ADVISE :- ~ The Secrets of Changing the World

Passion and stamina are among the essential qualities of great innovators
This is an extremely interesting and inspiring essay that appeared in
the BBC's online news magazine. And since changing ourselves, and
thereby changing the world, is a frequent focus of my articles here at
IslamicSunrays.com, I felt this piece was a good fit. Maybe later I'll
use it as a springboard for a similar piece with a specifically
orientation, Insha'Allah:
The secrets of changing the world
Transforming society is a feat that only a select fewof us will ever
accomplish. In the second of a series of articles about
innovation,Stephen Sackur looks for common qualities that unite the
genuine revolutionaries he has encountered.
I paid a brief visit to my teenage son's school the other day. The sun
was outand the air was thick with restless, hormonal energy.
If only we could tap into these kids' hopes, dreams and creative
urges, I mused, we could reinvigorate our jaundiced adult world.
It's a tempting proposition,is it not? That all of us, in our youth,
have the capacity to be innovators, free-thinkers, resolute refuseniks
when it comes to accepting the status quo.
Tempting, but alas, illusory.Most of us figure out from a very early
age that it's safer to conform than rebel. We tend to go with the
flow, rather than ask why it has to be so.
That's why so many young people today tell pollsters their ambition in
life is to be a celebrity, a sports star or a glamorous model.
Yes,they want to be rich and famous, but they want success simply to
fall into their laps. Change the world? Sounds too much like hard
work.
But without innovators we're stuck. Every new generation needs people
determined to find a betterway. Of thinking, doing, and living.
So I've set myself a task. I'm going to try to distil what I've
learned from years of encounters on my TV interview programme,
HARDtalk, with some of ourplanet's great contemporary innovators.
Is it possible to find a common thread which runsthrough these diverse
and daring minds whether it bein business, science or art?
Well, it's worth a try. Here are the qualities that seem to separate
us sheep from the innovative goats.

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ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ Knowing Who to Believe, and Who to Trust

The world is chaos. There isan underlying order in nature, but human
society is a tsunami of lies, disinformation, conflicting claims,
selfishness and greed. This news channel says one thing, that one says
another. One group claims to be freedom fighters, others call them
terrorists. One person tells you to practice Islam this way, another
says that way. You meet someone and he or she seems honest, while
others say, "Don't trust him, he's no good." You make personal choices
for your life, and people criticize you and sayyou are foolish or
misguided.
What confusion! How do you know what to believe, and who to trust?
Answer: Believe in Allah. Trust Him. Invite His word and guidance
into your life and open yourself to it fully.
Next, believe in Allah's Messengers, His books, the angels, the Day of
Resurrection, and that certain things are predestined and beyond your
control (Qadar).
These are the six pillars of Imaan (faith).
Lastly, believe in yourself. With Allah guiding you, have no fear.
Believe in your instincts, your choices,and your own heart. This isthe
most difficult challenge, but it's vital. Know yourself, and believe
in yourself.
If you get that down, it's clear sailing. You'll know which people you
can trust,and which ones you can't. You'll know which causes you can
support, and whichones are lies. That's the power of faith. It lights
the way and makes things clear. The Quran is Al-Furqaan , the
criterion bywhich all things can be judged. The authentic Sunnah is
our guide that shows us how to put the Quran into practice in our
lives.
These are the sources of Truth. As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said
during his last sermon, on the occasion of the Hajj andon the day of
'Arafah, in the Uranah valley near Makkah, with ten thousandpeople
listening:
"O people, no Prophet or Messenger will come after me and no new faith
will be born. Reasonwell, therefore, O people, and understand the
words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things: the Qur'an
and my example, the Sunnah; and if you followthese you will never go
astray." (Agreed upon)
Islam is as-sirat al-mustaqeem , the Straight Path. When you have
knowledge of the Truth, you cannot be distracted or fooled by
falsehood.
Allah says,
"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clearly
distinct from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has
grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah is
Hearing and Knowing." (Quran, 2:256)
On the day the Muslims opened Makkah, the Prophet (pbuh) recited,
while watching the idols being smashed:
"…And say [O Muhammad]: 'Truth has come, and falsehood has departed,
Indeed is falsehood, [by Nature], ever bound to depart.'" (Quran,
Al-Isrâ': 81).
The same is true on a personal level. When Truth arrives in your
heart, and you put it into action in your life, you will find that
falsehood can no longer stand before you.
You'll walk calmly amid themedia whirlwind, the spin, the claims, the
bigotry and greed, the selfish people who only want to use you, the
betrayers who would hurt you without remorse. You will know who to
believe and trust, because you know yourself, and you carry truth
inside you.

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HEALTH - ~ Staying hydrated is the mantra to work on this season.

How precious is water? Probably the most precious, because there is no
meaningful form of life without water. Our body's dependence on water
is reflected in the fact that a person can live many days without food
but can't survive more than three days without water.
In summer staying adequately hydrated is vital. A person approximately
needs two-three litres of water a day. But this is lost throughurine,
breathing, sweat andstools. While staying hydrated is essential for
everyone, it is particularly important for those who exercise. Water
is the most important nutrient for exercisers; it regulates body
temperature, helps lubricate joints, helps blood transport nutrients
and removes toxins and waste from the body.
While you workout:
Do not wait till you get thirsty; thirst is an indication that you are
already on the way to dehydration.
Make sure you have 250-500 ml of water 20-40minutes before your workout.
Carry a sipper and take a mouthful every five minutes without
disturbing your workout. This will improve performance.
Drink plenty of water post workout.
Cold water will empty the stomach faster and get easily absorbed than
hot orregular water. Cold water will also help bring down core
temperature that increases during exercise.
If the intensity is high or if the duration of the workout is more
than 60 minutes it's always better to go in for a drink with
electrolytes to maintain the body's fluid-electrolyte balance.
Given the wide variability in climatic conditions; individual sweat
rates, and duration and intensity of activity, it is difficult to
generalise about hydration. But there are two simple methods to check
your level: Weigh yourself before and after exercise. This will help
to know how much you've lost. And, make sure that your urine is clear.
The onlyexception is the first time in the morning, which can be a
slightly yellowish. Remember some supplements/medication may darken
the colour.
While a moderate amount of caffeine will not do much harm, alcohol
sure does. Alcohol has a diureticeffect, meaning it removes more water
from the body leading to dehydration. So it cannot be considered as
fluid intake. It also interferes with muscle recovery.
Dehydration can also decrease performance significantly. Studies show
that athletes who lose as little as two per cent of their body weight
through sweat have a drop in bloodvolume. This causes the heart to
work harder to circulate blood and also leads to muscle cramps,
dizziness, fatigue and otherheat-related sickness.
Last but not the least, water is the single most important measure to
prevent kidney stones; of which there are an increasing number of
complaints these days.
So be good to yourself; drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids
and enhance metabolic functions. While just plain water is fine you
can also hydrate yourself with fruit and veggies like watermelon, musk
melon and cucumber. And can anything beat our nimboo paani and lassi?
So let's find the nearest watering hole and say cheers (to a glass of
water).

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Qur'an Leads The Way To Science

God summons humanity to investigate and reflect upon the heavens, the
earth, mountains, stars, plants, seeds, animals, the alternation of
the night and the day, the creation of man, the rain and manyother
created things.
There is one fact that mustbe recognized clearly: science can achieve
reliable results only if it adopts as its main objective the
investigationof the signs of creation in the universe, and strives
solely towards this end. Science may reach its ultimate goal in the
shortest possible time only if it is pointed in the right direction,
that is, if it is rightly guided.
QUR'AN LEADS THE WAY TOSCIENCE (Download - 17,6 MB)
Examining these, man comes to recognize the artistry of God's
creation inthe world around him, andultimately, to know his Creator,
Who created the entire universe and everything in it from nothing.
Religion not only encourages scientific study, but also permits that,
supported by the truths revealed through religion, scientific research
be conclusive and expeditious. The reason being, that religion is the
only source to provide accurate and definitive answers as to how life
andthe universe came into being.

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