News - China's first female astronaut meets media

China launches spaceship with first female astronaut
2012-06-16 10:55:19 GMT 2012-06-16 18:55:19(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
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The Long March 2F rocket carrying the manned spacecraft Shenzhou IX
blasts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
in Northwest China's Gansu Province on June 16, 2012.[Photo by Su Dong
/ For Chinadaily.com.cn]
JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China launched SaturdayShenzhou-9
spacecraft with the country's first female astronaut aboard.
Shenzhou-9, atop an upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket, blast off
from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at 6:37
p.m. Saturday.
A see-off ceremony was held at the center hours before the launch. Wu
Bangguo, the country's top legislator, attended the ceremony and
extended wishes to the three astronauts.
"The country and the people are looking forward to your successful
return," he said.
The first Chinese woman in space Liu Yang, 33, is joined by commanding
officer Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang, who has been selected as an
astronaut trainee since January 1998.
Main tasks of the Shenzhou-9 mission include the manual docking
procedure conducted between the Shenzhou-9 and the orbiting space lab
module Tiangong-1.
China succeeded in the automated rendezvous and docking between
unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft and Tiangong-1last year.
A successful manual docking will demonstrate a grasp of essential
space rendezvous and docking know-how, a big step in the country's
manned space program to build a space station around 2020.
Liu, a People's Liberation Army (PLA) major, was a PLA Air Force pilot
with 1,680 hours of flying experience and deputy head of a military
flight unit before being recruitedas an astronaut candidate in May
2010.
After two years of training, which shored up her astronautic skills
and adaptability to space environment, Liu excelled in testing and was
selected in March this year as a candidate for the Shenzhou-9 manned
spacemission.
"Female astronauts generally have better durability, psychological
stability and ability to dealwith loneliness," Wu Ping, spokeswoman
for China's manned space program, said.
More than 50 female astronauts from seven countries have gone into
space to date. The longest space flight by female astronauts lasted
188 days.

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Aishah bint-e-Abu Bakr [Radhiallaahu Anha]

The life of Aishah is proof that a woman can be far more learned than
men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her life
is also proof that a woman can exert influenceover men and women and
provide them with inspiration and leadership. Her life is also proof
that the same woman can be totally feminine and be a source of
pleasure, joy and comfort to her husband.
She did not graduate from any university there were no universities as
such in her day. But still her utterances are studied in faculties of
literature, her legal pronouncements are studied in colleges of law
and her life and works are studied and researched by students and
teachers of Muslim history as they have been for over a thousand
years.
The bulk of her vast treasure of knowledge was obtained while she was
still quite young. In her early childhood she was brought up by her
father who was greatlyliked and respected for he was a man of wide
knowledge, gentle manners and an agreeable presence. Moreover he was
the closest friend of the noble Prophet who was a frequent visitor to
their home since the very early days of his mission.
In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable
memory, she came under the loving care and attention of the Prophet
[sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] himself. As his wife and close
companion, she acquired from him knowledge and insight such as no
woman has ever acquired.
Aishah became the Prophet's wife in Makkah when she was most likely in
the tenth year of her life but her wedding did not take place until
the second year after the Hijrah when she was about fourteen or
fifteen years old. Before and after her wedding she maintained a
natural jollity and innocence and did not seem at all overawed by the
thought of being wedded to him who was the Messenger of God whom all
his companions, including her own mother and father, treated with such
love and reverence as they gave to noone else.
About her wedding, she related that shortly before she was to leave
her parent's house, she slipped out into the courtyard to play with a
passing friend:
"I was playing on a see-saw and my long streaming hair was
dishevelled," she said. "They cameand took me from my play and made me
ready."
They dressed her in a wedding-dress made from fine red-striped cloth
from Bahrain and then her mother took her to the newly-built house
where some women of the Ansar werewaiting outside the door. They
greeted her with the words"For good and for happiness may all be
well!" Then, in the presence of the smiling Prophet, a bowl of milk
was brought. The Prophet drank from it himself and offered it to
Aishah. She shyly declined it butwhen he insisted she did so andthen
offered the bowl to her sister Asma who was sitting beside her. Others
also drank ofit and that was as much as there was of the simple and
solemn occasion of their wedding. There was no wedding feast.
Marriage to the Prophet did not change her playful ways. Her young
friends came regularly to visit her in her own apartment.
"I would be playing with my dolls," she said, "with the girls who were
my friends, and the Prophet would come in and they would slip out of
the house and he would go out after them and bring them back, for he
was pleased for my sake to have themthere." Sometimes he would
say"Stay where you are" before they had time to leave, and would
alsojoin in their games. Aishah said:"One day, the Prophet came in
when I was playing with the dolls and he said: 'O Aishah, whatever
game is this?' 'It is Solomon's horses,' I said and he laughed."
Sometimes as he came in he would screen himself with his cloak so as
not to disturb Aishah and her friends.
Aishah's early life in Madinah alsohad its more serious and
anxioustimes. Once her father and two companions who were staying with
him fell ill with a dangerous fever which was common in Madinah at
certain seasons. One morning Aishah went to visit himand was dismayed
to find the three men lying completely weak and exhausted. She asked
her father how he was and he answered her in verse but she did not
understand what he was saying. The two others also answered her with
lines of poetry which seemed to her to be nothing but unintelligible
babbling. She was deeply troubled and went home to the Prophet saying:
"They are raving, out of their minds, through the heat of the fever."
The Prophet asked what they had said and was somewhat reassured when
she repeated almost word for word the lines they had uttered and which
made sense although she did not fully understand them then.

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Thankfulness Towards Allah

"That is because Allah will never change the grace which He hath
bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls"
{Soorah al-Anfal (8):53}
This is one of the ways in which Allah deals with His servants, for He
made the condition of people directly related to their belief. If they
change their belief, Allaah will change their condition. Allah will
replace their security with fear, and their sustenance. And security
and sustenance are two Allah's greatest graces. Allah says in the
Quraan: "So let them worship Allah the Lord of this House (the Kaaba)
Who provides them with food against hunger and with security against
fear (of danger)" {Soorah Quraish (106:3-4)}
Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet said: "How remarkable is
the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but
this is not thecase for anyone except for the believer. When the
believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a
reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently,
for which he is (also) rewarded." {Fiqh as-Sunnah, vol.4, p.1.}
What is Thankfulness?
In Islamic terminology, Thankfulness is the acknowledgment of the fact
that Allah is the only Grantor of graces, and full submission to Allah
in a way that assures that acknowledgment. The graces (favors) of
Allah are endless and countless. Allah says in His Book: "And if you
were to count the blessings of Allah, you will never be able to count
them." {Soorah Ibrahim (14): 34}
He, the All Mighty also says: "And whatever blessings and good you
have, it is from Allaah .." {Soorah an-Nahl, (16): 53}
How can a servant (Abd) thank Allaah? {The word 'slaves' represents
mankind, for all of mankind are expected to totally submit to the will
of Allah}The servant can thank Allaah in many ways. These include:
1. Prostrating to Allah, when theservant receives a blessing from
Allaah or when Allah saves him from a disaster. The Messenger of
Allaah (salallahu alaihi wasallam) used to prostrate to Allah whenever
he received a pleasant thing or was told good news. This prostration
is conducted for the sole purpose of giving thanks to Allaah, the
Granter of the grace and benefit that the servant received. [see Fiqh
as-Sunnah by Sayyid Sabiq (English trans.) vol.2, p.45]
Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf relates that the Messenger of Allah (sallaahu
alayhi wasallam) went out once and he followed him until he entered a
grove of palm trees and prostrated. His prostration was so long that
'Abdur-Rahman feared that Allah had taken his soul. 'Abdur-Rahman came
to look at him and he raised his head and said:"What is wrong,
Abdur-Rahman'?" Abdur rahman mentioned what had happened, and he
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Gibra'el came to me and said:
'Shall I not give you glad tidings'? Allah says to you, Whoever prays
upon you, I prayupon him. Whoever salutes you, I salute him.'
Therefore, I prostrated to Allah in thanks." {This is related by Ahmad
and by Al-Haakim who says: "It is sahih according to the criterion of
al-Bukhari and Muslim}
2. Thanking Allah in words: The majority of the scholars agreed that
if the servant does not thankAllaah for the grace he has, then that
grace will go away and may never come back. Allah's Messenger
(sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "It is a fine thingwhen a believer
praises and thanks Allah if good comes to him, and praises Allah and
shows endurance if smitten by affliction. The believer is rewarded for
everything, even for the morsel he raises to his wife's mouth."
{Bayhaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-Iman. Sunan at-Tirmidhi no.1733
See also Saheeh Muslim (7138)}
3. Talking about the benefits Allah has granted him. This is because
concealing the benefits of Allah is ungrateful. Allaah says in the
Quraan: "Do they believe in the false deities and deny the favor of
Allaah." {Soorah an-Nahl (16):72}
Ibn Katheer commented that denying the favors of Allah means hiding
his grants and/or relating them to others than Allah.
Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid Al Juhani : The Prophet led us in theFajr
prayer at Hudaibiya after a rainy night. On completion of the prayer,
he faced the people and said, "Do you know what your Lord has said
(revealed)?" The people replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better."
He said, "Allah has said, 'In this morning some of my slaves remained
as true believers and some became non-believers; whoever said that the
rain was due to the Blessings and the Mercy of Allah had belief in Me
and he disbelieves in the stars, and whoever said that it
rainedbecause of a particular star hadno belief in Me but believes in
that star." {Saheeh al-Bukhari (1:807)}

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The Wedding of Fatima (r) An Example of How Simple the Nikah

Fatimah (RA) was the youngest daughter of our beloved Prophet (SAWS).
Out of all the children, he was the most beloved to him. He said, 'The
Queen of the ladies in Jannat is Faatimah.' He also said, 'Faatimah is
part of my body. Whoever grieves her, grieves me.'
When Faatimah (RA) reached the age of fifteen, proposals for her
marriage began to come from high and responsible families. But the
Prophet (SAWS) remainedirresponsive.
Ali (RA), who was 21 at the time, says: It occurred to me that I
should go and make a formal proposal, but then I thought, 'How could
this be accomplished,for I possess nothing.' At last, encouraged by
the Prophet's kindness, I went to him and expressed my intention to
marry Faatima (Radhiyallaahu Anha). The Prophet (SAWS) was extremely
pleased and asked, 'Ali!Do you possess anything to give her in Mahr?'
I replied, 'Apart from a horse and an armour I possess nothing.'
The Prophet (SAWS) said, 'A soldier must, of course, have his horse.
Go and sell away your armour.'
So, Ali (RA) went and sold his armour to Uthmaan (RA) for 480 Dirham
and presented it to Rasulullah (SAWS). Bilaal (RA) was ordered by the
Prophet (SAWS) tobring some perfume and a few other things and Anas
(RA) was sent to call Abu Bakr, Uthmaan, Talhah, Zubayr with some
companions from the Ansaar (Radhiallaahu Anhum).
When these men arrived and hadtaken their seats, the Prophet (SAWS)
recited the Khutbah (sermon) of Nikaah and gave Faatimah (RA) in
marriage to Ali (RA). He announced, 'Bear you all witness that I have
given my daughter Faatimah in marriage to Ali for 400 Mithqaal of
silver and Ali has accepted.' He then raised his head and made Dua
saying, 'O Allah, create love and harmony between these two. Bless
them and bestow upon them good children.' after the Nikaah, dates were
distributed.
When the time came for Faatimah (RA) to go to Ali's (RA) house, she
was sent without any clamour, hue and cry accompanied Umm Ayman (RA).
After the ةesha Salaat, the Prophet (SAWS) went to their house, took
permission and entered. He asked for a basin of water, put his blessed
hands intoit and sprinkled it on both Ali (RA) and Faatimah (RA) and
madeDua for them.
The sovereign of both worlds gave his beloved daughter a silver
bracelet, two Yemeni sheets, four mattresses, one blanket, one pillow,
one cup, one hand-grinding mill, one bedstead, a small water skin and
a leather pitcher.
In this simple fashion, the wedding of the daughter of the leader of
the worlds was solemnised. In following this Sunnah method, a wedding
becomes very simple and easy to fulfill.
SOME METHODS DERIVED FROM THE ABOVEMENTIONED MARRIAGE
*. "Engagements" are contrary to the Sunnah. A verbal proposal and
answer is sufficient.
*. To unnecessarily delay Nikah ofboth the boy and the girl after
having reached the age of marriage is incorrect. (Note: But on the
other hand, some parents pray day and night endlessly for a quick
marriage to a good-looking, highly educated, well-off person who comes
from a grand family of great repute...in the case of a groom, a groom
with a high-flying job, etc. The minute we find such a groom or
bride,we jump to grab him/her. But how many of us spend sleepless
nights praying not fora speedy grand marriage but a marriage which is
filled with love, happiness, blessings and piety?)
*. There is nothing wrong in inviting one's close associates for the
occasion of Nikah. However, no special pains should be taken in
gathering the people from far off places. (Note: The money could
instead be spent in charity, to gain the blessings of the poor.)
*. It is appropriate that the bridegroom be a few years older than the
bride. (Note: TheProphet's first marriage was toKhadija, who was 15
years older than him. She was a widower and he was a virgin. They were
so happy together that he did not remarry until she passed away, even
though polygamy was widely practisedduring that time - before the
advent of Islam)
*. If the father of the girl is an Aalim or pious and capable of
performing Nikah, then he should himself solemnise the marriage.
*. It is better to give the Mahr Faatimi and one should endeavour to
do so. But if one does not have the means then there is nothing wrong
in giving less. (Note: The dowry isan obligation upon the groom's
family, not the bride's family!)
*. It is totally un-Islamic for those,who do not possess the means, to
incur debts in order to have grandiose weddings. (Note: On the
contrary, weddings are arranged on such a grand basis that often
parents cannot perform obligatory acts like Hajj for the next few
years because they lack funds, which were spent on the weddings of
their children)

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