Is there any nifaas in thecase of caesarean birth?

Is there any nifaas in thecase of caesarean birth?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Nifaas is the bleeding that occurs because of childbirth, whether the
birth was natural or by Caesarean. In fact if a woman has a
miscarriage and delivers a formed foetus – i.e., one in which features
such as the head, arm or leg had appeared, whichis only after eighty
days of pregnancy – the bleeding that occurs because of that is also
nifaas.
It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (1/218): Nifaas is bleeding from the
uterus that occurs at the time of birth, or two or three days before
it, andafter it up to 40 days. The ruling on nifaas is valid and
applies even if the miscarriage occurredas a result of deliberate
action such as the woman striking herself or taking medicine (to
induce an abortion) and so on… if human features can be seen in the
(foetus). But if she produces an 'alaqah (clot of blood) or a mudghah
(unformed embryo resembling a piece of chewed flesh), then the rulings
on nifaas do not apply. The minimum length of pregnancy at which human
features may appear is eighty-one days, but in most cases, according
to what was stated by al-Majd, Ibn Tameem, Ibn Hamdaan and others, is
three months. End quote.
Nifaas may last for a few days then cease; there is no stipulation
that it should continue for fortydays.
And Allah knows best.

The correct way to perform ruqyah for a small child

I have a daughter who isa little over one year old.After I have
finished reciting the adhkaar of the morning and evening, I blow on
her. Is that permissible? Is this the correct way to perform ruqyah
for a small child?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The correct way to perform ruqyah for a small child in order to
protect him is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) used to do for his (grand)sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may
Allahbe pleased with them).
Al-Bukhaari (3371) narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased
with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) used to seek refuge with Allah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and he
said: "Your father(Ibraaheem) used to seek refuge with (these words)
for Ismaa'eel andIshaaq: A'oodhu bi kalimaat Illaahi't-taammah min
kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli 'aynin laammah (I seek refuge
in the perfect words of Allaah from every devil and every vermin, and
from every bad eye)".
Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari (6/410):
The word "haammah (vermin)" refers to poisonous things.
The words "from every bad eye" – al-Khattaabi said: What is meant by
this is every disease and ailment that may affect aperson of insanity
and confusion. End quote.
It is also mustahabb when performing ruqyah for children to recite
al-Mu'awwidhatayn (the last two soorahs of the Qur'an) over them and
to wipe their bodies whilst reciting, or to recite them into one's
hands and blow in them,spitting lightly, then wipe them over whatever
of their body one can reach, or to recite them into water and wipe
them or wash them with it. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) used to seek refugefor himself and others bymeans of
these two soorahs.
It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: The Messengerof Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) used to seek refugewith Allah from the jinn and people's eyes
(i.e., the evil eye) until the Mu'aawidhatayn were revealed, then when
they were revealed he began to recite them for protection and stopped
reciting anything else.
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (2058); classed as saheehby al-Albaani in
Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
Blowing with a little saliva after reciting the Mu'aawidhatayn is
takenfrom the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) just before going to sleep. He used to recite them into his
hands and blow into them, then wipe his body with his hands. When he
fell sick, 'Aa'ishah used to do thatfor him, which indicates that in
the case of a small child, his mother can recite the Mu'aawidhatayn
and blow (into her hands) and wipe his body with them.
It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
went to his bed, he would blow into his hands after reciting Qul Huwa
Allaahu Ahad (Soorat al-Ikhlaas) and the Mu'aawidhatayn, then he would
wipe his face and whatever he could reach of his body with his hands.
'Aa'ishahsaid: And when he fell sick, he would tell me to do that for
him.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5748).
With regard to the adkhaar for the morningand evening, there is no
report – as far as we know – to suggest that they may be recited
overothers with the intention of performing ruqyah, so we do not
advise you to carry on doing that; rather you should limit it to what
has been proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him), for that is sufficient. The best of guidance is the guidance of
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
And Allah knows best.

I want to be a devoted slave of Allaah … ten pointers

My question is short. I want to enter Paradise, Iwant to strive to
control my self (my nafs), I want to kiss my mother's handevery day, I
want to keep away from whims and desires and from theShaytaan, I want
Allaah to call me a devoted slave on the Day of Resurrection, in sha
Allaah, I want to love my brothers, and I want my faith to keep
increasing. What should I do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to make you steadfast in adhering to the truth, and to
make your hopes come true, and to make you one of those who turn to
Him and who know the truth, defend it and adhere to Islam.
The things you mention in your question indicate that you have a sound
and pure nature, and a great desire to achieve great things andto give
everyone his rights. These are great hopes that can be achieved
through faith, as it was narrated that Sufyaan al-Thawri said: Faith
is not wishes or pretence, rather it is what settles in the heart and
is proven by actions." So we will discuss the matter of faith and how
importantit is in becoming a devoted slave, pleasing and honouring
one's parents and achieving the victory of Paradise.
Whoever seeks to achieve great things has to stay up at night (worship).
Hence al-Fudayl said: "You hearts can never taste the sweetness of
faith until they shun worldly pleasures." And he also said, "If you
cannot pray qiyaam at night and fast during the day, then know that
you are deprived."
The sincere believer has a heart like a burning coal, hence it was
narrated by al-Haakim inhis Mustadrak and al-Tabaraani in his Mu'jam
with a saheeh isnaad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out,
so ask Allaah to renew the faith in your hearts."
The believer's heart may sometimes feel overwhelmed by clouds of sin.
This was portrayed to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) when he said:"There is no heart that does not have clouds
like the clouds that coverthe moon. When the cloud covers it, it is
dark,and when the cloud moves away it shines." Narrated by
al-Tabaraaniin al-Awsat, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. So the
believer's heart is sometimes covered with a cloud and its light is
hidden, and it remains dark and lonely, but if he strives to increase
his store of faith and seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away
and thelight in his heart starts toshine again. Hence one of the salaf
said: "It is part of a person's smartness to c heck on his faith and
be aware of what affects it." It is also part of a person's smartness
"that he recognizes how the Shaytaan whispers to him."
So he has to come back to faith. If you come back to faith and do as
itrequires, then you will achieve what you want. We will tell you of a
basic principle which will let you know when faith is present and when
it is not. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said: "O you who are turned away, O you
who are deprived ofmeeting your loved ones, if you want to know how
you stand before the king, then look at how you are spending your time
and what work you are assigned to do. How many people stand at the
door of the king, butno one enters except theone whom he cares for.
Not every heart is fit to draw close, not every heart can be filled
with love, not every wind is like the morning breeze."
If a person want to know how he stands before Allaah and how he stands
in relation to His commands and prohibitions, let him look at himself
and see what he is preoccupied with. If he is busy with da'wah and
with saving people from the Fire, striving to attain Paradise, helping
the weak and needy, honouring his parents, then let him rejoice in the
fact that he is close to the King of kings, for Allaah does not help
anyone to do good except those whom He loves.
But if he is has no interest in da'wah, dislikes the daa'iyahs and
does not do good things, if he is preoccupied with this world and its
gains, and with gossip and asking too many questions, whilst not doing
much or following his whims and desires, let him know that he is far
from Allaah and has been deprived of that which will bring him closer
to Paradise, because Allaah says in His holy Book (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitoryenjoyment of this
world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then,
afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein
disgraced and rejected ( far away from Allaah's Mercy).
And whoever desires theHereafter and strives for it, with the
necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah's
obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic
Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be
appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)"
[al-Isra' 17:18-19]
My brother, if you want to have a high position in all kinds of good
deeds, to be a devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and
you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:
1 – You have to revive the faith in your heart. Faith is what will
bring the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the
Hereafter. Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all
evil. The means of reviving and strengthening faith in one's heart are
many and varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and
righteous deeds.
2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report:
"If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly,I will turn the hearts
of My slaves to him with love and mercy."
Allaah has made worshipthe ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]
3 – You should always set your sights on the highest degrees, and make
your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain
the victory of Paradise, or to attain thehighest Firdaws. You should
strive as hard as you can to achieve theselofty aims.
4 – You should follow the example of historicalMuslim figures such as
the Sahaabah, Taabi'eenand righteous forebears (the salaf).
5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and
everyheartbeat to use it in such a way as to increase your faith.
6 – You should try to keep company with righteous people, because the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
"A man will follow the religion of his close friend, so let each one
of you look at whom he befriends." Narrated by Abu Dawood and
al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best
means of helping you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.
7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happinessin
this world and in the Hereafter.
8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du'aa' in the time just before
dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a
thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and
future sins.
9 – Persisting in reading a portion of Qur'aan daily, and other dhikr
that helps you to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur'aan.
10 – Striving to spread the word and make da'wah for the sake of
Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.
If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long,
thenbe as Allaah commandedHis Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him):
"Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, myliving,
and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind,jinn
and all that exists)"
[al-An'aam 6:162]
Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one's devotion and
belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this
aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our
affairs.
Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this
manner;it can only be achieved by worshipping Allaah inthe fullest
sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all
our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing
to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our
intention in these wordsand deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not
be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads at certain times,
or giving afew pennies every once in a while, or fasting a few days
each year, or moving our lips to say a few words and dhikrs.
Hence the deeds that lead to this status – of being a devoted slave –
are innumerable and may take many shapes inall aspects of our lives
and the places where welive. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards
us and towards all people.
Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment
that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think
He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted
slave.
Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us and from you,
and to gather us and you in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs,
martyrs and righteous, and those are the best ofcompanions.

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How thirty people ate in the dark

Sheikh Abul Hasan Antaki (RA.) lived in Raye, a city in Khorassan.One
day, it chanced that the Sheikh had more than thirty guests, while he
did not have sufficient bread with him. He could not bake more bread,
for, it was late at night. So, he broke the few loaves he had into
small pieces and spread them over a piece of cloth, which he had laid
before his guests. When they were going to start eating, theSheikh put
out the lamp.Everybody seemed to start eating and one could hear the
sound of their chewing. After a while, the sound stopped and it was
presumed that everybody had finished eating. The Sheikh then lighted
the lamp and they saw that all the pieces were lying untouched; nobody
had eaten anything. Because the food was little, everyone was thinking
about his brothers next to him and wanted themto eat instead.
Source: "Fadhail-e-Sadaqaa: Part II" translated by Prof. AbdulKarim.
May Allah make us usefulfor each other in terms of pleasing Allah.

What happened before and after the birth of Prophet Muhammad

Some men of the city of Makka went on a trip to Syria. On the way they
met a monk. Four of these Makkis decided to stop for a while to talk
with the monk.
In those days monks lived in places where there were very few people
so that they could have quite to worship Allah. They also were people
who read books and knew many stories. Only a few Makkis knew about
reading. All they knew about was trade and enjoying themselves. They
knew they would hear interesting and entertaining stories from the
monk.
After talking for a while the monk asked the men, " where are you from ?"
They answered, " we arefrom Makka.",
The monk then told them, " Allah will send a prophet to Makka soon."
The four men continued on their journey thinking about the things the
monk had said. Each of them wished that the new prophet would be his
own son.
Abdulmuttalib was asleep in Kaaba. He had a strange dream. He saw a
tree growing until it reached the sky. The treehad branches that
spread to the East and the West. It appeared that a very bright light
was shining on the tree. Abdulmutalib saw the Arabs and the non-Arabs
bow to the tree. The treecontinued growing larger, higher, and
brighter. Then he saw some people from Quraysh holding to the branches
of the tree, while other Qurayshis tried to chop down the tree. A very
handsome youth stopped them from chopping down the tree. Abdulmuttalib
saw himself put his handout to grab the tree, but he could not reach
it. He woke up from his sleep frightened.
Abdulmuttalib sat thinking of the dream and what it meant, but he
could not find an explanation for it. The next morning he went tothe
priestess of the Quraysh to ask her to explain the dream. The Arabs
always asked the priest or priestess for theexplanation of dreams.
When the priestess saw Abdulmuttalib, she saw sign of worry on his
face, so she asked, "why do you look so worried:"
Abdulmuttalib answered, " I had a dream that frightened me." Then he
told her all about the dream.
When he finished, she said, "if your dream evercomes true, then one of
your sons will control the East and the West. Allthe people will
follow him."
Abdulmuttalib was pleased with what the priestess had told him. Later
when he met his son Abu Talib he told him about the dream and what
priestess had said. Then he said to his son, Abu Talib, " I hope you
are the one the priestess meant in her explanation."
But the intended one was not Abu Talib. The one the priestess mean was
the yet unborn grandson of Abdulmuttalib. Abdulmuttalib had grandson
named Abdullah who was married to Amina, daughter of Wahb. Amina was
expecting a baby. Before the baby was born, Abdullah had gone on a
trading trip. He became ill on the trip and had died. Abdullah never
saw his son.
During her pregnancy, Amina felt no pain or discomfort. She had always
heard women complaining about the hardships of pregnancy, but she felt
very well. During these months Amina had many dreams. One night in a
dream she saw a light coming out of her. The light was shining on
castles of Syria.
Another night she heard a voice in her dream. The voice said, "Amina,
you are carrying the greatest man in the world. When you give birth,
give him the name, Muhammad and tell no one about this dream."
Amina woke up and looked around but therewas no one in the room. She
tried to go to sleep again but she was still thinking about what
shehad heard in the dream.
It was time for Amina's baby to be born. She gave birth to a
beautiful,clean baby boy. Since the boy's father had died months
earlier, Amina sent the news to her son's grandfather, Abdulmuttalib.
Abdulmuttalib was sitting in the Kaaba when the news came. Hewas
delighted. He went to Amina and carried theboy happily to the Kaaba.
When he broughtthe baby back to her, he said, " I have named
himQuthm."
Abdulmuttalib had a boynamed Quthm but he had died when he was nine
years old. That made Abdulmuttalib very sad. So when Aminagave birth
to a boy, Abdulmuttalib wanted toname him after the deadboy.
Amina had to tell him, " Iwas ordered in a dream to call him
Muhammad." Abdulmuttalib picked upthe baby, kissed him andsaid, " I
hope that my grandson, Muhammad, will be a great man."
On the seventh day after Mohammed's birth, Abdulmuttalib ordered
animals to be slaughtered and asked the people of Makka to come to a
feast. After everyone had eaten, Abdulmuttalib brought out his
grandson, Muhammad, to show thepeople. Everyone said that he was such
a beautiful baby. The people also felt sad for the baby because he
wasan orphan. His father had died before seeing him.
One of the men asked Abdulmuttalib, " What did you name him?"
Abdulmuttalib answered, " I have named Muhammad."
Another man asked in surprise, "why did you name him Muhammad? No one
in your family or people was ever named Muhammad."
Abdulmuttalib did not want to reveal that Amina was asked in a dream
to name him Muhammad, so he said, "I wanted Allah to praise him in
Heaven and I wanted people to praise him on Earth."
When the visitors left, not one of them realizedthat this orphan baby
was the one chosen to lead them from darknessto light. They did not
know he was the answerto Ibrahim's prayer the day Ibrahim was ordered
to build the Kaaba:
"Our Lord, send unto them a messenger from among themselves to show
them your signs, toteach them the Qur'an and wisdom, and to purify
them. You are All-Mighty and All-Wise." (The Qur'an Al-Baqara 128)

Interesting stories about Prophet Muhammad's childhood

Abdul Muttalib (Prophet Muhammad's grandfather) was more passionate
with his grandson (young Muhammad) than with his own children. He
never left the boy a prey to loneliness, but always preferred him to
his own kids. Ibn Hisham reported: A mattress wasput in the shade of
Al-Ka'bah for Abdul Muttalib. His children used to sit around that
mattress in honour to their father, but Muhammad used to sit on it.
His uncles would take him back, but if Abdul Muttalib was present, he
would say:"Leave my grandson. I swear by Allah that this boy will hold
a significant position." He used to seat the boy on his mattress, pat
his backand was always pleased with what the boy did. Source: Ibn
Hihsam, 1/168.
It is also reported that during Amina's (Prophet Muhammad's mother)
pregnancy, she felt no pain or discomfort. She had always heard women
complaining about the hardships of pregnancy, but she felt very well.
During these months Amina had manydreams. One night in a dream she saw
a light coming out of her. The light was shining on castles of Syria.

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82 hadith found in ' Virtues of the Quran ' of

503
Narrated Abu 'Uthman: I was informed that Gabriel came to the Prophet
while Um Salamawas with him. Gabriel started talking (to the Prophet).
Then the Prophet asked Um Salama, "Who is this?" She replied, "He is
Dihya (al-Kalbi)." When Gabriel had left, Um Salama said,"By Allah, I
did not take him for anybody other than him (i.e. Dihya) till I heard
the sermon of the Prophet wherein he informed about the newsof
Gabriel." The subnarrator asked Abu 'Uthman: From whom have you heard
that? Abu'Uthman said: From Usama bin Zaid.
504
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Every Prophet was given
miracles because of which people believed, but what I havebeen given,
is Divine Inspiration which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that
my followers will outnumber the followers of the other Prophets on the
Day of Resurrection."
505
Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah sent down His Divine Inspiration to His
Apostle continuously and abundantly during the period preceding his
death till He took him unto Him. That was the period of the greatest
part of revelation; and Allah's Apostle died after that.
506
Narrated Jundub: Once the Prophet fell ill and did not offer the night
prayer (Tahajjud prayer) for a night or two. A woman (the wife of Abu
Lahab) came to him and said, "O Muhammad ! I do not seebut that your
Satan has left you." Then Allah revealed (Surat-Ad-Duha): 'By the
fore-noon, and by the night when it darkens (or is still); Your Lord
has not forsaken you, nor hated you.' (93)
507
Narrated Anas bin Malik: (The Caliph 'Uthman ordered Zaid bin Thabit,
Said bin Al-As,'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith
bin Hisham to write the Quran in the form of a book (Mushafs) and said
to them. "In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit (Al-Ansari)
regarding any dialectic Arabic utteranceof the Quran, then write it in
the dialect of Quraish, for the Quran was revealed in this dialect."
So they did it.


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Inspirational Story - Power of Positive Talk: Results of Positive Talk Story

A man was lost while driving through the countryside. As he tried to
reach for the map, he accidentally drove off theroad into a ditch.
Thoughhe wasn't injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man
walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.
"Warwick can get you out of that ditch," said the farmer, pointing to
an old mule standing in afield. The man looked at the decrepit old
mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, "Yep,
old Warwick can do the job."The man figured he had nothing to lose.
The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer
hitchedthe mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,
"Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!"
And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked,
"Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?"
The farmer grinned and said, "Old Warwick is just about blind. As long
as hebelieves he's part of a team , he doesn't mind pulling."
*. Keep your words positive, because your words become your actions.
*. Keep your actions positive, because your actions become your habits.
*. Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your lifestyle.
*. Keep your lifestyle positive, because your lifestyle becomes your destiny.

Inspirational Story - Power of Positive Talk or Avoiding Toxic Self-Talk (Negative Talking)

Allah (SWT) the Exalted says in Noble Qur'an: "O you who believe! Be
careful of (your duty to) Allah and speak the right word." (33:70)
I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young
age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our
mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming
factor in lifelong success.
One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a
kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around
upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no
surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging
back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree
could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so
high.
My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree.She was hanging on
the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also
noticed us atthe exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of
wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and
the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad's voice over the windyell,
"Bart, Hold on tightly." So I did.
The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her
lungs, laying flat on the ground.She had fallen out of the tree.
I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell
and I did not. Apparently,when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind,
she yelled out, "Tammy, don'tfall!" And Tammy did fall.
My dad then explained tome that the mind has a very difficult time
processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal
pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process
the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first
imagine falling, then try to tell thebrain not to do what it just
imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal
image of me hanging on tightly.
This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a
habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only
way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a
word for what you want to do andvisualize that. For example, when I
was thirteen years old, I played for my junior highschool football
team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together
at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was
running out for a pass, "Don't drop it!" Naturally, I dropped the
ball.
My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper "Self-Talk."
They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I'll
never make it pro, but I'm now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football
player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me
to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just
climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.
Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends
the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil.
Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Sayto them,
"Okay, try to drop the pencil." Observewhat they do.
Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor.
You respond, "You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the
pencil. Now please do it again." Most people then pick up the pencil
and pretend tobe in excruciating pain while their hand tries butfails
to drop the pencil.
The point is made. If you tell your brain you will"give it a try," you
are actually telling your brainto fail. I have a "no try" rule in my
house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or
they won't. Eitherthey will be at the party or they won't. I'm brutal
when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think
I don't know they are really telegraphing to theworld they have no
intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for
pretended effort? You will never hear the words"I'll try" come out of
my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in aseminar.
If you "try" and do something, your unconscious mind has permission
not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the
truth. "Sorry John. I'mnot sure if I will be at your party or not.
I've gotan outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be
here, Insha Allah. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite."
People respect honesty. So remove the word "try" from your vocabulary.
My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen
positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea
if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen
compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.
These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.
Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus
howmany criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day
long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.
So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you short changing
yourself with toxic self-talk like, "I'm fat. Nobody will like me.
I'll try this diet. I'm not goodenough. I'm so stupid. I'mbroke, etc.
etc."
If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong
statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily
basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic
Vocabulary words. Notice when you or other people use them.
*. BUT: Negates any wordsthat are stated before it.
*. TRY: Presupposes failure.
*. IF: Presupposes that youmay not.
*. MIGHT: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.
*. WOULD HAVE: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen.
*. SHOULD HAVE: Past tensethat draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen (and implies guilt.)
*. COULD HAVE: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen but theperson tries to take credit as if it did
happen.
*. CAN'T/DON'T: These words force the listenerto focus on exactly the
opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and
coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.
Examples:
*. Toxic phrase: "Don't drop the ball!"
*. Likely result: Drops the ball
*. Better language: "Catch the ball!"
*. Toxic phrase: "You shouldn't watch so much television."
*. Likely result: Watches more television.
*. Better language: "I readtoo much television makes people stupid.
You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of
thosebooks more often!"
Exercise:
*. Take a moment to writedown all the phrases you use on a daily basis
or any Toxic Self-Talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write
these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur
and change them.
Forge a positive relationship with the world around you and the world
will become a better place for you to live. And remember: Make
positive Self-Talk a daily practice.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Where is God Not - Nasruddin Stories

My beloveds, I travelled again to the village of my friend Tekka,
after years away. He had become very devout in his ways, sometimes a
little pompous, but still the kind soul I had lovedfor years.
I visited him, and we picked up our friendshipas if we had never been apart.
"Nasruddin, you are a light to the eyes," said Tekka, "Please stay
with me. I insist."
I accepted his kind invitation. He showed me my sleeping room, with a
window to the east, and the bed made up. "I have arranged it so your
head faces toward Mecca," he said proudly. "You must always sleep with
your head toward Mecca, out of respect for the Prophet, on whom be
peace."
My first night, I tossed and turned, and finally fell asleep. I am
apparently an active sleeper, for when Tekka shook me awake the next
morning, he was very agitated.
"Nasruddin, I am disappointed in you!" I looked at myself, and said,
"I am often disappointed in myself, Tekka, what seems to be today's
problem?"
"You have slept with your feet toward Mecca! This is most disrespectful!"
"My apologies, Tekka, it was unintentional. I am a very active sleeper."
Tekka was mollified, but insisted that the next night I must do
better. I promised I would.
The next night resembled the first. I slept well, after some tossing
and turning, but awoke to find my feet on my pillow and my head
resting on the floorat the end of the sleeping mat. Just as I realized
my predicament, Tekka stood in the door and clucked in concern.
"This will never do, Nasruddin. I am a good citizen and a good Muslim.
You must sleep with your feet pointing the opposite way from Mecca,
and your head pointing toward Mecca, out of respect for the Prophet
and devotion toAllah."
"What is your reason for insisting on this, my friend?" I asked.
"You must not point your feet toward God!" he said, and repeated
it."You must point your head toward God and your feet away from Him."
I thought about this. We spent the day together, and that night Tekka
was most emphatic."Nasruddin," he said, "If you cannot sleep with your
head toward God, I regret to say I cannot have you in my house. It
pains me to say this to an old friend, but my devotion is to Allah."
The third night was much like the other two,except that this time I
awoke with my nose pressed against the floorat the foot of the
sleeping mat. It was pushed out of shape, and I was rubbing it when
Tekka appeared. His face was clouded with anger and sadness.
"Before you speak, Tekka, answer me this," Isaid, springing up.
"DoesAllah rule over everything, even the fate of men?"
"You know he does," replied Tekka, puzzled.
"Is Allah there in every part of His creation?"
"Of course he is!"
I pointed out the window at the birds rising from the edge of the
well. "Does he live in the birds of the air?"
"Yes," said Tekka. "Why are you asking these questions?"
"Please have patience with an old friend," I replied. "Is Allah
everywhere, even acrossthe desert and the mountains?"
"Allah is the creation. Allah is in the creation, and is the lord over
the creation!" exclaimed Tekka.
"So, Tekka," I said, holding out my feet."Point my feet where God is not!"

Nasruddin Stories - Alone in the Desert

Ah, it was a time of bustling cities and pressing obligations! After a
time, I grew weary of the pace and needed a respite, a quiettime in
which to gather my inner peace again. So I took the barest necessities
and went into the desert, to be alone in the endless space under the
vast sky,and to have only the stars and the sand for company.
It was a blessed time. Each day I awoke before the sun, and fell
asleep to the light of shooting stars. I prayed at the appointed times
and meditated early and late.I slept more soundly than I ever slept
before, and woke refreshed andhappy. The peace began to grow like a
clear pool in my heart.
I was sleeping one night when I heard a sound. Is it not true that a
tiny sound so often heralds great occurences? I heard the sound of a
scratching on my tent. Perhaps a desert rat, or the wind. I opened my
eyes, and all was dark. I peered into the darkness, and dimly
discerned a shape barelyoutlined in the faint starlight that permeated
the cloth of the tent. It was a man, stealthily entering.
I didn't want to intrude; his concentration seemed to be intense.
Besides, I was a little curious, so I lay and watched. He apparently
planned to rob me of all my possessions, not knowing I had only
brought the barest necessities. He rooted around for a few moments,
and stood up. I could see he had a good load on his back. In the faint
light I could just discern both of my table lamps and my golf clubs.
He exited the tent, and I could hear him depositing the booty on the
ground a little distance away. Just as I thought, he returned formore.
He was a little longer the second time, but when he stood, I saw he
was carrying my grandfather clock. Whenhe picked up my color
television, it was the last straw.
I jumped up and followed him out of the tent.
"Stop!" I cried. He froze in his tracks. Slowly, with trembling limbs,
he set his load on the ground, and turned.
"I am lost!" he stammered. "I was tryingto find my way and stumbled on
this tent."
"And decided to take everything in it?" I asked.
"You have caught me." He hung his head in shame. "I am at your mercy.
I have stolen, andI must pay the price."
I looked at him with what I hoped was a piercing gaze. "We have no
magistrates here, save that I was once a mulla. We do have common
sense and compassion."
He looked at me wonderingly. I went on."I see by your garb you are a
poor man, and by the doll showing from your pocket that you area
family man."
"I am," he replied. "We have fallen on hard times."
"For heaven's sake, don'tmake them harder, young man," I said."Where I
come from, if we do a job, we do it one hundred percent. You have been
sloppy, and have not completed your task. You forgot this." And I
handed him the small bag of gold I always keep at the foot of my bed.
He looked at me dumfounded. "What do you mean, effendi?"
"I mean this is your mostfortunate day," I replied."I have just this
night renounced ownership ofall my possessions, and returned them to
their rightful owner. Do you know who that is?"
"Allah?" he asked, weakly.
"But of course!" I cried, warming to my subject."All these goods are
not mine; they belong to Allah, and are at the disposal of everyone.
So you see, young man, by the greatest stroke of fortune, on this
night, ofall nights, in this tent of all tents, you did not steal,
because the goods belonged to you already.Now are you going to take
the gold or not?"
The young man was silent for a moment, then fell on his knees.
"Oh, great shaikh! You are beyond all wisdom! Ihave never heard
anything so wise or so compassionate. You are the most wise and
generous of all men! I repent of my misdeeds, and throw myself on your
mercy. Please take me as your disciple, and teach me your profound
philosophy."
"Ah, I am pleased with you, my son." I replied."You can never earn
more than a bachelor's degree with me, because I am a bachelor."
He looked up at me , wondering what nonsense this was. And surely,
wisdom and nonsense are often difficult to distinguish.
"I will take you as my companion and teach you what I can. You may
share my tent. Now that you have unburdened me of these possessions,
there is plenty of room!"
So that is how I met Tekka. He has since become a good and loyal
friend, as I am to him.
Peace be upon you; I must now depart.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Condition of saying Bismillaah in order for meat to be halaal

What is the ruling on saying Bismillaah over the sacrifice, especially
ifthe slaughterman does not pray?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Meat slaughtered by onewho does not pray is nothalaal, whether he says
the name of Allaah over it or not. See question no. 70278 .
With regard to saying Bismillah when slaughtering meat, the fuqaha'
differed concerning that and there are three points ofview:
1 – That it is mustahabb only, which is the view of al-Shaafa'i.
2 – That it is a condition of the meat being halaal,but if a person
forgets it by mistake it is still permissible. This is the view of the
Hanafis, Maalikis and Hanbalis.
3 – That it is essential and cannot be waived under any circumstances,
whether it is omitted by mistake or deliberately or out of ignorance.
This is the view of the Zaahiris and was narrated from Maalik and
Ahmad, and it was the view of some of the salaf; it was also the view
favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah. Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said:It is the correct view.
He also said: They quoted as evidence the general meaning of the verse
in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allaah's Name has not
been pronounced (at thetime of the slaughtering of the animal)"
[al-An'aam 6:121]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"If the blood flows and the name of Allaah is mentioned, then eat."
Soin order for the meat to be halaal, it is essential that the name of
Allaah be mentioned. It is well known that if the condition is not
met, the thing is invalid, so if the name of Allaah is not mentioned,
the meat is not halaal, as with any other condition. Hence ifa person
prays but he forgot to do wudoo', he has to repeat the
prayer.Similarly if he prays not realizing that he had broken his
wudoo' because he thought that breaking wind does not invalidate
wudoo', or that eating camel meat does not invalidate wudoo', for
example, then he must repeat it, because the thing is not valid
without the conditions being met. Soif he slaughtered it but the blood
did not flow, by mistake or out of ignorance, then it is not halaal,
and the same applies if he does not mention the name of Allaah,
because it is mentioned in the same hadeeth. End quote fromal-Sharh
al-Mumti' (6/358).
See also: al-'Inaayah Sharh al-Hidaayah (9/489); al-Fawaakih
al-Dawaani (1/382); and al-Majmoo' (8/387).
Based on this, he should not slaughter sacrifices or anything else
unless he is one of those who pray regularly, and it is essential that
he mentions the name of Allaah when slaughtering and says Bismillaah
(in the name of Allaah).
It is also mustahabb to say takbeer, so he should say: Bismillaah, wa
Allaahu akbar (In the name of Allaah and Allaah is Most Great).
Al-Bukhaari (5558) and Muslim (1966) narrated that Anas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two horned black and white rams. I
saw him placing his foot on their sides, and he said the name of
Allaah and he said takbeer, then he slaughtered them with his own
hand.
And Allaah knows best.

He is staying in a land where Islamic slaughter is banned; can he give the price of the udhiyah in charity?

My family and I are staying in a land where Islamic slaughter is
banned. What should wedo? Can we give its pricein charity?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If what is meant is the udhiyah (sacrifice) or 'aqeeqah on behalf of a
newborn, and it is not possible to carry out Islamic slaughter in the
land where you are staying, then it is better for you to send money to
someone who can slaughter it on your behalf in another country where
there are family members or poor and needy people, because
slaughtering the udhiyah or 'aqeeqahis better than giving the price in
charity.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:Doing the 'aqeeqah is
better than giving its price in charity, in our opinion. This is also
the view of Ahmad and Ibn al-Mundhir. End quote from al-Majmoo'
(8/414).
It says in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha: Slaughtering it – the udhiyah or
'aqeeqah – is better thangiving its price in charity. This was stated
by Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). The same applies to the
hadiy, because of the hadeeth: "The son ofAdam does not do any deed on
the Day of Sacrifice that is dearer toAllaah than shedding blood. It
will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns and cloven hoofs
and hair. Itsblood is accepted by Allaah before it reaches the ground.
So be content when you do it."Narrated by Ibn Maajah. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) slaughtered the hadiy as
did the caliphs after him. If giving the price in charity were better,
theywould not have failed todo it. End quote. The hadeeth mentioned
was classed as da'eef by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da'eefah, no.
526.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it
permissible to slaughter the sacrifice in the land where one is, or to
send a sum of money for that to your own country or to another Muslim
country?
He replied:
It is better to offer the sacrifice in your own country if your family
are with you. If your family are elsewhere, and they do not have
anyone with them who can offer the sacrifice for them, then send money
to them to offer the sacrifice there. End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa
al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (24/207)
And Allaah knows best.

His father is unable to do Hajj for health reasons, and he wants todo Hajj on his behalf

I work in the land of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, and Allaah enabled me
to perform the obligatory Hajj last year. Now my father is in Egypt
and he wants to perform the obligatory duty of Hajj. He is able
financially but not physically, for health reasons. Can I perform the
obligatory Hajj for him and do Hajj on his behalf?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If your father is not able to do Hajj himself, because of old age or
sickness for which there is no hope of a cure and which makes him
unableto do Hajj, then he has toappoint someone else todo Hajj on his
behalf, whether he appoints you or someone else.
If you want to do Hajj onhis behalf, this is good, so long as you tell
him that you are going to do Hajj on his behalf and hegives you
permission to do that.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: If a person meets
the conditions of Hajj being obligatory forhim, but he is unable to do
it for a reason for which there is no hope that it will disappear,
such as old age or sickness for which there is no hope of a cure, or
he is too weak and cannot sit firmly on his mount except with
unbearable difficulty, or he is too old, etc, if thereis someone whom
he can appoint to do Hajj on his behalf, and he hasenough money to do
that, then he must do that. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and
al-Shaafa'i. End quote from al-Mughni (3/91).
He also said: It is not permissible to do Hajj and 'Umrah on behalf of
a living person without his permission, regardless of whether it is an
obligatory or voluntary Hajj, because it is an act of worship can be
done by proxy, soit is not permissible to do it on behalf of an adult
of sound mind except with his permission, as is the casewith zakaah.
In the case of one who is deceased, it is permissible to do it on his
behalf without permission, whether it isobligatory or voluntary,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
enjoined Hajj on behalf of the deceased, and it isknown that
permission cannot be sought from the deceased.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
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Henry Irwin (British Architect) designed it forthe Maharaja of Mysore - INDIA

One of the largest palaces in India, Mysore Palace of Karnataka is a
fine example of unique blend of different styles of architecture. The
Mysore Palace is one of the most attractive and gorgeous monuments in
Karnataka. It is also known by the name of Amba Vilas and was the
residence of Wodeyar Maharaja. The Mysore Palace was rebuilt in 1912
after the original palace was destroyed in a fire accident in the year
1897. It was re-designed in Saracenicstyle by a famous British
architect Henry Irwin. One can see the blend of different forms of
architecture and design in the Maysore Palace.
The palace has three stories and a series of square towers with domed
arches. A gold-plated dome about 145 feet from the ground covers the
open courtyard in the center. The architecture has a blend of Hindu,
Mughal, Rajput and Gothic styles. The entrance of the palace has
'Gombe Thotti' or Doll's Pavilion, which has a collection ofIndian and
European sculptures and ceremonial objects. The main gate of the
palace building is known as Elephant Gate and is beautifully decorated
with floral motifs and the royal symbol of Mysore, the two-headed
Eagle. One finds the royal ceremonial elephant howdah decorated with
84 kilograms of gold and other precious stones.
The south of the Palace has the splendid KalyanaMandapam" or the
wedding pavilion, whichis decorated with multi colored stained glass
with peacock motifs arranged in geometrical patterns. One can find
elaborate chandeliers and tall slender wroughtiron pillars imported
from countries like Scotland and Czechoslovakia. The flooris made up
of glazed tiles that have been imported from England. The walls are
decorated with paintings depictingthe celebration of Dusshera festival
during the royal rule.
The second floor has the splendid durbar hall known as 'Diwan-I-am',
which is around 155 feetlong and 42 feet broad. The hall is marked by
an exquisitely decorated ceiling, a glistening floorand sculptured
pillars that are painted in gold. The walls have murals depicting the
eight avatars of Goddess Shakti. There are paintings that depict
scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and also an original painting
of the famous painter Raja Ravi Varma. Towards thesouth on the same
floor is the Diwan-I-Khas (private audience hall), which is decorated
with beautifully carved entrance doors and stained glass ceiling.
The palace is surroundedby twelve temples, spread in the compound.Most
of these are built inthe Dravidian architectural style. The famous
ones include Varashaswamy Temple, which has actually inspired the
design for Sri Chamundeswari Temple on Chamundi Hill. The temples are
decorated beautifully during special occasions like festivals and
other auspicious days. The Department of Archaeology and Museums of
Karnataka Government now looks after the maintenance ofMysore Palace.
The palace has the largest collection of gold items (quantity wise).
The famous 200-kilogram gold throne is kept for display every year
during the festival of Dusshera. Every Sunday night the monument looks
like a heavenly palace as it is illuminated with thousands of light
bulbs.