STORY - ~ ISS Transit of Venus

ISS Transit of Venus
=
2012-06-04 05:59:24 GMT 2012-06-04 13:59:24(Beijing Time) SINA.com
=
High above Earth, astronaut Don Pettit is about to become the first
human to witness and photograph a transit of Venus from space. His
images and commentary will be streamed to Earth during the crossing.

STORY - ~ Diamond Jubilee: St Paul's service to wrapup events

The Queen ended the Diamond Jubilee concert outside Buckingham
Palaceby lighting a beacon in TheMall
The Diamond Jubilee
Stars perform at Jubilee concert
Q&A: Bladder infections
In pictures: Diamond Jubilee concert
Beacons ignited to mark Jubilee
The Queen's Jubilee celebrations will continue with a
glitteringprocession and service ofthanksgiving later, but without her
consort at her side.
The Duke Of Edinburgh remains in hospital with a bladder infection and
will miss the final events marking her 60 years on the throne.
A service at St Paul's Cathedral will be followed by a carriage
procession and, weather allowing, an RAF flypast.
On Monday, Buckingham Palace hosted a star-studded Diamond Jubilee concert.
'Mummy'
The fourth day of celebrations will be a moreformal affair, with the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, giving a sermon in front
of the Royal Family and leading national figures.
Prime Minister David Cameron will lead the largerepresentation from
the government at St Paul's alongside diplomats and foreign leaders.
After the service, the Queenwill attend a reception at Mansion House -
the officialresidence of the Lord Mayor of London. The Prince of Wales
and Duchess of Cornwall will attend a similar event at the Guildhall.
Analysis
Peter Hunt
News correspondent
A day of celebration which has been planned for years will now have to
be tinkered with at the last moment, because of the absence of one of
the key participants.
Prince Philip has spent the night in hospital. It's the second time
he's been admitted in six months.
While he continues to be treated, a service of thanksgiving at St
Paul's and a lunch in WestminsterHall will go ahead.
Then the Queen will travel by carriage back to Buckingham Palace for
an appearance on the balcony with those who represent the future of an
institution she has nourished - Charles,Camilla, William, Catherine
and Harry. It doesn't harm that at a time of austerity it'll be an
image of just six royals which will be beamed around the world.
The woman who wasn't born to be queen has now reigned for 60 years.
It's a landmark achievement andnow possibly also a bitter-sweet
occasion as well.
Read more from Peter
A City of London Livery companies lunch at Westminster Hall will
follow, after which the royals will take part in a carriage procession
through Whitehall.
Then, weather permitting, they will gather on the balcony at
Buckingham Palace to watch a flypast ofWorld War II aircraft and a
display by the Red Arrows.
Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince
Harry are among the royalsinvolved in Tuesday's events.
Prince Philip, 90, will remain under observation at King Edward VII
Hospital in London, where he was taken on Monday as a"precautionary
measure".
In December, he was treated at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge for
ablocked coronary artery.
At the concert on Monday night, attended by 12,000 people, Charles
paid tributeto his mother, describing her as "mummy" and a"very
special person".
But he added there was a disappointing edge to the night. "The only
sad thing about this evening is that my father couldn't be with us
because, unfortunately, he was taken ill," he said.
Addressing his mother on the stage, he added: "This is our opportunity
to thankyou and my father for always being there for us.
"For inspiring us with your selfless duty and service and for making
us proud tobe British."
Take That star Gary Barlow,who helped organise muchof the concert and
sang a duet with Cheryl Cole, said the prince's illness was"sad,
really sad".
Robbie Williams - who earlier opened the show with Let Me Entertain
You -was the first to perform forthe Queen when he sang big band
classic Mack the Knife.
Other performers included Jessie J, Annie Lennox, Sir Tom Jones,
Madness, StevieWonder and Sir Cliff Richard - singing a medley of his
songs from six different decades.
Comedians including Lee Mack, Rob Brydon, Jimmy Carr and Peter Kay -
dressed as a Beefeater - also performed at the event which was
broadcastby the BBC.
The concert was brought toa close by Sir Paul McCartney who played
hits including Magical Mystery Tour, Let It Be and a spectacular
rendition of Live and Let Die, complete with fireworks and explosions.
After the show, the Queen pressed a diamond-shaped crystal into a pod,
igniting a beacon in The Mall to mark her 60 years on the throne. It
was one of more than 4,000 lit across the UKand the Commonwealth.
See all the latest Diamond Jubilee news and features at bbc.co.uk/diamondjubilee
Explore our Diamond Jubilee interactives/

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ Knowledge, the Key to Success

... It is narrated byAbu Musa that the Prophet (SAW) said, "The
example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like
abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil
that absorbed rain-water and brought forth vegetation and grass in
abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain-
water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for
drinking, (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate the
land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could
neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then the land was
of no benefit). The firstis the example of the person who comprehends
Allah's Religion and gets benefit from the knowledge which Allah
hasrevealed through me and learns and then teaches it to others. The
(last example is that of a) person who does not care for it and does
not take Allah's Guidance revealed through me (He is like the barren
land.)" (Bukhari). Through the above narration, the Prophet (SAW) is
telling us of the superiority of religious knowledge. This is the
knowledge that we should give priority to. All other knowledge will
not be of benefit if we do not have this one. First and foremost,
comes the knowledge of Allah. Knowing His names and Hisattributes.
Knowing what isexpected of us in regard to our servitude to Him, and
what mutual rights exist between us. Secondly, we should strive to
know Allah's Book, the Qur'an. We should learn to read it in Arabic,
if we don't already know how to do so. We should also be trying to
memorize as much of it as possible, and stressing the importance
ofboth of these things to our children. Reading the Qur'an should be
something commonplace in every Muslim home, and is an activity that
the whole family can, and should participate in. Thirdly, we should
know about the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, and his
companions. It's by readingtheir stories that we learn of their
bravery, love for the Deen and their complete devotion to Allah.It's
by knowing them that we grow to love them, ...

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ A profound respect for Allah is a sign of genuine faith

A profound respect for Allah, the religion, the Qur'an, our Prophet
(saas), the angels and all our spiritual values is an important sign
of genuine faith. Allah described in the Qur'an how the prophets and
true believers stood in respectful awe of Him and remembered him with
awe, how their hearts were softened by fear of Him, and how they came
with a sound and pure faith through their profound fear. Therefore,
all Muslims must be scrupulous and punctiliouswhen it comes to
remembering Allah, in speaking of our Prophet (saas) and all the other
prophets, and in discussing religious matters.
Language that is disrespectful of Allah will impose a heavy
responsibility in the Hereafter and also have a negative impact on
peopleof weak or no faith who hear it. Every Muslim must carefully
avoid talking in any such way.
BELIEVERS' PROFOUND RESPECT FOR ALLAH
(Believers are) those WHO ARE FILLED WITH THE FEAR of their Lord.
(Surat al-Muminun, 57)
(People of intelligence are)those who join what Allah has commanded to
be joined and are AFRAID OF THEIR LORD and fear an evil Reckoning.
(Surat ar-Rad, 21)
Those who fear their Lord in their most secret thoughts, and WHO HOLD
THE HOUR (OF JUDGMENT)IN AWE. (Surat al-Anbiya', 49)
We responded to him and gave him John, restoring for him his wife's
fertility. They outdid one another in good actions, calling outto Us
in yearning and in awe, and HUMBLING THEMSELVES TO US. (Surat
al-Anbiya', 90)
If We Had sent down this Qur'an onto a mountain, YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN
ITHUMBLED, CRUSHED TO PIECES OUT OF FEAR OF ALLAH. We make such
examples for people so that hopefully they will reflect. (Surat
al-Hashr, 21)
HAS THE TIME NOT ARRIVED FOR THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE TO YIELD
to the remembrance of Allah andto the truth He has sent down, so they
are not like those who were given the Book before for whom thetime
seemed over long so that their hearts became hard? Many of them are
deviators. (Surat al-Hadid, 16)
(It is) so that you might allbelieve in Allah and His Messenger and
honor Him and RESPECT HIM and glorify Him in the morningand the
evening. (Surat al-Fath, 9)
Men and women who are Muslims, men and women who are believers, men
and women who are obedient, men and women who are truthful, men and
women who are steadfast, MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE HUMBLE, men and
womenwho give charity, men andwomen who fast, men andwomen who guard
their chastity, men and women who remember Allah much: Allah has
prepared forgiveness for them and an immense reward. (Surat al-Ahzab,
35)
Among the people of the Book there are some who believe in Allah and
in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and
WHO ARE HUMBLE BEFORE ALLAH. They do not sell Allah's Signs for a
paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And
Allah is swift at reckoning. Surah Al 'Imran, 199)
Those who speak in a manner that is inappropriate towards Allah and
Islam, who foolishly adopt a mocking tone or who behave in such a way
as to weaken people's love and respect for Allah in this world will be
able to do none of these things when they are brought into His
Presence and will seriouslyregret their actions.
DENIERS' AND HYPOCRITES' FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND SPEECHIN THE PRESENCE OF ALLAH
On that day they will follow the Summoner whohas no crookedness in
himat all. VOICES WILL BE HUMBLED BEFORE THE ALL-MERCIFUL AND NOTHING
BUT A WHISPER WILL BE HEARD. On that Day intercession will not be of
any use except for him whom the All-Mercifulhas authorized and with
whose speech He is well pleased. (Surah Ta Ha, 108-109)
You will see them as they are exposed to it, ABJECT IN THEIR
ABASEMENT, glancing around them furtively. Those who believe will say,
'Truly the losers are those who lose themselves and their families on
the Day of Resurrection.' The wrongdoers are in an everlasting
punishment. (Surat ash-Shura, 45)
'Be moderate in your tread and LOWER YOUR VOICE. THE MOST HATEFUL OF
VOICES IS THEDONKEY'S BRAY.' (Surah Luqman, 19)
Therefore, (O Prophet,) turn away from them. The Day that THE CALLER
WILL CALL (THEM) TO A TERRIBLE AFFAIR. They will emerge from their
graves with DOWNCAST EYES , like swarming locusts, necks outstretched,
EYES TRANSFIXED, RUSHING HEADLONG TO THE ONE WHO SUMMONS. The
unbelievers will say, 'This is a pitiless day!' (Surat al-Qamar, 6-8)
THEIR EYES WILL BE DOWNCAST, darkened by debasement; for they were
called on to prostrate when they were in full possession of their
faculties. (Surat al-Qalam, 43)
Do not consider Allah to be unaware of what the wrongdoers perpetrate.