Health |- Avoid stress to keep Alzheimer’s at bay

Many doctor's point to environmental and genetic factors as probable
causes for Alzheimer's Disease
"People think it's a terrible tragedy when somebody has Alzheimer's.
But in my mother's case, it's different. My mother has been unhappy
all her life. For the first time in her life, she's happy." These
thoughtsof noted American writer Amy Tan, whose mother was diagnosed
of Alzheimer's, aptly underlines the need to have a positive
attitudeto the disease.
On the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day on Friday, neurologists
maintain that living a fun-filled and fulfilling life with friends and
family and avoiding stress in midlife are thebest bets to prevent
Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The exact reasons for Alzheimer's are yet to
be fully understood and many doctor's point to environmentaland
genetic factors as the probable causes forit.
"Alzheimer's directly impacts the brain tissues, causing dementia or
memory loss. Sometimes, such persons are unable to judge, function and
behave normally. The ailment can be managed if care givers and
patients follow guidelines of neurologists properly," says HOD,
Neurology, Yashoda Hospitals, Jaydeep Ray Choudhary.
Public often tend to mix up dementia with AD. Physicians point outthat
dementia or memory loss can be due to many reasons and Alzheimer's
happens to be one of the reasons that causes dementia.
"In a decade, AD will become a leading ailment that will put a high
burden on the family and the society. Treatment and rehabilitation is
a complex process and guidance is necessary. Medicines are availableto
delay the progression of AD and not to cure it," Dr. Choudhary points
out.
Precautions
Some of the precautionary measures for the ailment include avoiding or
controlling risk factors like hypertension, diabetes,stroke and high
stress in midlife. "AD is very common among persons who are above40
years of age.
So, it is always better that middle aged persons avoid stressful
lifestyle and make sure that they keep their mental and physical
faculties alert by takingup regular activities," HOD, Neurology,
Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), A. K. Meena said.
AD is characterised by memory loss and patients progressively become
dependant on others for day to day activities like using toilets,
bathing, eating,dressing among other things.

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Hajj - Articles|- Affect of Hajj on the souland life of a Muslim

How does participating in Hajj affect the life of aMuslim?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Performing the rituals ofHajj has many virtues and there is a great
deal of wisdom behind them. The one who is enabled to understand them
and do them is blessed with a great deal of good. Wewill try to list
as many as we can here.
1- Travelling for Hajj to perform the rituals; his journey reminds
him his journey to Allaah andthe Hereafter. When he travels he leaves
behind his loved ones, family, children and homeland, and the journey
to the Hereafter is like that too.
2- The one who goes on this journey takes with him supplies that
will help him reach the holy land, and this reminds him that for the
journey to his Lord, he must have with him provisions that will help
him to arrive safely. Concerning this, Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): "And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but
the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness)" [al-Baqarah
2:197].
3- Just as travelling is akind of torment, the journey to the
Hereafter is like that too, and many times greater. Ahead of a person
there is the agony of death, death itself, the grave, the gathering,
the reckoning, the weighingin the Balance, and al-Siraat (a bridge
acrossHell, over which all must pass), then Paradise or Hell. The
blessed one is the one whom Allaah saves.
4- When the pilgrim wears the ihraam garments (two pieces of
unsewn white cloth), this reminds him of the shroud in which he will
be wrapped. This motivates him to give upsin. Just as he sheds his
clothes, he should also shed his sins; just as he puts on two clean
white garments, his heart and limbs should also be clean and untainted
with sin.
5- When he says at themeeqaat (the point at which pilgrims enter
ihraam), "Labbayk Allaahumma labbaayk (Here I am at Your service, O
Allaah)", whichmeans that he has responded to his Lord, may He be
exalted, how can he remain in a state of sin without saying to his
Lord, "Labbayk Allaahumma labbaayk (Here I am at Your service, O
Allaah)", meaning, I have responded to Your prohibition of them.
Thisis the time to give up sin.
6- When he gives up the things that are forbidden when in ihraam,
and keeps busy with the talbiyah and dhikr (remembering Allaah), this
shows the state that the Muslim should always be in. Thisis a means of
training and disciplining himself, because he is disciplining himself
by giving up what is basically permitted, but Allaah has forbidden it
to him in this situation. So how can he transgress the sacred limits
that Allaah has set for all times and places?
7- When he enters the sacred House of Allaah, which Allaah has
made aplace of safety for mankind, this reminds him of safety on the
Day of Resurrection, and thatno one can attain it without effort and
striving. The greatest source of safety on the Day of Resurrection is
Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah) and avoiding shirk
(associating others with Allaah). Concerning this Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "It is those who believe (in the
Oneness of Allaah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not
their Belief with Zulm (wrong, i.e. by worshipping others besides
Allaah), for them(only) there is security and they are the guided"
[al-An'aam 6:82].
When he kisses the BlackStone, which is the first ritual that he does,
this trains the visitor to venerate the Sunnah (the way of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), and not to transgress
against the law of Allaahon the basis of his flawed reasoning. He
knows that what Allaah has prescribed for mankind is wise and good,
and he trains himself to submit fully tohis Lord, may He be exalted.
Concerning that,'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, after
kissing the Black Stone: "I know that you are just a stone and you can
neither cause harm nor bring benefit. Were it not that I saw the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kissing you, I
would not have kissed you." Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1520) and Muslim
(1720).
8- When he circumambulates the Ka'bah, that reminds himof his
father Ibraaheem (Abraham, peace be upon him), and how he built the
Ka'bah as a place of safety for mankind and called them to come on
pilgrimage to this House.Then came our Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) who also called people to come to
this House. Moosa (Moses) and 'Eesa (Jesus - peace be upon them both)
also came on pilgrimage to this House,which is therefore a symbol of
these Prophets. How could it be otherwise when Allaah commanded
Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) to build it and venerate it?
9- When he drinks the water of Zamzam, this reminds him of the
blessing that Allaah has bestowed upon people in this blessed water,
from which millions of people have drunk for many centuries, and it
still has not dried up. He is encouraged to say du'aa' (supplication)
when drinking it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk
for." Narratedby Ibn Maajah (3062) and Ahmad (14435). It is a hasan
hadeeth which was classed as such by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have
mercy on him) in Zaad al-Ma'aad (4/320).
10-The saa'i (running) between al-Safa and al-Marwa reminds him ofthe
great hardship undergone by our mother Haajar (Hagar), and how she ran
between al-Safa and al-Marwa looking for someone to save her from the
trouble in which she found herself,and especially for water to give to
her young son Ismaa'eel (Ishmael). This woman bore this test with
patience, and turned to her Lord. In her we have a good example,
because when a man remembers the striving and patience of this woman,
his problems seem less significant, and when a woman remembers one of
her own gender, her hardship becomes easierto bear.
11-Standing in 'Arafah reminds the pilgrim of the great gathering of
mankind on the Day of Gathering. If the pilgrim suffers exhaustion
because of the crowdingtogether of thousands ofpeople, then how about
when all of mankind are gathered, barefoot, naked and uncircumcised?
12-As we said with regard to kissing the Black Stone, so too
whenstoning the Jamaraat (stone pillars representing the Devil), the
Muslim trains himselfto be obedient and to follow the example of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Thus he manifests
pure submission to Allaah.
13-When he offers the sacrifice, this reminds him of the important
incident when our father Ibraaheem submitted to Allaah's command to
sacrifice hisonly son Ismaa'eel (Ishmael), and that thereis no room
for compassion which goes against the commands and prohibitions of
Allaah. It also teaches him to respond to the command of Allaah, as
Ismaa'eel said: " 'O my father! Do that which you are commanded, In
sha' Allaah (if Allaah wills), you shall find me of As-Saabiroon (the
patient)'" [al-Saffaat 37:102].
14-When he exits ihraamand that which Allaah had forbidden to him
during ihraam becomes permissible to him again, this trains him to be
patient, and teaches him that with hardship goes ease, and that the
outcome for the one who responds to the command of Allaah is joyand
happiness. This joy can only be felt by the one who tastes the
sweetness of obedience, like the joy that the fasting person feels
when he breaks his fast, or that the one who spends the night in
prayer feels after he has prayed.
15-When he has finishedthe rituals of Hajj and done them as Allaah has
prescribed and as He likes, and has completed his rituals, he has the
hope that his Lord will forgive him all his sins, as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) promised when he said:
"Whoever comes to this House and does not utter any obscene speech or
do any evil deed, will go back as his mother bore him." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (1449) and Muslim (1350). This motivates him to turn over
a new leaf in his life, free from sin.
16-When he goes back to his wife and children, the joy of meeting them
reminds him of the greater joy he will feel when he meets them in the
Paradise of Allaah, may He be exalted. This reminds him that true loss
is loss of oneself andone's family on the Day of Resurrection, as
Allaahsays (interpretation of the meaning): "Say (O Muhammad): The
losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the
Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be a manifest loss!" [al-Zumar
39:15].
This is what we were able to mention.
And Allaah knows best.

general articles | - Permissibility of haraamthings in the case of necessity and the conditions governing that

I know that haraam things may be permissible if it becomesnecessary to
do them. Are there conditions governing this ruling so that it may be
applied correctly?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Among the basic principles of Islamic sharee'ah, on which the scholars
are agreed, is that cases of necessity make forbidden things
permissible.
There is a great deal of evidence to support this principle in the
Holy Qur'aan and the Prophet's Sunnah, for example, the verses in
which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (thedead animals -- cattle
--beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
Allaah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering (that which
has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah, or has
been slaughtered for idols) and that which has beenkilled by
strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by
thegoring of horns -- and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild
animal -- unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) - and
that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub
(stone-altars).(Forbidden) also is to usearrows seeking luck or
decision; (all) that is Fisqun (disobedience of Allaah and sin). This
day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so
fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion
for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam
as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger,with
no inclination to sin (such can eat these above mentioned meats), then
surely, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
[al-Maa'idah 5:3]
"And why should you not eat of that (meat) onwhich Allaah's Name has
been pronounced (at thetime of slaughtering the animal), while He has
explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under
compulsion of necessity?"
[al-An'am 6:119]
Examples of this principle include the following:
1. Eating dead meat for one who cannot find anything else and
fears that he will die of hunger.
2. Speaking words of kufr when subjected to torture and force.
3. Warding off an aggressor even if that leads to killing him.
See: al-Ashya' wa'l-Nazaa'ir by Ibn Nujaym, p. 85
Necessity means cases in which a person will be harmed if he does not
take the haraam option, in which the harm will effect the five
essentials which are: religion, life, honour, reason and wealth.
With regard to the conditions of a haraam thing becoming permissible
in the case of necessity, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah
have mercy on him) mentioned two conditions for that and he explained
them in abundant detail with examples, as well as mentioning some
objections and the response to them. Hence we will limit ourselves
toquoting his words. He (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This principle is one of the basic fiqhi principles which are
indicated by sharee'ah: Everything that is forbidden becomes
permissible in the case of necessity.
So what is forbidden becomes permissible in the case of necessity,
butthere are two conditions.
The first condition:
We should be compelled to do this specific haraam thing, meaning that
we cannot find anything with which to meet that necessity except this
haraam thing. If we can find something else, then it does not become
permissible, even though it could meet ournecessity.
The second condition:
The necessity should be met by that haraam thing; if that is not the
case, then it remains haraam. If we are not certain whether it will
meet the necessity or not, then it also remains haraam. That is
because doing something haraam is definitely wrong and meeting
necessity by means of it is something concerningwhich there is doubt,
so we should not transgressby doing that which is definitely haraam
for the sake of something concerning which there is doubt.
Hence the ruling varies concerning a starving man who cannot find
anything but dead meat.In this case we say, Eat the dead meat. If he
saysthat this is committing a haraam action, we say that it has become
permissible because of necessity, because you have nothing else to eat
apart from this and because if you eat it you will meet that
necessity.
It was said to a man: If you drink alcohol, you will be cured of
sickness.In this case we say: It is not permissible for you to drink
alcohol even if you are told that it will heal you from sickness. Why
is that?
Firstly, because there is no certainty that he will be healed by it;
he may drink it and not be healed of sickness. We see many sick people
taking beneficial medicines that they do not benefit from.
Secondly, the sick personmay recover without anytreatment, by putting
histrust in Allah and praying to Him, and by means of people's prayer
(du'aa') for him and so on. This is from the point of view of reason.
From the point of view of evidence, it is narrated in a hadeeth from
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said:
"Allaah does not put your healing in that which He has forbidden to
you." The rationale behind this hadeeth is clear, because Allah only
forbade it to us because it is harmful to us, so how can that which is
haraam be a healing anda remedy?
Hence it is haraam to useharaam things as treatment, as the scholars
have stated, andit cannot be said that this is a case of necessity,as
some people think.
If someone were to say that a person is choking and he has nothing
except a cup of wine, so is it permissible for him to drink this cup
to stop him choking?
The answer is yes, because the two conditions are met in this case. He
is compelledto use this exact thing and we are certain that the
necessity will be met by it, so we would say: Drink the wine. But
oncethe choking has stopped, he should stop drinking.
If someone were to say that a man found some meat that had been
slaughtered in the halaalmanner and some meat from an animal that had
died a natural death, canhe eat the dead meat because he is forced to
do so by necessity?
The answer is that he cannot do that, because the necessity can be met
by something else, so it is not permissible because the first
condition is not met.
If a person were to say, I am thirsty and I have nothing but a cup of
wine; can I drink it?
The answer is no, as the scholars said, because this is not a case of
necessity; rather it will only make him more thirsty, so there is no
benefit in transgressing and doing something haraam, because necessity
will not be warded off by it and the second condition is not
fulfilled.
If a person were to say: If a sick person has no choice but to drink
blood as a remedy, is it permissible for him to do that? The answer is
that it is not permissible for him to do that, because the two
conditions are not met. End quote.
Sharh Manzoomah Usool al-Fiqh wa Qawaa'idihi (p. 59-61)

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Hajj - Articles|- Hajj Exemplifies Equality Before Allah: Holy Prophet Muhammad's Sermon at Arafah

This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in
the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafah' (in Makkah). Part of his beautiful
sermon is as below, in which he insistson rights of each other. After
praising, and thanking Allah Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:
".......... O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether
after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen
to what Iam saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE
WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, and this city as
Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred
trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed
meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds.
ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all
interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however,
is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity.
Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the
interest due to Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib(Holy Prophet Muhammad's
uncle) shall henceforth be waived.
Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope
that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware
of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your
women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have
taken them as your wivesonly under Allah's trust and with His
permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right
to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be
kind to them for they are yourpartners and committed helpers. And it
is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you
do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily
prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan , and give your
wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adamand Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a
non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white
has no superiority over black nor does a black have any superiority
over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is
a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one
brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to
a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not,
therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds.
So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am
gone.
O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH
WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words
which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and
myAhlul Bayt, and if you follow these you will never go astray.
All those who listen to meshall pass on my words toothers and those to
others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than
those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have
conveyed your message to your people .........."
(1.) Prayer of Arafah (2.) Aa'maal of the day of Arafah
Hajj Exemplifies Equality Before Allah: Imam Hussain's Sermon at Mina
to scholars of religion
O people take lesson from the counsel God gave to His friends when He
rebuked the Rabbis bysaying: "Why do not the Rabbis and the doctors
ofLaw (scholars) forbid them from their (habit of) uttering sinful
words and eating things forbidden? Evil indeed are their works."
(5:63)
And God says: "Curses were pronounced on those among the Childrenof
Israel who rejected Faith, by the tongue of David and of Jesus the son
of Mary: because theydisobeyed and persisted in excesses. Nor did they
(usually) forbid one another the iniquities which they committed: evil
indeed were the deeds which they did." (5:78-79)
God reproached them because they saw with their own eyes the
oppressors committing vile and corrupt acts, but did not stop them,
out of love for the favors they received from them as well as fear of
persecution and injury. However, God says: "Fear not men, but fear
Me." (5:44) And He says: "The believing men and women are friends and
protectors to each other; they enjoin the good andforbid the evil;
they perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and obey God and His
messenger. Upon them God shall have mercy; God is Almighty, All-wise."
(9:71)
God mentions the duty ofenjoining the good and forbidding the evil
(Al-Amr bil Maroof and Nahi un al-Munkir) before all other duties,
because He knows that if it is performed and is established in the
society all other duties, the easy and the difficult, will alsobecome
established. The reason for this is that Al-Amr bil Maroof and Nahi un
al-Munkir means summoning people to Islam, as well as resistance
against injustice, opposing and struggling against oppressors, and
endeavoring to ensure that public wealth and income derived from
warare distributed in accordance with the just laws of Islam, and that
taxes are collected, leviedand expended in due andproper form.
O scholars, who are celebrated and enjoy good repute on account of
your learning! You have achieved a good name in society because of
your good will. It is on account of God that men venerate you and
stand in awe of you, so that even powerful fear you and the weak honor
you,and those who are not subject to you and over whom you hold no
authority grant you favors they deny themselves. When the people do
not receive their due, they seek your intercession, and you walk in
the street with the majesty of kings and princes.
Have you not earned all this respect and prestige because of the
people's hopes that you will implement God's laws, even though in most
instances you have failed to do so?
You have taken lightly your duties as leaders. You have neglected the
rights of the oppressed and the lowly, but have assiduously pursued
what you regard as your personal rights. You havenot spent your money
or risked your life for the sake of the One Who gave you life, nor
have you fought against any group or tribe for the sake of God.
Nevertheless, you desire -and regard it as your due- that He should
grant you paradise, the company of the prophet, and security from
chastisement in the hereafter. You have such expectations of God, I
fear that the full weight of His wrath descend upon you, for although
itis by His might and glory that you have achieved high rank, you show
no respect to those who truly know God, while you yourselves enjoy
respect among God's creatures on His account.
(I am also afraid for you for another reason :) you see the covenant
enactedwith God being violated and trampled under foot,yet you show no
anxiety, when it comes to the covenants enacted with your fathers, you
becomegreatly disturbed and anxious if they are only violated in part,
but the pledges you have given to the most noble Messenger are a
matter of complete indifference to you.
The blind, the dumb, and chronically ill everywherelack protection in
towns and no mercy is shown them. But you neither behave in accordance
with your function and rank, nor you support or pay any regard to
those who do. You purchase your safety from the oppressive ruling
powerswith flattery cajolery, and compromise.
All these activities have been forbidden to you byGod, and He has,
more over, commanded you to forbid each other to engage in them, but
you pay no attention.
The calamity that has befallen you is greater than what has befallen
others, for true rank and degree of 'Ulama' has been taken away from
you. The administration of the country and the issuing of decrees and
ordinances should actually be trusted to religious scholars who are
guardians of God's ordinances concerning what is permitted and what is
forbidden. But your position has been usurped from you, for no other
reason than that you have abandoned the truth (al-Haqq), and have
disagreed about the nature of the Sunnah, despite the existence of
clear proofs.
Had you the forbearance to endure adversities andhardships for the
sake of God, then all proposed regulations (God's affairs) would be
brought to you for your approval and for you to issue; authority would
liein your hands. But you allowed the oppressors to take away your
functions and God's affairs (i.e. government) to fall into their
hands, sothat they administer them by resorting to ambiguities and
make arbitrariness and the satisfaction of lust their consistent
practice. What enabled them to gain control of government was your
fleeing in panicfrom (inevitable) death and your love of life, which
shall in all certainty depart from you. As a consequence of that
mentality, you have delivered the powerless masses into the clutches
of the oppressors. While some cringe like slaves under the yoke of
oppressors, and others have been reduced to destitution in regard to
their livelihood, the rulers run the affairs of the government in
accordance with their whims, earning ignominyand disgrace for
themselves with their licentiousness, following evil counselors, and
showing impudence toward God. One of their appointed spokesmen mounts
the pulpit (Minbar) in each city. The country is defenseless before
them, and their hands grab freely whatever they want of it.The people
are their slaves and are powerless to defend themselves. One of the
governors is a dictator by nature, malevolent and rancorous; another
represses to recognize either God or the Day of Resurrection! It is
not strange - how can one think it strange, that society is in the
clutches of a cunning oppressor whose tax collectors are oppressors
and whose governors feel no compassion or mercy towards the believers
under rule.
It is God who will judge concerning what is dispute among us and
deliver a decisive verdict concerning all that occursamong us.
O God! You know that everything we did was not prompted by rivalry for
political power, nor for a search for wealth and abundance; rather it
was done to demonstrateto men the shining principles and values of
Your religion, to reform the affairs of Your land, to protect and
secure the indisputable rights of Your oppressed servants, and to act
in accordance with the duties. You haveestablished the norms, laws,
and ordinances which You have decreed.
So (O scholars of religion!) You are to help us reach this goal, win
back our rights from those powers who have considered it acceptable to
wrong you and who have attempted to put out the light kindled by your
Prophet. God suffices us, upon Him do we rely, to Him do we return,
and to Him shall we return.

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