For children, - Humanity Moral Stories: Three Races to Save Humanity

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In old times, fable retells the story of the young athletic boy hungry for success, for whom winning was everything and success was measured by such a result.
One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small native village, himself and two other young boys to compete. A large crowd had congregated to witness the sporting spectacle and a wise old man, upon hearing of the little boy, had traveled far to bear witness also.
The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, but sure enough the boy dug deep and called on his determination, strength and power. He took the winning line and was first. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, expressing no sentiment. The little boy however felt proud and important.
A second race was called, and two new young, fit, challengers came forward, to run with the little boy. The race was started and sure enough the little boy came through and finished first once again. The crowd was ecstatic again and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, again expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.
"Another race, another race!" pleaded the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers, an elderly frail lady and a blind man. "What is this?" quizzed the little boy. "This is no race" he exclaimed. "Race!" said the wise man. The race was started and the boy was the only finisher, the other two challengers left standing at the starting line. The little boy was ecstatic; he raised his arms in delight. The crowd, however, was silent showing no sentiment toward the little boy.
"What has happened? Why not do the people join in my success?" he asked the wise old man. "Race again", replied the wise man, "this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together" continued the wise man. The little boy thought a little, stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady and then took the two challengers by the hand. The race began and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled, gently nodding his head. The little boy felt proud and important.
"Old man, I understand not! Who is the crowd cheering for? Which one of us three?", asked the little boy. The wise old man looked into the little boy's eyes, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, and replied softly. "Young boy, for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before, and for this race the crowd cheer not for any winner!"
The next evolutionary step for humankind is to move from human to kind.
The reason why the world lacks unity and lies broken in heaps is because man is disunited with himself. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are too many people and too few human beings.

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Welcome to Islam, - * Some misconceptions about women in Islam – II

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Divorce

The Quran says )what means(:"Divorce is twice. Then ]after that[, either keep ]her[ in an acceptable manner or release ]her[ with good treatment. And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them unless both fear that they will not be able to keep ]within[ the limits of Allaah, and then there is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself. These are the limits of Allaah, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allaah -- it is those who are the wrongdoers ]i.e. the unjust[."]Quran 2: 229[
In Islam, the woman is not neglected after the divorce. Indeed husbands are instructed to provide housing to the divorced wife until her waiting period is completed, as in the saying of Allaah )which means(:"Lodge them )During their waiting period )referring to wives whose divorce has been pronounced( ]in a section[ of where you dwell out of your means and do not harm them in order to oppress them )so that they would be forced to leave or to ransom themselves(. And if they should be pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth. And if they breastfeed for you, then give them their payment and confer among yourselves in the acceptable way; but if you are in discord, then there may breastfeed for him ]i.e. the father[ another woman."]Quran: 65:6[
Finally, although it is true that only men are allowed to pronounce divorce, yet a woman has the right to ask for a divorce, which is called ‘Khul’. In this case, she has to return the dowry given by the husband, so that he utters the divorce.
Attestations
In Islam, one male witness equals two females:The Quran says )what means(:"And get two witnesses out of your men. If there are not two men, then a man and two women such as you choose ]maybe in place of two men as the witnesses[; so that if one of the women errs, the other one will remindher..."]Quran 2:282[
Here again, many people tend to denounce Islamic principles as unjust to women. They tend to interpret this requirement as proof of men's superiority over women. Again, this assumption is not true. In fact, various psychological and biological studies conducted on the psyche and hormonal functions of women, have proved that men generally tend to react more rationally and less emotionally, than women.
In cases of crime, for example, torn bodies and pouring blood are more likely to spur an emotional reaction among women than among men. This reaction is alone capable of distorting the female's perception and/or memory.
On the other hand, men are also bound by rules concerning their testimony.For instance, they must not be parents, friends or enemies of the accused. Can we then conclude that, if it was the case for women, that male parents and friends of the accused must be considered inferior too? Of course, they are not.
Finally, one should note that there are matters where a woman is the only witness required. These are related to areas where women are the experts, for example, in issues of breast feeding, bringing up children and the question of kinship )who is her child's father(.
The Veil
How many times have you seen an educated veiled woman, working and acting normally on television ? Very, very rarely. On the other hand, how many times have you seen a veiled woman being hit by her husband, in tears or fighting and rioting along with fundamentalists?
Just think: What does a black 'Hijaab' veil evoke in your mind? Certainly not the image it is meant to evoke -- religious commitment and peaceful, deep-rooted faith. How many times have you seen a veiled young girl and said: "Haraam! Poor thing! She has not seen the world yet..." Is all this just a coincidence?
Veiled women today are either associated with alienation or fundamentalism. They are either looked upon with pity or fear. Have people ever asked the question: Where is the woman's will to surrender to God in this? Where is her choice of protecting her dearest possession, her body?
When Islam ordered women to wear the veil, it did it to privilege her, not constrain her:
The Quran says )what means(:"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw upon them their over-garments. That is more appropriate so that they may be recognized and not molested."]Quran 33: 59[
The above verses show that Islam aims to protect women from being considered sexual objects. It instructs women to uncover their faces in front of their husband, close relatives whom she cannot marry )Mahaarim( and other women. In front of strangers, she must conceal everything but her face and hands.
Why does one need to show a semi-clad woman in a car's advertisement? Why do we not see a veiled woman? In the first case, because the advertisers are trying to sell the image of the woman with the car. Unconsciously, you buy the car wishing it will provide you with such a "babe." In the second case, the woman has refused to be treated as an object for trade and has worn the veil, a sign of dignity rather than humiliation.
Summarized from: What Does She Expect Better? By: IIPH
Islam considers marriage a basis for the Islamic family, since it develops bonds of love and caring and a secure atmosphere for the growth and progress of the human race. This, in turn, produces a sound society. This is why the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention( taught us in a narration, that although classified ‘weak’, has a valid and important meaning. He, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The most detestable of all lawful things in the sight of Allaah is divorce."However, this does not mean that divorce is prohibited. On the contrary, it can sometimes be the best alternative. Divorce is a right for both women and men if their problems cannot be solved. Two French legislators, Planoil and Ripert, have said: "Divorce is a mischief. However, it is a measure that cannot be avoided for the welfare of the community, because it is the only remedy for another harm which may be more dangerous, i.e. murder."
The above statement applies to cases where the husband and wife have lost their love for each other and where harmony in the marriage is over. Indeed, any other alternative will make them unhappy and will affect their children in the long run.
In these cases, Islam advises the couple to try to reconcile their differences in the presence of some immediate relatives belonging to both sides. If they are unable to do so, they are instructed to seek counseling through a third party, such as friends or other relatives. If there is still no solution, then they should seek a solution through a judge.
The judge will advise the couple to be patient and think of the children. However, if the problem remains unsolved, the family life becomes unbearable and the children are affected, then divorce becomes the only alternative, to enable them to have other spouses.
When it is inescapable, divorce is neither harmful to men nor to women. It is also definitely not unjust to women.
First, the couple must seek divorce in an amicable way. They are instructed to separate without hard feelings towards each other. They should keep a minimum of understanding that will secure the children's situation after the divorce.

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Welcome to Islam, - * Some Misconceptions about Women in Islam -I

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Islam gave women rights and privileges at a time when only barbaric manners and values dominated.
Yet, some people argue that Islam has alienated women in some domains. In fact, this belief is a misconception. People who say so,may have read about it in a magazine or seen it on TV. A quick examination of the issues judged as unjust to women will certainly correct the misunderstanding.
Man as the head of the household:
Some people believe that a woman in Islam is regarded as inferior to man since the Quran says )what means(:
"Men have one degree above women."]Quran 2: 228[
In fact, to understand this Quranic verse, you should see another one, related to the issue in question. It reveals the wisdom behind this concept.
· Polygyny might be the solution for a couple if the wife is barren, the husband wants children of his own and the option of separation does not appeal to both parties.
· If a woman is chronically ill and is unable to perform her marital duties. Polygyny may also be the solution when the couple does not want divorce.
· Polygyny is the religion's answer to cases where some men have excessive sexual needs that cannot be fulfilled by one wife. This in no way means that men should abuse this right and use it whenever they fancy a woman. It is rather a chance Islam has provided to prevent men from committing adultery. Many people who condemn polygyny cheat on their wives, calling this phenomenon a 'swift affair.' Islam, at least, has offered the second woman the option of being called 'a wife' rather than 'a mistress', especially in some countries where women remarkably outnumber men.
· Polygyny may settle the problem of an increased number of unmarried women, especially during wars.
However, polygyny has some limits and conditions to be met. Indeed, the Quran instructs the man to be fair with his wives on all levels, including treatment, money, house, etc. The only level where the man may have an uneven stance is the level of the feelings that he cannot control:
The Quran says )what means(:"You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them ]by giving her more of your time and provision[ so as to leave the other hanging ]i.e. neither divorced nor married[. And if you do justice, and do all that is right and fear Allaah by keeping away from all that is wrong, then Allaah is Ever-Forgiving and All-Merciful."]Quran 4:129[
Finally, it is worth knowing that Islam gives a woman the right to refuse polygyny for her husband by setting it as a condition during the marriage procedures. If this condition is set, then the woman is granted divorce if her husband marries another while he is still married to her.
You might ask, why could not there be polyandry )a woman having more than one husband(? The answer is simple. Islam did not allow it because Allaah is All-Aware that it will create a problem of kinship. This means that the child may not know who is actually his father )it could be anyone of the four husbands(. In addition to the psychological damage it may cause, this problem also complicates the issue of inheritance. Even birds and animals do not allow polyandry.

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Welcome to Islam, - * Hijaab is a woman's real beauty

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It often occurs to me that many of our sisters in Islam are not properly encouraged once they begin to observe the requirements of Hijaab. It may be that a sister has been obliged to wear the Hijaab without truly pondering over its superiority.
Perhaps she has reached the age of puberty and her parents have instructed her to wear it. Perhaps she has recently accepted Islam and her close companions have told her of its obligation. Alternatively, perhaps her husband has commanded her to wear Hijaab.
A sister who does not truly know the superiority of Hijaab will always remain envious of disbelieving women. Why? Because they observe these misguided disbelievers attempting to look beautiful for all to see. Hence, the Muslim woman then compares herself to that woman which causes her to feel ashamed of her own Hijaab.
Therefore, what follows is a reminder for my sisters in Islam. It is a reminder of the true status of these so-called beautiful women. It is a reminder of the excellence of the women who wear Hijaab.
Excellent Qualities of Those who Wear Hijaab:
It is well known that the Muslim woman is a creature of modesty. Allaah loves for our Muslim women to be shielded by their Hijaab. It is their outer protection from the decadence of this life. Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention(, said:"Allaah is modest and covering. He loves modesty and privacy."]Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'i Al-Bayhaqi, Ahmad[.
Thus, as modesty is a quality that is loved by Allaah, our sisters must take comfort in knowing that they are modest and that they are not like those women who show themselves off to the world. Such women will not be shielded from Allaah's Wrath. Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her husband's home, has broken Allaah's shield upon her."]Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi(
Therefore, we see that the Hijaab of the Muslim woman is indeed part of modesty. Modesty accompanies Eemaan )faith(. That is why Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "Modesty is part of Eemaan and Eemaan is inParadise." ]At-Tirmithi[. Also:"Modesty and Eemaan are companions, when one goes away the other one goes away."]Al-Haakim and others[
The Muslim women must know that the disbelieving women who beautify themselves for the world to see possess no modesty, thus, they are void of any Eemaan. Instead of looking to the latest fashion models for guidance, you must look to the wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
Look at the regard for modesty that our mother, 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, possessed even in the presence of the deceased; she said: "I used to enter the room where the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and my father )Abu Bakr(, may Allaah be pleased with him, were later buried in without having my garment on me, saying it is only my husband and my father. But when 'Umar bin al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, was later buried in )the same place(, I did not enter the room except that I had my garment on being shy from 'Umar."
It can be quite difficult for the Muslim woman to go out wearing Hijaab in a society that mocks and torments her. Indeed, she may feel strange and out of place. However, if she knows the status of those who are mocked by the disbelievers, then she would continue to wear her Hijaab with dignity.
Allaah Says in His Book )what means(:"Verily! The criminals used to laugh at those who believed. And whenever they passed them, used to wink at one another. And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting. When they saw them, they said: 'These have indeed gone astray!' But they )disbelievers, sinners( had not been sent as watchers over them )the believers(. But on this Day those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers. On )high( thrones, looking )at all things(. Are not the disbelievers paid )fully( for what they used to do?"
]Quran 83:29-36[
Allaah's Words should serve as a support for you my dear sister. Also, take comfort in being a stranger among these lewd and sinful women. Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said )what means(:"Islam began as something strange, and it would revert to its )old position( of being strange, so good news is for the strangers."]Muslim[
The Characteristics of the Exposed Women:
Instead of practicing the Hijaab )covering(, the disbelieving women expose themselves, making a dazzling display of themselves for others. Such a display is an attribute of ignorance. Allaah Says in His Book )what means(:"And stay in your houses and do not display yourselves as you used to during the times of ignorance."]Quran 33:33[
Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The best of your women is the affectionate, the fertile, the comforting, the agreeable -- if they fear Allaah. The most evil of your women are those who expose and display themselves, and those who strut )to show off( and they are the hypocrites. Those who enter al-Jannah )theParadise( are like the red beaked crow."]Al-Bayhaqi[. The simile of the red-beaked crow is to show that those who enterParadisewill be as rare as this kind crow is rare.
We see from the above Aayah and Hadeeth that displaying oneself is indeed unlawful. Further, it is a quality of the most evil of women! Therefore, do not be envious of the disbelieving women. They only have this life to enjoy, while the believing women will haveParadise. There is nothing in your Hijaab to be ashamed of, as it is the garment of the righteous and pious female worshippers of Allaah.
In order to truly show you how evil those women who expose themselves are, let us ponder over the following statement of Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam :"Of the people of Hell there are two whom I have never seen, the one possessing whips like the tail of an ox and they flog people with them. The second one, women who would be naked in spite of their being dressed, who are seduced )to wrong paths( and seduce others. Their hair is high like the humps of the camel. These women would not enterParadise, nor will they smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be sensed from such and such a distance."]Muslim[
These women who expose themselves are common among us today. These are women that even the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, did not see! Look around you and you will see those women who are clothed but naked! Look at the hairstyles of the women who expose themselves -- are they not high like the camel's hump?
Perhaps we are the first generation since the time of Aadam, may Allaah exalt his mention, to witness such women. If one ponders over photos taken thirty to fifty years ago, one will see that the disbelieving women did not expose themselves in the manner that their offspring do today! These women are among the people of the Fire! Thus, how can you envy them?
Such lewd women will not even smell the fragrance ofParadise; so our women must avoid their path.
Another lesson from the above hadeeth is that it confirms that what the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came with is indeed the truth! This is a prophecy that has come to pass in front of our very eyes. Hence, will we continue to envy these evil women, or should we be grateful to our Lord for the Hijaab, which brings modesty, which leads toParadise?
To sum up, the Muslim woman should abandon all of the ways of the exposed women, and adopt the ways of those who are modest through their love and practice of the proper Islamic Hijaab.

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