Staying Steadfast in Turbulent Times

Steadfastness in faith has been mentioned on more than one occasion in
the Noble Quran and the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition). Allaah The
Exalted, enjoined the Muslims to be upright in their religion,
praising the steadfast people and promising them generous rewards.
For instance, Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {So remain ona
right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have
turned back with you [to Allaah], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is
Seeing of what you do.} [Quran 11:112]
Allaah The Exalted also Says (what means): {Indeed, those who have
said: "Our Lord is Allaah" and then remained on a right course – the
angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Donot fear and do not grieve
but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.} [Quran
41:30]
In addition, Sufyaan ibn 'Abdullaah once asked the Prophet to tell him
some concise words about Islam so that he would not need to ask anyone
else. The Prophet said: "Say, 'I believe in Allaah and then hold on
firmly to the straight path.'"
The Prophet said: "(Try to) keep to the straight path although you
will not be able to do so completely; and know that the best of your
deeds is prayer, and only a (true) believer maintains his ablution."
The meaning of uprightness:
Being upright in religion means adopting a moderate approach inshowing
obedience to Allaah The Almighty, abiding by His Sharee'ah (Islamic
law) and remaining on the right path regarding His Oneness. Hence,
being upright in religion means adhering to the orders of Allaah The
Almighty in terms of His Oneness, devoting all acts of worship
sincerely to Him only, as well as observing refined manners and the
Islamic moral code in one's relationships with other people and in all
one's deeds.
Uprightness is the path to salvation:
Scholars clarified that being upright in religion means being
straightness; the Arabic word 'Mustaqeem' means straight, without any
curves. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And, [moreover], this
is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other]
ways, for you will be separated from Hisway.} [Quran 6:153]
Uprightness and the allies of Allaah The Almighty:
Prominent scholars defined uprightness differently, yet all
thedefinitions share the same meaning:
1- When Abu Bakr was asked about uprightness, he answered,"It means
not to associate partners with Allaah."
2- 'Umar defined it as follows,"To be upright in following the orders
of Allaah The Exalted and avoiding the prohibitions and notto elude
others like a fox."
3- 'Uthmaan said in this regard, "Uprightness means devotion to
Allaah; offering all acts of worship with full sincerityto Allaah."
4- 'Ali defined uprightness as follows, "It means carrying out the
obligatory acts of worship".
5- Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Upright people are those who adhere to the
commands of Allaah The Exalted, follow His straight path, obey Him and
shundisobedience."
6- jMuaahid said, "Upright people are those who adhere to the
testimony that none is truly worthy of worship but Allaah until they
die."
7- Ibn Zayd and Qataadah both, said, "Uprightness means adhering to
obedience of Allah The Exalted."
8- Sufyaan Ath-Thawri said that the upright person is the one whose
deeds are in accordance with his words.
9- Ar-Rabee' ibn Khuthaym said, "Uprightness means turningaway from
everything and everyone but Allaah The Exalted."
10- Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadh said, "Uprightness is disinterest in the
mortal life, while seeking the immortal one."
11- Ibn Taymiyyah said,"Uprightness means to hold fast to loving
Allaah The Exalted and fulfilling the meaning of servitude to Him
without turning away from Him."
12- Imaam Al-Harawi said,"Striving hard in following the commands of
Allaah moderately."
The fruits of uprightness:
1. Happiness in this life.
2. The descent of the angels of mercy on upright people.
3. The angels of mercy would bring them glad tidings in their graves
that they will be granted firmness.
4. At the time of Resurrection.
5. Entering Paradise, the abode ofdignity that will last forever;
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {No fatigue will touch them
therein, nor from it will they [ever] be removed.} [Quran15:48]

Raising Righteous Generations - III

Many girls desert their books soon after they finish formal education
and do not read anymore. Thus, they relapse into a state of ignorance
because theydo not have anything to do with books. They devote
themselves entirely to caring about their clothes, adornment, and
sampling the good things in life. However, these interests are
temporal and related to the worldly life only.
Muslim women should bear in mind that they are members of the Muslim
community. Thus, they wield influence on it and arealso affected by
it. They are not socially marginal or unimportant.It is not befitting
for a Muslim woman to have a negative outlook in life or to be
dependenton others. In fact, having such an attitude points towards an
ungrateful personality, since it shows an attempt to exchange what is
better for that which is base. The Ummah (Muslim nation) waits for its
grateful sonsand daughter to restore its past glories.
Some points to keep in mind about Muslim women and their contribution
to society:
• Muslim women should participate in all useful activities. Therefore,
they should always consider the saying of 'Umar "Do not be imitators
who say, that if people act well, we will actwell, and if they act
unjustly, we will act unjustly too. However, resolve on acting well if
people act well, and if they act unjustly, do not follow suit."
• Women have a mission of raising future generations that aims at
advancing the society. This mission is fulfilled first by fulfilling
the rights of neighbors. They should educate uneducated women with the
knowledge theyneed for their religion and life. Bydoing so, they will
do a favor to the future generations. Neighbors, therefore, will not
gather to gossip, but to broaden the awareness of Muslim families,and
develop their superficial and naïve interests into sublime horizons.
Thus, Muslim women could turn every conversation into a purposeful
talk. Brilliant Muslim women would even utilize empty talk by drawing
lessons from it and reflecting. on it. In addition, righteous
neighbors should ponder the best method to utilize in bringingup their
children and solving their problems collectively.
• Women should do their best to foster cooperation among neighbors.
For example, a child used to steal money from his father's pocket and
spend it on a group of his friends who encouraged him to commit that
misdeed. His mother came to know about this through her neighbor, who
advised her about what was happening. She helped her to overcome the
crisis by studying the problem and looking into its roots, then by
containing the problem and finding a suitable solution for it.
• One of the duties of Muslim women is to maintain good relations with
their relatives. To that end, they should maintain kinship relations,
visit sick relatives, and participate in happyoccasions, as well as
doing other good deeds that would diffuse the spirit of cooperation
and love. This helps generations to grow up following the principles
of Islam and its supreme values by dealing kindly and affectionately
with others following the example of their mothers. Muslim women
should encourage all the good initiativesof their children, so that
they would relish the success and excellence of their children. On the
contrary, some foolish women go out to public arenas to cheer sport
games, like football, basketball and soccer players. This, in addition
to being totally unlawful, indicates that women are unaware of the
mission they should undertake.
• A mother should let her children talk to her. She should listen to
their opinions and appreciate their successful deeds without getting
bored. Mothers should know that children who are considered by some
people as'talkative' may have a great future ahead of them. Their
frequent questions prove their powerful sense of observation and
express their desire to learn. Do not forget that guiding children and
encouraging them can have good results.
There was a well-spoken lecturer who would greatly impress girls who
listened to her speak. The factor that greatly contributed toher
talent was that some of her neighbors as well as some of her father's
acquaintances would listen to her speeches and encourage her to talk
even though she was less than six years of age.
Therefore, we should say good words to little children, because saying
a good word is an act of charity. Purposeful guidance is fruitful.
Sincere words go directly to the heart.
• One of the main tasks of Muslimwomen is to contribute to fortifying
the younger Muslim generations with genuine Islamicculture and the
sound creed. They should not let frivolous women lead our younger
generations astray and utilize every available means to achieve their
goal of ruining them.
• Women are required to contribute to the prosperity of the younger
generations by making use of their lifetime and their knowledge about
which they will be questioned. However,they are not required to commit
themselves to a full-time job thatwill lead them to neglect their
duties towards their husbands and children.
When working women return home, they are fatigued and overburdened
with the concerns of work. How can they benefit their children who
need an affectionate touch from them, but get nothing but a scolding
because their mothers are exhausted and want to rest after suffering a
long day of work? Women who do this are mistaken, because they have to
prioritize their life. This address isdirected to righteous women who
have a sound creed and are conscious about wasting the rights of
Allaah The Almighty and mixing the truth with falsehood.
• Conscientious Muslim women deal with the reality with sagacity and
care. They should remember that an objective of the Sharee'ah is to
preserve religion, mental soundness, lineages, lives, and property.
Anything that harms any of thosefive things must be stopped. Muslim
women should spread virtue, condemn devilish thoughts and clarify
their misguidance and deviation to their children and family members.
The wicked enemy must be faced with sound planning and counteraction.
If Muslims do not exert efforts to reinforce righteous manners and
firmly establish the sound creed, they will regret when it is too
late. This is because myths and low ideals will have been enhanced and
the younger Muslim generations will suffer their evil consequences.
In the past, Muslim women were distinguished for entertaining their
children with stories that amused them and instilled Islamic
principles in their minds.
Why, then, do cultured Muslim women leave their children to be victims
of stories written by immoral people and disbelievers, who distort
Islamic history and attack Islamic principles?
Let Muslim women contribute to print and audio mass media as much as
they can. Even Islamic songs (Anasheed) should be composed for our
children to sing instead of letting them repeat songs that have no
moral content. This will make our children sing pure words that
reflect the bright image and supreme principles of Islam and will
attract the hearts of Muslim children to virtues.
The same thing applies to magazines, stories, and novels that tell how
people deceive eachother to obtain money. They inspire our children
with mistaken values and thoughts of violence, irresponsibility,
undutifulness to parents, as well as other bad morals. Muslim women
should make use of thesemediums so as to be capable of educating their
children with what is good, develop their creed, cultivate their
minds, and entertain them at the same time.
The most dangerous channel of the mass media is the internet and
satellite TV channels. It rivals the parents in guiding the children
through a well-planned policy of attraction and invasion. The human
devils are those who furnish the television with everything that
destroys virtues. The former French president, De Gaulle, once talked
about the influence of television, saying, "Give me this screen and I
will change the French people."
Many families have given up their role in raising their children to
adopt the Islamic creed and have let the television guide them and sow
in them the concepts and ideologies that are alien to the Islamic
creed and culture. In this context, we understand the duty that
cultured Muslim women should fulfill. They should utilize their
potential. If they have the ability, they should write stories,
compose Islamic songs, or write dialogues or articles to save their
children from the tools of domestic and foreign destruction.
Dear Muslim sisters,
Do not excuse yourselves by saying that your body is weak, that you
have many obligations to fulfill, or that you are always pressed for
time, since the upright Sharee'ah instructs Muslims to make utmost use
of their time, health, and wealth. It was narrated on the authority of
Ibn 'Abbaas that he quoted the Messenger of Allaah as having said:
"Take advantage of five [matters] before [the advent of] five
[matters]: your youth before your old age; your health before your
sickness; your richness before your poverty; your free time before
your preoccupation; and your life before your death."
If women organize their daily activities and make good use of every
second of their time and not waste it in needless talk, theywill never
be heard complaining about time restraints. They should pay attention
to their duties as callers to what is good and work as good examples
for others to follow. They should enrich awareness in the fields of
upbringing and health in a way that brings benefit to the Muslim
generations and Islamic society at large. They should also exert their
utmost effort to find Islamicalternatives for the massive momentum of
intellectual attacks. They should further defend religion in a society
of wicked people who continue to scheme and work to distract Muslims
from adhering to their religion.
Muslim women should not relent to transient comforts, needless
sleeping, and laziness that has affected many of them. They are
advised to actively fulfill their duty toward their Ummah (Muslim
nation). They are required to do all that they can tobring up
righteous generations. They should utilize their time in useful ways
and employ each suitable opportunity. It is hoped that they will
substantially contribute to removing darkness from the Ummah and
communicate virtue to the futuregenerations. Otherwise, our hopes will
be confined to our chests and our generations will be at the rear of
the caravan instead of taking its lead.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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The Status of the Family in Islam

What does Islam teach about the family and theroles of men , women and Children?
Praise be to Allaah.
Before we find out about the role of Islam in organizing and
protecting the family, we should first find out what the situation of
thefamily was before Islam, and what it is in the West in modern
times.
Before Islam, the family was based on mistreatment and oppression. All
affairs were controlled only by men or in other words, the males, and
women and girls were oppressed and humiliated. An example of that is
that if a man died and left behind a wife, his son by another wife had
the right to marry her and control her life, or to prevent her from
getting married. Men were the only ones who could inherit; women and
children had no share. They viewed women, whether they were mothers,
daughters or sisters, as a source of shame, because they could be
taken as prisoners, thus bringing shame upon the family. Hence a man
would buryhis infant daughter alive, as is referred to in the Qur'aan,
where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to
any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward
grief!
He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof
he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonour or bury her
inthe earth? Certainly, evil is their decision"
[al-Nahl 16:58]
The family in the broader sense, i.e., the tribe, was based on
supporting one another in all things, even in wrongdoing.
When Islam came, it did away with all that and established justice,
giving each person his or her rights, even nursing infants, and even
the miscarried foetus who was to be respected and prayed for (i.e.,
given a proper funeral).
When you examine the family in the West today you will find that
families are disintegrating and the parents cannot control their
children, whether intellectually or morally. The son has the right to
go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants; the daughter has the
right to sit with whoever she wants and sleep with whoever she wants,
all in the name offreedom and rights. And what is the result? Broken
families, childrenborn outside marriage, (elderly) mothers and fathers
who are not looked after. As some wise men have said, if you want to
know the true nature of these people, go to the prisonsand the
hospitals and seniors' homes, for children do not remember their
parents except on holidays and special occasions.
The point is that many non-Muslims the institution of family is
destroyed. When Islam came it paid a great dealof attention to the
establishment of strong families and protecting them from things that
could harm them, and preserving family ties whilst giving each member
of the family animportant role in life.
Islam honoured women, whether as mothers, daughters or sisters. It
honoured women as mothers. It was narratedthat Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: A man came tothe Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of
Allaah, who among people is most deservingof my good company?" He
said, "Your mother." He asked, "Then who?" He said, "Your mother." He
asked, "Then who?" He said, "Your mother." He asked, "Then who?" He
said, "Then your father."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5626; Muslim, 2548)
Islam honours women asdaughters. It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed
al-Khudri that theMessenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "Whoever has threedaughters or three sisters, or
two daughtersor two sisters, and takes good care of them and fears
Allaah with regard to them, will enter Paradise."
(Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, 2/190)
And Islam honours women as wives. It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah said:
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "The best of you are those who are best to their wives, and I am
the best of you to my wives."
(Narrated and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi, 3895).
Islam gave women their rights of inheritance andother rights. It gave
women rights like those of men in many spheres. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Womenare the twin halves of
men." (Narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan, 236, from the hadeeth
of'Aa'ishah; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood,
216).
Islam encourages men totreat their wives well, and gives women the
freedom to choose their husbands; it gives women much of the
responsibility for raising the children.
Islam gives fathers and mothers a great deal of responsibility for
raising their children. It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar
heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) say, "Each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock.
The leader is a shepherd and is responsible for hisflock. The man is
the shepherd of his family and he is responsible forhis flock. The
woman is the shepherd of her husband's household and is responsible
for her flock. The servant is a shepherd of his master's wealth and is
responsible for his flock." He said, I heard this from the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 853; Muslim,1829)
Islam paid a great deal of attention to implanting the principle of
respect for fathers and mothers, taking careof them and obeying their
commands until death. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you
be dutiful to your parents. If one ofthem or both of them attain old
age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at
them but address them in terms ofhonour"
[al-Isra' 17:23]
Islam protects the honour, chastity, purity and lineage of the family,
so it encourages marriage and forbids free mixing of men and women.
Islam gives each family member an important role to play. So fathers
and mothers take care ofthe children and give them an Islamic
upbringing; children areto listen and obey, and respect the rights of
fathers and mothers, on a basis of love and respect. Even our enemies
have borne witness to the strength of family ties among the Muslims.
And Allaah knows best.

Is there any saheeh report that says the du‘aa’ of a pregnant woman will be answered?

Is it true that the Duaa ofa Pregnant woman is accepted. I would
really appreciate if this can be clarified. Also, I would like to know
if there are any specific good deeds that I can do while I am
pregnant.
Praise be to Allaah.
After researching the matter, we have not found anything to indicate
that the du'aa' of a pregnant woman will be answered, either in the
marfoo' hadeeths (those that are attributed to the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him)) or in mawqoof reports (those that are
attributed to the Sahaabah).
But if the Muslim combines positive thinking about Allah, may He be
exalted, and certainty of His generosity with proper humility before
Him, then we hope that Allah will answer his du 'aa's and fulfil his
hopes.
It remains for us to note that the du'aa' of the mother for her child
is one of the du'aa's that will be answered, because the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "There are three
du'aa's that will undoubtedly beanswered: the du'aa' of one who has
been wronged, the du'aa' of the traveller and the du'aa' of a father
for hischild."
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (1905). See also Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad, 372
Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"The du'aa' of the father for his child" is because he is truly
compassionate towards him and often prefers him to himself. As his
compassion is genuine, then his du'aa' will be answered. The mother
isnot mentioned even though the emphasis on her rights may indicate
that her du'aa' is more likely to be answered than that of the father,
because this is something that is well known. End quote.
Fayd al-Qadeer, 3/301
If a pregnant woman prays for her baby to be righteous, smart and of
good character, then wehope that Allah will answer her prayer.

What is meant by dhikr and du‘aa’ at the end of the prayer?

What is meant by "at theend of every prayer"? Does it mean before the
salaam at the conclusion of the prayer or after it? Is it Sunnah to
raise the hands in du'aa' after the prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
"At the end of the prayer" may mean after it, following it, or in the
last part of it.
There are several hadeeths which encourage dhikr and du'aa' at the end
of the prayers, such as the following:
1.
The report narrated by al-Bukhaari (6330) and Muslim (594) from
al-Mugheerah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to
which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) used to say at the end of every prayer after sayingthe salaam:
Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu'l-mulkwa
lahu'l-hamd wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer. Allaahumma laa maani'
lima a'tayta wa laa mu'ti lima mana'ta wa la yanfa' dhaa'l-jadd minka
al-jadd (There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or
associate, His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise, and He is Able
to do all things. O Allaah, none can withhold whatYou give and none
can give what You withhold, and no wealth or majesty can benefit
anyone for from You is all wealth and majesty).
2.
The report narrated by al-Bukhaari (6329) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah
be pleased with him): They said: O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy
have attained exclusivelythe high ranks and eternal blessing (in
Paradise). He said: How is that? They said: They pray as we pray, and
they strive in jihad as westrive, and they spend from the surplus of
their wealth, but we have no wealth. He said: "Shall I not tell you of
something by means of which you will catch up with those who have gone
before you and will go ahead of those who come after you, andno one
could achieve what you achieve exceptone who does what you do. At the
end of every prayer, glorify Allah (by saying Subhaan Allah) ten
times, and praise Him (by saying al-hamduLillah) ten times, and
magnify Him (by saying Allahu akbar) ten times.
Al-Bukhaari (843) narrated: "Glorify Allah (by saying Subhaan Allah),
praise Him (by saying al-hamdu Lillah), and magnify Him (by saying
Allahu akbar) thirty-three times after each prayer."
Muslim (595) narrated: "Glorify Allah (by saying Subhaan Allah),
praise Him (by saying al-hamduLillah), and magnify Him (by saying
Allahu akbar) thirty-three times at the end of each prayer."
3.
Muslim (596) narrated from Ka'b ibn 'Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "Dhikrs at the end of the prayer, the one who saysthem or
does them at the end of each obligatory prayer will not be
disappointed: thirty-three tasbeehahs, thirty-three tahmeedahs and
thirty-four takbeerahs."
What is meant by "at theend of the prayer" in these hadeeths is
immediately after the prayer, that is, after the salaam, as is stated
clearly in some reports. The same is mentioned in the reports which
speak of reciting Aayat al-Kursiy and the Mu'awwidhaat at the end of
the prayer. What is meant is after the salaam.
4.
Abu Dawood (1522) narrated from Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) took him by the hand and said: "O Mu'aadh, by Allah
verily I love you, byAllah verily I love you." Then he said: "I urge
you, O Mu'aadh, never tostop saying at the end ofevery prayer:
Allahummaa'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibaadatika (O
Allah, helpme to remember You, give thank to You and worship You
properly)."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood
An-Nasaa'i (1303) narrated it as follows: "Do not neglect to say in
every prayer, Rabbiy a'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni
'ibaadatika (My Lord, help me to remember You, give thank to You and
worship You properly).
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh an-Nasaa'i.
What is meant by "at theend of the prayer (dibr as-salaah)" here is in
thelast part of the prayer before the salaam, because dibr ash-shay'
(lit. the end of a thing) ispart of it. This is confirmed by the words
in the report of an-Nasaa'i: "in every prayer".
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Zaad al-Ma'aad
(1/294): "At the end of the prayer" may be understood as meaning
before the salaam or after it. Our shaykh [i.e., Ibn Taymiyah]
regarded it as more likely that it is before the salaam. I asked him
about that and he said: Dibr kulli shay' (the end of everything) is
part of it, like the dibr (rear end) of an animal. End quote.
5.
at-Tirmidhi (3499) narrated that Abu Umaamah (may Allah be pleased
with him) said: It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what du'aa'
(supplication) is most likely to be heard (and responded to)? He said:
"(That which is offered) in the last part of the night and at the end
of the prescribed prayers."
This hadeeth was classedas hasan by at-Tirmidhi and by al-Albaani in
Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
What appears to be the case is that what is meant by "at the end of
the prayer" here means before the salaam.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: What appears
to be the case is that what is meant by "at the end of the prescribed
prayers" in the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah – if it is saheeh –is: in the
last part of the prayer. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 13/268
The scholars noted concerning this that in the texts which mention the
end of the prayer, if it is dhikr (such as sayingSubhaan Allah,
al-hamduLillah, Allahu akbar, or reciting Aayat al-Kursiy and the
Mu'awwidhaat), then what is meant by the end of the prayer in this
case is after the prayer; if it is du'aa' (supplication), then what is
meant by at the end of the prayer is in the last part of it, i.e.,
before the salaam.
But if there is a report toindicate that a particulardu'aa' should be
said after the salaam, such as when the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "Ask for forgiveness (by saying
Astaghfirullah) three times," this is a du'aa', but the Sunnah
indicates that it should be said after the salaam.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
What is meant by "at theend of the prayer" in thehadeeths which
encourage saying du'aa' or dhikr at the end of each prayer? Is it the
lastpart of the prayer or after the salaam?
He replied:
The phrase "the end of the prayer" may be applied to the last part of
it before the salaam, or it may be applied to what comes
immediatelyafter the salaam. There are saheeh hadeeths that mention
that, most of which indicate that what is meant is the last part of
the prayer beforethe salaam if it has to do with du'aa', such as the
hadeeth of Ibn Mas'ood, in which the Messenger (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) taught him the tashahhud, then he said:"Then let
him choose whatever du'aa' he likes and say it." And according to
another version he said, "Let him choose after asking whatever he
wants." (saheeh – agreed upon).
Another example is the hadeeth of Mu'aadh in which the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: "Do not
neglect to say at the end of every prayer: Allahummaa'inni 'ala
dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibaadatika (O Allah, helpme to remember
You, give thank to You and worship You properly)."
Narrated by Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhi andan-Nasaa'i with a saheehisnaad.
Another example is the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (may Allah have
mercy on him) from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with
him) who said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
used to say at the end of every prayer: "Allaahumma inni a'oodhu bika
min al-bukhl, wa a'oodhu bika min al-jubn, wa a'oodhu bika min an
uradda ila ardhal il-'umr,wa a'oodhu bika min fitnat ad-dunya wa min
'adhaab al-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from miserliness, and I
seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from
reaching feeble old age, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of
this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave.
With regard to the adhkaar that have been narrated, the saheeh
hadeeths indicate that they are to be recited at the end of the prayer
after the salaam. An example of that is to say after saying the
salaam: "Astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah. Allaahumma
anta al-salaam wa minka al-salaam tabaarakta ya dhaa'l-jalaali
wa'l-ikraam (I ask Allaah for forgiveness, I ask Allaah for
forgiveness, I ask Allaah for forgiveness. O Allaah, You are the One
Who is free from all defects and deficiencies and from You is all
peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honour), whether he
was the imam or praying behind the imam or praying on his own. Then
after that the imam should turn to face the congregation, and the
imam, the one who prayed behind the imam and the one who prayed on his
own should say, after that dhikr and prayer for forgiveness: Laa
ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu'l-mulkwa lahu'l-hamd
wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa
Billaah wa laa na'budu illaa iyyaah. Lahu'l-ni'mah walahu'l-fadl wa
lahu'l-thanaa' al-hasan. Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah mukhliseena
lahu'l-deena wa law kariha'l-kaafiroon. Allaahumma laa maani' lima
a'tayta wa laa mu'ti lima mana'ta wa la yanfa' dhaa'l-jadd minka
al-jadd (There is no god but Allaah Alone, with nopartner or
associate His is the sovereignty and toHim be praise, and He is Able
to do all things. There is no power and no strength except with
Allaah, and we worship none but Him. From Him(alone) come all
blessings and favours, and all good praise is due to Him. There is no
god but Allaah and we make our worship purely for Him (alone) however
much the disbelievers may hate that. O Allaah, none can withhold what
You give and none can give what You withhold, and no wealth or majesty
can benefit anyone for from You is all wealth and majesty).
It is mustahabb for the Muslim, male or female, to recite this dhikr
after each of the five daily prayers, then to glorify Allah (by saying
SubhaanAllah), praise Him (by saying al-hamdu Lillah), and magnify Him
(by saying Allahu akbar) thirty-three times, then to complete one
hundred by saying: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah,
lahu'l-mulk wa lahu'l-hamd wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer (There is
no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate His is the
sovereignty and toHim be praise, and He is Able to do all things).
All of that is proven in hadeeths from the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Afterthat it is mustahabb
to recite Aayat al-Kursiy once, quietly, and to recite Qul Huwa Allahu
Ahad (Soorat al-Ikhlaas) and al-Mu'awwidhatayn once, quietly, except
in the case of Maghrib and Fajr, when it is mustahabb to repeat
therecitation of the three soorahs mentioned, three times. It is also
mustahabb for the Muslim, male or female, to say after praying Maghrib
and Fajr: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu'l-mulk
wa lahu'l-hamd yuhyi wa yumeet wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer
(there is no God but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, His
is the Dominion and to Him be praise, He gives life and gives death,
andHe has power over all things) ten times in addition to what is
mentioned above, before reciting Aayat al-Kursiy and before reciting
the three soorahs mentioned above, in accordance with the saheeh
hadeeths that have beennarrated concerning that. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/194
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If one ponders this matter it will become clear that what is connected
to the end of the prayer, if it is dhikr itcomes after the prayer and
if it is du'aa' it comes in the last part of the prayer.
With regard to the former, Allah, may He be exalted, has made the time
after the prayer a time for dhikr, as He says(interpretation of the
meaning): "When you have finished As-Salat (the prayer -
congregational), remember Allah standing, sitting down, and lying down
on your sides" [an-Nisa' 4:103]. And the Sunnah explainswhat is
mentioned in general terms in this verse of dhikr, such as when the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "The one who
glorifies Allah (by saying SubhaanAllah) at the end of everyprayer
thirty-three times…" Each text that mentions dhikr at the end of the
prayer is to be understood as referring to after the prayer, in
accordance with this verse.
With regard to the latter,the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) regarded the time after the final tashahhud as a time for
du'aa'. So every text thatmentions du'aa' at the end of the prayer is
to be understood as referring to the last part of it, so that the
du'aa' will be at the point where the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) taught us to offer du'aa',unless interpreting the
text in this manner is impossible or unlikely, according to the
context,in which case it is to be understood as indicated by the
context. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 13/268
Secondly:
It is not prescribed to raise the hands when saying du'aa' after the
prayer, because that wasnot narrated from the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him). It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah
(7/103): When saying du'aa' after the obligatory prayer it is not
Sunnah to raise the hands, whether that is done by the imam on hisown
or the one who prayed behind the imamon his own, or by both of them.
Rather that is an innovation, because it was not narrated fromthe
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or from his
Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). As for saying du'aa'
without doing that (raising the hands), there is nothing wrong with
it, because there are some hadeeths that mention that.

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177 hadith found in ' Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Details of Commencing Prayer ' of Sunan Abu-Dawud.

0725
Narrated Wa'il ibn Hujr: I purposely looked at the prayer of the
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), how he offered it. The Apostle
of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) stood up, faced the direction of the
qiblah and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and then raised
his hands in front of his ears, then placed his right hand on his left
(catching each other). When he was about to bow, he raised them in the
same manner. He then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his
head after bowing, he raised them in the like manner. When he
prostrated himself he placed his forehead between his hands. He then
sat down and spread his left foot and placed his left hand on his left
thigh, and kept his right elbow aloof from his right thigh. He closed
his two fingers and made a circle(with the fingers). I (Asimibn
Kulayb) saw him (Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal) say in this manner. Bishr made
the circle with the thumb and the middle finger and pointed with the
forefinger.
0727
Narrated Wa'il ibn Hujr: I witnessed the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him)
raise his hands in front ofhis ears when he began to pray. I then came
backand saw them (the people) raising their hands up to their chest
when they began to pray. They wore long caps and blankets.
0736
Narrated Wa'il ibn Hujr: I saw the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) raising his thumbs in prayer up to the lobes of
his ears.
0737
Narrated AbuHurayrah: When the Apostle of Allah(peace_be_upon_him)
uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) for prayer (in the
beginning), he raised his hands oppositeto his shoulders; and when he
bowed, he did like that; and when he raised his head to prostrate, he
did like that; and when he got upat the end of two rak'ahs, he did
like that.
0738
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Maymun al-Makki said: that he saw
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr leading in prayer. He pointed with his hands
(i.e. raised his hands opposite to the shoulders) when he stood up,
when he bowed and when he prostrated, and when he got up after
prostration, he pointed with his hands (i.e. raised his hands). The I
went to Ibn Abbas and said (to him) I saw Ibn az-Zubayr praying that I
never saw anyone praying. I then told him about the pointing with his
hands (raising his hands). He said: If you like to see theprayer of
the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) follower the prayer as
offered by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.
0739
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Nadr ibn Kathir as-Sa'di said: Abdullah
ibn Tawus prayed at my side in the mosque of al-Khayf. When he made
the first prostration, he raised his head after it and raised his
hands opposite to his face. This came as something strange for me. I,
therefore, said it to Wuhayb ibn Khalid. Then Wuhayb ibn Khalid said
to him: You are doing a thing that I did not see anyone do. Ibn Tawus
then replied: I saw my father doing it, and my father said: I saw Ibn
Abbas doing it. I do not know but he said: The Prophet
(peace_be_upon_him) used to do it.
0743
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:When the Apostle of Allah(peace_be_upon_him)
stood for offering the obligatory prayer, he uttered the takbir (Allah
is most great) and raised his hands opposite to his shoulders; and he
did like that when he finished recitation (of the Qur'an) and was
about to bow; and he didlike that when he rose after bowing; and he
did not raise his hands in his prayer while he was in his sitting
position. Whenhe stood up from his prostrations (at the end of two
rak'ahs), he raisedhis hands likewise and uttered the takbir (Allah is
most great) and raised his hands so as to bring them up to his
shoulders,as he uttered the takbir in the beginning of the prayer.
0745
Narrated AbuHurayrah: If I were in front of the Prophet
(peace_be_upon_him), I would see his armpits. Ibn Mu'adh added that
Lahiq said: Do you not see, AbuHurayrah could not stand in front of
the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) while he was praying. Musa added: When
he uttered the takbir, he raised his hands.


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Should We Really Laugh?

Hasan al-Basri (rahimaullah) was an eminent scholar and
piousindividual of his time. He would rarely laugh due to his
remembrance of death and the punishment of hell. One day he was
goingsomewhere when he saw a young man indugled in laughter. Hasan
al-Basri asked the youth, "Young man, have you already crossed the
bridge of Sirath? Have you already found out whether you are going to
paradise or hell?" The young man replied, "No." Hasan al-Basri told
him, "Then why are you laughing so much?" After that, no one saw this
young man laughing again as he cameto know the reality of this life.
Source: Story extracted from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh
Abul Laith Samarkandi.
Many hours or probably days have passed away from our lives in
laughter and jokes. It is a sign that we have forgotten the life of
the hereafter. The sahabah used to do good deeds all day but still cry
during the night to Allah. On the other hand, we do sins all day and
still have no concerns! It is permissible to laugh at amazing things
and smile while being in company ofothers.

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Good night tips

sleeping arrangement 4 u Bed of trust Pillow of care Bedsheets of
understanding Blanket of peace Dreams of luv Good night
The greatest gift u can give 2 sum1 is ur time. B'coz when u give sum1
ur time. u're giving thema portion of life Good Night
I am not a clock that can SMS u 24 hrs a day but my heart will be like
a clock that will nonstop care love n pray 4 a spl friend like u
If sleep dream of me if sad meet me if bored callme if happy smile 4
me ifhungry cook in for me good night don't forget me.
I want to tell you with my last breath that I have always loved you
and I will always love you Sweet Dreams Good Night
Cute fight is also 1 of the form Of Deep Love and Affection So. Keep a
Little Fight With Your Beloved One.. Good Night
Never walk a lane, that has a foot mark on it. Never work for a goal,
that has an end. Never sleep, but dream Good Night
May the dark winds be the soothing breeze thatpampers you. May the
shiny sky form a blanket of warmth on you. Good Night
It is said a good night's sleep can bring a wonderful tomorrow. May
you sleep with beautiful dreams. Good Night.
All you need to succeed with excellence. All you need for a great day.
All you need for a better tomorrow is a good sleep at night

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Imam Ibn Hazm's Golden Words on Knowledge

Ibn Hazm on Knowledge
31. If knowledge had no other merit than to makethe ignorant fear and
respect you, and scholars love and honour you, thiswould be good
enough reason to seek after it. Let alone all its other merits in this
world and the next!
32. If ignorance had no other fault than to make the igno-rant man
jealous of knowledgeable men and jubilant at see-ing more people like
himself, this by itself would be reason enough to oblige us to flee
it. Let alone the other bad results of this evil in this world and the
next!
33. If knowledge and the action of devoting oneself to it had no
purpose except to free the man who seeks it from the exhausting
anxieties and many worries which afflict the mind, that alone would
certainly be enough to drive us to seek knowledge. But what should we
say of the other bene-fits too numerous to list, the leastof which are
the above-mentioned, and all of which accrue to the knowledgeable man.
In search of benefits as small as these the petty kings have worn
themselves out in seeking distraction from their anxieties in games of
chess, dicing, wine, song, hunting expe-ditions and other pastimes
which bring nothing but harm in this world and the next and absolutely
no benefit.
34. If the scholar who hasspent long peaceful hours [at his studies)
stopped to think how his knowledge has protect-ed him against
humiliation at the hands of the ignorant, and against anxiety about
unknown truths, and what joy it has brought him by enabling him to
solve problems which others find insoluble, he would certainly
increase his expressions of gratitude to Allah and rejoice more in the
knowledge that he has and desire even more to add to it.
35. Anyone who spends his time studying something inferior, abandoning
higher studies of which he is capable, is like someone who sows corn
in a field capable of growing wheat, or who plants bushes in a soil
which could support palm trees and olives.
36. To spread knowledge among those incapable of understanding it
would be as harmful as giving honey and sugary confections to someone
with a fever, or giving musk and amber to someone with a
migrainecaused by an excess of bile.
37. A man who is a miser with his knowledge is worse than a man who is
a miser with his money, for the money-miser is afraid of using up what
he possesses but the knowl-edge-miser is being mean with something
which does not get used up and is not lost when it is given away.
38. Anyone who has a natural inclination towards a branch of
knowledge, even if it is inferior to other branches, should not
abandon it, or he would be like someone who plants coconuts in
al-Andalus or olive trees in India where neither would produce fruit.
39. The most noble branches of knowledge are those which bring you
close to the Creator and help you to be pleasing to Him.
40. When you compare yourself with others in matters of wealth,
position, and health, you should look at people lessfavoured than
yourself. When you compare yourself with others in matters of
religion, knowledge and virtue, look at people who are better than
yourself.
41. The mysterious branches of knowledge are like a strong drug which
benefits a strong body but damages a weak one. In the same way, the
esoteric branches of knowl-edge enrich a strong mind andrefine it,
purifying it of its flaws, but destroy a weak mind.
42. If a madman threw himself as deeply into good sense as he throws
himself into madness, he would surely be wiser than al-Hasan al
Basri,Plato of Athens and Vuzurgmihr the Persian.
43. Intelligence has its limits; it is useless unless it is based on
the guidance of religion or on good fortune in this world.
44. Do not harm your soulby experimenting with corrupt views in order
to demonstrate their corruption to someone who has consulted you,
otherwise you will lose your soul. If you shield yourself from acting
in a detestable way, any criti-cism that can be thrown at you by a man
of corrupt beliefs because you disagree with him is better than his
respect and better than the bad effect on both of you if you committed
these detestable acts.
45. Guard against taking pleasure in any way that will harm your soul
and isnot required of you by the religious law nor by virtue.
46. Knowledge no longer exists if one has ignored the attributes of
the Almighty Great Creator.
47. There is no worse calamity for knowledge and for scholars than
when outsiders intrude. They are ignorant and think that they are
knowledgeable; they ruin everything and believe that they are helping.
48. Anyone who is seeking happiness in the Hereafter, wisdom in this
world, the best way to behave, the sum of all moral qualities, the
practice of all the virtues,should take as his model Muhammad, the
Prophet of God - God grant him blessings and peace - andemulate as far
as possiblethe Prophet's morals and behaviour. May God help us to take
him as an example, by His grace, amen [amen]!
49. The ignorant have annoyed me on two occasions in my lifetime.
First, when they spoke of things they did not know, at a time when I
was equally ignorant; thesecond time when they kept silent in my
presence [in the days when I had learnt something). In the same way
they were always silent about matters which would have benefited them
to speak about, and spoke about matters which brought them no benefit.
50. Scholars have brought me pleasure on two occasions in my lifetime:
first, they taughtme when I was ignorant; the second time was when
they conversed with me after I had been taught.
51. One of the merits of religious knowledge and asceticism in this
world isthat Almighty God does not put it with-in reach of anyone
except those who are worthy of it and deserve it. One of the
disadvantages of the great things of this world, wealth and fame, is
that they mostly fall to the lot of people who areunworthy of them and
do not deserve them.
52. Anyone who is seeking after virtue should keep com-pany with the
virtuous and should take no companion with him on his way except the
noblest friend, one of those people who is sympathetic, charitable,
truthful, sociable, patient, trustworthy, loyal, magnanimous, pure in
conscience and a true friend.
53. Anyone who is seeking fame, fortune and pleasure will keep company
only with people who resemble mad dogs and sly foxes: they will take
for their travelling companions only people [inimical to his belief]
who are cunning and depraved innature.
54. The usefulness of the knowledge [of good) in the practice of
virtue is considerable: anyone who knows the beauty ofvirtue will
practise it, though it may be rarely. Knowing the ugliness of vice, he
will avoid it, though it may be rarely. The man with knowledgeof the
good will listen to soundly-based praise anddesire it for himself. He
will listen to talk of evil and desire to avoid it. From this premise
it necessarily follows that knowledge has a part in every virtue, and
ignorance has a part in every vice. A man who has had no instruction
in the knowledge [of good) will not practise virtue unless he has an
extremely pure nature, a virtuous constitution. It isthe particular
state of theProphets (peace and the blessings of God be upon them!)
for God has taught them virtue in its entirety, without them having
learnt it from men.
55. It is true that I have seen among the commonpeople some who, by
their excellent behaviour and morals, were not surpassed by any wise
man, any scholarly, self-controlled man. But this is very rare. And I
have seen men who havestudied the different branches of knowledge, who
have a good knowledge of the messages of the Prophets- peace be upon
them - and the advice of the philosophers and who nevertheless surpass
the most wicked in their bad behaviour, their depravity, both internal
and external. These are the worst of all creatures.This is very common
and Itherefore perceive that these two [moral attitudes] are a favour
which is granted or withheld by Allah the Almighty.

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Health - An apple a day doesn'talways keep the doctor away

Jackie Love's health tooka turn for the worse in the early hours of
New Year's Day. After years of fatigue, weight gain andvague digestive
issues, the 45-year-old teacher suddenly found herself throwing up.
The nausea continued for months, often with debilitating abdominal
pain, but it was when she began having shooting pains in her arm that
she began to really worry. Concerned it might be a heart attack, Love
rushed to her local doctor.
"I was in tears I was so upset," she says. "I said, 'I don't know
what's happening to me … I feellike I have to be hospitalised and I
don't know what to do'."
When the doctor suggested Love undergotesting for food intolerances,
she just laughed.
"I didn't even associate what I had … with food. There was no concept
in my mind about this being a problem with what I was actually
eating."
But the doctor turned out to be right. A series of tests showed Love
was not adequately absorbing certain types of sugars - including
fructose and sorbitol - that are found in foods as common as apples
and pears.
The pain in Love's arm, ittranspired, was most likely referred pain
fromher bowel.
This type of food intolerance is common in people with digestive
problems, particularly irritable bowel syndrome. IBS affects up to one
in five Australiansand its symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea and
constipation.
Fortunately for Love, there was a solution. A diet developed by a
Melbourne dietitian has proved highly effective at managing some of
thesymptoms she was experiencing.
The low-FODMAP diet was formulated by Dr Sue Shepherd and includes
elements of other established diets aimed at dealing with digestive
issues such as lactose intolerance. It has undergone extensive testing
at Monash University over the past decade and it is now gaining
recognition around the world as an effective way to manage irritable
bowel syndrome.
The diet limits foods thatare high in short-chain carbohydrates and
sugaralcohols, such as lactose, fructans and fructose. Milk, for
example, is highin lactose; mangoes haveexcess fructose; and onion and
wheat are high in fructans. Two other groups - polyols and
galacto-oligosaccharides - are found in high doses in stone fruit and
legumes.
The diet helps up to three out of four sufferers to some extent and,
unlike those with coeliac disease, patients don't need to cut out
theoffending foods completely.
"A few FODMAPs are OK," Shepherd says. "It's not like the gluten-free
diet, which is about cutting out gluten completely. It's about cutting
back FODMAPs until you have the level of symptoms you want."
The exact cause of this sort of intolerance is unknown, but the
symptoms often develop after a gut infection and may be worsened by
stress, says Monash University's Professor Peter Gibson, one of the
FODMAP researchers. Key questions that remain tobe answered include
whether avoiding certain types of sugars, particularly those that
encourage the development of good gut bacteria, can cause other types
of digestive problems and why a minority of patients do not respond to
the diet.
"We haven't actually got a handle on that at the moment," he says.
"It's not been that easy to define who [the diet] will work for and
who it won't."
A Sydney dietitian, Liz Beavis, has used the diet with her clients for
the past three years.
"Depending on their symptoms, [irritable bowel syndrome] can impact on
their work and social life and sleep," she says. "To have improvement
on those symptoms where they can sleep without getting up and going to
the toilet and know theycan get through the workday without popping
out to the toilets … can improve lifedramatically."
The diet presents some challenges, however."Obviously it does mean you
have to prepare a lot more of your own food and you have to be aware
of what you're eating," Beavis says."That being said, if you can see
improvement it'sa lot easier to follow, so… there is motivation to
continue."
While eating out and travelling is not easy, Love has quickly adapted
to her new eating plan and now feels much better.
"It's not a cure but it definitely helps you feel normal," she says.
What are FODMAPs?
The acronym stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides,
monosaccharides and polyols. They are a group of short-chain
carbohydrates and sugaralcohols that are poorly absorbed in the small
intestine.
Where are FODMAPs commonly found?*
Excess fructose: honey, apples, mangoes, pears, watermelon
Fructans: beetroot, garlic, onion, leeks, wheat
Lactose: milk, ice-cream, custard, yoghurt, soft unripened cheeses
Galacto-oligosaccharides: baked beans, kidney beans, lentils
Polyols: apples, apricots, pears, plums, prunes, sorbitol
* Not an exhaustive list

Health - Personal cure saves family from heart condition

THEY were walking time bombs. Members of a family with an inherited
heart condition who knew at any time their hearts could stop pumping
enough blood through their bodies, causing stroke, heart failure or
death.
The condition, called dilated cardiomyopathy and usually incurable,
affects about one in 2000 Australians and leaves the heart weak and
enlarged.
But in a world first, Sydney researchers cracked the genetic codefor
one family suffering from the disorder, identifying a gene mutation
that would have eventually left some in need of a heart transplant, or
dead.
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute led the project and
collaborated with St Vincent's Hospital to screen 42 members of the
family. Researchers found a rare mutation inthe cardiac sodium channel
among almost half of them.
Those affected were treated with a sodium channel blocker, a drug that
already existed. The drugs are not usually recommended for patients
with heart failure because of the potential side effects.
The institute's deputy director, Jamie Vandenberg, said it emphasised
the importance of personalised medicine, since the gene mutation that
caused the condition would not be the same in every family.
''The therapy we've devised is only appropriate for those with a
defect in this particular gene, which would be in the very small
percentages,'' he said.
''But about 40 per cent of people with dilated cardiomyopathy have a
genetic cause for the condition and new technology is making it easier
to identify those specific genetic causes. Depending on what
particular gene defect is identified, if we're lucky there will
already be a drug already available for it, as there was in this case,
and if not we will at least know which genes we need to target.''
Targeting genes would not be an effective treatment in those patients
for whom the cause was not genetic, he said. Infections, alcohol abuse
and exposure to toxins were also thought to be responsible.
The study was published in the Journal of the American College of
Cardiology and its lead author, Diane Fatkin, said even those patients
with severe disease had returned to full health within six months.
''This is game-changing research,'' she said. ''Whilst we can only
claim to have treated one particular mutation that causes cardiac
dysfunction, and there isstill much more to do to find the genetic
causes of heart disease in every family, this is a huge step in the
right direction.''
Dilated cardiomyopathy can affect people of all ages, from newborns to
the elderly.

Health - Understanding mentalhealth problems can benefit workplace productivity

The head of the union movement and a former Liberal Party chief
minister will appear on aunity ticket over industrial relations during
addresses to be delivered at the NationalPress Club on Wednesday.
ACTU president Ged Kearney and former chief minister Kate Carnell will
discuss the issue of achieving betterproductivity through healthier
workplaces. The pair agree that mental health issues are better
discussed with bosses than being ignored in the workplace.
Ms Carnell, who is now the chief executive of beyondblue, said
employers should study her group's e-learning programs about taking
work-related stress issues seriously.
Ged Kearney, president Australian Council of Trade Unions. Photo: Ryan Osland
''Our online interactive programs address the myths and misconceptions
around depression and anxiety and would be helpful foremployers,
managers and staff,'' she said.
''In coming months, more e-learning programs will be added to the
website including ones on how to have a conversation with someone
you're concerned about and managing employees' return to work.''
The press club appearance marks the launch of Go Home on Time Day, an
initiative ofthe Australia Institute.
New research by the institute will be revealedshowing that one in
twoAustralians would feel uncomfortable discussing issues about mental
health with their manager.
The institute's executive director Richard Denniss said 43 per cent of
employees surveyed reported their managerswere poorly skilled in
discussing sensitive workplace issues. ''The survey shows that
Australian workers find talking about mental health issues with their
manager far harder thanany other workplace issue,'' he said.
''Those working for small businesses were nearly twice as likely as
their colleagues in bigger organisations to report that their overall
workplace culture is 'very good'. They were also twice as likely to
report that their manager's skills in holding conversations about
mental health problems were 'very good' than those working for larger
employers.''

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Lovesickness

By no means is love a sickness in and of itself. Indeed, it is the
only known cure for many of the problems and ailments that we as human
beings suffer from. However, love can turn into an illness if it
becomes obsessive, if it goes beyond its proper bounds, or if the
object of love is not worthy. When such a situation develops, love
indeed becomes a sickness requiring a remedy.
It is Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa)'s order in the world that he
sends down to it no affliction without sending down with it its cure.
Love is noexception.
The treatment of this illness is as follows:
1. As with all diseases, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
This is why we must lower our gazes and resist taking a second glance
at a member of the opposite sex who attracts us. Allah (Subhaanahu wa
Ta'aalaa) says: "Say to thebelieving men that they should lower their
gaze and guard their chastity. That will make for greater purity for
them, and Allah is acquainted with all that they do. And say to the
believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their
chastity…" (Surah al-Noor: 30-31)
We can see how Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) first issues the command
to believing men, then repeats the command for believing women, thus
emphasizing the importance of lowering our gazes. The fact that Allah
(Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) addresses members of each sex individually
shows just how important and relevant this matter is to people of both
sexes. Indeed, these Verses are one of the few occasions where Allah
(Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) addresses men and women separately inthe
Quraan.
The look is the beginningthat can lead to progressively greater ills.
This is why Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) mentions it first, and then
follows it up with the command forus to guard our chastity.
A poet long ago observed:
A glance, a smile, a friendly hello,
Some chatting, a date, then off they go!
If some of us find it difficult to carry out this command, they should
write these verses down on a sheet of paper and hang them on their
wall or place them on the dashboard – whatever it takes to remind
them.
2. Thinking about the consequences is often a sobering dose of medicine.
The ability to think aboutthe far-reaching consequences of our actions
is one of the distinctive qualities that set humanity apart from other
animals. This is whya person just does not goahead and do
everythingthat tickles his fancy. He first has to think about what is
behind it and what will come of it.
For instance, he might pause to think, before embarking upon a certain
course of action, that if he does so, he might succumb to AIDS. He
might reflect upon how that dreaded disease has already claimed tens
of millions of lives, how some of those who were careful –who chose
only one sexual partner who even had an AIDS test – nevertheless came
down with the disease.
How many people like that do we hear about, some of whom come out and
admit that the disease befell them as a punishment from Allah
(Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa), and hoping that it might at least expiate
for their sin?
The same can be said for all the other sexually transmitted diseases.
The worst thing of all is to think that an indiscreet man can infect
his pious, faithful, and chaste wife with one of these vile diseases.
Another consequence to think about is pregnancy.A man who had
repentedfor his sins once admittedto me that he had intentionally
chosen to involve himself with a woman who was sterile. Regardless,
Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) wanted her to fall pregnant and she
did.
We should not be heedless of the consequences of our actions. Does
anyone want to be responsible for someone coming intothis world with
no idea who his father is; someone who starts out life already
disadvantaged?
Maybe one of us will pay the price for his misdeed in this world.
Maybe he will get away with it here, going through life unrepentant
and unscathed, only to be humiliated for it before the eyes of all on
the Day of Judgment.
Some of the evil consequences of this behavior are psychological in
nature. Aman, once enamored of women, gets to the pointthat he can
never be satisfied. He eternally craves variety and no degree of
beauty is enough. Because of this, he may find himself eternally
forbidden the lawful pleasure to be found within marriage . His senses
and his sentiments have all been dulled.
Some young men travel abroad and spend their time in the company of
prostitutes and other women of ill repute, but if one of them were
ever to hear that his wife backhome so much as looked at another man
indiscreetly, he would divorce her on the spot.
One man lamented: "I would forsake all the women of the world for the
sake of one woman whom I knew would get worried if I came home at
night a little bit late." This is the sentiment of any man who
possesses wisdom.
3. The communion of lawful love is the best cure of all.
All of the stories of love that we find in our literature – whether it
bethat of Jamîl and Buthaynah, Kuthayyir and 'Azzah, Qays and Laylâ,
or for that matter their English equivalent Romeo and Juliet – deal
with the anguish of unrequited love.
Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) has placed in what is lawful all that
we need so we can dispense with what He has made unlawful. It provides
the most fulfilling, satisfying, and deepest expression of love.
The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said: "We see for those who
are in love nothing better than marriage ." (Sunan Ibne Maajah, 1847
and Mustadrak Haakim, 2724 with a good chain of transmission)
Lawful matrimony is what brings healing to the heart and removes
itsdisquiet. If it is not written for a certain manand women to come
together in matrimony, each of them should havefaith that there are
many others out there with whom Allah (Subhaanahuwa Ta'aalaa) can
enrich them with a meaningful and loving relationship.
4. Resignation and a willingness to forsake what is wrong.
No matter how painful it may be to part, it is sometimes necessary.
TheProphet (SallAllaho alaihewa sallam) said: "Whoever maintains his
chastity, does so with thegrace of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa).
Whoever finds self-sufficiency does so with what Allah (Subhaanahu wa
Ta'aalaa) has enriched him. Whoever is patient draws his fortitude
from Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa). And no one hasbeen given a gift
better or more bountiful than patience." (Bukhari 1469 and Muslim
1053)
Whoever gives something up for Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa)'s sake
should know that Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) will give him in its
substitute something far better.
5. Channeling one's energies and abilities into what is nobler,
moreprecious, and sublime – the love of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa)
We express this love by bringing benefit to His creatures, by our
obedience to Him, by our Salaah (prayers), our Saum (fasts), our Zikr
(remembrance of Him), our Du'aas (supplications), and our Tawaadhu'
(humility). Wedo so by keeping the company of righteous people and by
aspiring tothe noblest and most beneficial of goals.
We should channel our energies into what benefits us in our
worldlylives and in our faith. Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aalaa) says:
"Seek Allah's help with patienceand perseverance. It is indeed
difficult except upon those who are humble." (Surah al-Baqarah: 45)
He says: "Whoever puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for
him." (Surah al-Talaaq: 3)
A heart that is full of concern for others will bea heart that is full
of love – but not a slave to love. It is an empty heart that falls
stricken for any visitor who graces its doorstep.
We should take full advantage of our lives and be as productive as
possible. We need to develop our talents, our minds, and put our
creativity into practice. Yes! Be enamored – but be enamored of truth
and knowledge . Be fully in love – but be in love with righteousness.

Finding a Marriage Partner

Q. What are Islamically permissible ways in which to meet women with
intention for marriage , if you live in a society where your best
opportunity to meet a muslim woman is at the workplace or in a
secondary school?
A. Marriage is an institution which is filled with respect and dignity
and so, everything that leads to marriage must be filled with the
same. Dating, as we have seen brings about a great amount of sins and
wrongdoings on the partof the boy and the girl. Assuch, a Muslim boy
or girlmust never be trapped into this web of satan.
In accordance to the guidelines given in the beautiful teachings of
Islam , when one seeks a partner in marriage, he/she must consult with
the parents or other close family members. The parents/guardian etc.
will then enquire from others in the community and beyond about a good
boy or girl for their son/daughter. When a certain match is found, the
parents/guardian should enquire about the traits, habits and character
of that person. If they are pleased, then they wouldintroduce the boy
to the girl. At this point the boy and girl may speak to each other
within the presence of blood relatives and may then decide that they
would marry each other. Even atthis time, it is not permissible for
both of them to go out alone, to be in seclusion or to maintain any
sort of relationship which is seen from a husband andwife.
Besides the above, if a boy happens to see a girl which may interest
him or vice versa, then they must consult with their parents and
proceed thereafter in accordance to the guidelines given inthe
beautiful teachings of Islam. If the parent finds it difficult to find
a suitable wife/husband for their son/daughter (through their
contacts) then they may continue to enquire from friends, the Imam,
persons in the community or even distant relatives.
And Allah knows best.

The Mother of all evils?

Imam al-Qurtubi mentions in his tafseer (al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an)
that a man once saw a drunkard trying to fish the moon (yes, fish the
moon) in the heavy drunken state that he was in. The man upon seeing
such a despicable condition (and being so ghastly averse to it) made
an oath declaring his wife divorced if there was ever anything to
enter the belly of the son of Adam which was worse or more evil than
alcohol .
As oaths in matters of divorce are binding, he was told to seek a
juristicruling from Imam Malik who was in Madinah. Theman came to Imam
Malik and told him about his oath, seeking a fatwa from him; should he
divorce his wife or not? Imam Malik told him to come back in three
days while he looked into the matter.
After the three days passed, the man returnedto Imam Malik who then
said to him (read carefully):
امرأتك طالق إني تصفحت كتاب الله فلم أر شيئًا يدخل جوف ابن آدم أخبث ولا
أشر من الربا
"Your wife is divorced. I searched and studied through the Book of
Allah and I didn't see anything enter the belly of the son of Adam
worseor more evil than Riba (interest)."
Ok, other than the lesson to never make such crazy oaths in the first
place(!), this just further highlights the dangers and evil of
interest. And here we are today surrounded by it, in every place. May
Allah save us from it, ameen.
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