Beauty All Around Us

Every Saturday I drive from Fresno, in the geographical center of
California, across the western side of the San Joaquin Valley and up
into the mountains, to Casa de Fruta. It is such beautiful country,
SubhanAllah. The San Joaquin Valley is a part ofCalifornia's great
Central Valley, a vast agricultural breadbasket that runs 450 miles
(720 km) from north to south.
Right now in March, the fields are on fire with orange poppies and
yellow mustard flowers. The almond trees have been blossoming for a
month, and the white petals fall to the ground like rain. On my way
home, I sometimes pull over and park under the almond trees. I have a
snack, listen to the radio, then get out and practicemartial arts
moves beneath the trees. When the irrigation pumps are running I use
the water to wash my face or perform wudu'.
The grapes are just coming up – the slender stems are like the idea of
a grape vine. Corn, cottonand lettuce are newly planted, and birds
with long white necks flock to the fields. The fields are full of huge
herds of white sheep and black cows, and our unique local cows with a
large white stripe down the middle.
The green grass sweeps up into the mountains, where it becomes forest
and finally snow.
The years-long drought isover. The San Luis Reservoir is setting a
newhigh water mark. It is normally full of islands, but now they have
all disappeared as the wateris a solid sheet of deep blue from one
side to theother, with fingers of water stretching into surrounding
valleys. I've never seen it so high. TheEastside Bypass, which is a
flood control channel and is normally dry as dust, is running with
water.
The San Joaquin River is running to the Pacific Ocean for the first
time indecades. In coming years the Chinook salmon may return to the
river, Insha'Allah. This is a type of fish that swims upriverfrom the
sea. There has not been a Chinook run on the San Joaquin River since
the 1940′s.
The skies in this part of the Valley are huge, with vast expanses of
clouds sweeping the sky like ships. Late in the day, thesky is a giant
palette of blue, yellow, orange and red.
The world is amazing. Never think that beauty is gone from the world.
Open your eyes and look at the majesty around you. All this was not
created in vain. It is a miracle, a blessing, and a sign pointing to
the Most Merciful God.
SubhanAllah, glory to Allah The Provider, The Creator, The One.

See the Beauty Around You

We tend to think of beautiful places as being far away. We imagine
exotic lands like the Caribbean islands, the Mediterranean coast, the
Alps or the Himalayas, or anywhere in New Zealand, ha ha.
There is glory everywhere. Right now, in this moment, there is
something beautiful within the boundaries of your vision, or very
near.
From where I am sitting, through the kitchen window I can see a rose
bush. The pink roses are blooming and reaching for the sky, and it's
quite lovely ma-sha-Allah. I hear birds singing outside, and through
the front window I see a birds of paradise bush, with it's angular
orange flowers.
Closer at hand, on my desk is a lovely ornate metal vase from Egypt.
It is covered in intricate Islamic patterns with verses of the Quran
twining around the sides.There are other beautifulworks of art in the
house if I take the time to glance around – including a simple artwork
that my daughter Salma made by sticking different kinds of leaves to a
sheet of paper.
Beauty can be found in ordinary things as well. On the kitchen counter
I see two lemons cut in half, and beside them a boiled egg. It reminds
meof an artist's tableau and makes me wish I were a painter. My
daughter is playing on the floor with her train set, and she is the
jewel of my eye, ma-sha-Allah.
One of the reasons we fall into depression is that we focus on what we
don't have, or what we have lost; and we fail to see the blessings and
beauty that surround us.
Right now, look around you. Quiet your mind, and focus on beauty.
Remember that life is a gift, and a miracle, and a sign.
And the grazing livestock He has created for you; inthem is warmth and
[numerous] benefits, andfrom them you eat.
And for you in them is beauty when you bring them in [for the
evening], and when you send them out.
And they carry your loadsto a land you could not have reached except
with difficulty to yourselves. Indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful.
And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride, and
[as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.
And upon Allah is the direction of the way, andamong the various paths
are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.
It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from
it is foliage in which you pasture.
He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees,
grapevines, and from all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a
people who give thought.
And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon,
and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs
for a people who reason.
And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of
varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a peoplewho remember.
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat,
and to extract fromit ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships
plowing through it,that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you
will be grateful.
And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift
with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that youmay be guided, And
landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided.
Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So will you not bereminded?
And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate
them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Quran, Surat an-Nahl (TheBee), 16:5-18

Advice from Mountain

No matter how great youare, Allah is still above you.
There's nothing wrong with having your head inthe clouds, as long as
youhave roots in the earth. Rise above the bigotries and squabbles of
others. To be beautiful and strong, be who you are. In anything, build
your foundation first. Be solid,be real. Provide refuge tothe
oppressed, the traveler, the seeker. Keepyour secrets. Protect the
rivers, trees, and animals.Cherish silence and solitude, but roar when
you must.
Be patient: everything changes in its season, and all things come to
those who persevere.
- Advice from a Mountain

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Is there any nifaas in thecase of caesarean birth?

Is there any nifaas in thecase of caesarean birth?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Nifaas is the bleeding that occurs because of childbirth, whether the
birth was natural or by Caesarean. In fact if a woman has a
miscarriage and delivers a formed foetus – i.e., one in which features
such as the head, arm or leg had appeared, whichis only after eighty
days of pregnancy – the bleeding that occurs because of that is also
nifaas.
It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (1/218): Nifaas is bleeding from the
uterus that occurs at the time of birth, or two or three days before
it, andafter it up to 40 days. The ruling on nifaas is valid and
applies even if the miscarriage occurredas a result of deliberate
action such as the woman striking herself or taking medicine (to
induce an abortion) and so on… if human features can be seen in the
(foetus). But if she produces an 'alaqah (clot of blood) or a mudghah
(unformed embryo resembling a piece of chewed flesh), then the rulings
on nifaas do not apply. The minimum length of pregnancy at which human
features may appear is eighty-one days, but in most cases, according
to what was stated by al-Majd, Ibn Tameem, Ibn Hamdaan and others, is
three months. End quote.
Nifaas may last for a few days then cease; there is no stipulation
that it should continue for fortydays.
And Allah knows best.