Senior Citizens of India

Even before you are aware of it, retirement is around the corner and
with it comes a sense of apprehension, trepidation and maybe a sense
of anticipation. The first few days when you acquire the status of a
senior citizen are full and the consequences of retirement have yet to
sink in. A month passes and time hangs heavily and in a sense you feel
lost, but a change in attitude can alter all that. The Indian
government hasgiven many concessions to senior citizens and it would
do good if you focused on the advantages rather than the
disadvantages. Even at a personal level you can think of it as a new
beginning rather than an end of a phase. Look around you, wake up to
the things around you, have a new perspective and find time for all
those things that you wanted to do but could never get done.
Books and reading are all time favorite hobbies to indulge in.
InIndia, subjects like astrology, tarot reading and palm reading have
attracted many. So serious do these senior citizens become that you
would never guess theywere novices. Heated discussions, debatable
debates on politics and religion have alsoengrossed quite a few. Then
there is this small segment, which focuses on economy and finance.
Many Indians who have never taken investment seriouslystart reading
business magazines, and catch up on bullish and bearish trends in the
market. Surprisingly many of them become prudent about investment and
offer a lot of advice to the so-called tyros. Listening to music,
attending music festivals, participating in musical activities help to
turn thefocus from retirement to aesthetics. Many philanthropic
Indians have been known to devote their attention to social causes and
have been known to form clubs, which volunteer to help people. The
sense of deep satisfaction that one gets from this is absolutely
incomparable. Developing a passion for sports, evoking an interest in
everythingaround you keeps you mentally healthy and emotionally fit.
There is a decline in mental abilities as one ages and this is mostly
an offshoot of certain pathological changes in the human brain. While
senior citizens become more mature in judgment , the ability to recall
things declines. Doing crossword puzzles, solving things mentally and
a conscious effort to relate and recall can greatly alleviate this
decline. Aging is only in the mind, you are as old as you want to be.
Reading spiritual books, committing the Saint Kabir's shlokas to
memory is a wonderful exercise for the human brain, for it emphasizes
the fact that nothing, no matter however difficult is unconquerable. A
positive attitude and a desire to learn as many new things as possible
is the key to a full and happy life. Many computer institutes in India
conduct computer coursesfor senior citizens and they are able to use
the Internet, send e-mails all over the world, store information
relating to investments and handle their bank accounts. There are
limited job openings for senior citizens but ideally they should take
a job only if they have to.
Exercise, yoga and meditation keep senior citizens in good physical
condition, as they are less prone to ailments, which tend to dog their
footsteps oncethey have crossed 60. Physical conditioning augurs
emotional and mental well being. Exercise tones muscles, improves
circulation of blood, reduces stress and wards off depression.Joints
remain flexible, the risk of arteriosclerosis is reduced, muscle and
bone loss is drastically reduced. In India, many old people have taken
to doing pranayama on a regular basis.
For Senior citizens, this is a period of growth and the proper time to
attain the riches that life has to offer. This is the time in their
lives when they can live their lives they way they actually want to.
The concessions they are entitled to makes it actually worth being a
senior citizen. Airlines offer discounted fares and the Indian
railways offer a discount on all tickets . There are separate queues
for senior citizens at the post office , railway counters and some
buses even have seatsreserved for them. It all boils down to one
thing---It can actually be quite appealing to be senior citizen once
you look at yourself with esteem and have confidence in your
abilities. Eat healthily, exercise, sleep well andextract every ounce
of elixir that life has to offer.

: Wait For The Brick

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we
don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us.
It's our choice: Listen to the whisper ... or wait for the brick!
~
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood
street, going a bittoo fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for
kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he
thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared.
Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the
brakesand drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been
thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the
nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What
was that all about and who are you?
Just what the heck are you doing?
That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.
Why did you do it?"
The young boy was apologetic."Please mister ... please, I'm sorry... I
didn't know what else to do," he pleaded.
"I threw the brick because no one else would stop..."
With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed
to a spot just around a parked car.
"It's my brother," he said.
"He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please
help me get him back intohis wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy
for me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into
the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the
fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to
be okay.
"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger.
Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his
wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a
long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable,
but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept
the dent thereto remind him of this message: Don't go through life so
fast thatsomeone has to throw a brick atyou to get your attention!

Benefits of Mangoes

Mangoes taste so good that people forget they arealso healthy!
Discover howthe "king of fruits" can help you, plus fascinating trivia
and a few mango cautions and concerns.
1. Prevents Cancer:
Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been
found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers.
These compounds include quercetin, isoq
uercitrin, astragalin, fisetin,gallic acid and methylgallat, as well
as the abundant enzymes.
2. Lowers Cholesterol:
The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum
cholesterollevels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad
stuff)
3. Clears the Skin:
Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos clear
clogged pores and eliminate pimples. (Read more on page 5.)
4. Eye Health:
One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily
value of vitamin A, which promotesgood eyesight and prevents night
blindness and dry eyes.
5. Alkalizes the Whole Body:
The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the
fruit helpto maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

What is narrated in saheeh ahaadeeth about the description ofMunkar and Nakeer?

What is narrated about the questioning of the two angels Munakr and Nakeer in the grave, and about their appearance? Is the hadeeth about them, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) about them, saheeh? Is it true that they drag their hair behind them and their eyes are like lightening and their voices like thunder and they strike the grave withtheir eyeteeth and say: “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is the Prophet who was sent amongst you?”.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is narrated in saheeh reports that the two angels whose task it is to question the deceased areblack and blue, and one is called al-Munkar and the other is called al-Nakeer.
Al-Tirmidhi (1071) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the deceased – or one of you – is buried, there come to him two black and blue angels, oneof whom is called al-Munkar and the other al-Nakeer. They say: ‘What did you say about this man?’ and he says what he used to say: ‘He is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.’ They say: ‘We knew that you wouldsay that.’ Then his grave ismade spacious for him, seventy cubits by seventy,and it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him:‘Sleep,’ and he says: ‘May Igo back to my family and tell them?’ They say: ‘Sleep like the bridegroomwho will be woken by none but the dearest of his family to him,’ until Allaah raises him from that resting-place of his.”
But if he is a hypocrite he says: ‘I heard the people saying something so I said something like what they said. I do not know.’ They say: ‘We knew that you would say that.’ Then it is said to the earth: ‘Squeeze him.’ So it squeezes him until his ribsinterlock, and he will continue to be tormented therein until Allaah raises him from that resting-place of his.”
This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
With regard to the hadeeth of ‘Umar to which you refer, it was narrated via da’eef (weak)isnaads, such as the mursal report narrated by‘Abd al-Razzaaq in his Musannaaf (6738) from ‘Amr ibn Dinar, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to ‘Umar: “How will you deal, O ‘Umar, with the two testers in the grave, when they come to you digging the earth with their eyeteeth, stepping on their hair (because it is so long), their eyes like dazzling lightning and their voices like deafeningthunder, with a whip so heavy that if the whole world were to gather together to lift it, they would not be able?” ‘Umar said: I will be as I am today. He said: As you are today? He said: Then I shall take care of them foryou, in sha Allaah.”
Al-‘Iraaqi said in Takhreej al-Ihya’ (4/223): This was narrated like this, as a mursal report, by Ibn Abi’l-Dunya in Kitaab al-Quboor, and its men are thiqaat (trustworthy). Al-Bayhaqi said in al-I’tiqaad: We have narrated it via a saheeh isnaad in a mursal report from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar.
I say: Ibn Battah narrated it in a mawsool report in al-Ibaanah, from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas, and it was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in al-I’tiqaad from the hadeeth of ‘Umar, but he said it is ghareeb with this isnaad, which was narrated only by Mufaddal. Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan also narratedfrom the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar that‘Umar said: “Will our awareness be restored to us?” He said: “Yes, just as you are today.” ‘Umar said: “Then I will throw a stone in his mouth.” end quote.
Professor Fareej ibn Saalihal-Bahlaal said in his commentary on al-I’tiqaad by al-Bayhaqi (p. 254), after referring to the da’eef isnaad: Perhapsby virtue of these isnaads and corroborating reportsits isnaad may be hasan. End quote.
Secondly:
The questions which the angels put to the deceased in his grave are: Who is your Lord? What isyour religion? Who is this man who was sent among you?
See also question no. 10403 and 22203
And Allaah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en