Your “Stuff” is Not a Part of You

In fact what truly defines our character is how we react to loss. If
we were stripped of all the possessions we love, who would we be in
that moment? Would we still be grateful to Allah, patient, trusting?
Hopefully it never comes tothat. But seriously, those times of
greatest sadness and joy are when our thoughts must turn to Allah, The
Eternal, The Merciful, The Wise.
Allah says, "Never will you attain the good until you spend from that
which you love. And whatever you spend – indeed, Allahis Knowing of
it." [Quran 3: 92]
Think about that. Allah is telling us to give away the things that we
love the most! SubhanAllah! Why does Allah ask this of us? Is it to
liberate us from slavery to material possessions? To f0cus our minds
on Allah and the aakhirah (hereafter)? To prevent the evil that
results from the love of money? To benefit the poor?
Yes, for all of those reasons. Excessive attachment to any
materialthing is misguidance. The love of possessions is a spiritual
trap.
I have at times given away things that were precious to me, thinking
they wouldmean as much to the otherperson as they do to me. Sometimes
they do, and sometimes they don't, and yes it hurts my feelings when
the other person doesn't value my gift; but eventually I get over it,
because the point is the actof giving. And maybe – Insha-Allah – I'll
have something to show Allah on Yawm Al-Qiyamah (the Day of
Resurrection), maybe I'll be able to say, "O Allah, I gave away
thesethings that I loved," and maybe that will earn me some
forgiveness, Allah knows.

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Diligence is the Mother ofGood Luck

"Diligence is the mother of good luck." – Arabic proverb
If you want something, work for it and do not stop. That's how you
create your own luck. Whether you were born into a rich family or a
poor one, whether you are innately talented or not, whether you have
charisma and charm or you are a tongue-tied nerd, it doesn't matter.
I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to be rich, talented, and
charismatic, but you can succeed without them, and you'll appreciate
it all the more. All you have to do is hang on even after others have
let go.
Don't bemoan your fate. No one is born into a perfect family. Don't
complain about lack of resources. Allah created this world and
everything in it, and laid it at your feet. If you're facing the right
direction, you can reach anywhere in the world if you keep on walking.
Find a Way
In 1997 I started a small web development consulting service. I really
wanted to work with Muslims and help to create Islamic websites. As a
small adjunct to my service, I started a Muslim matrimonialservice. I
thought of it as a hobby. That was the first incarnation of Zawaj.com
Muslim Matrimonials . It was one of the first three such services on
the internet. The problem was that I was not really a programmer (I
was more of a graphic designer), and in the beginning I was
hand-creating every page for every ad. The traffic climbed, until I
was getting many new ads every day. It quickly became impossible.
I contacted some large web development firms to get a price quote for
building a proper, automated matchmaking service. Their quotes were
too high for me. I contacted some firms in India, and found one that
would build the website first, and let me pay in monthly installments
of $500. The bill was many thousands of dollars, and that was at a
timewhen I could barely pay the bills. I agreed to the deal, not
knowing where the money would come from. Every month I had to come up
with$500 somehow. I eliminated all unnecessary expenses, I borrowed
from my parents and my wife, and somehow I made it, and paid it all
off.
More than ten years later, Zawaj.comis still my bread and butter. I
don't know whatI would have done without it. I feel that Allah guided
me to make that choice, and I was smart enough and determined enough
to seize the opportunity. For once in my life, ha ha!
Make your own luck. Make something happen. Find a way.
Diligence, diligence. Focus on your goal, work hard, don't give up… be
as persistent as the sun. Sometimes the sun is hidden behind clouds,
but it's there every day. It's okay to have days when you're tired,
when it seems hopeless, when you wish life would give you a break, but
just keep showing up every day and doing the work, and your break will
come.
Whoever said that opportunity knocks once mustnot have been paying
attention, because opportunities come along all the time. It's just
that you have to listen for them, and you must lay the groundwork so
that you are ready when the knock comes.
Faith and Diligence
I'll finish with a story from thelife of the Prophet Muhammad (sws):
Narrated Khabbab bin Al-Arat:
We complained to Allah's Apostle (of the persecution inflicted on us
by the disbelievers) while he was sitting in the shade of the Ka'ba,
leaning over his Burd (i.e. covering sheet). We said to him, "Would
you seek help for us? Would you pray to Allah for us?" He said, "Among
the nations before you a (believing) man would be put in a ditch that
was dug for him, and a saw would be put over his head and he would be
cut into two pieces;yet that (torture) would not make him give up his
religion.His body would be combed with iron combs that would remove
his flesh from the bones and nerves, yet that would not make him
abandonhis religion. By Allah, this religion (i.e. Islam) will prevail
till a traveler from Sana (in Yemen) to Hadrarmaut will fear none
butAllah, or a wolf as regards his sheep, but you (people) are hasty."
What type of persecution wasKhabbab referring to? Was it simple name
calling, or Muslim businesses being boycotted? No, it was torture and
murder. Bilal was laid in the desert with a huge stone on his chest.
Others were place in chains, burned, stabbed by spears… all because
they had adopted the religion of Allah. So it wasno small thing they
were complaining of. And yet all the Prophet had to say to them was
that they were hasty, and that a time would come when all of Arabia
would be united and safe. Someone standing beside himat the moment,
looking around at the weak circumstances in which the Muslims found
themselves, might have found such a statement hard to believe. But the
Messenger of Allah (sws) had faith, and he had diligence, and those
together can achieve anything.--
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Bring it In

Let's bring it together.
Everything moves in circles,
everything whirls, but sometimes
you cut across the tide
and find yourself in the light
of a strange sun. Bring it in.
Smaller circles, far from thedin
of the city, we meet:
your breath and mine,
warm and sweet,
tighter, closer, moving in time
to the galaxy, earth, air,
until we are the center, paired,
and all turns in harmony.
Let's bring it in, become
lion and lioness, oak and stone,
shelter and home.
Mother and father,
husband and wife,
lover and loved,
passion and fire,
dunya and deen ,
family, hearth, laughter
and one true dream.

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Your Life

When seeking a marriage partner, remember, a husband or wife is not
just some pretty face that you get to admire or possess, or show off
to your friends.This person is not a checkbook, a status symbol, a
servant, or a household maid. This is notsomeone that you'll see fora
few minutes each day after work, and take to dinner parties.
You could marry someone only for looks or status then find yourself
miserable, harped on, arguing every day, lonely within your marriage,
or abused. All you rich and attractive people don't take offense – you
might be perfectly lovely and sweet – I'm just saying thatappearance,
wealth and lineage are no guarantee of happiness, and if you focus on
those factors to the exclusion of the soul, then you will likely find
yourself mismatched, brokenhearted and forlorn.
A spouse is someone you abide with for the rest of your life, even
when you are wrinkled and bent. Someone to hold you when you're sad,
to support you when you're tired, to cool your foreheadwhen you're
sick, to share in your joys, tell jokes and play frisbee with;
someoneto pray with in the still morning hours, and struggle with to
achieve Paradise.
This is someone to be a witness to your life, to know you intimately
and recognize your worth as a human being (not that we need someone
else to affirm our value – but it's always nice to be recognized and
seen). Someone to love you unceasingly, like a great river, even when
you disagree. Someone to see your faults, and keep on loving you.
Make sure your priorities are in order. Look past the surface. Connect
with the person's soul. Find someone who will make you smile, and with
whom you will be happy to share this strange journey we calllife.

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- - - - - - -

Should the wife obey the husband if the husband is extreme irrligious?

The wife could play an integral role in reforming her husband. If the
husband has the bad habitsas stated in the email and if the wife
honestly feels that if she refuses his sexual needs, that will
pressurise him into mending his ways and reforming, then she may do
so.
However, she should be careful that this approach should not cause her
husband to deteriorate further. The wife should also advise and get
others to advise him. Allah states,?? and continue offering advise for
offering advice isbeneficial to the believers.?
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

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Believe in Allah, Because He Believes inYou

I believe in Allah because He believes in me… and He believes in you
too. Believein His plan for you, have faith in Him, trust His guidance
to you, because He has faith in you, and trusts you.
Some people might challenge this assertion that Allah believes in us
and trusts us. To me, that's surprising. Allah created nothing in
vain. Everything He does has a purpose. His creation of humanity was
done with intent.
Why were we created? Many Muslims will automatically respond, "To
worship Allah." That's true, but why does Allah want to be worshiped?
Furthermore, why did He create everything else – the stars, planets,
forests, seas, mountains, animals?…
Without presuming to know Allah's intentions, and returning to the
realm of the human for a moment, I will make a simple observation. As
a writer, one of the reasons I write is because the act of putting my
thoughts and feelings on paper satisfies something deep within me.I've
been writing creativelysince I was a child, and to me it's not a hobby
but a calling. I'm a writer, therefore I write; and I am a writer
because I write.
The same is true for a painter or any other artist. I imagine if you
asked a painter why he paints, you might get many different answers:
*. "It makes me happy"
*. "It's my passion."
*. "To express my ideas."
*. "To make money."
*. "I don't know, I just do."
The bottom line is that it's the painter's nature to paint; it's her
calling, her function. She is a painter, therefore she paints; or
shepaints, therefore she is a painter. Same difference.
Allah is Al-Khaaliq, The Creator. That is one of His names, one of His
attributes. He expresses this attribute by creating. You are a part of
that expression, and so am I. So is a blue whale, Mount Kilimanjaro,
the Grand Canyon, a dolphin, a mouseand an amoebum. Everything that
Allah created is amazing in its function and awesomely complex in its
design. Everything that He created is beautiful and
purposeful.Including you and me.
To create is an act of love. It is an act of faith. The Creator loves
you and believes in you. Believe in Him, believe in yourself, believe
in humanity, and believe in the unique path that Allah has chosen for
you.

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"HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY"

Frenship is never an accident... its somthng 1 has 2 nurture over da
yrs.I hope evry yr our frenship bcoms stronger
=
Friendship is a place where dreams are nurtured, shared, celebrated, a
place where happiness begins
=
There are no strings attached to a friendship, no bonds to hold or
ties tobind. Friendship stand on its own
=
With u bside my fren I havcn my world becoming a beautiful place....My
dreams turning into reality
=
God gvs us 2 Gifts... 1 is chance n other is choice, Chance 2 hav
frens n choice 2 select best 1s like U. "HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY"

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The Heart of the Matter

Sometimes we have a problem with a Muslim or Muslims, and we get
frustrated and we think, "I don't want to be around those people
anymore." Or something happens at the Masjid (the mosque) that we
don't like, maybe the Imam says something we don't agree with, or we
don't like the Masjid policies, and we feel offended and we stop
going. Maybe we pray at home, and stop associatingwith Muslims, then
maybe over time we become slackin our prayers, but we tell ourselves
it's okay because we're still Muslim "in our hearts".
That's one kind of trap.
On top of that it's hard to represent this deen among non-Muslims.
It's hard to carry yourself as a Muslim at work when you're the only
one there and you're aware that some of your co-workers are bigots or
are operating on negative stereotypes. It's hard to wear the hijab
when some people look at you as if you're a terrorist.
So maybe we give up the outer trappings of Islam, telling ourselves
that we have to survive in this society.
That's another trap.
And if you're a convert and your family is opposed to your conversion
to Islam, that's another weight to carry. If they are openly hostile,
and if you still live with them as they mock your deen (maybe in front
of your children) and try to undercut your childrens' practice of
Islam by feedingthem pork or letting them have "a little taste" of
wine… or something comeson the news about a conflict in the Muslim
world and your family says,"Look, those Muslims are atit again…" And
you don't know how to respond, or you don't want to start another
fight so you keep your mouth shut, but inside you feel humiliated and
confused…
And if you are isolated from the Muslim community for racial reasons
(this is not supposed to happen but it does) or for simple cultural
reasons, because you can't speak Arabic or Urdu and you don't fit in,
and you haven't been able to make any Muslim friends, or you feel that
the Masjid crowd don't regard you in the same way as so-called "born
Muslims"… instead they look at you as an oddity, or a child, or a
trophy of some kind, as if your conversion somehow validates their
faith…
Well, then, you might start to say to yourself, "What's the point? Is
it really worthit? Is it even really true?"
That's obviously a huge, deadly trap.
Okay, if you're a "born Muslim" you might not reach the point of that
last statement ("Is it even true?") because for most ofus who were
raised Muslim, Islam is bred into us from childhood, and it's a part
of us even when we don't understand it or appreciate it. But you still
might feel that identifying as a Muslim is too much trouble… it's
easier to associate with non-Muslims, abandon your prayers, drink wine
at the company dinner, have relationships with non-Muslims, and not
have to battle against society every day, not to mention battling
against your own nafs (desires). This is an easy trap to fall into if
you are a professional living alone.
We fall into these traps because we forget what this deen is. Shaytan
(Satan) isolates us just as a wolf isolates a sheep, driving it away
from the herd; then he plays games with our minds so that we become
reactive, responding emotionally to circumstances in our environments.
("That Muslim cheated me, so I don't trust Muslims anymore.") Shaytan
gives us pathetic rationalizationsthat we latch onto as if they really
mean something.

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- - - - - - -

“I Know Who I Am”

It can be very hard to resistthe negative labels that parents put on
us. Their words have a way of worming into our brains even when we
know better. We must be patient with them and love them, without
buying into their negativity.
Write some positive affirmations about yourself. Affirmations are true
statements that express your best qualities,and also express what
kindof person you strive to be. They represent the ideal you.
I personally have a list of 29 affirmations, and here's number 12 on my list:
"12. I am a good son to myparents. I am patient and loving with them.
When speaking to them I maintain a positive, independent and calm
spirit, knowing who I am and confident in my choices."
Read your affirmations every day. Even if you don'tquite believe your
own affirmations at times, even if you feel inwardly skeptical, keep
reading them. When you speak to your parents, breathe deeply and
slowly. Don't let anything they say makeyou anxious or excited.
Tellyourself silently, "I know who I am."
Allah loves you and has a plan for you. Believe this and move forward,
and when you have children, shut down the cycle of negativity and do
better than your parents did. It's okay to be better than your
parents. Any good parent wants their childrento surpass them.
Show your own children patience, gentleness and endless love.
May Allah bless you and fill your heart with self-knowledge,
self-dignity, and hope for the future.

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- - - - - - -

ALLAH bless u

Straight roads never makeGood drivers!
Smooth sea never makes Good sailors!
Clear sky never makes Good pilots!
Problem free life never makes a strong & Good person
Be strong enough to accept the challenges of life
Don't ask Life "Why me?
Instead say "Try me!
Have a WinINg Attitude!
ALLAH bless u n ur family.
Ameen.

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- - - - - - -

Give Me Something Better

The Messenger of Allah (sws) said: "There is no calamity that befalls
one ofthe Muslims and he responds 'Inna Lillahi wa inna ilahi
raaji'oun, Allahumma ujurni fi museebati w'ukhluf li khayran minha,'
(Truly to Allah we belong & truly to Him we shall return, O Allah
reward me in this calamity & compensate mewith something better than
it), but Allah will compensate him with something better than it."
(Muslim 918)
In other words, if you've lost something precious, orif disaster has
hit you, and you respond with faith in Allah, asking Him to
replaceyour loss with something better, then Allah will surely respond
and give you something better.
SubhanAllah! What more could we ask? Allah is the only one who does
this. If your house is destroyed, the insurance company willtry to
find a way to deny your claim, and if they finally pay then they will
pay less than it's worth.
The crucial thing is that thedua' must be said in that moment of pain
and loss, when you are really hurting. You can't respond at first by
saying, "Why did you do this to me Allah, I didn't deserve this!" then
months later when you've recovered somewhat, thinkyou can say this
dua' and itwill work for you.
The whole point is that in those moments when life is most difficult
and you are totally thrown for a loop, you respond by turning to
Allah. That's the test. Those moments are the proving ground of
yoursoul. If you can face Allah inthose moments of agony and say – I
trust You, all things return to You, I know you will give me something
better – then indeed Allah will give you more than you can imagine.
May Allah give us the strength to remember Him and turn to Him
instinctively in times of calamity and times of joy as well.

I Asked Allah for Strength

"I asked Allah for strength and Allah gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked Allah for wisdom and Allah gave me problems to solve.
I asked Allah for courage and Allah gave me obstacles to overcome.
I asked Allah for love and Allah gave me troubled people to help.
I asked Allah for favors andAllah gave me opportunities.
Maybe I received nothing I wanted, but I received everything I needed
– Alhamdulillah."

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- - - - - - -

Lead the Way

Do you want to see something different in the world? Show it. Do you
want to see things moving in a better direction? Then get stepping and
walk it, and I guarantee that otherswill follow, because they have
seen the problems as well, and they are waiting for someone to lead
the way.
Do you want to be a betterMuslim, father, mother, son, daughter,
sibling, or friend? Then be it. Now is the moment. The past is
prologue leading to this moment.
Are you waiting for someone else to show loveand kindness first? Are
you waiting for someone else to be vulnerable or brave, to put himself
out there, totake the first step, to show the way? There is no someone
else. You are the someone else. You… are… someone.
Le'ts open ourselves to faith, love and kindness. Let's change the way
we move in the world, the way we behave with Allah, the way we treat
people, the way we interact with every person. Let us become
testaments to the power of these transformative behaviors, not through
our words but through our actions. Let's express a new sincerity from
our hearts and walk through the world like believers. Let's become
people of Allah, people of Jannah (Paradise), people of imaan (faith),
love and mercy.

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- - - - - - -

What is the Islamic Ruling on Water Liposuction?

<QUESTION>
What is the Islamic ruling on water liposuction?
<ANSWER>
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
As explained in previous answers that although Islam allows, and even
encourages to some extent, non-surgical meansof beautification, it
prohibits having one's body altered through surgical means due to the
explicit texts of the Qur'an and Sunna prohibiting mutilation (muthla)
and changing the nature created by Allah Most High (taghyir khalq
Allah). All surgical procedures carried out on the body for the
purpose of adornment have been prohibited by classical jurists
(fuqaha).
As such, the surgical removal of excess body fat which lies just under
the skin by way of liposuction is not permitted for
beatification/cosmetic reasons. You have inquiredabout the
permissibility of the innovative liposuction technique called AQUALIPO
as opposed to traditional liposuction. Although harms are minimized in
this method given that fat is removed gently with water-jet and there
is no need for general anesthetic, hence less risk of complications,
no major blood loss, less bruising and swelling, etc, it is
nevertheless a surgical means of removing fatty tissue through the
process of suction. It would still require a large bore cannula to be
inserted to suck fat out, and thus the skin will be cut surgically,
and the incision may even require stitching.
Liposuction will be permitted due to a genuine medical need. If a
reliable physician advices that you should have the fat removed for
health reasons, you may do so. Likewise, if the body fat is such that
it is considered an abnormality to the point that it leads to a great
deal of hardship and psychological pain, and there is no alternative
besides resorting to liposuction, it will be permitted, for Islam
permits bringing back to normality areas of the body that are deformed
or damaged.
Imam Abu Dawud, Imam Nasa'i and Imam Tirmidhi (Allah have mercy on
them) have recorded in their respective Sunan collections, that a
Companion Arfaja ibn Aswad (Allah be pleased with him) had his nose
damaged in the battle of kulab. He replaced it first with silver and
then with anose made of gold, with the consent of the Messenger of
Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). This permission was granted
despite gold being unlawful for men.
As such, it is best that each individual case is discussed with a
reliable scholar, Insha Allah.
And Allah knows best

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Is it Necessary to declare all Defects/Faults when Selling an Item?

<QUESTION>
Is it necessary for the sellerto declare all defects and faults when
selling an item, or is it the buyer's responsibility to discover them?
<ANSWER>
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
A basic principle of Islamic commercial law is that when selling any
item or product, it must be sound and free from defects and faults.
[See: Al-Majalla al-Ahkam al-Adaliyya , Article: 336] As such, it is
the seller's responsibility tobe truthful and point out the specific
defect if he has knowledge of it; otherwisehe will be guilty of
committing the grave sins of cheating and deception.
Imam Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him), in the chapter titled "Buyer
and seller making things clear and not concealing anything and showing
good faith" of his Sahih , relates from al-Adda' ibn Khalid who said,
"The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) wrote for
me [whenpurchasing from me]: 'This is what Muhammad, Messenger of
Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), has purchased fromal-Adda'
ibn Khalid. A sale from one Muslim to another, with no [hidden]
defect, no taint and no deception.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2/731)
Imam Bukhari then quotes the Companion Uqba ibn Amir (Allah be pleased
withhim) as saying, "It is not lawful for one to sell goodsknowing
that there is a defect in them without mentioning it." (ibid)
Sayyiduna Hakim ibn Hizam (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that
theMessenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, "The
seller andthe buyer have the option [to conclude the sale] as long as
they have not separated. If they both speak the truth and makethings
clear , they will be blessed in their sale. But if they both conceal
and lie, the blessing of their sale will be wiped out." (Sahih
al-Bukhari no 1974 and Sahih Muslim 1532)
Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him), in explanation of this hadith,
states, "This (i.e. speaking the truth and making things clear) means
that both parties clearly mention to each other what needs to be
mentioned such as declaring a defect in the item and the like…"
(Al-Mihhaj sharh Sahih Muslim, p 1170)
Wathila ibn al-Asqa' (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the
Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, "Whoever
sellsdefective goods without declaring it remains in the wrath of
Allah or [he said)] the angles keep cursing him." (Sunan Ibn Majah
2873)
Imam Haskafi, the renowned classical Hanafi jurist, states, "It is
unlawfulto conceal a fault in the item being sold or in the price,
since deception is haram." (Al-Durr al-Mukhtar 5/47)
It is stated in Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya :
"If a person wishes to sell faulty goods, and he knows [that they are
faulty], it is necessary (wajib) for him to reveal it. If he does not,
then some of our scholars state that he will become an open sinner
(fasiq) whose testimony is to be rejected [in a court of law]."
(Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya 3/210)
All of the above clearly demonstrates that the seller is under
obligation topoint out any faults or defects in the item being sold.
Failure to do so, despite having knowledge of it, constitutes a grave
sin.
However, there are a few points to keep in mind here:
1) A defect (ayb) is that which, in the opinion of traders and
experts, reduces the market value of an item. (See the Ottoman Courts'
Hanafi Fiqh Manual on commercialtransactions, Al-Majallah al-ahkam
al-adaliyya , Article: 338). As such, the seller is not obliged to
mention the normal wear and tear of the item being sold.
2) The defect or fault must have existed while the item being sold was
in the possession of the seller, and not after. This includes any
defect which occurs before sale or after the salebut before the seller
delivers it to the purchaser.(Al-Majallah al-ahkam al-adaliyya,
Articles: 339 and 340)
3) If a seller sells a defective or faulty item without declaring it,
the purchaser has a right to cancel the transaction. He may accept the
item as it isfor the fixed price, or return it and get his moneyback.
This is called the 'Option on account of Defect (khiyar al-ayb).'
(Al-Majallah al-ahkam al-adaliyya, Article: 337)
4) If the seller delegates the responsibility of inspecting the item
to the purchaser and says that he is not responsible for any defects
or faults, and the purchaser accepts, then theseller will not be
sinful of concealing the truth and cheating. Moreover, the purchaser
will not have a right to cancel should he discover a fault in the item
sold. (Imdad al-Ahkam 3/404 & Al-Majallah al-ahkam al-adaliyya,
Article 342)
And Allah knows best

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HOLD BACK YOUR TONGUE…

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah in whose hand my soul lies in, the One who created
the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them.
Oh slaves of Allah, take heed of what your tongue says, for that may
determine your fate between Jahannam and Jannah. One of the grave
problems which is taken very lightly by the Ummahat this present time,
are the words that we utter. Never do we think twice before we talk.
We indulge ourselves into dirty, flithy and forbidden acts. Among
these forbidden things which people take often lightly are gheebah
(backbiting), buhtaan (slander) and nameemah (malicious gossip).
Worst of all, we backbite about our very own brothers and sisters in
Islam. And I swear by Allahthis is such a dirty and deadly sin that we
are falling into without even realizing it.
For Allaah subhana wa t'ala says (interpretation of the meaning):
"neither backbite one another. Would one of youlike to eat the flesh
of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear
Allaah. Verily, Allaah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance,
Most Merciful"[al-Hujuraat 49:12]
Gheebah or backbiting means speaking about a Muslim in his absence and
saying things that he would not like to have spread around or
mentioned. Buhtaan or slander means saying things about a Muslim
thatare not true, or in other words telling lies about him. Nameemah
or malicious gossip means telling one person what another said in
order to cause trouble between them.
I do not understand how we even dare to talk about the sins of other
people, and indulge ourselves in the discussionof the lives of people,
when our life itself is so crooked. People hardly pray, or even if
they do, then they pray Fajr at the time of Dhuhr, Dhuhr at the time
of 'Asr, and so forth, and one of their excuse for missing or delaying
their Salah is, "I cannot find the time to pray", but yet we find a
lotof time for chit chatting about people.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that theMessenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Do you know what gheebah (backbiting) is?" They said,
"Allaah and His Messenger know best." He said, "Saying something about
your brother that he dislikes." It was said, "What if what I say about
my brother is true?" He said, "If what you say is true then you have
backbitten about him, andif it is not true, then you have slandered
him." Narrated by Muslim, 2589
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two graves and
said, "They are being punished, but they are not being punished
foranything that was difficultto avoid. One of them used to walk about
spreading malicious gossip(nameemah), and the other used not to take
precautions to avoid getting urine on himself when he urinated." Then
he called for a green branch, which he split in two and planted a
piece on each grave, and said, "May their torment be reduced so long
as these do not dry out." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 213; Muslim, 292
Know Oh muslims that ourtongue will be a witness against us on the day
of Judgement. It's the day where is there no refuge, but except in
Allah Subhana wa T'ala. And if Allah Subhana wa T'ala does not look at
you, then there is nothing that can save you. And it is a day where if
Allah gives your records in your left hand, then everything that will
come after that will be bad. Do you want to lose your hard earned good
deeds within a few seconds? Do you really want to exchange your salah,
saum (fasting) and charity for a big pile of bad deeds? If you do
wantto, then go ahead and insult people, go ahead and slander against
people, for on the Day of Judgement all the people who suffered by
your tongue will be rewarded with your good deeds.
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported:
Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salam) said, "Do you knowwho
is the bankrupt?'' They said:"The bankrupt among us is the one who has
neither money with him nor any property".
He said, "The real bankrupt of my Ummah would be he who would come on
the Day of Resurrection with Salat, Saum and Sadaqah (charity), (but
he will find himself bankrupt on that day as he will have exhausted
the good deeds) because he insultedothers, slandered against others,
unlawfully devoured the wealth of others, shed the blood of others and
beat others; so his good deeds would be credited to the account of
those (who suffered at his hand). If his good deeds fall short to
clear the account, their sins would be entered in his account and he
would be thrown in the (Hell) Fire".

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- - - - - - -

'How To Behave LikeA Real Princess'

After pondering day after day after day about what Ishall make my next
post about I came to no success, for everything I thought of just did
not feel right.
Amongst other posts, the message of exams alreadyput across as well as
moving on to a new chapter of our lives and soforth. So alas with no
ideas I thought I would clean out my room. After all it really needed
sorting out, as me any my sister had really had enough tripping over
my philosophy folder and stumping our feet on my psychology books. So
I thought that is what I'll dofor now.
Upon bringing all my workfrom my room, downstairsto the spare room, it
cameto my attention that even the spare room was in such a state! So I
thought Ihave to clear this up as well otherwise I have no where to
put my work. And that is when Alhumdulilah inspiration struck.
I came across a book my beloved father had gifted to me as a child,
and upon finding it memories came flooding back of my childhood, and
how a huge portion of it was spent…wanting to be a PRINCESS !
The book was part of the collection of Anastasia books, titled: ' How
to behave like a princess '. Stupid as I felt and thinking 'I have no
idea why I'm flicking through this' it came to my attention that
subhan'Allah, how our culture in the west is filledwith fooling and
corrupting the young children of our Ummah, giving young girls false
hope, and the wrong ideasof life, romance and yep… PRINCE CHARMING .
As I read on "…a real princess never plays with the same toys
twice…she has new ones delivered everyday "…" a real princess should
ALWAYS dress like a princess…she must have dozens of wardrobes filled
with elegant gowns and glittering tiaras "…" a proper princess will
host wonderful parties . " …" a real princess does not wear the same
clothes twice ." She lives in her castle, waiting for Prince Charming
or her Knight in shinning armour to rescue her pretty self.
The more I read, the more this book began to sound like something out
of Brother Baba Ali's marriage video from Ummah Films. Many sisters,
acting just like this princess, just like this damsel in distress,
waitingfor her knight in shinning armour to battle the fire breathing
dragon, climb the tall tower and whisk her away into an happily ever
after. If any of you have seen Shrek 2, it is exactly how the film
startswith Prince Charming's adventurous journey for his bride to be.
Subhan'Allah wa bi Hamdi!But if one looks at the REAL GEMS , the REAL
PRINCES and PRINCESSES of the dunya and the hereafter, the Sahabah,
the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam and the Umm
ul'Mu'mineen, this absurd notion the west portray was not their
conduct at all!!!
This question is for the sisters, be honest how many fairy tales have
you seen as a child, how many times did you fink ' Where's my prince
charming ?'
Brothers, how many cartoons of superheroes did you watch and think '
that's gonna be me in the future, and I will be savinga pretty woman
too who will be my wife ' ???
As insignificant as it may seem, what's the harm, there only cartoons
right? No! Many a times I myself have spoken to sisters looking for a
spouse in marriage, and they have such deluded ideas of what marriage
is like. They really are waiting for Mr Perfect to come falling into
their laps!!
How many narrations are there of A'ishah radi AllahuAnha, playing with
her dolls with her friends, and the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu
'Alayhi Wa Sallam would join in on young A'ishah's play and games. Yet
she did not complain and throw a tantrum for more dolls. One famous
parable is when the Prophet Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam went to
A'ishah's room on the day of Id-Ul-Adha, to find A'ishah playing a
game that the prophet had not seen before, when he asked herwhat she
was playing, A'ishah replied 'this is Solomon's horses' upon which the
prophet Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam smiled.
Subhan'Allah, even when the children of the Ummahin the past played
with their toys and gave performances, it was in relation to Islam and
Allah's Prophets and Messengers. A'ishah's play, that same day the
Abysinnians performance of the Battle of Badr, and Allahu'Alim how
many other such plays.
Yes, plays related to Islam,not Barbie being looked away in her big
Barbie house by her step-mother,and Ken climbing up to Barbie's room
to save her. ( Or is it Blaine now, 'cos apparently Barbie dumpedKen!
More absurdity !!!)
As for the dress of our beloved Prophet Sallallahu'Alayhi Wa Sallam,
the Sahabah, the Sahabiyaat, and the Tabi'een. Subhan'Allah so humble
were they, that they only had enough cloth to shroud themselves and
their families.

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- - - - - - -

Felicity

Felicity.
When your heart feels so free it soars in the sky.
So light and weightless, as if carried by Angels of Mercy and Glad-tidings.
Mind of purity and clarity.
Vision that's clear of clouds.
No mist. No chains.
No burdens or pains.
Hands are freed up, speech flows again.
You can breathe.
Time is blessed, lands are blessed.
Days are a beauty and nights pass in serenity.
God's creatures smile as if to acknowledge the bliss.
Even the trees rustle; I can hear their tasbih.
Gratitude only increases the goodness, as if the Promise is more than just that.
It's a certainty.
It's freedom. Freedom fromthe world.
But the world's inexperienced want to define it.
They are baffled. The more the tests, the happier we become.
Freedom.
Allah gives it to some so they enter the Paradise of this world before the Next.
And some are deprived so they remain imprisoned;
Either to be released in the Hereafter and or to be sentenced.
He is the King of Kings; A Most Generous King.
And it's a felicity.
A serenity.
I found it in the places of prayer.
It's there again whenever I open the Book.
Like a magnificent robe, it gently wraps and protects.
Freedom and felicity,
They take root in the heart when the heart is watered with faith and
sustained with Islam.

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- - - - - - -

husband who works hardproviding for his family

A husband who works hardproviding for his family reaches home where he
hopes to find comfort, tranquillity, and a peace of mind with his
wife. Many husbands arrive home to a tidy house and a wife who greets
him with a ♥ Salaam♥ and a smile, asks about his day, offers to make
him something to drink and allows him time to unwind.
However some husbands reach home to a wife who frowns as soon as she
sees him, then complains about everything.
All wives would like a husband who will show them affection and
appreciation, likewise all husbands would like the same in return.
Mutual respect and appreciation goes both ways ♥

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- - - - - - -

Punishment for a Muslim woman

Question:-
How is a woman to be punished if she marries a Christian? How often is
it carried out and in what countries is it most common?
Answer:-
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to marry a kaafir
(non-Muslim), whether he is Jewish, Christian or an idol-worshipper ,
because the man has authority overhis wife, and it is not permissible
for a kaafir to have authority over a Muslim woman. For Islam is the
true religion and all other religions are false. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikoon till they
believe (in Allaah Alone)" [al-Baqarah 2:221]
"And never will Allaah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph)
over the believers" [al-Nisaa' 4:141]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Islam should prevail and should not be prevailed over."
If a Muslim woman marriesa kaafir when she knows the ruling, then she
is a zaaniyah (adulteress), and her punishment is the punishment for
adultery. If she was ignorant of the ruling then she is excused, but
they must be separated, and there is no need for a divorce because the
marriage is null and void. On this basis, the Muslim woman whom Allaah
has honoured with Islam and her guardian must beware of that and must
adhere to the limits set by Allaah, and they must feel proud of Islam.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those who take disbelievers for Awliyaa' (protectors or helpers or
friends) instead of believers, do they seek honour, power and glory
with them? Verily, then to Allaah belongs all honour, power and glory"
[al-Nisaa'4:139]

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New Delhi, June 18, 2012 ''A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (former President of India - opts out of Presidential race''

In a rebuff to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and BJP,
former President A P J Abdul Kalam on Monday announced that he would
not contest the Presidential poll against UPA nominee Pranab
Mukherjee.
Issuing a formal announcement, he said he had taken the decision after
considering "the totality of this matter and the present political
situation".
Mr. Kalam, who was propped up by Trinamool as a nominee for the
Presidential poll to be held on July 19, said, "though I have never
aspired to serve another term or shown interest in contesting the
elections", Mamata Banerjee and other political parties "wanted me" to
be the candidate.
"Many, many citizens have also expressed the same wish. It only
reflects their love and affection for me and the aspiration of the
people. I am really overwhelmed by this support," his statement said.
"This being their wish, I respect it. I want to thank them for the
trust they have in me," he said, adding, "I have considered the
totality of this matter and the present political situation, and
decided not to contest the Presidential election 2012."
After Ms. Banerjee pushed his candidature, breaking ranks with UPA
over the issue, the BJP also tried hard to persuade him to contest as
Opposition's common candidate againstMr. Mukherjee.
BJP leader L K Advani calledhim thrice and sent his close aide
Sudheendra Kulkarni twice to convince him. However, he made clear to
Mr. Advani that his "conscience" is not permitting him to contest,
sources said.
The former President has been insisting that he could consider
entering thefray only if there was surety about his victory.
Several opposition leaders talked to Mr. Kalam over phone yesterday to
know about his plans.
BJP was more in favour of fielding Kalam than former Lok Sabha Speaker
P A Sangma, who is AIADMK Chief J Jayalalithaa and BJD head Naveen
Patnaik's choice.
Even JD(U), which wants a consensus for Mr. Mukherjee, may support Mr.
Kalam as he shares a good equation with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar.

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- - - - - - -

My spouse wants a seperation after 14 years

Q- We have been married for 14 yrs. My spouse is a convert. Recently
he left for a trip and came back a changed person. We have four
children and he says that there are no feeling of love, compassion or
attraction left for me.
He is a very kind and gentle person but has changed into a moody,
negative person who has given up on our relationship. I have prayedand
prayed and asked Allah to forgive me for my sins. Does anyone know
anything about nazar or black magic. Does this sound like it?
Thanks
-ruby
One answered :Salamu'alaikum sister,
I am sorry for what you are facing. I'd like to mention that there are
different possibilities:
1. He has seen something, heard something, or somebody has told him
something that made him behave so.
2. He was frustrated with something that happened with him, and
couldn't control his anger. Shaitaanmade use of this and made him
speak ill to you.
3. Someone who is jealousof your relationship looked at you with an
evil eye (what you call Nazar)
4. Someone who is jealousof you did magic on your husband.
I mentioned magic last, because it is always considered last. And
before you make any conclusion, beware, it need not necessarily be
magic. As of now, considerthat it is either of the first two. This is
so that the Shaitaan does not lead you astray. You may not know and do
wrong, if you do not do this.
Now, what has to be done?
First, speak to him politelyand ask him the reason and look at his
behavior. Does he give any valid reason or just ignores it and goes
away/shouts andmoves away? If he gives a reason, you'll have your
answer, insha Allah. Otherwise, it could be an evil eye. Allah's
Messenger Sallallahu 'Alaihi wasallam said (in one of the Saheeh
Ahadeeth) that the evil eye is true . It is possible. Hence, recite
the followingDu'a to him:
اعيذك بكلمات الله التامات من كل شيطانٍ و هآمة ومن كل عينٍ لآمَة
"'U'eezuka bi Kalimaatillahit Taammaati min Kulli Shaitaanin wa
Haammah. Wa min Kulli 'Aynin Laammah"
(I seek refuge for you with Allaah's perfect words from every Shaytaan
(devil) and poisonous creature and every evil eye)
(From Bukhari)
And ask min to read the same du'a, with a little change: instead of
U'eezuka (اعيذك) he should say A'oozu (اعوذ).
And there are other ways in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah (I'll mention
aboutthis below insha Allah).
If it is none of this, then there is a "possibility" thatit be
"magic". But know that magic and black magic are different. If it is
magic, then possibly it is something like that mentioned in Surah al
Baqarah, Aayah 102:
They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the
magic)in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not
disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic
and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and
Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things)
till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by
learning this magic from us)." And from these (angels) people learn
that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they
could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's Leave. And they learn
that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that
the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how
bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they but
knew.
Keep reciting Surah al Baqarah, because according to Saheeh Ahadeeth,
Shaitaan runs from a home where Surah al Baqarah is recited.
If you are not able to conclude on this, then make sure that you do
notdirectly conclude it to be magic. Instead, have it confirmed from a
Scholar from the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah, who specializes in this or
has knowledge about this.

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I never liked him butwas forced to marry him; is it OK if I divorce him?

Q : Problem is that I have been married for one year.My husband is my
mother's cousin from father side; meaning my uncle but still they got
me married to him. I was engaged to him in childhood against my
parent's will but then my mother agree later on.
I was little when I moved to Europe and then little by little I
started understanding life. I kept telling my parents that I don't
want to get married to my fiance for 4 years; asI didn't like him from
the start.
My father was on my side but my mother wasn't as she wanted me to get
married to my fiance. After4 years, I came to UK where my uncle was
already present. I told my uncle and my parents as well that if I
don't want toget married then why they are forcing me to marry him.
But, no one listened to me even I shouted and cried but to no avail.
Even I told my fiance as well that I don't want to get married to him;
he was in Pakistan and I was in UK. I told him that several years ago.
Everyone was forcing me so much that I had to say"yes". We got married
but after marriage, we used tofight a lot. I spent 1 monthin Pakistan
then I returnedto UK.
After spending 3 months in UK, I realized that I can'tspend my whole
life with him. In future when we have kids, they will suffer too.
That's why I went to Pakistan after 3 months sothat I can get him to
cometo UK asap so that I can break this marriage once he is here
(U.K). But, they refused him visa:(.
After returning to Pakistan, and I didn't wantto have any intimate
relations with him. When he used to touch me, I wanted to push him but
I fear Allah a lot. What do I do? I am tired of fights and have
decided to leave him as he is irresponsible. He loves me but he is two
faced person.
I have grown to hate him a lot after just 3 months ofmarriage. Not
that, I liked him before marriage either but I thought to fulfill my
mother's wish. I wanted to make this marriage work from my heart but
he is very negative, self-centered and thinks lowly of others.
Please help me; is it OK if I divorce and leave him. I can't live with
him under any circumstances otherwise I will die. Pleaseanswer me in
detail as it isvery important issue in mylife.
wasalam and allah hafiz,
shabnam.
A: You should divorce him. Forced marriage is prohibited in Islam. A
forced marriage is considered to be void. Although you consented inthe
end, you were clearly pressured into it. You are not a commodity or a
slave, and no one has the right to make these important life choices
for you without your consent.
Since you have no childrenand you have only been married a short time,
it should be easy to separateyourself from him and obtain a divorce.
By the way, he is not your"uncle" Islamically. You might call him
uncle as a matter of tradition, but in fact he is not a true uncle by
lineage and is not a mahrem. So your marriagewas not illegal on that
count. However, if your marriage was forced then it is invalid. And
Allah knows best.

* We divorced in anger two years ago,can we remarry now?

Salaam brothers/sisters.
I was married to my ex wife from 2008 to 2010. We then got divorced;
we have two children together.
We both never remarried and we have both been thinking about giving it
another go. We still feel the same about each otherand we have two
kids together and we wanted to give it another go for the sake of them
too.
The divorce was done in anger and was said 3 times in one sentence. I
then went to a divorce specialist who authorized the divorce with two
witnesses and signed divorce paper.
What must we both do now in order to remarry again? I am really
stressedand just want my family back. Please help.
Thank you.
W/salaam,
~
One responded :
YOU NEED TO DO ONE MORE NIKAH LIKE THE 1ST ONE -BCOZ YOU DID 3 TALAQ
IN ONE SITTING AND THEN YOU WERE MISGUIDED BY SOME DEVAITED UN
AUTHORISED IGNORANT SELF APPOINTED PERSON WHO FOLLOWS SOME SECT[ALL
SECTS ARE ILLEGAL]BCOZ THEY ARE MADE ON SOME ONE WHIMSAND FANCIES [A
BLIND FOLLOWING WITHOUT EVIDENCE] AND DUE TO THAT HIS VERSION IS
ILLEGAL AND HIS PRACTICE ILLEGAL AND HIS AUTHORITY NUL AND VOID..[I
then went to a divorce specialist who authorized the divorce with two
witnesses and signed divorce paper.]
Then on a single occasion, in a burst of temper, he utters the word
"divorce" three times in a row, "talaq, talaq, talaq!" Such incidents,
which took place in the Prophet's lifetime, still take place even
today. Now the question arises as to how the would-be divorcer should
be treated. Should his three utterances of talaq be treated as only
one, and should he then be asked to extend his decision over a
three-month period? Or should his three utterances of talaq on a
single occasion be equated with the three utterances of talaq made
separately over a three-month period? There is a Hadith recorded by
Imam Abu Dawud and several other traditionists which can give us
guidance in this matter: Rukana ibn Abu Yazid said"talaq" to his wife
three times on a single occasion. Then he was extremely sad at the
step he had taken. The Prophet asked him exactlyhow he had divorced
her. He replied that he had said"talaq" to her three times in a row.
The Prophet thenobserved, "All three count as only one. If you want,
you may revoke it." Fath al-Bari, 9/275
PL NOTE STRONGLY THE 3 TALAQS IN ONE SITTING IS HARAAM AND EVEN IF
PERSON GIVES TALAQ 50 TIMES OR 100 TIMES ALSO IN ONE BREATH IT IS
EQUALTO ONE TALAQ[DIVORCE]
PL SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO THE WORLD THAT ISLAMDOES NOT RECOGNISE
DEVIATED SCHOLARS EXCEPT THE HOLY PROPHETSALAHAUALAHAIWASLALAM- O
Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them for their
waiting-period, *1 and compute the waiting period accurately, *2 and
hold Allah, your Lord, in awe. Do not turn them out of their homes
(during the waiting period) â nor should they go away (from their
homes) *3â unless they have committed a manifestly evil deed. *4 Such
are the bounds set by Allah; and he who transgresses the bounds set by
Allah commits a wrong against himself. You do not know: maybe Allah
will cause something to happen to pave the way (for reconciliation).
*5"If you have to divorce your wives, you should divorce them till the
expiry of their waiting-period".
The intention of this verse is further explained by a few other
Ahadith which have been reported from the Holy prophet (upon wham be
Allah's peace) ai d some of the major Companions. Nasa'i has related
that
The Holy Prophet was infomed that a person hadpronounced three
divorceson his wife in One sitting. HE STOOD UP IN NAGER AND SAID-:'
`Are the people playing with the Book of Allah, although I am present
among you?"Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased withthem, reported: I
divorced my wife while she was menstruating during the lifetime of
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).
'Umar bin Al-Khattab (mayAllah be pleased with him)asked Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) about it, whereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Command him ('Abdullah bin
'Umar) to take her back (and keep her) and pronounce divorce when she
is purified and she again enters the period of menstruation and she is
again purified (after passing the period of menses), and then if he so
desires he may keep her and if he desires divorce her (finally) before
touching her (without having an intercourse withher), for that is the
period of waiting ('Iddah) which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has
commanded for the divorce of women-
RE MARRIAGE EXAMPLE-
There is a common misconception that a man can say Talaq, Talaq, Talaq
to his wife in a row and it will lead to Talaq. This is totally an
unIslamic practice.

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How Many Angels Visited Mary?

Mr. Jochen Katz, in one of his articles titled: " How many angels were
talking to Mary? " has stated that the two narratives in the Qur'an
regarding the incident when the angels of Allah visited Mary to give
her the news of the birth of Jesus -- the Christ --are in
contradiction with one another. In the first instance, the Qur'an says
that "angels" (i.e. the word in its plural form, implying, in Arabic
language, that there were at least three) visited Mary. While in the
second instance, it says that there was only one.
Writes Mr. Katz:
There are (at least) two passages in the Qur'an relating the
annunciation of Jesus' birth to Mary.
Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah has chosen thee ...
Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah gives thee glad tidings ...
-- Sura 3:42 & 45
Then we sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before he as a man in
all respects. She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most
Gracious: (Come not near) If thou dost fear Allah."
-- Sura 19:17-18
How many angels came to Mary? One or three or more? [Correct me if the
word for "angel" is in the dual, but if it is plural then there have
to be at least three.]
The object of this article is to give answers to the objections raised
by Mr. Katz in this respect.
Let us first of all consider the related verses of the Qur'an. In
Surah Aal Imraan , the Qur'an says:
And bring to mind when the angels said: "Mary, God has chosen you; He
has purified you and has exalted you above all otherwomen of the
world"."Mary, be obedient to your Lord, bow down and submit [to Him]
with those that submit". This is an account of a hidden event. We
reveal it to you. You were not present when they cast lots to see
which of them shall have charge of Mary; nor were you present when
they argued about her.
Bring to mind when the angels said: "Mary, God gives you glad tidings
of a" word " from Him; his name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of
Mary; he shall be noble in this world as well as in the hereafter; and
he shall be amongst those who are close [to God]; he shall preach to
people, while in his cradle and while in the prime of manhood; and he
shall be a righteous man." She said:"Lord, how can I bear a child,
when no man has [even] touched me?" He replied: "Even so it shall
happen as told. God createswhat He wills; when He decides a thing, He
needs only say 'Be' , and it is." (3: 43 - 47)
In Surah Maryam , the Qur'an says:
And recount in the book, the story of Mary. [The time] when she left
her people and took for herselfa place to the eastern side and hid
herself from them. We sent to her Our spirit,which appeared to her as
aperfect man. She said: "I give myself to the protection of the All
Mercy (i.e. Al-Rahmaan ) from you,if you fear Him." He replied:"I am
but a messenger of your Lord and have come to gift you a boy, pure
[from sin]". She asked:"How can I bear a child, when a man has never
even touched me and neither have I ever been unchaste?" He said: "Thus
shall it happen; your Lord says: It is easy for me." (19:16 - 21)
Before explaining my pointof view regarding these verses, I would
first like to clarify that we can call two phenomena " contradictory "
when there is no possibleexplanation that can, in any way resolve or
removethe apparent contradiction.If, on the other hand, an explanation
can be given for the apparently contradicting phenomenon, then these
phenomena cannot be called "contradictory". I do submit that everyone
has aright to criticize the explanation given. In such a case, if the
explanation cannot face the criticism, it may then be rejected, and
subsequently, due to lack of satisfactory explanation, the apparently
contradictory phenomena may then be termed as a proven
"contradiction". But, on the other hand, if the explanation
adequatelyexplains the phenomena, then unless the explanation is
logically andconvincingly rejected, the phenomena cannot be termed as
"contradictory".
By close examination of the stated verses of the Qur'an, I think there
can be two very acceptable explanations for the objections raised by
Mr. Katz. Either of these two explanations, if acceptable, remove the
objection raised by Mr. Katz in this respect. In case Mr. Katz or
anyone of my readers believes that neither of theexplanations is
acceptable, he should then present his criticism on these
explanations. Without rejecting both the explanations given, I really
do not think that the referred verses of the Qur'an can in any way be
called "contradictory".

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Muslims, Christians and Jews believe in the same Allah

The three revealed faiths sent down as a blessing byour Lord through
true prophets and true scriptures, Islam and the uncorrupted, genuine
forms of Christianity and Judaism, share many common beliefs. Although
the Torah and the Injil were gradually corrupted over the course of
time, the essence and moral values of the true faith arestill to a
large extent preserved in these books sent down from the Presence of
Allah. These uncorrupted parts can clearly be seen when looked at
using the Qur'anand the hadith as a guide. These three revealed faiths
all believe in the absolute existence of Allah, that He is eternal,
that He created the universe from nothing andthat He rules all matter
with His almighty power. Muslims, Christians and Jews also oppose the
same intellectual errors. They share the same intellectual struggle
against atheism, irreligion,racism, fascism and moral degeneration.
All three faiths strive to preach the existence of Allah in the same
way. Members of all three faiths aim for a world full of justice in
which everyone will knowAllah, sincerely believe in and submit to Him,
and live in peace and compassion. Members of all three faiths act out
of a fear and love of Allah, follow in the path of His messengers and
abide by His revelation.
In essence, the members of these three faiths believe in and worship
thesame, one Allah. Our Almighty Lord has revealed His power and
might, His creative artistry,His sublimity, that He is the Lord of the
worlds, that He is All-Powerful andthe sole Creator of all things in
all three faiths. He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth andall
things belong to Him, He knows all, is Almighty and is the Possessor
of all. His might, sublime power and majesty pervade all things and
all places. He is unfettered by any flaw or deficiency, though He is
needed by all beings.
Our Almighty Lord revealed His faith with thereligion of the Prophet
Abraham (peace be upon him):
We revealed to you: "Follow the religion of Abraham, a man of pure
natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters."(Surat an-Nahl, 123)
The word "haneef" means "someone who believes inand serves only
Allah." This is the attribute of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) that is
emphasized in the Qur'an as being "haneef," for he believed in and
submitted to Allah as the one and only. This devout servant of Allah
distanced himself from his tribe's superstitious beliefs and turned
solely to Him. He also called on his tribe to abandon their pagan
beliefs and idolatry, and tobelieve in Allah.
The true religion revealed by Allah to the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was
kept alive by other prophets from his line and by true believers. This
is revealed in the Qur'an as follows:
Who would deliberately renounce the religion of Abraham except someone
who reveals himself to be a fool? We chose him in the world and in the
Hereafter he will be one of the righteous. When his Lordsaid to him,
"Become a Muslim!" he said, "I am aMuslim who has submitted to the
Lord of all the worlds." Abrahamdirected his sons to this, as did
Jacob: "My sons! Allah has chosen this religion for you, so do not die
except as Muslims." Or were you present when death came to Jacob and
he said to his sons, "What will you worship when I have gone?" They
said, " We will worship your God, the God of your forefathers,
Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac – one God. We are Muslims submitted to Him.
" (Surat al-Baqara, 130-133)
The Prophet Abraham's (pbuh) "haneef" religion is common to Muslims,
Jews and Christians. He was a sincere prophet who believed in one God
alone,Allah, who praised Him, and who served Him genuinely and with
all his heart. Our Lord praises those who follow the purefaith of the
Prophet Abraham (pbuh) in the Qur'an:
Who could have a betterreligion than someone who submits himself
completely to Allah and is a good-doer, and follows the religion of
Abraham, a man of pure natural belief? Allah tookAbraham as an
intimate friend. (Surat an-Nisa', 125)
The pure faith of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh), whom Allah praised and
sent as a guide for mankind, and the belief in the one Allah that
forms the basis of that faith are common values shared by true faiths
that were sent down later—Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Therefore,
the members ofall three faiths have a responsibility to worship Allah,
the one Lord of all, He Whose All-Powerful might pervades all things
and all places, the Creator of all things.
This common value requires the members of all three revealed faiths to
come together in a single monotheistic belief and to act together for
a commonpurpose.

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The Top 10 Fruit Juices

Pomegranate would have to be the healthiest juice you can drink, due
to it containing almost every type of antioxidant, along with the
highest levels of each. It is also linked to protecting against
certain types of cancer and can help to keep your heart healthy.
Concord Grape Juice
Concord Grapes are another great source of very powerful
antioxidantsand are a great source of fiber. There is also
researchthat suggests they can helpkeep your heart healthy and
contribute in reducing blood pressure so this is well worthy of a
place on this top 10 fruit juices list.
Blueberry Juice
Blueberries are another type of fruit that contain a lot of
antioxidants. They also hold lots of fiber and are a great source of
Vitamin C. The antioxidantsfound in blueberries can help to lower
inflammation, which indicates that they may have a positive effect on
age-related declines in cognitive abilities.
Black Cherry Juice
Black cherries contain...yep,you guessed it, antioxidants! Once again,
ahigh amount are found in black cherry juice. Along with this benefit
however, there has also been research that has suggested that they can
help to reduce muscle injuries caused by exercising, which would of
course be of great benefit to those of us who exerciseregularly.
Acai Berry Juice
Acai berries are yet anothersource of powerful antioxidants. There are
some reports that say this berry could be the greatest but more
research will need to be done on this relatively newly discovered"
superfood ". Other research also links Acai berries to increased
cancer protection.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberries are, like the rest of these fruit juices, very high in
antioxidants. They are also another goodsource of Vitamin C. A
slightly more unique benefit of cranberries however, is that they've
been shown to help slow the build-up of bacteria in the bladder, which
can help to protect against urinary tract infections.
Orange Juice
Orange Juice is the most widely consumed fruit juice, and for good
reason. It's another juice with high levels of antioxidants and as
everybody knows, is packed full of Vitamin C, which is good for your
ligaments, tendons, skin, blood vessels and bones. Good old OJ also
contains 500mg of potassium in every glass, which helps to maintain
your body's water and acid balance.
Apple Juice
The benefits of Apple Juice are only now beginning to be fully
understood. Recentstudies show a glass a day can help heart health due
to a high concentration of phytonutrients, which slowthe break down of
"bad" LDL cholesterol. Apple Juiceis also high in fiber and Vitamin C.
When buying Apple Juice it's best to go for the cloudiest you can
find.
Tomato Juice
Tomato Juice contains phytonutrients including lycopene,
beta-carotene, Vitamin E and more. In addition to reducing
inflammation, regular consumption of Tomato Juice has been linked to
helping to lower blood pressure, and it may even bolster immune
function.
Carrot Juice
Carrot Juice has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin A of any
food, which can help strengthen defective eyesight. It's a good source
of B vitamins and contains minerals including calcium, chlorine,
copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur.

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Boycott junk food in schools - California mandates set a healthy eating example

(NaturalNews) Legislation in California has set limits on what foods
can be sold as competitive foods in their public schools. Competitive
food sales include snack bars and kiosks, a la carte cafeteria
purchases, and vending machines.
The restrictions deal with lowering added sugars andfat contents and
even excluding artificial sweeteners. The calorie amounts are limited
while nutritional values are required to meet federal guidelines. For
example, fruit juices are required to contain 50% natural nectarwhile
restricting added sugar contents.
A recent study shows California teens are consuming 158 less calories
per day than teens in 14 other states since thevending machine mandate
was put into effect in California a few years ago.
One-hundred California teens were compared to 560 kids in other states
in early 2010. The study was published in the Archives ofPediatrics
and Adolescent Medicine , May 2012. Healthconditions were not
considered with any of the subjects studied, only calorie content that
could influence obesity. Less obesity is good, as obesity alone can
promote a plethora of negative healthconditions. But there was no hint
of teens switching to healthier diets as a result of placing
relatively decent snack food options in the California schools.
MSG and GMOs are probably in some of those calorie-restricted snack
items since all of them are either processed or derivedfrom Big Ag and
Big Dairy farming methods. Those shiny apples are heavily sprayed with
chemicals, unless they're organic. Throw in even a small amount of
HFCS, colorings, flavorings and preservatives, and the toxicloads are
dramatically increased. In other words, calorie restrictions alone
don't guarantee good health.
Daniel Taber, University of Illinois-Chicago professor and the
California study's lead author stated, "They should definitely be
applauded for their actions.All states could focus on providing more
healthy foods in schools, in addition to banning high-fat, high-sugar,
high-calorie foods and beverages. But I think the lesson is that even
their laws were only a starting point."
Although the nutritional standards applied help somewhat, they are
federalgovernment standards set by dieticians from the old-school. You
know, the type who prepares hospitalmenus. So there is much more to do
before completely healthy foods can be provided by school cafeterias
and competitive food vendors.
Private, underfunded and under-reported groups are promoting
farm-fresh foods for school cafeterias Meanwhile, NGOs (non-government
organizations) are hard at work trying to get organic fresh foods from
area farms into school lunch programs. Vermont and Oregon have taken
the lead in the United States. California has also made inroads in the
effort to feed kids better schools and encourage small organic farming
with increased profits to family run organic farms.
There has been a massive UN study and additional regional studies that
have concluded the best way to feed the world would be from small
scale regional organic farming.
Each region would becomeself-sufficient with less large scale
distributors, such as Cargill, brokering foods to chain retailers
everywhere, and less commodity brokers gambling futures and affecting
food prices because the food growingand distribution would be greatly
decentralized.
Farm to school efforts could be a first step towardthis planetary
downsized sustainable end. Rome, Italy provides a successful example.
Seventy percent of the foods in their schools are organic.

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HADEES :- ~

'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "I heard the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying•►'Souls are like
conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get along with,
and those whom they do not recognize, theywill not get along with.'"
(Saheeh al-Bukhaari)
The hadeeth was also narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 4773. Al-Nawawi
said: "With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), 'Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom
they recognize, they get along with, and those whom they do not
recognize, theywill not get along with', the scholars said that the
meaning is•► groups gathered together, or different types. As for
themgetting along, this happensbecause of something in common between
them that Allaah has created. It was said that they are similar
attributes that Allaah has created in them, or that they were created
in a group and then dispersed in their bodies, so people who have
similarcharacteristics will like one another, and those who donot have
similar characteristics will not like one another.
Al-Khattaabi and others said•► this getting along with one another has
to dowith what Allaah decreed from the outset about the ultimate
destiny of souls, whether they will be among the blessed [in Paradise]
or the doomed [in Hell]. Souls are of two opposing kinds, and when
they meet in this physical world, they will either love or hate one
another depending on the way they were created. Good souls will be
inclined towards other good souls, and evil souls will be inclined
towards other evil souls. And Allaah knows best.
We have narrated a mawsool report in Sunan Abi Ya'laa, at the
beginningof which is the story narrated from 'Amrah bint 'Abd
al-Rahmaan, who said: "There was a woman in Makkah who liked to joke,
and she came and stayed with a woman in Madeenah who was like her.
When 'Aa'ishah heard about this, she said•► 'My beloved spoke the
truth. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessingsof Allaah
be upon him) saying…' and mentioned a similar hadeeth like the one
above."
And Allaah knows best. ♥

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Egypt's military 'grants itself sweeping powers'

Egypt's ruling military has issued a declaration apparently granting
itselfsweeping powers, as the country awaits results of presidential
elections.
The document by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (Scaf) reportedly
says new general elections can not be held until a permanent
constitution is drawn up.
It also allegedly gives the Scaf legislative control.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood says its candidate, Mohammed Mursi,
has won Sunday's presidential election.
Mr Mursi, an Islamist, is competing against Ahmed Shafiq, who served
as prime minister under former President Hosni Mubarak.
Mr Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood said he was holding a 52%-48% lead over
Mr Shafiq with almost all the vote counted after Sunday's second-round
run-off election.
Speaking at his party headquarters, Mr Mursi pledged to be a president
for all Egyptians, adding that he would not "seek revenge or settle
scores".
"Thanks be to God who hasguided Egypt's people to the path of freedom
and democracy, uniting the Egyptians to a better future," he said.
But Mr Shafiq's campaign said it rejected"completely" the victory
claim by Mr Mursi.
"We are astonished by this bizarre behaviour which amounts to a
hijacking of the election results," Shafiqcampaign official Mahmud
Barakeh was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Official results have yet to be announced.
The election - the first sinceHosni Mubarak was forced from office in
2011 - also comes amid a bitter row over the dissolution of parliament
following a court ruling on Thursday.
The Brotherhood has denounced the step as unlawful and a coup against democracy.

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Good Morning tips

The tree does not with draw its shade from the woodcutter, so Forgive
theone who hurt u..They will realise Ur worth One day.. GUD MG
@
Success is the ability to go From One failure to another With no loss
of enthusiasm... Gud Morning N Have A Great Sunday =)
@
Between a 100 yesterdaysN a 100 2morrows,There is only 1 2day N I
would not let ths pass without saying thx 4 being such a lovely frnd
@
What is Trust?Trust is a feeling that a one year oldchild has, when u
throw him up in the air N catch him again..he still laughs nenjy
@
Hi..rght now i m coming near 2 u..in the form of Sunlight. in the form
of sweet breze.in the form ofgud wishes 2 greet u a great mrng

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