Seeing the World in a New Light

I walked into Pine Street Inn, a shelter for men and women, holding
Safiya's tiny hand, hardly noticing that my grip continued to tighten
as I walked through the shelter. I had never been in such a placeand
seen such different people -- people who didn't have adequate clothes,
didn't have food, didn't even have a table to put food on, couldn't
own a house. I had always imagined what homeless people lived like,
but on this trip, it finally came into perspective: it was real.
Noticing dozens of eyes on me, I looked straight ahead, afraid to come
intoeye contact with anyone. Isaw men, young and old, sober and drunk,
sprawled across the floor sleeping, or leaning against the walls
shoutingat us, "helloo ladies." Seeing them frightened me along with
the rest of the MAS youth group.
However, as I continued to walk through the shelter with my group and
guide, Scottie, my grip on Safiya's hand began to loosen. Earlier I
was glad to have a child's hand to hold; it made it seem as though I
was protecting her; however, Irealized I was just trying to protect
myself. Finally, my fears calmed.
My stomach felt queasy, not out of fear, but out of depression. My
heart clenched trying its hardestto fight back tears. Unshaven men
looked upon us with deep eyes. Their eyes seemed to tell the stories
of their lives, stories so powerful my eyes could hardly meet theirs.
As I looked around more carefully, I remembered these men and women
were people, people like me. But they weren't like me. They didn't
even havethe basic necessities of life. I started to feel out ofplace
wearing expensive clothing and carrying a nice purse. God's blessing
over me contrasted with the surrounding in which I was. I began to
realize how blessed I am.
I realized how much we all take for granted, forgetting to thank God
for the wonderful things we've been blessed with. Many of us fail to
see the blessings of this life and focus on the negative aspects of
life. Visiting the Pine Street Inn reopened my eyes to reality. I
remembered how many blessings have been bestowed upon me by God.
Things finally startedto come into perspective.
After leaving Pine Street, my outlook on life has changed. One would
say,"how can a person changefrom one trip," but in reality, it is
quite possible.I can hardly put into words what emotions have been
going through me since I left, but my life has been greatly impacted.
Before I say"my life is so hard!" I think back on what I saw at Pine
Street. Alhamdullillah, all praises to God, my life is more than
bearable. The Qur'an repeatedly states, "On no soul do We place a
burden greater than it canbear."
Thinking back on everything I saw, I admireScottie and the others who
work there. Whetherone is volunteering or being paid for working
there, it takes more than just money to get someone to work in a place
like that. It takes a heart. It takes strength. Many times we lack
this sympathy for others and forget about the world around us. Scottie
and those like her deserve a lot of credit for having thedrive to help
others."Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by
day in secretand in public have their reward with their Lord: on them
shall be no fear nor shall they grieve." (The Qur'an 2:274).
--

story !IF YOU JUST TELL THEM.

I was sitting in the kitchen. Sabi (our servant)was washing the dishes
&then she mop the floor. My Mom came in. Sabi why were you late
again?She yelled at her. My bus...... Sabi was going to say something,
when my Mom cut her off. That is not an excuse Sabi, she told her.
I had no idea what the excuse was. I decided to ask Sabi when my Mom
won't be around. It was time for Zuher. We all made wudo & went to
pray except Sabi. She was still working in the kitchen. I was shocked.
Because my Quran teachertold me," when it's time for salat you have to
stop whatever you're doing". And yet I notice she wasn't even covering
her hair, even in front of my father or uncle. Why? isn'tshe supposed
to? I asked myself. When I've been told from everybody you have to
cover your hair. (in front of nonmehrams) Wasn't my dad & uncle were
nonmehram for her?Now I really wanted to talk to her. Later that day
when my Mom went shopping I called her to my room. I told her to sit
down when she came in. Then asked her about it. I don't know how to
pray &nobody told me to cover. Do I have to? she asked me.
Yes, you do, I said.
She started to cry, I couldn't stop her she had to let those tears out.
I will teach you Sabi, don'tcry, I said. She rubbed her blue eyes. She
was so beautiful. You will? she asked. Yes, I answered.
That night I asked my parents to help her study after collage. My Mom
wasso mad. You little kiddy, how could you? they are our servents; if
they started to learn who are going to work for us? Youare forgetting
something Mom. I'm not a kid & Prophet Muhammad (SAW) teach her to be
nicewith our servants. And there's nothing wrong if they'll learn. I
see your point Aisha, my father said. Yes, you can teach her, my
father said. My Mom couldn't say anymore.
I started to teach her. I was amazed how fast she was learning.
She learned her salat in a month. Then I stared to teach her reading & writing.
She finished her 1st quranin a year. Now she was memorizing some
suras. She's so happy now. Now I see her covered from herhead to toe,
even in the hottest days.
One day my dad brought his friend's proposal for her. She was like,
how could I? My Mom asked her Mom. She was happy to hear it.
She got married in the next two weeks. I was happy for her.
Thank you Aisha,if you haven't teached me I couldn't have learn
anything. No Sabiha thankAllah. He had all planed, I just .....I did
nothing I couldn't say anything else.Now I could teach my daughters.
She was tellingme. I started to laugh & she joined me, too. I looked
at the sky & thought there was a big smile, too.
(the end)
-

Thousands flee floods in Myanmar

At least 85,000 people in Myanmar have fled their homes as the worst monsoon flooding in yearssubmerged hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice fields, a government relief official said on Saturday.
Heavy rains over the last few weeks caused the inundation, which primarily affected the country's southern delta region.
Around 70,000 people have been displaced in thedelta and are being housed at 219 emergency relief centres set up at schools and monasteries. Another 15,000 people have been displaced elsewhere in the country, and more than 240,000 hectares of rice fields have been swamped.
Annual monsoon rains often cause flooding in theregion, and this year's are the heaviest since 2004.
The delta region was devastated in 2008 by Cyclone Nargis, which killed about 130,000 people. — AP

1d] Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels)

1d]
they call out to one another,"Come to what you hunger for!" and they enfold them with their wings, stretching up to the lowest heaven. Their Lord asked then, and He knows better than them,"What are My slaves saying?" They say: "They are glorifying, magnifying,praising and extolling You." He asks, "Have they seen Me?" They say, "No, by Allaah, they have not seen You." He asks, "And how would it be if they saw Me?" They say, "They would be even more fervent and devoted in their praise and worship." He asks, "What are they asking me for?" They say,"They ask You for Paradise." He asks, "And have they seen it?" They say, "No, by Allaah, O Lord,they have not seen it." He asks, "And how would it be if they saw it?" They say: "They would be even more eager for it and theywould beseech You even more earnestly." He asks,"And what do they seek My protection from?" They say, "From the Fire of Hell." He asks, "Have they seen it?" They say,"No, by Allaah, they have
not seen it." He asks, "Andhow would it be if they saw it?" They say: "They would be even more afraid and anxious to escape it." Allah says:"You are My witnesses that I have forgiven them." One of the angels says: "So-and-so is not really one of them; he came (to the gathering) for some other reason." Allah says, "They were all in the gathering, and one of them will not be excluded (from forgiveness)."'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 6408).
Some of them are responsible for the mountains. 'Aa'ishah (mayAllaah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him):"Have you ever faced any day more difficult than the day of Uhud?" He said:"I suffered at the hands ofyour people and the worst that I suffered was what I suffered at their hands on the day of 'Aqabah. That was when I went to call Ibn 'Abd Yaalayl ibn 'Abd al-Kalaal to Islam, and he did not respond. I left, feeling depressed and hardly knowing where I was going. I did not recover until I found myself in Qarn al-Tha'aalib. I raised my head and saw that I was being shaded by a cloud. I looked, and saw Jibreel in the cloud. He called me and said: 'Allah has heard what your people said and how theyresponded to you. He has sent the Angel of the Mountains so that you cantell him to do to them whatever you want.' The Angel of the Mountains called me and greeted me, then said: 'O Muhammad, tell me
what you want me to do. If youwant, I can crush them between two mountains.'" The Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said:"All I hope for is that Allahwill bring forth from their loins people who will worship Allah alone and not associate any partner with Him." (Reported by al-Buhaari, Fath, no. 3231).
Some of them visit the Much Frequented House (al-bayt al-ma'moor). In the lengthy hadeeth describing the Israa' and Mi'raaj (the Night Journey and the Ascent to Heaven), the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said:
"Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returningto it again, another [group] coming after them."
There are also angels standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, aswas reported by Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings ofAllaah be upon Him) said: 'I see what you do not seeand hear what you do nothear. The heaven makes anoise like groaning, and ithas the right to (or it is nosurprise), for there is no space in it the width of four fingers, but there is an angel there, placing hisforehead in sujood (prostration) to Allaah. By Allaah, if you knew what Iknow, you would laugh little and weep much, youwould not enjoy your relationships with womenand you would go out in the street praying to Allaah.'" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2312)
This is a summary of Islamic teachings concerning the noble angels of Allaah. We ask Allaah to make us believe in them and love them. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Israafeel
From Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf, who said: "I asked 'Aa'ishah the Mother of the Believers about what the Prophet (Peace& Blessings of Allaah be upon Him)/