ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ What’s Your Legacy?

"Who are you? What makes you special? What isthe legacy that you've
builtand shared with others (self, family, community and the world)?
If we died today, what would our obituaries say? What have we done for
GOD and GOD'speople lately? What is our mission and vision, and arewe
living it? If we died today, what would our obituaries say?" – Hanan
K. Bilal
This is what it's all about. I heard someone say recently that only
two things can happen with thewealth you accumulate in this life:
either it leaves you, or you leave it. Wealthis not a legacy. Having
fun is not a legacy. Helping a company to sell useless products is not
a legacy.
Making a difference in the lives of human beings, relieving the
suffering of even one person, raising righteous and happy children,
leaving behind knowledge that benefits people, making the world
abetter place, those are legacies.
I have not met the sister who is quoted at the top, but I have read
some of her writings. Whenever I hear her name I think of being
responsible, taking care of my family, loving my children and bringing
them up right, making a difference in the community, following my
dreams… that is a legacy. She has already created a vital legacy.
I have another friend whose name is Ismail. He isso humble
ma-sha-Allah, and as a friend he is the most discreet and
closed-mouthed person I know, by which I mean he never speaks badly
about anyoneelse, and never reveals anyone's secrets or violatestheir
trust. When I think of him, I am inspired to emulate him. That is his
legacy, and it's an important and valuable one.
More than twenty years ago I knew a brother named Qawiy. His life was
hard, but every time I met him he'd give me a big smile and an
enthusiastic handshake. He wore a kufi and carried a folded musalla
(prayer rug) on his shoulder, so he could pray whenever salat time
arrived, no matter where he was. Kind of quirky, but also inspiring.
All these years later, just the thought of Qawiy brings a smile to my
face, and reminds me of the importance of doing salat on time. That's
a legacy! SubhanAllah.
I could name many more people who have affected me in positive and
critical ways. I will always remember them, even afterthey are gone,
Insha'Allah. They have created lasting legacies.
Of course we don't even have to speak of the Prophets (peace be upon
them), and the Messenger of Allah (sws), and the Sahabah (may Allah be
pleased with them). Their legacies shine like the moon and stars and
will illuminate human history for all time.
What's your legacy? What do people say about you, and what will they
say when you're gone?

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ How a Muslim Should Live in a Non-Muslim Land in Light of Surah Yūsuf [1]

Indeed, the principle is that the Muslim should prefer an Islamic land
so as to establish the rights of his religion, but circumstances may
force him or her to live in a non-Muslim land. And Islam, being a
religion thatprovides guidance for all aspects of human life, has
addressed this issue. Numerous texts within Islamic literature have
expounded on the topic ofMuslims living in non-Muslim lands, and
thestory of Prophet Yūsuf ( 'alayhi al-salātu wa al-salām ) serves as
an ideal source of reference for such a discussion. The Prophet Yūsuf
was forced to leave the land of the Prophets, the land where his
father Ya'qūb resided and where the Heavenly Law was being applied.
Due to the betrayal of his brothers, Yūsuf was taken as a slave by a
caravan and eventually purchased by a minister of Egypt known by the
title al-'aziz .
The man in Egypt who bought him, said to his wife: "Make his stay
(among us) honourable: may be he will bring us much good, or we shall
adopt him as a son." Thus did We establish [i.e. give authority to]
Yūsuf in the land..." [Yūsuf (12):21]
The hint within this ayah is that a person may not be able to gain
authority in his own land but may acquire it in another. This brings
us to the question of how Yūsuf conducted himself in this
non-Muslimland.
The most obvious challenge that faces the Muslim in such a
land is how to cope with the non-Islamic values within society that
inevitably led to a prevalence of fawāhish [3] and thus conflict or
clash with one'sfaith. Certainly, falling into this fawāhish is easy,
but itwas just as easy in the time of Yūsuf ( 'alayhi al-salātu wa
al-salām ) as the ayah on Yūsuf's encounter with the wife of al-aziz
illustrates:
And she, in whose house he [Yūsuf] was, sought to seduce him. She
closed thedoors and said, "Come, you." He said, "I seek refuge in
Allah. Indeed, he (your husband) is my master, who has made good my
residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will never prosper." [Yūsuf (12):23]
It is not fitting for the Muslim who believes in Allah and the Last
Day to come near obscenity. The Prophet Muhammad ( sul Allahu 'alayhi
wa salim) mentioned seven people who will be shaded by Allah on the
Day of Judgement; [4] among them is a man who turns away from the
temptationand seduction of a womanwith beauty and status, saying "I
fear Allah." It is upon the Muslim to fear Allah in every gaze and in
every instance he or she is alone. And living in an environment where
the opportunities to sin are manifold, if a Muslim is notcareful, he
or she may not only fall into a sin or two but perhaps may reach a
stage of being immersed in sinning, such that one abandons repentance.
Soon, a love for these sins develops and by this the Muslim leads him
or herself astray.
And Allah would not let a people stray after He has guided them until
He makes clear to them what they should avoid. [At-Tawba (9):115]
The Muslim who abandons having taqwa and does not repel the fawāhish ,
his or her heart may start to see the evil asgood, perhaps even
leading him or herself out of the pail of Islam.
So it is incumbent on the Muslim to strive against the fawāhish and
constantly seek the help ofAllah. The Quran relates how Yūsuf (
'alayhi al-salātu wa al-salām ) sought the help of his lordin his
situation:
And if You do not avert from me their [evil] plan, I might incline
toward themand [thus] be of the ignorant. So his Lord responded to him
and averted from him their plan. [Yūsuf (12):33-34]
The desires and lusts are great and numerous, but they remain trifling
in the eyes of the believer, the one who is sincere to Allahand
trusting in His assistance.
Thus it was, that We might ward off from him evil and lewdness.
Indeed, he was of Our chosen servants. [Yūsuf (12):24]
So if the Muslim turns to Allah in supplication and with sincerity,
seeking refuge in Him, Allah will surely protect Him. Thus, the first
thing a Muslim must do in this society is to confront the fawāhish
that he or she faces and strive to overcome them.
After the Muslim is rendered victorious against his or her desires, it
is upon him or her to exemplify high Muslim morals, manners, and
character while living in this society, as the ProphetMuhammad ( sul
Allahu 'alayhi wa salim) instructed, "Treat the people with good
manners." It has been established that Yūsuf ( 'alayhi al-salātu wa
al-salām ) was innocent of what he was accused of, yet he was
oppressed, accused unjustly and put in jail where he stayed with two
youth.
And there entered the prison with him two young men.

STORY - ~ Low-carbon tourism on Moganshan Mountain, E. China

Tourists ride horses at an equestrian site in the Naked Retreats in
Fatou Township of Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, June
2, 2012. (Xinhua/Tan Jin)
French businessman Christophe Peres introduces his resort Le Passage
Mohkan Shan in Moganshan Town of Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang
Province, May 31, 2012.(Xinhua/Tan Jin)
A cleaning woman works at a resort of the Naked Retreats in Moganshan
Town of Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 1,
2012.(Xinhua/Tan Jin)
Photo taken on June 2, 2012 shows the local-stylehuts at the Naked
Retreatsin Fatou Township of Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang
Province.(Xinhua/Tan Jin)
Photo taken on June 1, 2012 shows the solar energy collectors of a
resort in Moganshan Townof Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang
Province.(Xinhua/Tan Jin)
In 2007, South African Grant Horsfield found Sanjiuwu, a farming
hamlet on the bamboo clad Moganshan Mountain to the west of Shanghai,
where he rented some underused farmhouses and converted them into
guesthouses. Thus, the Naked Retreats were born,marking the rising of
low-carbon tourist sites onthe Moganshan Mountain, a national scenic
spot in Zhejiang Province.
In 2009, Grant invested 200 million yuan (31.5 million U.S. dollars)
to build another resort not far from Sanjiuwu, while in 2011, French
businessman Christophe Peres also built a resort, LePassage Mohkan
Shan.
According to local tourism authorities, there are now 35 similar
resorts in the Moganshan area, built by investors of over 10 foreign
countries. These resorts were built with local natural materials, such
as bamboo, wood and stone, and they advocated healthy, eco-friendly
lifestyle, providing a rural refuge from the stresses and strains of
city living and office work, thus attracting a large number of foreign
businessmen and white-collar workers.
In October 2010, Deqing County was awarded the"low-carbon tourism
model county" at a tourism summit in Beijing,capital of China.

QUR'AN AYATH EXPLANATION :- ~

"Say: Indeed my prayer, mysacrifice, my life and my death are for
ALLAH, the Lord of the Worlds." [6:162]
Uthman bin Affan ra reported: The Messenger ofAllah (PBUH) said, "He
who performs the Wudu' perfectly (i.e., according to Sunnah), his sins
will depart from his body, even from under his nails.'' [Muslim]
Imagine the moment you do your salah with complete focus and
engagement, feeling who you stand before and you heart seems to depart
this world to dwell for a few minutes in Paradise in the presence of
its Creator!
How huge our loss is when we pray the prayer just to get it off our shoulders!
Prayer is the sample taste of Paradise Allah gives to those who truly
love Him and look forward for the next prayer!
Your feelings towards the next prayer reflects your feelings about
meeting Allah; either looking forward to it or trying to get over
with, and all will show at the time of death!
'Death', Which You Can Not Escape, So Be Prepared For Hereafter.....
"Wherever You May Be, Death Will Eventually CatchUp With You, Even You
Are In A Castle Built Up Strong And High." [Quran 4:78]
"We can't go back for a better beginning. There's no eraser. But we
can always plan and hope for abetter ending because there is
repentance."