Faith in difficult times

When we look at today'sheadlines in the newspapers and magazines, or
perhaps hear a brief news report on the radio or television, or read
the latest news updates on the internet, it is quite easy for a person
who does not have the Qur'anic perspective andthus fails to consider
that there is good in everything that Allah creates to be overwhelmed
with a feeling of the darkest foreboding.
Unemployment is on the increase in many of the world's largest
economies; financial markets are unable to shake off their doldrumsfor
very long; the twin scourges of homelessness and hunger are on the
rise. Itseems to many that the days of limitless economic growth and
the boundless wealth associated with it are coming perilously close to
a shattering end. People are now feeling great anxiety about not only
their own but their children's futures; recently, in London, England
rampaging mobs of looters took to the streets to express themselves
through wanton theft and lawlessness. All around us, it seems that the
machinery of civilizationis coming to a halt. We see signs of
increasing immorality, of a hardening of attitudes in the hearts of
men throughout the world, of the abandonment of the most helpless
amongst us by not only their respective governments, but seemingly by
their fellow men as well.
At difficult times like this, it is of the most vitalimportance for
the believers to never forgetthat all these manifestations are not
cause for us to resign ourselves to feelings of nihilism. We must
alwaysremember that it is our Lord, Almighty Allah, Who is in supreme
control of all affairs, and all things happen through His All-powerful
Will. Indeed, the life of this world is but a place of testing for the
true life to come, the Hereafter.
One of the reasons so many people feel despair and hopelessness in
their lives is that they have fallen prey to one of satan's greatest
traps; they have put their faith,not in Allah, but in the transitory
treasures of this world. They have replaced faith in our Lord with
faith in the New York Stock Exchange. They long not to read the Word
of Almighty Allah, the Qur'an, but instead their quarterly dividend
statement. They wish to hear only the honeyed words of their financial
advisor, and pay no heed to the call to prayer. They turn for help to
economists, financial pundits and investment bankers, oblivious to
the only One Who can grant themassistance, Allah, the Creator and
Owner of all things. As a result, their lives are an unending quest
for ever-greater riches in the life of this world, all the while
forgetting the eternal life to come. When events no longer proceed in
the manner in which they foolishly assumed would continuefor the rest
of their lives,their hearts are seized with disillusionment,
despondence, fear, and anger.
All too many people today have fallen into this snare set for them by
satan; they have succumbed to his infernal whisperings. They live
their lives in anegocentric manner, obsessed with the accumulation of
riches and the acquisition of "the finer things in life." They care
not for their fellow men; they turn away when they see a homeless man
or womanbegging in the streets. They avert their gaze and walk by as
though these needy people did not exist, and do not even give them a
kind word if perhaps they haven't the money to spare them. In the
worst cases, they privately (or even publicly) castigate these
indigent people and wish them ill. These people have truly fallen into
the lowest levels of moral degeneracy.
However, it is incumbentupon us as believers to profess our great
devotion and deep faith in Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, He upon Whom
all things depend, and for us to give our constant praise and thanks
to our Lord for allthe innumerable blessings which He has chosen to
bestow upon us through His endless munificence. In times of
difficulty, it is of course natural for us to turn to Allah for help
in removing our afflictions;but we must also never forget to turn to
Allah in heartfelt thanks in times of plenitude and show Him our
deeply felt gratitude for the boundless blessings He has granted us.
In these volatile times, we must also humbly implore Almighty Allah to
give us the strength we need so that we may remain steadfast and
continue on His path, and to seek refuge in Allah from the
".......whisperer who withdraws, who whispers into the hearts of men
among jinn and men." (Surat an-Nas, 4-6).
Let us briefly reflect on what faith means to us as Muslims. The vast
majority of Islamic scholars teach that faith is far more than simply
amental agreement with certain facts or mechanical adherence to a
particular set of rules, but rather it is a believer's dedication to
the Will of Allah and the recognition of His Sovereignty; this has
profound implications for the believers' behavior in their families,
in society at large, and in the State aswell. Certainly, Islam is more
than just a mere external membership in a particular creed, or a
simple theoretical agreement with certain sets of principles. For
thebelievers, faith is something that is felt with every fiber of our
being; it is what guides our actions, our speech, our behavior towards
others and how we interact, not only with other believers, but also
how we interact with everyone else in the world. As believers in our
Lord, and as His servants and the followers of His eternal
commandments, it is ourfaith that guides us at every moment of our
lives until the very last breath we draw in the life of this world.
Therefore, we must always strive to deepen and strengthen our faith,
as doing so not only stands us in good stead in the Hereafter through
earning the good pleasure of Allah, but also serves us well inthis
world for the very same reason. It is faith that not only sustains us
in times of hardship, but it is faith that allows us to appreciate the
times of plenty all the more, aswe give thanks to our Lord for His
provision which He, in His infinite benevolence, has bestowed upon us
so that we may use it in His way. Likewise, in times of hardship, it
is our faith which informs us that our current difficulties are but
the means by which Almighty Allah tests us in the life of this world,
and we should use such opportunities as a means of broadening our
religious convictionsand fortifying ourselves spiritually. In this
way, we are able to draw ourselves closer to Him.
Additionally, it is also important for us as believers to remind
ourselves in times of difficulty the lessons we may learn from the
glorious examples of theProphets of Allah, all of whom faced enormous
difficulties on His way. We need only think of the example of our
Prophet (saas), who faced slanders, lies, threats of physical harm
against him, and expulsion from his home. Yet through all these
tribulations, our beloved Prophet (saas) remained wholly steadfast in
his faith in our Lord, and his profound faith was rewarded by Almighty
Allah, not only in this world but in the Hereafter as well. We may
reflect upon the Prophet Moses (pbuh) who faced difficulties in
Allah's path chiefly through the machinations of that most arrogant of
men, Pharoah, a disbeliever whose arrogance led him so far as to
consider himself a living god, andto compel his subjects to worship
him (surely Allah is beyond that). Weshould ponder upon Prophet
Abraham (pbuh), who faced the threat of death not only from his own
people butfrom his own father, when he reproached them for their
persistent worship of false gods. Let us contemplate Prophet Noah
(pbuh) who was mocked by his people although he persistently appealed
to them to repent of their mistaken ways and to worship Almighty Allah
alone. And let us not forget the example of the Prophet Lot (pbuh)
arighteous man and devoted servant of Allah who stood against the
perverse and defiant wickedness of the people of his city. All these
Prophets were despised by their respective peoples whenthe Prophets
made everyeffort to turn their respective peoples away from the Wrath
of Allah, and to set them on the path to the True Religion. Indeed, no
matter the difficulties we may face in our everyday lives, they surely
pale in comparison to the enormities encountered by the Prophets in
their heartfelt attempts to turn their fellow men onto the path of our
Lord.
As we observe the lives of those who disbelieve, we can see how far
they have fallen away. Quite recently, on the website of the
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela ,there appeared an article
describing how young women in the United States are resorting to a
form of prostitution in order to pay for their higher education. The
details ofthis sstory suffice to illustrate the depths to which
someone will sinkwhen one has no sense of morality and concernss him
or herself chiefly with financial matters.
Even an excerpt from thestory shows that all too many students are
all too willing to sell their bodies for the sake of simply paying
their debts. It goes without saying, of course, that this immoral and
squalidbehavior is in flagrant contradiction to the lawsof Allah, who
commands as follows in the Qur'an; "And go not nigh to fornication;
surely it is an indecency and an evilway." (Surat al-Isra', 32)
The lives of the disbelievers are further made insufferable through
drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and violence; however there is no need to
dwell further upon these ills prevalent in societies farremoved from
the principles of the True Religion . When we examine in detail the
root underlying cause for these nightmarish social ills, we find one
common denominator; the materialist philosophy.
In brief, materialism, thephilosophy of the dajjal, has been with us
for a very long time. It has been noted in surviving historic texts
dating back to the Axial Age (cca. 800-200 BC). It emerged to the fore
during the time of the European Enlightenment(the 18 th Century), and
achieved its highest theoretical exposition under the founder of
Communism, Karl Marx. This godless philosophy states that the only
thingthat truly exists is matter; simply put, matter is the only
substance with any reality (surely Allah, the Creator of not only
matter but all things, is beyond that). Materialism went on to spawn
Darwinism (the theory of evolution), Communism, Fascism, National
Socialism and has led to an unending series of wars of conquest,
economic and physical exploitation, the wholesale slaughter of
innocent men, women and children who committed no offense against
their heartless executioners and every manner of human misery.
Materialism, and Darwinism in particular, hold that man is nothingmore
than a common animal, engaged in a never-ending struggle tosurvive
even at the expense of his own kind,and this core philosophyhas
provided the underlying rationale for every nightmare the world has
beheld since itwas unleashed upon the minds of men by the eternal
enemy, Iblis (satan) the loathsome jinn expelled from Paradise due to
his willful disobedience andarrogance.
When we take a momentto see the lives of those without faith, it is
materialism that forms the basis of their erroneous thinking, and has
distorted their hearts and souls and turned them from the love of
Almighty Allah. Not only are these wretched people doomed to an
eternity of punishment in the fires of Hell (unless they turn in
sincere repentance towards our Lord and implore Him for His
forgiveness), but are equally doomed to an abominable existencein this
life as well. It is easily observable that the lives of disbelievers
are filled with loneliness,emptiness, hopelessness,despair, and
feelings of abasement and self-loathing. They seek escape through
narcotics, strong drink, violence, and by the pursuit of the most
debased forms of depraved sensuality and mindless hedonism. These
rotten fruits of thematerialist philosophy are the harvest of horrors
we see every day in the mass media; stories of murder, rape, and
brigandage; parents, children and siblings ruthlessly turning against
one another and throwing aside the bonds of familial love in
unthinkable acts of betrayal; civilized lands such as Norway and
England in shock and mourning because of individuals who think nothing
of perpetrating the mass-murder of innocents, or in looting and
maliciously destroying the property of their fellow men. When a person
regards another person as a mere animal to be used for achieving one's
ends,these kinds of dreadful events are the natural and inevitable
consequence.
O brother and sisters in Islam! We must not let usourselves become
disheartened or discouraged by the deplorable conditions we see around
us in this world; we must always remember that the true life is the
life to come in the Hereafter. However, we must not neglect our duties
to our Lord in the life of this world, either.
As believers, we know that we will stand before our Almighty Lord on
the Day of Judgment, and will be given a full accounting of what we
did, and did not do, as His humble and faithful servants. Therefore,
who amongstus wishes to stand before Almighty Allah knowing in the
depths of his heart that he did not do enough?
In this blessed season of Ramadan, we fast as we were commanded to by
our Lord. We are thus reminded of what it is tonot have enough to eat
or drink, of what it is to be amongst the poorest and most vulnerable.
And though we break our fast at the setting of the sun, we must
remember that for far too many in this world, destitution never ends
except with their deaths.
We must always remember that it is also our duty to help our fellow
men. Part of this responsibility is to not only help our fellow
Muslims stay on the true path of Allah, but to reach out to others,
especially in these tryingtimes when so many have gone astray. We
cannot allow ourselves to look upon others, particularly disbelievers,
with hatred and contempt; when we feel hatred and contempt, we
invariably dehumanize our fellow man and thereby fall into the
materialist trap laid for us by satan, who forever seeks to turn
peoples against one another.
We must also bear in mind that regardless of our theological
differences, it is the People of the Book with whom we share a common
history and lineage; though they arein error, they are nonetheless our
natural allies in the struggle against the pernicious philosophy of
the dajjal, and we must not allow ourselves to be ensnaredby the
retreating whisperer who seeks to inflame the dark passions of man and
cloud his reason in orderto cause enmity and hatred; it is through
causing such malefic emotions to emerge in the hearts of men that the
eternal enemy advances his evil agenda. Let us, as Muslims, live by
the command of Allah when He says in the Qur'an, "Say; O People of the
Book! Come to common terms as between us andyou; that we worship none
but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we establish
not from amongst ourselves lords and patrons other than Allah." (Surah
Al 'Imram, 64). Let us look at the Christians and the Jews as our
cousins, not our adversaries; we have butone adversary, satan, and on
that particular matter of theology, there is absolutely no point of
dispute whatsoever.
In regard to the disbelievers, we must reach out to them with
compassion and love. Not all the disbelievers will necessarily heed
the call of Allah, but there are those amongst them who are
desperately andgenuinely searching for a way out of their unspeakable
condition. It is incumbent upon us, as devoted servants of Allah, to
extend to them not a clenched fist and threatening shouts, but rather,
a hand opened to them in a gesture of love and kind words. While we as
Muslims must, at all times, enjoin the good and forbid thatwhich is
evil, we must also endeavor to serve as examples of the love that
Allah commands us to show, and which was so magnificently illustrated
by our Prophet (saas) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with
them) who never once ceased inviting the disbelievers to the path of
Allah; theydid so not for the sake oftheir own prestige or to satisfy
their own egos, but because their hearts were overflowing with the
all-consuming love which their faith in our Lord gave them. And while
we may invite, we must never compel; as itsays clearly in the Qur'an,
"Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear
from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has
grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks." (Surat
al-Baqara, 256)
The difficulties we face and overcome (by His leave) in order to earn
the good pleasure of Allah and our deep faith and endless devotion to
Him and His commandments will allow us (insha'Allah) to be amongst
those of whom it is revealed in the Qur'an; "Some faces, that Day,
will be radiant (in brightness and beauty), looking towards their
Lord..." (Surat al-Qiyamat, 22-23). Therefore, in these turbulent
times, letus not yield to melancholy, but rather let us discover the
happiness in our love and abiding trust in Almighty Allah, and His
love for us, and let these times serve to deepen our faith in our
Lord, The Ever Merciful and Endlessly Compassionate. - - ▓███▓
Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Winglets, a technology “stolen” from the birds

The bird's flight has always fascinated the man since ancient times.
Their grace and elegance in spreading their wings and fly-off, has
been a reason of deep thinking for the man who seeks answers.Since the
Ancient Greece time, the great philosophers of that era reflected on
the fact thathow it was possible for some creatures to rise up in the
sky and cover amazing distances with such a great harmony. A famous
greek mythologylegend states that Icarus was the first man to fly.
The attempts for man to fly has been unsuccesful until December 17th,
1903 when Wright Brothers managed to accomplish the fateful task so
much desired by the men of all the times. This first flight lasted 61
meters at a speed of about 43 km/h using a rudimentary airplane built
by the same two brothers. From that day, the technological advance has
allowed theimprovement in an exceptional way of that first rudimentary
attempt to imitate the bird's flight. Today, we can see airplanes of
different sizes and shapes fly in the skies of the Earth like birds.
As probably everyone of us know, the airplanes' wing perfectly imitate
those of the birds. Like the bird's wings, those of the airplanes do
have the upper part curved and not just flat. In this way, when
engines generate a thrust, that particular shape makes possible for
the air that flows in the upper part of the wing travel faster than
that in the lower part. As a consequence, avertical thrust is
generated which allows to overcome the gravity force and in this way
theplane can lift up and fly like a bird.
That description presented above is a semplified one, since a lot of
complex mathematics and physicsis need to acurately describe the
dynamic of flight, but that allows to grasp the simple principle that
is behind the technology that everyone or almost of ushave personally
experimented. But man didn't stop here. He wanted again to draw
inspiration from the masters of flight which are the birds. Big birds
like eagles, hawks, vultures etc. do have wings with a particular
structure with respect tothe many other varieties of birds. At their
wing's extremities, they have some "winglets" of different sizes which
allows to eliminate the vertical vortex created around the wing and
this fact can reduce the drag experimented by the wing (fig. 2, 3).
Indeed, during the flightthese winglets curve-up almost vertically
making the wing non-planar and so greatly reduce the drag. With such a
particular wing structure, these big birdscan fly with the minimum
effort and without consuming a lot of energy. Only recently man has
realized this fact and could "copy" and implement this astonishing
detail for hisown purposes. Now, a great number of air companies equip
their airplanes with this apparently simple device(fig. 1,4). Just
like those of the birds, these man-made winglets make possible to
eliminate vortexes (fig. 1) that are created around the plane's wings
and with the consequence that:
 -the airplane's fuel consumption is reduced so it also pollutes less
- using these winglets, the airplane needs smaller wings to generate
the same vertical lift compared with that which doesn't have them. In
this way, one can build smaller airplanes that consume less fuel and
need smaller airports
As we have seen till now,the birds are perfect flying machines,
designed in the most efficient and perfect possible way. From
thesemarvelous creatures, man has been able to draw his inspiration
andbuild his own flying machines and realize his biggest dream: to fly
likea bird. With the discoveries about these winglets, Allah has
showed us again His infinite power and wisdom.
"Do they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky?
None holds them up except Allah . Indeed in that are signs for a
people who believe. " (Surat An-Nahl, 79)
"Haven't they looked at the birds above them, with wings outspread and
folded back? Nothing holds them up but the All-Merciful. He sees all
things." (Qur'an, 67: 19) - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

On the 2012 Phenomenon or: Relax. The World Is NOT Going To End In A Fiery Ball Of Doom

As 2012 winds to a close, and we bid farewell to this year with it's
ups and downs, let us take a few minutes to focus on a pop-culture
phenomenon which has become the subject of discussion and debate over
the past several years, and which has certainly become a subject of
great interest, this year in particular: The 2012 phenomenon.
The 2012 phenomenon is both an erroneous New-Age idea as well as an
apocalyptic concept, and now that the month of December is upon us, we
would do well to examine this false belief in greater detail, so that
we may have a greater understanding of what is sure to be a theme that
we will encounter in the mass media with greater frequency as we get
closer to December 21 st of this year.
Therefore, let us begin with the actual facts, starting with the
vanished civilization of the Mayans.
The pre-Columbian Mayans were a fascinating people well-known by
modern archeologists for their fully-developed writing system, their
art, architecture and their highly developed mathematical and
astronomical observations. Though the Mayan civilization itself is no
more, the Mayan people still exist to this day and can be found in
Guatemala, southern Mexico and theYucatan Peninsula, Belize, El
Salvador, and western Honduras; indeed, there are some seven million
people of Mayan descent found throughout the Central American region.
Their civilization reached its zenith between the years 250 to 900
A.D. andgradually declined over the following centuries.
Aside from the impressive ruins of greatMayan cities such as Palenque
and Chichen Itza, the Mayans also bequeathed to those civilizations
who followed them a legacy which has survived well into the 21 st
Century; theMesoamerican Long Count Calendar.
The Mayans themselves did not invent the Long Count Calendar; it is
believed by most archeologists that it was actually invented by the
Olmecs, an earlier vanished civilization. However, the Mayans adapted
this calendar to suit their own particular mythological beliefs, andit
is from the Mayan adaptation that the 2012phenomenon begins. Thus, it
behooves us to examine what the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar is,
and how it functions.
The Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar is a linear calendar operating on
a base 20 function. Thus, 20 days form a uinal ; 18 uinals form a tun
composed of 360 days (close to one solar year); 20 tuns make a k'atun
, and 20 k'atuns form a b'ak'tun or a period of 144,000 days or about
394 solar years.Therefore, a Mayan calendar date of 6.5.2.10.12
represents 6 b'ak'tuns , 5 k'atuns , 2 tuns , 10 uinals and 12 days.
So what does this have to do with December 21 st , 2012 in the Western
calendar and some apocalyptic or transformative event? In short, very
little. The Mayan calendar goes forward far beyond the completion of
the 13 th b'ak'tun , the cycle whichcomes to its end this year, as can
be seen in the west panel of the Temple of Inscriptions inthe ruins of
Palenque; it calculates the date commemorating the coronation of the
Maya ruler K'ininch Janaab' Pakal (which occurred on July 27 th , 615
A.D) all the way forward to October 21 st , 4772 A.D, which is over
four thousand years forward from the time of that long-deceased king.
Indeed, another truly fascinating, and genuinely mind-boggling example
can be found on Stele 1, in the ruins of the city ofCoba (present-day
Mexico) which projects forward to a calendar date inscribed as
13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0,
or twenty units above the b'ak'tun placing it at 41 octillion years in
the future, which would be three quintillion times the known age of
the universe according to astrophysicists. This represents a
prodigious feat of mathematical computation, to put it mildly, and all
the more so for a society which lacked metal tools, pulleys or for
that matter, the wheel.
Then where does this belief in some apocalyptic event arise?
The Mayans left us with not only a written language, but a literary
tradition as well. In Mayan literature and myth, there is a strong
tradition of "world ages"; much of what we know about this stems from
the Popol Vuh , a compilation of the creation myths of K'iche' Maya.
In their creation accounts, the imaginary Mayan gods created three
previous worlds, with our world being the fourth. The third world
ended after thirteen b'ak'tun , or roughly 5,125 years. The Mayans
Long Count "Day Zero" corresponds to August 11 th , 3114 B.C.; this
means the fourth world (our world) will reach the end of its
thirteenth b'ak'tun on Mayan date 13.0.0.0.0 orDecember 21 st 2012 in
the Western Calendar.
And it is at this point that a good deal of speculation comes into
play. How would the Mayans have considered the end of the cycle? As
the end of time itself? Or perhaps as a reason to celebrate? Sadly,
the available Mayan literature is largely silenton the matter, as it
was more concerned with recording actual historic or past mythical
events than it was with making prophecies. Students of Mayan culture
and history, anthropologists, and other experts have almost no
consensus as to what, if any, significance this turning of the 13 th
b'ak'tun would have had for Mayan civilization, as that civilization
is no more. Indeed, the modern Mayans have openly and publicly
ridiculed the notion thatthe world is coming to end on December 21 st
2012, considering such ideas to be a grotesque misinterpretation of
their culture, mythology and folklore. And in fact, there is only one
reference in all of classical Mayan literatureto the 13 th b'ak'tun ,
which is to be found at the Tortuguero site in the southern part of
the Mexican state of Tabascoon a monument known as Monument 6; sadly,
the inscription itself has been partially defaced. Its translation is
as follows:
It will be completed in the 13 th b'ak'tun
It is 4 Ajaw 3 K'an'kin
and it will happen a [possibly the word "seeing"]
It is the display of B'olon-Yokte' [an imaginary Mayan deity]
In a great investiture.
There is debate among scholars as to what exactly this means.
Somescholars have concluded that a person would be dressed up as this
imaginary Mayan deity B'olon-Yokte' and paraded around; other scholars
dispute this interpretation. Thus, we have no way of knowingwith any
certainty what the closing of the 13 th b'ak'tun meant to the Mayans.
So, if the Mayans themselves left no distinct record of the
significance of this date, or even its meaning within the context of
Mayan civilization, then how did this mistaken belief in some
cataclysmic event occurring on December 21 st 2012 come into being?
For that, we mustlook not to the Mayans, nor other Mesoamerican
civilizations, but rather alittle closer to home.
European identification with the Mayans and theend of the world goes
back all the way to the time of Christopher Columbus. During his
voyage of 1502, he was at work writing a book called the Libro de las
profecias when he first heard about the Mayans.Columbus believed that
his discoveries of distantlands and peoples were prophesied, and that
they were somehow signs of the Christian apocalypse. Indeed, during
the time of the Spanish Conquest of the New World, eschatological
fears were running riot throughout Europe, in particular a false
astrological prediction for a second Great Flood which was forecast to
occur in 1524. Of course, this didn't happen, nor did any other such
world-shattering catastrophe. It goes without saying that in every age
there have been predictions of doom, disaster, mass destruction and
whatnot, and all of themthus far have maintained an enviably
consistent record of being spectacularly wrong. Then in the
early1900s, German scholar Ernst Förstemann represented the end of the
world coming about through a global delugebased on his interpretation
of the lastpage of the Dresden Codex, a Mayan document found in the
ruins of Chichen Itza. It isHerr Förstemann and theDresden Codex which
arguably forms the basis of the current obsession with the year 2012.
In fairness to both Christopher Columbus and Ernst Förstemann,
neither of them mentioned the year 2012 or the 13 th b'ak'tun
whatsoever. Herr Förstemann also pointedout it was quite unclear as to
whether the Dresden Codex itself is referring to a future event, or
something thatmight have happened inthe distant past or an event in
Mayan mythology. However, Herr Förstemann's ideas were repeated (and
considerably embellished upon) by the archeologist Sylvanus Morley in
his book, The Ancient Maya , first published in 1946. These notions
floated about in a rather nebulous form until the early 1970s, which
saw the rise of the so-called "New Age" movement, that false and
perniciouspseudo-religious movement in the service of the dajjal. It
was the New Age movement, a crazy catch-all of false Eastern
religions, superstitions, and crank ideas which seized uponthe Mayan
concepts and transformed them out ofall recognition to the culture on
which these ideas were based.
By 1975, the idea of the 13 th b'ak'tun and its possible meaning was
being explored by several New Age authors, who were generally of the
opinion that a "global transformation of consciousness" would emerge
at the end of the13 th cycle. Of course, thiswas combined with the
"Age of Aquarius" notionthat had become so widespread throughout
American popular counterculture in the mid to late 1960s.
Interestingly, the "Age ofAquarius" has no basis inscience; it is
purely astrological in origin, not astronomical. There are many
interpretationsof what this "global transformation of consciousness"
will entail, from the occasionally sublime to the downright
preposterous such as theEarth passing through a "galactic
synchronization beam" which would result in "galactic entrainment" of
people "plugged into the Earth's electromagnetic battery". Others have
spoken of the Earth's alignment with the center of our galaxy, or a
planetary alignment; neither of these ideas are supported by
astronomy. Astrophysicists will tell you that it's virtually
impossible to calculate when the Earth will alignwith center of our
galaxy, and they will alsotell you there is no planetary alignment
scheduled for December 21 st , 2012.
Now certainly these ideas, though utterly false and unsupported by
science, are far less dire than the recent slewof doomsday scenarios
which have come to dominate the discussion as of late. In examining
this aspect of the 2012 phenomenon, we have to look at a curious
overlapping of disparateconcepts, namely:
1) New Age superstitions
2) Secret knowledge
3) American Evangelical Christian eschatology
As noted earlier, the end of the 13 th b'ak'tun in the Long Count
Calendar will arrive on December 21 st , 2012. However, as to what
significance the original Mayan civilization would have assigned to
this is purelya matter of speculation. For that which is unknown,
there is always something to fill the breach, and the falseNew Age
movement has certainly done that manytimes over. Rather than rely on
scholarly interpretations from anthropologists, archeologists,
linguists, and experts in the field, the New Age movement has created
their own interpretations and impressions of Mayan civilization, and
instead of being able to have a serious and intelligent discussion
about Mayan culture with a non-academic, what we get instead is people
whose heads have been filled with fatuous notions and pseudo-science;
instead of a discussion of how genuinely remarkable the Mayans were at
astronomic calculations, we are treated to discussions on how the
Mayans were allegedly able to calculate not onlythe exact center of
our galaxy, but that they alsoknew of the supermassive
singularitywhich (it is believed) liesat its epicenter, something
modern astrophysics has only quite recently come to hypothesize about.
Instead of giving due credit and a sense of respect to the Mayans for
erecting their pyramids, palaces and cities with little more than
stone and wood tools and raw manpower, we are told that these pyramids
and other impressive structures were erected not by the Mayans, but by
telekinetic little greenmen. In this fashion, theNew Age movement has
distorted not only Mayanculture, but the historic record and
achievements of Mayan civilization, and reducedthe remarkable people
of this ancient civilization to little more than colorful extras in a
B-grade science fiction film.
The New Age movement also relies quite heavily on the concept of
secret knowledge, which is essentially the idea of hidden or
previously unknown knowledge from distant times and places. No doubt
we have all heard of some charlatan who claims to have experienced
their "past lives" in such fanciful locales as Lemuria or even
perhapson distant planets in other galaxies, or seen on television a
spiritual snake-oil salesman who will disclose the secret ofeternal
happiness to you, which he gleaned by discussing the matter with some
extraterrestrial being while zipping around Alpha Centauri in a UFO,
for the mere sum of$2,500. Quite aside from the obvious fact that the
entire New Age movement is nothing but the dajjal's way of leading
mankind astray from our Almighty Lord, Allah (and the fact that italso
serves to enrich it's peddlers beyond the dreams of avarice), the idea
of secret knowledge holds a distinct appeal to those lost souls who
are deeply suspicious of mainstream Western thought, and ultimately
feel a good deal of antipathy toward the culture in which they live.
As an example, a certain British author and public speaker has
recently been selling outseminars in the United States where he
disseminates his "secret knowledge" that our planet is nothing but a
hollow sphere, that reptilian extraterrestrialsare manipulating world
events from their undersea bases, that the Moon is some manner of
spaceship, and that the Queen of England, the U.S. President and other
world leaders are, in fact, reptile/human hybrid monstrosities
determined to enslave us all. That any rational human being would
believe such lunacy (not to mention actually paying money to attend
such a seminar in order to hear what are essentially the ravings ofa
paranoid madman) serves as a clear warningsign that something has gone
terribly wrong in the sociocultural milieu. It is indicative of a
deeply underlying cultural paranoia.
The third ingredient in this heady, if toxic, brewis American
Evangelical Christian eschatology, and in particular the emergence of
dispensational premillennialism as a dominant End Times scenario among
certain sects of fundamentalist Christians in the United States and
its accompanying cultural impact.
Briefly, dispensational premillennialism is the doctrine that the
Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to take up Christians into heaven
inan event known as the Rapture (it should be noted here there is
nothing in the Gospel to support this point of view; those who believe
in it generally cite First Thessalonians, Chapter 4,verse 17. However,
mainstream Christians such as Orthodox Christians, the Roman Catholic
Church, and mainstream Protestant churches maintain this particular
verse is simplya general reference to the Day of Judgment), which
will be followed by a seven-year period of war, death, pestilence,
destruction, famine and general unpleasantness known as the
Tribulation, after which the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return with the
saints to reign for a thousand years.
Until the last quarter or so of the 20 th Century, dispensational
premillennialism was adhered to largely by Calvinists and assorted
Christian fundamentalist denominations. However, starting in the
1970s, this peculiar (and erroneous) doctrine burst onto the public
scene through the publication of The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal
Lindsey, though it had been propagated earlierthrough the Scofield
Reference Bible and Lewis Chafer's eight-volume tome Systematic
Theology . After the 1970publication of The Late Great Planet Earth ,
which was a bestseller (28 million copies), the doctrine entered
mainstream American religious discussion and is still with us to this
day;for example, the continuing popularity and cultural influence of
the Left Behind series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins. It has also
been spread through the work of influential American evangelists such
as the late Jerry Falwell, Ray Comfort, Dwight Pentecost, and a good
many others.
This particular variant ofChristian eschatology is exceptionally
violent, and involves a good dealof suffering, destruction,and the
shedding of oceans of blood (may Allah forbid). As
Christianfundamentalists became a stronger force on the American
sociopolitical and cultural scene towards the end of the 20 th
Century, it was perhaps quite natural that their particular
interpretation of the EndTimes would come to have a cultural impact.
And it has, indeed.
One particular example can stand out. Prior to the changeover from
1999 to the year 2000, there was much hysteria,particularly in the
U.S., about the so-called "Y2K bug", an alleged software defect that
would supposedly cause trains to derail, airplanesto fall from the
sky, the world's arsenal of nuclear-tipped ICBM's to spontaneously
launch, and in short, cause us to all die horribly. Needless to say,
this didn't happen. But there was certainly a distinctly apocalyptic
scent in the air, for those readers oldenough to recall that time. And
there were quite a few fundamentalist Christians who maintained that
"Y2K" was indeed the dread fulfillment of Biblical prophecy; many
well-known Christian personalities took to the airwaves in the run-up
to the changeover from 1999 to 2000 and spreada good many rumors,
stories, false statistics and outright misrepresentations, which of
course did nothing to allay fears. As it turned out, the only problems
encountered were wholly insignificant and easily fixed.
Thus, through a trifecta of New Age nonsense, anincreasingly paranoid
society that is profoundly distrustful of its own institutions, and
the cultural impact of a belief in a violent eschatological event,
many find themselves looking ahead to a particular date toward the end
of this year witha sense of the strongest foreboding. Though it may
manifest itself in different hypothetical scenarios, from the arrival
of the next solar maximum (actually not due until 2013), to our planet
colliding with another celestial object (the so-called Planet X/Nibiru
theory, easily debunked as an object the size of a small planet would
already be clearly visible in the skies, even in daytime), to a host
of other ideas including, but not limited to, an extraterrestrial
invasion much like the film "Independence Day", people are genuinely
preparing for some kind of apocalyptic scenario to play out. This can
be observed by the simple fact that recent statistics out of the
United States show Americans are stocking up on:
1) Non-perishable foodstuffs
2) Firearms and ammunition
Indeed as to the latter, there has been a recorded 32% increase in the
sale of firearms in the last quarter of 2011 according to the American
F.B.I. Until quite recently, there wasa major shortage of ammunition
available onthe American market, this shortage being created by
overwhelming consumerdemand. Similar sales increases corresponding to
those of firearms havealso been noted for non-perishable foodstuffs,
including U.S.military surplus MRE's (Meals Ready-to-Eat) to
civilians. This begs a legitimate question; what are people afraid of?
Are Americans genuinely afraid that their civilization is somehow
going to collapse in the next 12 months? Are they truly anticipating
some kind of cataclysmic event? Is itmerely widespread cultural angst
reflecting a degree of political paranoia?
Or have they been deceived by the New Age movement?
If we take a brief look back at some recent trends in American
pop-culture, we can see that a spate of television shows, films, and
books have surfacedin the last few years, all of them dealing with
the2012 phenomenon. The History Channel, an American cable
network,aired the following programs; Decoding the Past , 2012: End of
Days , Last Days on Earth , SevenSigns of the Apocalypse , and
Nostradamus 2012 . A trip to any reasonably well-stocked bookstore
will reveal scores of titlesdealing with the subject,and of course, we
must mention Roland Emmerich's hugely entertaining blockbusterdisaster
film, "2012" , which went on to gross over 750 million dollars
worldwide. All of this amounts to a sort of conditioning; people begin
to believe that some sort of unprecedented catastrophe is going to
take place imminently which will lead to the either the destruction of
the world, or at the very least the end of human civilization. If the
sociocultural consensus comes to anticipate something so strongly,
itcreates an extraordinarily tense and doom-laden culturalatmosphere;
the society which has allowed itself to become fixated on the
certainty of a violent apocalyptic event basically becomes a
powder-keg in search ofa spark. This is the way of the dajjal. By
poisoning the minds of men and turning them away from Almighty Allah,
he inevitably guides them down the path which ends in their ruin.
Fortunately, some of our Christian brothers have recognized this
danger, and have themselves launched a counter-offensive to tell
people they have nothing to fear on December 21 st 2012. They quote
from the Gospel (correctly) that no man knows the hour of the Day of
Judgment, as that knowledge lies with Allah alone. They point out that
much of the fear associated with the Mayan Long Count Calendar is the
result of deliberate New Age deceitfulness at worst, or a blatant
misinterpretation of Mayan culture at best.
We, as Muslims, naturallylook forward to the coming of Hazrat Mahdi
(pbuh), and the Golden Age in which all mankind, be they Muslim,
Christian or Jew will live together in harmony, peace, and prosperity.
We look forward to the arrival of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) andthe coming of
the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) notas events filled with terror, bloodshed,
and violence, but as events as foretold by our beloved Prophet
Muhammad (saas) who said that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) would not even
"awaken a sleeper" or "cause so much as a noseto bleed". Hazrat Mahdi
(pbuh) and Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come soon, insha'Allah, and they
will bring love, gentleness, and peace tothe world. And surely that is
something worth praying for, and we continue to do so five times a
day.
One last note on the 2012 phenomenon. The government of Mexico is
planning on using the year 2012, without its apocalyptic connotations,
to hopefully revive Mexico'sailing tourism industry, which has been
lately beset by difficulties caused by narco-gang wars and increasing
crime. Their tourism initiative hopes to draw on the popularity of the
ruins of the long-vanished Mayan civilization and their appeal. As
tourism forms a good-sized part of Mexico's annual revenues, let us
wish them well; many people, particularly in small towns and villages
near the Mayan ruins, dependon the tourist trade for their
livelihoods. And let us also hope that the tourists, in turn, will
discover a far more honest and historically accurate representation of
Mayan culture and gain a better appreciation of this fascinating
people, who accomplished so much with so little.
Men ask you concerning the Hour. Say, "The knowledge of it is with
Allah alone. And what may make you perceive?Perhaps the Hour is near."
(Surah Ahzab, 63) - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Fathwa, - • Marriage and Engagement • - The Acceptance of the First Wife is Not a Condition For One Who Wishes to Marry Another

Question:
There is no doubt that Islaam has permitted plurality of wives, but is
it required for the husband to seek the acceptance of his first wife
before marrying the second one?
Answer:
It is not obligatory for the husband, when he wishes to marry
another,to get his first wife's acceptance, but it is a noble trait of
character and good relations for him to appease her by whatever
decreases the pain which women naturally feel in such situations. This
may be achieved by smiling, greeting her warmly andspeaking kindly to
her, and by whatever money you can afford, if her acceptance requires
it. - - ▓███▓ Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓
- -

Fathwa, - • Marriage and Engagement • - The Ruling on Giving an Illegitimate Child in Marriage

Question:
A man married his daughter to another, then it became clear thatthe
husband was an illegitimate child. What is the ruling?
Answer:
If he is a Muslim, then the marriage is correct, because there is
nothingupon him of the sin of his mother and the man who committed
adulterywith her, according to the Words of Allaah, Most High:
"That no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins)
ofanother." An-Najm 53:38
- and because there is noshame on him, if he goesstraight on the
religion of Allaah and if he models himself on standards of behaviour
which are pleasing (to Allaah), according to Allaah's Words:
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you
into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the
most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa
[ i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious) ]. Verily, Allaah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware." Al Hujuraat 49:13
- and the words of the Prophet Sallalaahu alaihiwa sallam, when he was
asked about the most noble of people, he said:
"the most pious of them…" - and he sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam said:
"Whoever was slow in performing (righteous) deeds, his lineage will
not avail him." Muslim no. 2699.
- and it was reported that he Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam said:
"If one whose religion and character pleases you proposes to you, then
marry (your daughter to) him. If you do not do so, it will be a cause
of trial in the land and great corruption." At-Tirmidhi no. 1084. -
- ▓███▓ Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Fathwa, - • Marriage and Engagement • - What is Permissable forthe Suitor to See of the Woman Before the Wedding

Question:
If a man makes a proposal of marriage to a young woman, is it
obligatory for him to seeher? Also, is it correct forthe young woman
to uncover her hair and to reveal her beauty more for her fiancé?
Advise us,and may Allaah benefit you.
Answer:
There is no objection, but it is not obligatory. Rather, it is
preferred forhim to see her, and for her to see him. This is because
the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi was salaam ordered the suitor to look
at her, because that is more likely to produce harmony between them,so
if she uncovers her face, hands and head forhim, there is no
objection, according to the most correct opinion.
Some of the scholars said that it is sufficient for him to see her
face and hands, but the most correct opinion is that there is no
objection to him seeing her head, face, hands and feet, according to
the aforementioned Hadeeth. But it is not permissible for him to do
so, while being alonewith her; rather, her father, her brother or
another must be presentwith her. This is because the Prophet
sallallaahu alayhi was salaam said:
'A man may not be secluded with a woman except with a Mahram.' Muslim no. 1341
He sallallaahu alayhi wassalaam also said:
'A man should not be alone with a woman, forverily Satan makes a
third.' At-Tirmithi no. 2165 and Ahmad 1/18.
Narrated by Imaam Muslim with an authentic chain of narrators, on the
authority of 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him.

--
- - ▓███▓ Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Nullifiers of fasting

The following acts, when done knowingly and deliberately in the days
of Ramadhaan , will invalidate the fast. In addition to being
considered great sins, a person committing one of these acts will have
to continue fasting the rest of the day that he/she committed it, and
he/she is also required to take certain measures of reconciliation as
indicated below.
1-Intentional eating, drinking
Allaah Says (what means): "And eat and drink until the white thread of
dawn becomes distinct toyou from the black thread [of night]. Then
complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]." [Quran 2:187].
This applies to the one who does so consciously. However, if a person
eatsor drinks forgetfully or accidentally or is forced to do it, the
fasting is intact and the day is not to be made up; and the person
should continue fasting.
Abu Hurayrah reported that Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever forgets he
is fasting, and eats or drinks is to complete his fast, as it is
Allaah Who fed him and gave him something to drink." [Al-Bukhaari,
Muslim and others]
Ibn Abbaas reported that the Prophet said: "Allaah has excused for my
Ummah (Muslim community) mistakes, forgetfulness and what they are
forced to do." [At-Tahaawi, Al-Haakim and Ad-Daraqutni]
Similar to eating and drinking is smoking (besides being prohibited in
itself) and letting any substance into the stomach.
However, if a person eatsor drinks out of forgetfulness, then he/she
should continue fasting, and the day fasted is valid and counted and
does not need to make up the day.This is based on the Hadeeth
(narration) in which the Prophet said: "If somebody eats ordrinks
forgetfully then heshould complete his fast, for what he has eaten or
drunk, has been given to him by Allaah." [Al-Bukhaari]
Similarly, if a person breaks the fast before the actual Maghrib
(sunset) or after Fajr (dawn) because of a mistake in time
recognition, he is not to make up that day.
2-Sexual intercourse
Just like eating and drinking, Allaah has forbidden sexual intercourse
during the days of Ramadhaan . Almighty Allaah Says (what means):
"It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to
go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and
you are clothing for them. Allaah knows that you used to deceive
yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now,
have relations with them and seek that which Allaah has decreed for
you [i.e. offspring]. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn
becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then
complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]. And do not have
relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the
mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allaah, so do not approach
them. Thus does Allaah make clear His verses [i.e. ordinances] to the
people that they may become righteous." [Quran; 2:187]
Muslim scholars differ about stimulating oneself[whether alone or with
his wife or vise versa], without intercourse, to the point of
ejaculation. Some of them treat it as complete intercourse, while
others say that it does not invalidate the fast even though it causes
a loss of its rewards.
3-Intentional vomiting
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said: "Whoever is overcome by
vomiting is not to make up the day. Whoever vomits intentionally must
make up the day." [Ahmad and others]
4-Poor Intentions
Failing to intend (i.e. with the heart) to fast from before the dawn
of the day of fast. (Note: voluntary fasting is excluded from this
requirement)
Intending to stop fasting at any moment during the day of fast.
These last two actions arerelated to the heart and to the intention
which is an essential element [or pillar] of fasting. These actions
void the fast evenif the person does not actually eat anything. This
is because the intention is one of the pillars of the fast and, if one
changes his/her intention, he/she has nullified his/her fast.
Except intercourse, a day invalidated by such an action cannot be
atoned by even fasting the whole life. Thus, in addition to the making
up the day, the only way to atone such an act is by true and sincere
repentance and strong determination never to do it again.
The only action, according to most scholars, which requires that both
the day be made up and the act of expiation be performed is having
sexual intercourse during a day of Ramadhaan .
Abu Hurayrah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allaah, ,
and said: "I am destroyed, O Messenger of Allaah!" The Prophet, ,
asked: "What has destroyed you?" He said,"I had intercourse with my
wife during a day of Ramadhaan ." The Prophet, , asked: "Are you able
to free a slave?" He said, " No ". The Prophet, , asked: "Is it
possible for you to fast for two consecutive months?" He said, "No."
The Prophet, , asked: "Is it possible for you to feed sixty poor
people?" He said, "No." The Prophet, , said: "Then sit." A basket of
dates wasbrought to the Prophet, , and he said to the man: "Give this
in charity." The man said:"To someone poorer thanus? There is no one
in this city who is poorer than us!" The Prophet, , laughed until his
molar teeth could be seen and said: "Go and feed your family with it."
[Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others]
Most scholars say that both men and women have to perform the acts of
expiation (Kaffaarah) if they intentionally have intercourse during a
day of Ramadhaan on which they had intended to fast.
5-Injections containing nourishment
Though this type of action is committed intentionally and thus falls
under intentional eating and drinking, it is not considered as a sin
if given to a sick person in need of it. All what is needed is to make
up theday later. These injections are meant to give nourishment
intravenously so that it reaches the intestines, with the intention of
nourishing the sick person. Also if the injection reaches the
blood-stream then it likewise breaks the fast since it is being used
in place of food and drink. Similar is the use of drips containing
glucose and saline solutions, and inhalers used by people sick of
asthma. May Allaah relieve all sick believers.
Involuntarily events that break the fast
The fast is disrupted (andthere is no point or reward then in
continuing to fast) when a woman sees the blood caused by either of:
1-Menstruation
2-post-childbirth bleeding
Even if such bleeding begins just before the sunset, the fast of that
day is rendered invalid. Awoman in this case will have to fast a day
later for every day (or part of day) that she missed.
If a menstruating womanbecomes pure (ceases bleeding) before dawn,
then she takes her Ghusl (purifying shower) and intends to fast the
next day. However, if she becomes pure after Fajr (dawn) then she
takes her Ghusl, and starts praying as usual, and the day has to be
made up after Ramadhaan . She may eat and drink duringthat day as it
is an invalidday as Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen observed.
The Prophet, , said: "Is it not that when she [the woman] menstruates,
shedoes not pray nor fast?" We (present companions)said: Yes indeed.
He said: "That is the deficiency in her Deen [religion]". [Muslim]
The order to make up for the days of menstruation is reported in the
lesson `Aa'ishah, , gave to Mu`aath, , who came and asked her "Why is
it that the menstruating woman has to make up her fasts but not the
prayers?" …`Aa'ishah said: "That (menstruation) used to come upon us
and so we were ordered (by the Prophet, slallallaahu alayhi wa sallam
) to make up the fasts and were never ordered to make up the prayers."
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Your Future is in the Hands of the Best Planner

Motivational speaker andauthor of several self-help books, Denis
Waitley has said, "Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the
past and enjoy working in the present towards the future." We can
develop apositive attitude towardsour future by refusing to dwell on
past hardships, realising that they cannotbe changed, and knowing that
stressing oneself over them is useless as well as foolish. We must
train ourselves to shun depressing thoughts and reject feelings of
fear and anxiety over what might happen in the future.
All future events and circumstances, whether good, pleasant, evil or
difficult are impossible topredict and are totally under the control
of The Almighty and All-Wise; none of the slaves of Allaah The
Almighty have any control over them. Allwe can do is to strive hard to
achieve virtuousness and preventharm from befalling us.
A believer should rely on Allaah The Almighty for favours and
wellbeing and be content with his lot in life. This makes the heart
tranquil, improves his general circumstancesand removes anxiety and
grief.
A beneficial way of dealing with anxiety about the future is to usethe
supplication of the Prophet, , in which he used to say: "O Allaah!
make my religion easy for me by virtue of whichall my affairs are
protected, set right for me my world in which I live, make good for me
my Hereafter which is theresort to which I must return, make my life a
means of increase in achieving all types of good, and make death a
relief for me from every evil." [Muslim].
Also, his saying, : "O Allaah! I hope for Your mercy, so do not leave
me to myself even for (as short a time as) the blinking of an eye and
rectify for me all my affairs. Nothing is worthyof being worshipped
except You alone." [Abu Daawood]
If one repeatedly utters these supplications with a sincere and
attentive heart, while simultaneously striving toimprove his future,
AllaahThe Almighty will certainly respond to the supplications and
grant success.
On the other hand, being emotionally prepared forhardships reduces the
harms that result from sudden afflictions. Being in a state of
preparedness also reduces anxiety, since theanxiety will be replaced
by enthusiasm to get the very best out of the situation in a manner
that minimises harm as far as possible. The best way to handle a
situationthat causes fear, sickness,poverty, or loss of cherished
items, is to staycalm and then prepare toface the worst of it, because
expecting hardship and acquainting oneself with it reduces its impact,
especially if at the same time one keeps himself busy by striving to
prevent it as much as possible.
Of course, this is only in addition to completely relying on and
putting one's trust in Allaah The Almighty. Complete reliance on
Allaah The Almighty is the primary source of strength that helps one
face afflictions and helps to gain the reward from Allaah The Almighty
for his perseverance.
One of the most effective cures for the diseases of the heart (whether
physical or emotional) is having a strong, resilient heart that is
free from anxiety and imaginary illusions brought on by evil thoughts.
This is because when a person succumbs to his imagination, his heart
begins reacting to it. Therefore, if one is unduly worried about
sickness, anger, harm, evil and the loss of loved ones, this will
affect the heart and make a person more anxious and fearful, and
result in physical and emotional diseases of the heart. These thoughts
may evenlead to a person having anervous breakdown, which has serious
health repercussions.
Hospitals are filled with people who suffer from delusions and morbid
imaginations; even strong-hearted people have been affected by this,
let alone the weak-hearted, and this has led many of those who have
been affected by this to do countless foolish and ridiculous things.
However, the one who is safe from all this isthe one whom Allaah
TheAlmighty has granted the ability to struggle againsthis desires and
engage inbeneficial acts which strengthen his heart and expel anxiety
and grief. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } "And whosoever
puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him." { [Quran, 65: 3],
meaning He will suffice him in all that concerns him, in worldly
matters as well as those of the Hereafter. - - ▓███▓
Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Three steps to a happy life

Happiness is the universalgoal of people from all walks of life – be
they philosophers of a high intellectual caliber or unlettered
laborers -- everyone strives in search of happiness and looks for ways
to escape the worries of life.
However, most people achieve only partial or superficial happiness,
which provides temporary relief from their problems. In order to
search for everlasting happiness that will lead aperson to true
success, one must keep an open heart and mind, as the wise one is he
who searches for the truth and adopts it immediately.
1. The most important means of happiness and the foundation of
all felicity is to have sound belief and perform righteous deeds.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Whoeverworks righteousness
(whether male or female)while he (or she) is a truebeliever (of
Islaamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this
world with respect, contentment andlawful provision), and Weshall pay
them certainly areward in proportion to the best of what they used to
do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)."} [Quran,16: 97]
Allaah The Almighty promises whoever possesses sound belief and
performs righteous deeds that he will have a happy life and will also
be rewarded in the eternal Hereafter.
The reason for this is obvious: those who have the correct belief
which leads to righteous deeds, reformed hearts and refined manners
have the basic foundation thatthey can refer to in any event –
regardless of whether these are matters which cause joy and happiness
or sorrow and dejection.
The Prophet describedthis quality of the true believers when he said:
"How wonderful is the affair of the believer! All of his affairs are
good and this is the case for nobody except a believer. If he is
blessed with prosperity he thanks (Allaah) and that is good for him;
and if heis afflicted with adversity he perseveres and that is also
good for him." [Muslim]
The Prophet informed us that a believer's reward would be multiplied
many times over, regardless of whether what befalls himbrings him joy
or sorrow.
2. Keep oneself busy inperforming beneficial deeds and acquiring
useful knowledge.
By doing so, one's heart is diverted from whatever causes it grief and
sorrow, to the extentthat a person may completely forget his worries
and unhappinessand become happy and energized. This is something that
is common to believers andothers, but the believer isdistinct due to
his belief, sincerity, and his hope for reward while learning or
performing beneficial deeds. If this deed is an act of worship then he
will receive the reward for it, and if it is aworldly task which is
accompanied with a good intention, such as working for the sake of
being able to worship Allaah The Almighty better, then this will havea
strong effect in removing his anxiety andgrief.
3. Concentrating on the tasks at hand, not being anxious about
the future and not crying over the past is another way of attaining
happiness.
This is why the Prophet sought refuge with Allaah The Almighty from
anxiety and sorrow. Usually, a person experiences sorrow due to what
has passed and cannot be retrieved, whereas grief is due to anxiety
for the future and the fear of what mayhappen.
A believing slave of Allaah The Almighty should live for the current
moment, focus, and exert the utmost effort to utilize his time in the
best possible way. This will enable him to accomplish his tasks and
forget his sorrow and grief. When the Prophet made a particular
supplication or guided his nation to do so, he would also encourage
them to exert efforts to obtain what they supplicated for and shun
everything which might prevent the prayer from being answered.
As the Prophet said: "Be keen to do that which will benefit you, rely
on Allaah, and do notbe lazy (by not exerting effort) and say when a
problem befalls you: 'If only I would have done such and such, then
the result would have been such and such' rather, one should say:
'This was decreed by Allaah and He does what He wills.' Saying 'If'
opens the gatefor Satan (to cause discontent)." [Muslim]

--
- - ▓███▓ Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Dought & clear, - His brother is gay; whatare his responsibilities towards him?.

I think my brother is gay,and I say this because of the way he talks,
the way he does his hair, thekind of clothes that he wears and the
things that he is interested in. One time I used his USB and saw some
pornography on it, including anal intercourse, and I do notknow
whether it was between two men, because I closed it quickly and erased
the file. I asked him about it and he said he did not know where it
came from, but in the end I found more in his room. I also checked his
personal computer and I found out that he visits gay websites in the
country where he is studying. My question is: do I have to advise him
and warn him about the bad consequences of this sin?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Homosexuality, whether it is among men or women, is one of the most
abhorrent of immoral and evil actions that a person may commit, and is
one of the most shameful deedsin this world and in the hereafter. Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning the one who
commits this act that he has committed so great an evil that there is
no hopethat he will ever be reformed after that; it takes away all his
good deeds and removes all modesty and shyness, because after that he
will not feel shy before Allah or before His creation.
Indeed, Allah, may He be exalted, destroyed an entire town along with
its people, namely the town of the people of Loot, because of this
immoral action. See the answers to questions no. 10050 , 38662 and
20068 .
What you must do for your brother is tell him of the shame in this
world and in the Hereafter that results from this evil, that it will
ruin his spiritual and worldly interests, and that he will become
insignificant to Allah andto other people if he persists in it. Warn
him of the consequences andthe shar'i ruling on the one who does that.
Then you have to block every means that makes it easy for him to do
this immoral action or that calls him to it. If you can move him from
the placewhere he is studying, where he began to find out about these
homosexual websites, then you should do so. Ifhe is under your
guardianship and you are responsible for him, then you should prevent
him from doing that by all possible means. You should remember that
you are responsible for him so long as he is under your care and
authority.
In fact, even if this sinner was not your brother or you did not have
any authority over him, your duty would still be to strive by all
possible means to remove this evil that yousee and prevent him from
doing it, and to advise him for the sake of Allah and warn him
ofAllah's punishment.
Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (70) that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may
Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: "Whoever among you
sees an evil action, then let him change it with his hand [by taking
action]; if he cannot, then with his tongue [byspeaking out]; and if
he cannot, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith."
See also the answers to questions no. 52893 and 39357
Secondly:
These signs that you see in your brother's appearance, namely his
clothes and outward appearance, and the way he speaks, are all evil
actions that lead to homosexuality and immorality, even if you do not
know that your brother has committed that action. So how about if he
were to exhibit signs indicating that he has committed that action?
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed
effeminate men and masculinised women and said: "Expel them from your
houses."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,5436
Al-Mubaarakfoori (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
That is, men who imitatewomen in appearance, clothing, using henna,
voice, speech and all their movements. Such actions are prohibited
because it comes under the heading of changingthe creation of Allah.
An-Nawawi said:
Effeminate men are of two types. One type is those who were created
like that and are not trying to imitate the attitude of women and the
way they dress, speak and move. For such people, there is no blame,
sin, shame or punishment for them because they are excused.
The second type is those who deliberately imitatewomen in their
attitude and movements, and imitate the way they speak and dress.
These are the ones who the hadeeth says are cursed. End quote.
We ask Allah to make things easy for you and to set your brother's
affairs straight and help you to discipline him.
And Allah knows best. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Dought & clear, - Reconciling between the verses “There is no compulsion in religion” [al-Baqarah 2:256] and “and we shall drive themout from there in disgrace, and they will be abased” [an-Naml 27:37].

** Allah, may He be exalted,says in Soorat al-Baqarah: "There is no
compulsion in religion" [al-Baqarah 2:256], and this is a well-known
Islamic principle. But in Soorat an-Naml we find that the Prophet of
Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) sent a message to Bilqees
threatening her and compelling her to become Muslim. It seems to me
that this is contrary to the general principle. How can you explain
this?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The words of Allah, may He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path hasbecome
distinct from thewrong path" [al-Baqrah 2:256] are not contrary to the
command to fight the mushrikeen who turn people away from the religion
of Allah, cause mischief on earth and spread kufr, shirk and
corruption. Fightingthem is one of the greatest deeds by meansof which
people prosperon earth and enjoy safety and stability, as Allah, may
He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning): "And fightthem
until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e.
worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all
be for Allah Alone" [al-Anfaal 8:39].
Islam aims to achieve that which is in people's interests and to
protect them from that which is harmful to them.
The meaning of this verse is that the teachings of Islam are very
clear and the proof and evidence of its soundness are so clear and
definitive that thereis no need for compulsion. Whoever comes to know
the reality of Islam and is not stubborn or arrogant will enter
Islamwillingly. Rather the one who does not want to enter it is the
one who isarrogant and stubborn, who does not accept Allah as his Lord
or His Prophet as his messenger, and does notbelieve in the Book that
was revealed to him. For that reason, those mushrikeen who adhereto
their false religion and fight in support of their religion out of
arrogance and seek to spread mischief and kufron earth are to be
fought.
Nothing is more indicative of that than the fact that at the beginning
of Islam people entered the religion of Allah in crowds, the religion
in the name of which their fathers, relatives and friends had been
killed.
Many of the Sahaabah became Muslim after having fought to defendkufr,
such as Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, 'Amr ibn al-'Aas, Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb,
Mu'aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan and many others (may Allah be pleased with
them all). They became Muslim when the right path became distinct from
thewrong path for them and the teachings and strong proof of Islam
became clear to them. Sothey became Muslim willingly and joined the
troops of Allah after having been among the troops of the Shaytaan.
This is also indicated by the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning): "And had your Lord willed, those
on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O
Muhammad SAW) then compel mankind, until they become believers?"
[Yoonus 10:99]. In other words, you are not able to do that and it is
not within your power; no one except Allah is able to do any of that.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 374
Ibn Jizziy (may Allah have mercy on him) said:"There is no compulsion
in religion" means: the religion of Islam is very clear and its proof
of its soundness is self-evident, so there is no need to compel anyone
to enter this religion. Rather anyone who has sound understanding will
enterit of his own accord, without compulsion. This is indicated by
the words, "Verily, the Right Path has become distinctfrom the wrong
path" [al -Baqarah 2:256], i.e., it is clear that Islam is the right
path and kufr is the wrong path, so there is no need for compulsion
after this hasbecome clear.
End quote from at-Tasheel, p. 135
As-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This refers to the perfection of Islam, because its proofs are perfect
and the signs of its soundness are clear. Because it is the religion
of reason and knowledge, the religion of sound human nature and of
wisdom, the religion of righteousnessand piety, the religion oftruth
and guidance, and it is perfect and acceptable to human nature, there
is no need to compel anyone to enter it, because compulsion is only
needed in the case of that which is off-putting and contrary to the
facts and truth, or that of which the proofs and signs are not clear.
Otherwise, anyone who comes to know this religion then rejects it and
does not accept it, itis because of his stubbornness, because right
path has become distinct from the wrong path, so no one has any excuse
for rejecting it and not accepting it. There is no
contradictionbetween this idea and the many verses that speak of
jihad. Allah enjoined fighting so thatthe religion (worship) will all
be for Allah aloneand to ward off the aggression of those whoare
hostile towards Islam. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that jihad
is ongoing and that jihad in word and in deed is a permanent
obligation. Any commentator who thinks that this verse contradicts the
verses of jihad, and is certain that it has been abrogated, holds a
weak view, as is obvious from the wording and the meaning and as is
clear to anyone who studies the verse, as we have pointed out.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 954
He also said:
"Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path"
[al-Baqarah 2:256] means: once the one becomes distinct from the
other, there is no room for compulsion, because compulsion can only be
in the case of an issue the soundness and merits of which are not
clear. But once it is clear that well-being and happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter are connected to it, then what reason can
there be for compulsion?
Something similar may be said concerning the verse (interpretation of
the meaning): "And say: 'The truth is from your Lord.' Then whosoever
wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve"
[al-Kahf 18:29]., i.e., this is the truth that clear
evidencedemonstrates is true, so that whoever wants to believe may do
so and let whoever wants to disbelieve may do so.
End quote from al-Qawaa'id al-Hisaan, p. 119
Az-Zarqaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the sword and the concept of jihad in Islam, that was
not for the purpose of imposing belief on people or forcing any
individual or group to worship Allah; rather it was to ward off those
who would wield the sword, to prevent them from humiliating and
persecuting the one who entered Islam, and to compel them to leave the
call of truth alone without any obstacle or hindrance, so that there
will be no more titnah and the religion (worship) will all be for
Allah Alone (cf. 8:39).
End quote from Manaahil al-'Irfaan, 2/406
Some of the scholars are of the view that this verse applies
specifically to the People of the Book and those who come under the
same rulings, such as the Magians; they are not to be compelled to
enter Islam, because Allah, mayHe be exalted, says: "Fight against
those whobelieve not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that
which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who
acknowledgenot the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of
the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with
willing submission, and feel themselves subdued" [at-Tawbah 9:29].
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If one whom it is not permissible to compel is compelled to enter
Islam, such as a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Muslim rule) or a
non-Muslim who has been granted security, he is not deemed to be
aMuslim unless he shows signs of having become Muslim voluntarily.
End quote from al-Mughni, 10/96.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The disbelief of one whois compelled to leave Islam is not to be
regarded as anything significant and neither isthe faith of one who is
compelled unlawfully to believe, such as the dhimmi who is complying
with the conditions (of being protected by the Muslim state and so
on), as Allah,may He be exalted, says concerning him: "There is no
compulsion in religion. Verily, the RightPath has become distinctfrom
the wrong path" [al-Baqrah 2:256]. This is unlike the one who is
compelled (to enter Islam) for a legitimate reason, such as those who
were fought of people who are in a state of war with the Muslims,
until they become Muslim, if the fight against them was to make them
choose between becoming Muslim or paying the jizyah.
End quote from al-Istiqaamah, 2/320
See also the answer to question no. 165408
The point is that the verse does not mean that people should be
compelled to enter the religion of Allah reluctantly and by force;
rather what it means is that Islam is easy and clear, with no
compulsion to enter it. The one who enters Islam becomes one of its
people, and the one who does not enter Islam is either one of theahl
adh-dimmah or one of those who have a covenant with the Muslims; he is
to be granted his rights to safety and security and he has to pay the
jizyah, or he is one of those who are in a state of war with the
Muslims and must be fought lest he spread corruption and kufr in the
land.
Secondly:
The words of Allah, may He be exalted, to His Prophet Sulaymaan (peace
be upon him): "Go back to them. We verily shall come to themwith hosts
that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in
disgrace, and they will be abased"[an-Naml 27:37], do not contradict
what we havesaid above. The Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon
him) had gained control over the land, as Mujaahid (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: Four people gained control over the earth, east
and west, two believers and two disbelievers. The two believers were
Sulaymaan ibn Dawood and Dhu'l-Qarnayn, and the two disbelievers were
Nebuchadnezzar and Nimrood ibn Kan'aan (Nimrod son of Canaan). No one
but they gained power over it.
Tafseer at-Tabari, 5/433
The king must be obeyed, especially if he issues commands that are in
the people's interests and are good for the people and the country,
such as believing in Allah and shunning kufr. So it is not permissible
for anyone to go against him in that regard, and whoever does go
against him must be fought, because he may cause trouble in the
kingdom and spread kufr and corruption in the land, and others
mayfollow him in that.
Moreover, there is nothing in the verse to suggest that he compelled
the queen, Bilqees, or anyone else to become Muslim. Rather what it
refers to is fighting her and her army. In fact she becameMuslim
voluntarily, because of what she sawof the great signs that Allah
granted at Sulaymaan's hands; it was not because of fear of fighting
and the sword. Allah, may He be exalted, tells us (interpretation of
the meaning): "She said: 'My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and
I submit (in Islam, together with Sulaymaan (Solomon), toAllah, the
Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)'"[an-Naml
27:44].
From the above it is known that the command to fight does not mean
compelling people to become Muslim.
Thirdly:
If we assume that this story refers to Sulaymaan (peace be upon him)
compelling the Queen of Saba' (Sheba) and the people with her to
accept his laws that Allah sent down to him, this has to do only with
the laws of Sulaymaan (peace be upon him), which were different to our
laws. Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way"
[al-Maa'idah 5:4].
As-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: These laws, that were
different for different nations, are what changed according to changes
in times and circumstances. All of them were aimed at achieving
justice at the time when they were prescribed.
Emd quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 234
Moreover, this ruling, which allows the dhimmi to continue following
his religion and to be granted protection by the Muslims, and does not
require compelling him to enter the religion of Allah, will change at
the end of time, when 'Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him) comes down. He
will abolish the jizyah and will not accept anything but Islam, and
there will be a great deal of good and blessing throughout the earth.
This is one of the things which indicate that fighting the mushrikeen
who turn people away from the religion of Allah is one ofthe greatest
means of bringing goodness and blessings to the people, common folk
and elite alike.
Al-Bukhaari (2222) and Muslim (155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messengerof Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose hand is my
soul, soon the son of Maryam will descend among you as a just judge,
he will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the jizyah, and
wealth will become so abundant that no one will accept it."
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him), "and(he will) abolish the jizyah", the correct view
concerning their meaning is that he will not accept it, and he willnot
accept anything from the kuffaar except Islam. He will not leave alone
those who are willing to pay the jizyah,because it will not be good
enough; rather he will not accept anything except Islam or execution.
This is the view of Abu Sulaymaan al-Khattaabi and other scholars, may
Allah have mercy on them.
Based on that, it may be asked: Will this be different from the
Islamic ruling that exists today, which is that if the kitaabi (Jew or
Christian living under Muslim rule) pays the jizyah, it must be
accepted and it is not permissible to fight him or compel him to
become Muslim?
The answer to that is that this ruling is not ongoing until the Day of
Resurrection; rather it is limited to the time before 'Eesa (peace be
upon him) comes down. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) has told us in these saheeh hadeeths that it will be
abrogated.But 'Eesa (peace be uponhim) is not the one who will
abrogate it; rather itis our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) who explained that it will be abrogated. 'Eesa will rule in
accordance with our sharee'ah, which indicates that his refusal to
accept the jizyah at that time is what is prescribed by our Prophet
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
End quote.
See also the answer to question no. 34770
And Allah knows best.

--
- - ▓███▓ Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Imam al-Taqi (as): Allah (SWT) can give you much more

When our 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) was only 9years old, his father our
8th Imam, Imam Ali Ridha(as) was killed by the king Mamun al-Rashid.
Mamun al-Rashid decided that hewould try to buy (bribe) Imam Taqi (as)
into his way of life because ImamTaqi (as) was still only a child.
Mamun al-Rashid took Imam Taqi (as) to his palace and gave him
whatever money could buy, but Imam Taqi (as) was not interested,
because he knew Allah (SWT) could give him much much more.
No matter how much Mamun al-Rashid gave him, Imam Taqi (as) did not do
anything against Allah's (SWT) commands as Mamun al-Rashid wished.
Moral: Whatever anyone gives you always remember that Allah (SWT) can
give you so much more but only if you are a good Muslim and do as
Allah (SWT) tells you. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Imam Taqi (as): You should not fear anyone other than Allah (SWT)

The story of Mamun al-Rashid's first meeting with the young son of
Imam Ali Ridha (as) is interesting. Once when our 9th Imam, Imam Taqi
(as) was only nine years old, he was walking down a street of Baghdad,
when Mamun al-Rashid and his soldiers came by. All the other children
on the street ranaway but Imam Taqi (as) did not.
Noting this, Mamun al-Rashid stopped his carriage and asked,"Young
man, why did you not run away like theother children?"
Imam Taqi (as) replied calmly, "Neither had I committed a crime, nor
was I blocking the way. Why should I have run away or be afraid? And I
also know that you will not cause any unnecessary trouble when your
way is not blocked."
Mamun al-Rashid was surprised with this mature reply and asked,"What
is your name?"
"Muhammad," came the reply. Whose son are you? asked Mamun al-Rashid.
"Son of Imam Ali Ridha (as)."
Mamun al-Rashid rode on. During his hunt the hawk returned to him with
a fish in its beak. Mamun al-Rashid was surprised. He returned back
toward the city. Once again, he found children playing on the same
spot, who ran awayseeing the caliph's soldiers, except this young man
who said he was Muhammad son of Imam Ali Ridha (as) who remained where
he was.
Mamun al-Rashid hid the fish in his palm, stopped his carriage near
Imam Taqi (as) and said, "Tell me, what is there in my fist?"
Imam Taqi (as) replied,"Allah (SWT) has created tiny fish in the
river. The hawks of kings sometimes catch fish from there and bring it
to the Kings. They hide it in their fist and ask a member of the Ahlul
Baytof the Prophet, "Tell me what is there in my fist."
Mamun al-Rashid said,"Truly, you are the worthy son of Imam Ali Ridha
(as). Mamun al-Rashid took the young Imam Taqi (as) with him, and let
him live in a nearby house next to the Royal Palace.
Moral: You should not be scared of anything or anyone as Allah (SWT)
is the strongest and will look after you.

--
- - ▓███▓ Translator:-> http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -