead of to Allaah, and seek their help in harming
people. So a man may imagine that his wife is not the wife he knows,
and she may appear ugly or hateful tohim, or a wife may imagine that
her husband is not the husband that she knows,and she sees him as
something ugly and terrifying, because of what these criminals have
done. So their sihr may be of two types, one of which involves
illusions and tricking theeyes, so that they do not see things as they
really are.
The other kind includes that which is called al-sarf and al-'atf
(spells aimed at creating hatredor love), which is done by tying knots
and blowing on them, and using potions which they make by
inspirationof the shayaateen. This second kind may make aman love or
hate his wife, or a woman love or hate her husband. It may also affect
a person's relationship with people other than his or her spouse.
Hence Allaah has commanded us to seek refuge with Him from the evil of
those who blow onto knots, and to seek refuge with Him from every
evil.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Morals in the Life and Da‘wah of the Prophets - II

Adhering to Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) does not only apply to deeds
but also to words. Some of the Companions asked the Prophet, , to make
a tree for them that was known as "ThaatAnwaat" so that they could
hang their weapons on it in order toseek its blessings as the
disbelievers used to do. The Prophet, , responded: "By Allaah, you
have said to me the same as the Children of Israel said to Moosa; they
said:{ O Moosa make for us a god just as they havegods { . " [Ahmad
and At-Tirmithi - Hasan Saheeh [
The Prophet, , was asked about soothsayers, and he said: " They know
nothing." [Muslim] Even ifsoothsayers tell the truth once, they add to
it a hundred lies.
The Prophet, , warned us many times about using graves as Masjids
(mosques). Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } And [He Revealed]
that the masjids are for Allaah, so do not invoke with Allaahanyone. {
[Quran 72:18] Therefore, it is the duty of all people to return in
repentance to Allaah The Almighty, submit themselves to Him, abandon
any form of Shirk , Kufr (disbelief) or devoting any acts of worship
to anything other than Allaah and to believe in Him Alone. People must
also know that Tawheed comes first,as one must give precedence to what
is most important, whether in matters concerning seeking knowledge,
work or Da'wah .
The claims that the disbelievers, polytheists and philosophers have
set the measures and foundations for good morals and that they have
good manners is vain, as what is bred in the bone will come out inthe
flesh. Also, those disbelievers and polytheists will only benefit from
their good deeds in this worldly life, but in the Hereafter they would
embody the verse (what means):
· } And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as
dust dispersed. { [Quran 25:23]
· } But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a
lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to
it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allaah before Him, and He will
pay him in full his due; and Allaah is swift in account. { [Quran
24:39]
2- Adhering to Legislation: All ways are blocked except that of the
Prophet, , and it is not permissible, or indeed possible, to become
firmly established with good morals first, then try to interpret
Islamic texts in a way that would suit these morals. Allaah the
Almighty Says (what means): } O you who havebelieved, do not put
[yourselves] before Allaah and His Messenger,but fear Allaah. { [Quran
49:1] In fact, we are required to derive our methodology, principles,
and morals from the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, , without
permitting ourselves or others to neglect any of the Sharee'ah texts.
In this regard, we have to follow the example of theProphet, , where
we have many proofs. The Prophet, , saw a man walking during
pilgrimage supported by two men, so he asked about him. The people
informed him that he had vowed to go on foot to perform pilgrimage. He
said: "Allaah is not in need of this old man's torturing himself."
Then he told the people: "Order him to ride." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Also, when the Prophet, , saw Abu Israel standing in the sun and not
speaking, he asked the people about him. They said, "He has vowed that
on this day he will keep standing, remain in the sun and keep
silent."' The Prophet, , said: "Let him end his fast, speak, come in
the shade and sit down." [Al-Bukhaari] Sitting in the sun is a burden
that does not bring the person closer to Allaah the Almighty, and
abstaining from speaking is how the previous nations used to fast,
which is not a part of our Sharee'ah . The proof of this is what the
Prophet, , said: "Theone who believes in Allaah and the Day of
Judgment should say something good or remain silent."
Further proof is that when the Prophet, , knew that 'Abdullaah ibn
'Amr was fasting during the daytime and performing voluntary prayers
throughout the night, which made him neglect the rights of his wife,
he said to him: "Fastlike my brother, Daawood, [Prophet David ], who
would fast every other day and never fled from his enemies." [Muslim]
It was also narrated that the Prophet, , said: "Your Lord has a right
over you,and your wife has a rightover you, so give each one his
right." [Al-Bukhaari]
Thus, a person must be just, moderate and careful regarding the
different benefits in life and should maintain a good balance between
them, without excessiveness or negligence. One must also take the
requirements of the bodyand soul into consideration, without aloofness
or committing excess, and should have acomprehensive view of giving
every person his due right.
Another example is when three men went to the houses of the Prophet, ,
asking about his acts of worship. When they were informed about it, it
seemed as if they thought it was insufficient. Therefore, they said,
"How can we compare ourselves to the Prophet when his past and future
sins have been forgiven." Thereupon, one of them said, "I will offer
voluntary prayers throughout the night and never sleep." Anothersaid,
"I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The
third said, "I will keep away from women and will never marry." When
the Prophet, , was told about them, he mounted the pulpit and gathered
the people, then he said: "Why are some people saying such and such? I
am the most knowledgeable and mostfearful of Allaah among you, yet I
fast and break my fast, I offer voluntary night prayers and I
sleep,and I marry women. Therefore, the one who does not follow my
Sunnah, is not of my Ummah." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
The path that leads to Allaah the Almighty and the Gardens of Pleasure
isthe way of the Prophet, , that should not be exceeded. This way
should be followed without innovations as the most perfect human is
the Prophet, , and his Sunnah is the praised way that was followed
byhis Companions . The Sunnah is every thing that the Prophet, ,
did,said or approved of. It also includes any characteristic that was
intended as a means of legislation for the Ummah . The one who turns
away from the Sunnah of the Prophet, , should be told as the Prophet,
, said: "The one who refrains from my Sunnah, is not of my Ummah." The
Prophet, , would say: "If someone innovates something that is not in
harmony with the principles ofour religion, that thing is rejected."
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] It was narrated that the Prophet, , said:
"Every innovation is deviation, and everydeviation is in Hell."
According to Ash-Shaatibi an innovation is an invented way in the
religion that is falsely attributed to the Sharee'ah , even though it
is done with the intention of worshippingAllaah The Almighty.
Innovations are more preferable to Iblees (Satan) than sins, and
theone who does them is among those to whom the evil of their deeds
has been madeattractive, so he considers them good. 'Umar would say,
"Every innovation is a deviation, even if people consider it to be
good." Ibn Mas'ood would say, "Follow and do not innovate as you have
what suffices you. A dhere to the way of the early generations [the
Companions of the Prophet]."
The Companions followed this clear methodology and did notallow any
one to ruin Tawheed or Legislation. 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab for instance,
would kiss the Black Stone and say, "By Allaah, I know that you are
just a stone that can neither harm nor benefit, and I would have never
kissed you if I had not seen the Prophet kissing you." 'Ali dismissed
all the people from the mosque who would tell imaginary and unreal
stories under the pretext of reminding the people and softening their
hearts. Also, when Ibn 'Umar heard a man saying after sneezing,
"Praise be to Allaah andpeace and blessing be upon the Prophet " he
told him, "This isnot what the Prophet taught us. The Prophet said:
'When anyone of you sneezes, he shouldpraise Allaah' but he did not
mention that we should ask for blessings upon him."
When Ibn Mas'ood entered the mosque of Al-Koofah, he saw groupsof
people sitting in circlesand in the middle of eachcircle there was a
pile of stone s and a man standing by each group ordering them to
exalt Allaah The Almighty a hundred times, then to praise Him a
hundred times, and then to glorifyHim a hundred times, andthe people
responded. Ibn Mas'ood said to them, "O people! By Allaah you are
either more guided than the Prophet or you are approaching a
deviation!" They said, "O Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan! Weonly meant to do good
deeds. " He said, "There are many who want to do good deeds but never
do [as they do not follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ]." [Ad-Daarimi]
Any addition or deletion in acts of worship or behavior that is done
with the intention of drawing closer to Allaah The Almighty, is a
rejected innovation even if the intention was goodas long as this act
does not coincide with the Sharee'ah of Allaah The Almighty.

Dawah in history

From an Islamic perspective, there is absolutely no compulsionon
people to embrace it. People have always entered Islam willingly. The
historical presence of non-Muslim minorities living among Muslims is
evidence of tolerance in Islaam.
Islam spread in the most populated Muslim countries: Indonesia,
Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and within Africa through contact
between the natives and Muslim travellers and merchants, who brought
with them not only goods, but also Islamic values such as straight
dealing, honesty and generosity.
The impact of Muslims upon these communities was tremendous. In
Singapore, near the port where the Arab traders used to land, the
residents say that the natives used to prefer to buy from Muslim
merchants because they expected good treatment and fair prices.
As was the case in most of the areas to which Islam spread, peaceful
and voluntary reversion was far more important than conquest and force
in spreading the faith in Southeast Asia. Almost everywhere in the
islands of the region, trading contacts paved the way for reversion.
Muslim merchants and sailors introduced local peoples to the ideas and
rituals of the new faith and impressed on them how much of the known
world had already been reverted. The first areas to be won to Islam in
the last decades of the 13th century were several small port centres
on the northern coast of Sumatra. From these ports, the religion
spread in the following centuries across the Strait of Malacca to
Malaya.
It is unfair to compare the spreadof Islaam in Asia and Africa with
the spread of Islaam in the West, and blame Muslims for not
effectively promoting their religion in the West. Unlike the modern
western world, the Asians' and Africans' history was free from
hostility and enmity against Muslims, and therefore, their reversion
to Islam was natural and easy.
Could Da'wah Fail?
Allaah will guide, through Da'wah(Islamic propagation), those whoare
worthy and qualified for His Mercy; those who have good hearts and are
sincerely searching for the truth. He will turn away from it those who
do not deserve His mercy; those whochose to divert from His way.
Thisis decreed according to His perfect Wisdom and Knowledge.
The success of Da'wah is guaranteed as a fulfilment of Allaah's
promises; He Says (what means): "… And who is more truthful than
Allaah…" [Quran: 4:87]
1. Allaah promised to make the way for Da'wah easy for Prophet
Muhammad salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and his followers alike; He Says
(what means): "And We will ease you toward ease." [Quran: 87:8]
2. Allaah also promised to preserve the Quran, His last guidance to
mankind. It is foreverprotected from any sort of distortion, change,
or modification; He Says (what means): "Indeed, it is We who sent down
the message [i.e., the Quran], and indeed, We will be itsguardian."
[Quran: 15:9]
3. Allaah promised to make Da'wah prevail and reach every place on
earth, so that all mankind will be aware that Islaam is the truth from
their Lord; He Says (what means): "We will show them Our signs in the
horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it
is the truth..." [Quran: 41:53]
4.Prophet Muhammad assured us that Islam is the religion of the future
and will spread all over the world when he said: "Indeed, Islam will
reach every place that the day and night reach. There is no house (in
city or desert) on the Earth except that Islam will enter it." [Ahmad]
Due to all of these reasons, Da'wah can never fail; that is whyProphet
Muhammad expectedhis followers to outnumber the followers of other
prophets; He said: "All of the prophets before me were given
(tangible) miracles, due to which, people believed in them. But the
miracle that has been given to me is indeed a revelation that Allaah
revealed to me [i.e., Quran and Sunnah]. So I hope, on the Day
ofJudgement, my followers will outnumber the followers of other
prophets." [Al-Bukhaari]
In order for Da'wah to be effective, the caller must have sincere
intention and, above all, astrong sense of piety. In order toshare
Islam with people, we must develop strong relationships within our
Ummah (Muslim community) to support these efforts with Da'wah
centresand well-written material. Each of us has a gift from Allaah
and we should not ignore our obligation in fear of rejection or
failure, but join together to contribute our talents and resources to
share the gift of Islaam.

The Da'wah of the Prophets

Calling to Allaah is the way of the Messenger Muhammad and his
followers, as Allaah, the Most High, Says (what means): "Say [O
Muhammad]: 'This is my way; I invite to Allaah with insight, I and
those who follow me. And exalted is Allaah; and I am not of those who
associate others with him.'" [Quran: 12:108]
Calling to Allaah was the mission of all the Messengers and their
followers, in order to bring the people out of darkness into light,
from Kufr (unbelief) to true Eemaan (faith), from Shirk (polytheism)
to Tawheed (monotheism), and from the Fire to Paradise. This call to
Allaah rests upon firm pillars, and is established upon foundations
which are absolutely essential. If any of these are missing, the
Da'wah (call to Islam) will not be correct and will not produce the
desired results - no matter how much time or effort is expended - and
this is the reality which we witness with regard to many of the
present-day calls which are not supported by those pillars and built
upon those foundations. These pillars, which support thecorrect
Da'wah, are clearly shown in the Book (the Quran) and theSunnah
(prophetic tradition), and can be summarised as follows:
1. Knowledge of that which one calls to:
Since the ignorant person is not suitable to be a Daa'ee (caller).
Allaah, the Most High, said to His Prophet (what means): : "Say [O
Muhammad]: 'This is my way; I invite to Allaah with insight
(Baseerah), I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allaah; and I am
not of those who associate others with Him...'" [Quran: 12:108]
'Baseerah' is knowledge. So the caller is certain to face those who
are scholars of misguidance, those who will attack him with doubts and
futile arguments in orderto rebut the truth. Allaah,the Most High,
Says (whatmeans): "…And argue with them in a way that is best..."
[Quran: 16:125]
2. Acting in accordance with that which he calls to:
This is so that he will be agood example - his actions attesting to
his words, and leaving no excuse for the opponentsof the truth.
Allaah, the Most High, informs us that His Prophet Shu'ayb said to his
people (what means): : "…I do not intend to differ from you in that
which I have forbidden to you; I only intend to reform as much as I
amable…" [Quran: 11:88]
3. Purity of intention (Al-Ikhlaas):
Da'wah should be made purely and sincerely, seeking Allaah's pleasure
to seek the Face of Allaah (and seeking His Reward)- not for show,
repute, status, leadership, nor desiring worldly goals. If any of
these goals adulterate it, the call is no longer for Allaah; rather it
is for one's own benefit or for the attainment of worldly goals.
Allaah informs us that His Prophets said to their people (what means):
: "…I ask of you for it [i.e., this message] no payment…" [Quran:
6:90] And (what means): : "…I ask not of you forit any wealth…"
[Quran: 11:29]
Let us take a glimpse at the way in which two of the well-known
Prophets, Nooh (Noah) and Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allaah exalt their
mention, called to Allaah:
Nooh :
The name of Prophet Nooh has been mentioned in the Quran forty-five
times. Let us recall some of these Aayaat (verses) and Soorahs
(chapters). Allaah the Most High and Exalted says what means: "And We
certainly sent Nooh to his people, and he remained among them a
thousand years, and the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers."
[Quran: 29:14] And: "Indeed, We sent Nooh to his people, [saying]:
'Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment. He
said: 'O my people! Indeed I am to you a clear warner.'" [Quran:
71:1-2] And so came to pass a tradition by Allaah,the High and
Exalted, in which the propagation faced trials, ordeals etc. Along
with that, barriers were erected by the enemies of Allaah as a means
of standing in the way of the call to monotheism and towardsits
callers. This is the lengthy history of humankind, from the time of
the Prophet Nooh to our present day; full of dedicated powers standing
in the path of Da'wah to Allaah, the High and Exalted, being publicly
insurgent and intimidating, without shame or discretion. Prophet Nooh
remained among his people for a very long time, but none except a very
few believed his call.So the rest were taken away by the flood, as
they were wrong-doers.
Ibraaheem :
Indeed Prophet Ibraaheem was a trueMuslim, avoiding any creed except
that of Islam(submitting oneself to Allaah only, and following His
commands),and believing that Islam is the first and final message to
the whole of humanity. This was also the belief of those who succeeded
him from among his progeny: Ismaa`eel (Ishmael), Is-haaq (Isaac),
Ya`qoob (Jacob), and Al-Asbaat (the twelve descendants of Jacob who
form the twelve tribes of Israel), may Allaah exalt their mention.
They passed this creed on to Prophet Moosaa (Moses) and `Eesaa
(Jesus), may Allaahexalt their mention, and the matter finally
concluded with the Muslim descendents of Ibraaheem .
The story of Ibraaheem in the Noble Quran shows us that the
orderlyconduct of living, the manner of morals, and principles of
behaviour and ethics cannot be implemented and firmly upheld except if
the `Aqeedah (creed) connects the spirit with the body. Indeed,
Ibraaheem was at the peak of his youth when Allaah, the High and
Exalted, gave him maturity and adulthood, as he denounced the
worshipping of idols by destroying them. He ridiculed and mocked them,
and finally smashed them into pieces. Not only that, but he also
ridiculed the mentality of the people, and opposed them, saying (what
means): "Uff to you and to what you worship instead of Allaah. Then
will you not use reason?" [Quran: 21:67]
Thereafter, his people were overtaken by pride,which lead them to
offence, just as it always does the tyrant oppressors and the
powerless alike, when they have no proof. So, they resorted to
outrageous, tyrannical force, and severe punishment; they said to him
(what means): "…Burn him and support your gods – if you are to act."
[Quran: 21:68]
But, Allaah's mercy and assistance for those who call others to Him
totally voided their sayings and nullified their plan (to throw
Ibraaheem intoa blazing fire); Allaah Says (what means): "We [i.e.,
Allaah] said: 'O Fire! Be coolness and safety upon Ibraaheem." [Quran:
21:69] Take a good look at the 'father of prophets'. He suffered, but
was patient;and was gifted. In return,he was thankful, so the generous
end (of this conflict) was befitting to him because of his graceful
patience. From his progeny, the best of nations were sent out to the
people, guiding with the Command of Allaah, and establishing Allaah's
legislature upon guidance and light. So, similar action must be
displayed by the people of Da'wah: being patient in the face of
rejection, and in suffering in the Path of Allaah.

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''The thunder glorifiesHis praise''

3 billion thunders a year…

A source of energy that moves at a speed of 96.000 km per hour and
releases 30.000 degrees of heat.
Have you ever thought how thunder, one of themost magnificent
atmospheric incidents that Allah creates, is formed and how it is
capable of releasing such a high amount of energy?
During rainfall, thunder and lightning that are made up of bright
lights forming in the course of atmospheric discharge of electricity
are in fact energy resources producing more electricity than
thousands of power plants; besides being a climatic phenomenon. The
answer to the questions of how these natural energy sources are formed
and how powerful they give out light and heat is a wonder of creation
revealing the Ever-Lasting Might and Glory of Our Lord.
A magnificence forming in a split second: Miracle of Lightning
• The energy released by a single lightning boltis greater than the
energy produced in all power plants across the entire America.
• One lightning can light a 100 watt bulb for more than 3 months.
• At the contact point of a lightning to the ground, weather is
warmed up to 25.000oC. The speed of a lightning bolt is 150.000 km per
second and its average thickness is 2.5-5 cm.
• Lightning produces nitrogen molecules that are essential for the
vegetation covering our Earth to sustain its life.
• An average lightning possesses 20.000 ampereof electric power. A
welder uses only 250-400 ampere to weld steel.
• Lightning moves at a speed of 150.000 km per second, that is
almost at half of the speed of lightand it is 100.000 times faster
than sound.
Light released by one lightning is greater than that of 10 million
100-watt light bulbs. That is to say; if every house in Istanbul had a
light a bulb on, illumination from a single lightning bolt would be
greater. Allah announces this glamorous flash of lightning as: "…The
brightness of His lightning almost blinds the sight.." (Surat An-Nur,
43)
How is lightning formed?
Air, warmed by the sunlight rises carrying along the water evaporating
inside it. When this risen air reaches 2-3 km, it comes into contact
with the layers of cold air.
Ice crystals that are formed inside the cloudsat the time of air
rising, release static electric energy formed due to friction. This
electrical energy is loaded positive(+) on top layers of the clouds
and negative (-) on low layers. When the cloud is loaded enough to
ionize the air; lightning is formed.
Why does it thunder?
Lightning heats the air nearby up to 30.000 degrees Celsius in one
millionth of a second. The air warmed up dilates. And it propagates
sound wavesmuch faster than the speed of sound; with a pressure 100
times greater than the normal atmospheric pressure. Similar to the
airplanes crossing the speed of sound, this causes an explosion sound
in the air. And this is named as thunder.
Why does not the light and sound of thunder reach the earth simultaneously?
This is because the sound of thunder reaches us at the speed of sound
(340 m/secondsin air); whereas the visual aspect of the lightning
reaches us at the speed of light (299.793 km/seconds). This causes a
time difference between the two incidents and thus results in the
bolt reaching the earth before the thunder.
What is the difference between lightning and thunderbolt?
When the difference in electric charge becomes greater between the
earth and the cloud, it becomes easier for air tobe pierced and from
earth to the cloud; electrical discharge starts through the conductor
duct formed by the pierced air. The electrical discharge fromthe
clouds is called lightning and the electrical discharge fromthe earth
back to the cloud is called thunderbolt or return stroke.
The fact of lightning declared in the Holy Quran
Surah Ar-Ra'd is one of the chapters in the Quran and it means "TheThunder".
Allah announces that thethunder formed by the lightening repeats His praises:
"The thunder glorifies His praise, as do the angels, out of fear of
Him. …" (Surah Ar-Ra'd, 13)
Strike of lightning reminds us of death
Experiences of those who survived a strike of lightning that causes
thedeath of hundreds of people every year, remind us of death as well
as revealing the helplessness of man in the Presence of Allah.
The possibility of gettingstruck by lightning is one in 700,000; yet
one should not underestimate this possibility as well as the effects
of the lightning. According to the statements made by those who have
been struck by lightning, the electrical current can explode the
buttons and zippers on the clothes and people can faint andfall down.
Due to brain damage, people who have been treated for 1-2 months at
the intensive care divisions of hospitals are having to re-learning
how to walk, how to swallow, or in other words how to live again.
These people have described how they felt, and say it is as if they
"lived death and then were resurrected."
In the Holy Quran, a very similar incident occurredin a strike of
lightning Allah showed to the people of Prophet Moses(as). With a
disgraceful and false courage, the Israelites demanded thatthe Prophet
Moses (as) enable them to see Allah with their own eyes and while
demanding this, they were shown the similar effect of a lightning. The
following statements in the verse "So the thunder-bolt struck you
dead" and "Then We brought you back to life after your death," may be
a sign forthe fact that they felt resurrected after their heart stop
related to the shock as well as the loss of consciousness and loss of
memory they experienced. (Allah knows the best). Here are the related
verses in the Quran:
And when you said, 'Moses, we will not believe in you until we see
Allah with our own eyes.' So the thunder-bolt struck you dead while
you were looking. Then We brought you back to life after your death,
so that perhaps you would show thanks. (Surat al-Baqara, 55-56)

The miracle that prevents the sun’s ceasing to exist

A Giant Ball of Fire
An enormous ball of fire that split away from the Sun has a
temperature of 60,000 degrees and is filled with ionised gas
particles. The reactions that take place inside the Sun, which is a
giant nuclear reactor, release enormous energy. The slightest
deviation that might occur in these reactions, which represent the
fundamental source for the survival of human life, would lead to the
Sun being extinguished or else exploding within a matter of seconds.
The fact that such a danger never arises stems from the way that these
processes within the Sunhave been regulated with a miraculous
sensitivity. When we examine the Sun and theSolar System we encounter
an enormous equilibrium. The effect that prevents the planetsfrom
spinning off into the frozen wastes of space lies in the equilibrium
between theSun's gravity and the planets' centrifugal force. The Sun
attracts allthe planets with a powerful gravitational force, while
thanks to the centrifugal force that stems from the rotation of the
planets this gravitational effect is reduced and an immaculate
equilibrium is established. Were the planets to revolve just slightly
slower, then theywould quickly be pulled toward the Sun and swallowed
by it with a huge explosion. Yet none of this ever happens, and all
the planets continue in theirown courses. That is because, as Allah
reveals in a verse: "Each one is swimming in a sphere." (Surah Yasin,
40)
The Glorious Equilibrium in the Sun…
The Sun is a giant nuclear reactor. Inside it,hydrogen atoms are
constantly converted into helium, as a result of which light and heat
are given off. In order for the light and heat that reach the Earth to
be released, four hydrogens have to combine and turn into one helium.
Hydrogen, which has one single proton in its nucleus, is the simplest
element in the universe. The heliumnucleus, on the other hand, has two
neutrons and two protons. The process that takes place in the Sun is
the appearance of one helium element from a combination of four
hydrogens. Enormous energy is released during the course of
thisprocess. Nearly all the heat and light that reachthe Earth is the
result of this nuclear reaction inside the Sun (Harun Yahya, The
Creation of the Universe). However, it is impossible for four hydrogen
atoms to combine and turn into helium in a single moment. In order for
this to happen, a two-stage process is required. First, two hydrogen
atoms combine and give rise toan "intermediate formula" with one
proton and one neutron.This formula is known asa "deutron." A helium
nucleus subsequently appears when two deutrons combine together.
The Strongest Nuclear Force
We may now ask the realquestion. What is the force that attaches two
separate atomic nuclei together? This force if known as "strong
nuclear force," the greatest nuclear force in the universe. It is
billionsupon billions upon billions of times more powerful than
gravity. It is thanks to this force that two hydrogen nuclei are able
to adhereto one another.
However, research has shown that strong nuclear force is at just the
right level to bring this about. Were strong nuclear force just a
little weaker than it actually isat this moment, then thetwo hydrogen
nuclei could not combine. Two protons approaching one another would
immediately repel each other, and thus the nuclear reaction inside the
Sun would come to an end before it had even begun. In other words, the
Sun would never have existed. The well known scientist George
Greenstein describes this state of affairs by saying "if strong
nuclear force were just a little weaker,then the light of the Earth
would never shine."
The Balanced Reaction inthe Sun
But what would happen if strong nuclear force were a little stronger?
Inthat event, a di-proton with two protons would form, rather than a
deutron consisting of one proton and one neutron. In that event, solar
fuel would suddenly become unbelievably powerful, so much so that the
Sun and all other stars like it would explode within a matter of a few
seconds. If the Sun were to explode, then the earth and all living
things on itwould turn into coal in just a few seconds. Yet thanks to
the mercy of Almighty Allah, our Creator, strong nuclear force stands
at exactly the required level, and the Sun performs a balanced
reaction; in other words, it "burns slowly."
All this shows that strongnuclear force has been regulated in such a
way as to make human life possible. Were there to be any deviation in
this, stars such as the Sun would either fail to come into being, or
else would be destroyed in a very short space of time in a huge
explosion. Allah has created the Sunin a very special way, such as to
support human life, and tells us of this in the Qur'an in verse 5 of
Surat Ar-Rahman: "The stars and the trees all bow down in
prostration."
It is Allah, the Lord of theWorlds, Who created theuniverse from
nothing and then designed and arranged it according to His choosing.
After having created them, Allah bestowed a specificorder on the Earth
and sky, using no previous models. The way that thebodies in the
universe remain stable thanks to miraculous balances is one of the
proofs of the perfection of Allah's creation. As Almighty Allah tells
us: "Among His signs is that He shows you lightning, a source of fear
and eager hope, and sends down water from the sky, bringing the dead
earth back to life by it." (Surat Ar-Rum 25)

How the bird created from clay by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) came to life

God endowed the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) with various miracles in the life
of this world, as seen in: "... Jesus, son of Mary, of high esteem in
this world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near ." (Surah
Al 'Imran, 45) He came into the world with no father, spoke while
still in the cradle, and cured the sick in a miraculous way.
Moreover, when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) made a clay object in theshape
of a bird and breathed into it, the birdcame to life by God's will.
This fact is revealed in the Qur'an:
As a Messenger to the tribe of Israel, saying: "I have brought you a
sign from your Lord. I will create the shape of a bird out of clay for
you and then breathe into it and it will be a bird by God's
permission..." (Surah Al 'Imran, 49)
Remember when God said, "Jesus, son of Mary, remember My blessing
toyou and to your mother when I reinforced you with the Purest Spirit
so that you could speak to people in the cradle and when you were
fully grown; and when I taught you the Book andWisdom, and the Torah
and the Gospel; and when you created a bird-shape out of clay byMy
permission, and then breathed into it and it became a bird by My
permission..." (Surat al-Ma'ida, 110)
This bird comes to life independently of any natural cause, by God's
leave and miracle. A living bird emerging from inanimate matter isone
example of AlmightyGod's peerless, matchlessand sublime creation.
Through this miracle bestowed on him by God, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)
also reveals the illogicality and invalidityof evolutionist thinking.
This is one of His miracles, and an important truth that some Muslims
who believe in evolution ignore.
A similar example mentions the Prophet Abraham(pbuh) and reveals how
God endowsinanimate things with life:
When Abraham said, "MyLord, show me how You bring the dead to life."
He asked, "Do you not then believe?" He replied, "Indeed I do! But so
that my heart maybe at peace." He said,"Take four birds and train them
to yourself. Then put a part of them on each mountain and call to
them; they will come rushing to you. Know that God is Almighty,
All-Wise." (Surat al-Baqara, 260)

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Health - Common painkillers can lead to hearing loss

Loud music or noise isn't the onlything that can damage your hearing.
A new study in men hints that popping over-the-counter painkillers
regularly can also lead to hearing loss, especially in younger men.
In the study, researchers found that men younger than age 50 who
regularly took acetaminophen more than two times a week had roughly
doublethe risk of hearing loss comparedto men who did not take
acetaminophen regularly. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in
Tylenol and certain other pain relievers.
The researchers also found that men younger than age 50 who regularly
took ibuprofen (the main ingredient in Advil) or othernon-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) at least twice a week had a nearly
two-thirds higher risk of hearing loss than men who took NSAIDs less
often. Men who took aspirin twice a week had a one-third higher risk.
So should middle-aged men empty the medicine cabinet of these pain
relievers? Not necessarily, because each individual's actual, or
absolute, risk of hearing loss with these medicines is likely fairly
small.
The overall absolute risk of hearing loss in the population is 1
percent per year. Those who take an analgesic have an increased risk
beyond the 1 percent, Dr. Sharon G. Curhan, of Channing Laboratory and
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston explained in an email to Reuters
Health.
"But if you consider that people continue to take the analgesic
foryears, then after 10 years the risk would be 10 percent in the
overall population and the risk in those taking an analgesic would be
proportionately higher," Curhan said.
"Even though these analgesics are available in the drugstore without a
prescription, they are still medications and there are potential side
effects," Curhan said.
"If individuals find a need to take these types of medications
regularly, they should consult with their health care professional in
order to discuss the risks and benefits and to explore possible
alternatives," she advised.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Medicine thismonth,
stem from nearly 27,000 men enrolled since 1986 in the Health
Professionals' Follow-Up Study. As part of the study, the men, who
were between 40 and 74 years old at the outset, provided information
on analgesic use, hearing loss and other relevant factors every 2
years for 18 years, during which time 3,488 men were diagnosed with
hearing loss.
In the group as a whole, the risk of hearing loss, after factoring out
relevant risk factors, was 12 percent higher in men who used aspirin
at least twice a week relative to men who used aspirin less than twice
a week. The risk was about 21 percent higher in those who used NSAIDs
or acetaminophen at least twice a week.
Among men younger than 50, therisk of hearing loss was higher by33
percent, 61 percent and 99 percent with twice weekly use of aspirin,
NSAIDs, and acetaminophen, respectively, compared to risks in men of
the same age who used these painkillers less often. For NSAIDs and
acetaminophen, the risk of hearing loss increased with longer duration
of use.
In contrast to the findings in younger men, regular aspirin use did
not increase the risk of hearing loss in men aged 60 and older, and
the ties between hearing loss and regular use of NSAIDs and
acetaminophen were weaker in the older men.
Curhan's team points out that very high doses of aspirin are well
known to have toxic effects on the ear. These effects include
reversible hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). On the
other hand, low-dose aspirin has been reported to protect against
hearing loss caused by certain antibiotics and excessive noise.
Very high doses of NSAIDs are toxic to the ears of animals, and there
have been a few reports of very high doses of NSAIDs causinghearing
loss in humans.
In their study, the researchers didnot have information on dosages
taken by the men or why they were regularly using these medicines --
only how often they took them. They also did not have information on
lifetime exposure to loud noise, a common cause of hearing loss.
"Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the US and
factors other than age and noise might influence the risk," the
researchers note in their report. Aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen
are the three most commonly used drugs in the US and they could be
"one of the few preventable causes of hearing loss," Curhan said.

Health - Small daily aspirin dose 'cuts cancer risk'

A small daily dose of aspirin - 75mg - substantially reduces death
rates from a range of common cancers, a study suggests.
Research at Oxford University andother centers found that it cut
overall cancer deaths by at least afifth.
The study, published in the Lancet, covered some 25,000 patients,
mostly from the UK.
Experts say the findings show aspirin's benefits often outweighed its
associated risk of causing bleeding.
Aspirin is already known to cut the risk of heart attack and stroke
among those at increased risk. But the protective effects against
cardiovascular disease are thought to be small for healthy adults, and
aspirin increases the risks of stomach and gut bleeds.
However, this latest research shows that when weighing up the risks
and benefits of taking aspirin, experts should also consider its
protective effect against cancer.
Those patients who were given aspirin had a 25% lower risk of death
from cancer during the trial period and a 10% reduction in death from
any cause compared to patients who were not given the drug.
Lasting protection
The treatment with aspirin lastedfor between four and eight years,but
long term-follow-up of around 12,500 patients showed the protective
effect continued for 20 years in both men and women.
Lead researcher Professor Peter Rothwell said the findings might well
underestimate the reductionin deaths that would result from
longer-term treatment with aspirin.
The risk of cancer death was reduced by 20% over 20 years.
Forindividual cancers the reduction was about 40% for bowel cancer,
30% for lung cancer, 10% for prostate cancer and 60% for oesophageal
cancer.
The reductions in pancreas, stomach and brain cancers were difficult
to quantify because of smaller numbers of deaths.
There was also not enough data to show an effect on breast or ovarian
cancer and the authors suggest this is because there were not enough
women in the trials. Large-scale studies investigating the effects on
thesecancers are under way.
Professor Rothwell said he was not urging healthy middle-aged adults
to immediately start taking aspirin, but said the evidence on cancer
"tips things towards it being well worth it". The benefit in cancer
reduction were found from a low daily doseof 75mg.
Professor Rothwell said the annual risk of major internal bleeding was
about 1 in 1,000 and aspirin roughly doubled that risk. But he said
the danger of major bleeding was "very low" in middle age but
increased dramatically after 75.
Sensible time to consider startingdaily aspirin use would be between
45-50, continuing for around 25 years, he said.
Cancer Research UK described theresults as "promising". But Ed Yong,
head of health information and evidence, said: "We encourage anyone
interested in taking aspirin on a regular basis to talk to their GP
first."
Professor Peter Elwood, an epidemiologist from Cardiff University, who
carried out some of the first studies into the effects of aspirin on
health, said individuals should make up their own minds:
"Aspirin should be thought of in the same context as lifestyle changes
such as diet and exercisewhich can help to preserve health."
Professor Elwood said taking aspirin at night and with calcium seemed
to enhance its effects. Hesuggested taking it with a glass of milk as
this could also reduce stomach irritation.

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