Short Story - Comedy - Ants Witness Jesus' Resurrection

Joseph and Josiah were two ants who lived in theant colony which had
moved into the tomb ordained by God to temporarily hold Jesus' body.
This colony, as well as all the ant colonies in Jerusalem had heard
the news about Jesus' crucifixion. They had heard about the scourging,
the crown of thorns on Jesus' brow, the whiskers being plucked out of
His beard, the nails driven into His hands and feet. They had heard
about the spear being thrust into His side after His death. They had
heard, that in contrast to the thieves with whom He had been
crucified, his legs had not been broken to hasten death, because He
was already dead. Josiah and Joseph watched as Jesus' lifeless body
was placed inside the tomb. They wept tears of sorrow because they
realized they were witnessing the burial of their creator. Then they
wept tears of joy, because they had heard about Jesus' prophesyingthat
He would be resurrected. Joseph and Josiah did not want to disturb
Jesus' body, but they wanted to get a good look at the Son of God, so
they crawled veryclose to Him. "How could people be so cruel?," sobbed
Josiah. "I don't know," replied Joseph in a soft whisper. "It looks
like everyone would have been able to see that He was the Son of God."
"He was and is the Son of God!," exclaimed Josiah. "You and I are
smart enough to realize that God's power is goingto raise Him from the
dead." "Yes, we do know that," acknowledged Joseph. "Say, I have an
idea. As soon as it happens, let's communicate to all the ants in and
around Jerusalem about Jesus being raised from the dead. We can be
responsible for letting all the ants worldwide know about His
resurrection." "Wonderful idea, Joseph," said Josiah. "In fact, we can
be the first of any of God's creatures to share that good news." Hour
after hour passed and, with the exception of the time they spent
eating and sleeping, Joseph and Josiah spent every second keeping a
watchful and loving guard over Jesus' body. Not a moment too soon for
Josiah and Joseph, came the ordained moment for Jesus' resurrection.
The guards became as dead men. Thelight of the resurrected Son of God
and the awesome presence of theHoly Spirit brought an amazing
intensity into the tomb. "I wonder why some of those humans didn't
believe that Jesus was going to rise from the grave," said Josiah. "I
don't know," laughed Joseph. "I guess they just weren't as smart as
you and me!"

Short Story - Comedy - The prophets of the false gods were determined tobrag on themselves.

So they bragged unceasingly…to family and friends, neighbors, and to
each other…especially to each other.
"We're the best," bragged False Prophet No. 1.
"Yes, we are, aren't we?,"agreed False Prophet No. 2.
"What are your accuracy rates?," asked False Prophet No. 3.
"My accuracy rate this week was 14 percent," bragged False Prophet No.
1. "That's a big improvement for me."
"My accuracy rate this week was nine percent," False Prophet No. 2
grinned. "But that's my best week since I began prophesying here at
the School of the False Prophets three years ago."
"I was a bit off my game this week," admitted False Prophet No. 3.
"But Istill managed to score a credible 38 percent."
Head False Prophet then joined the conversation. "Each of you is doing
a wonderful job," he complimented them withhis usual sly smile. "I'm
proud of you."
Head False Prophet continued, "I want to encourage you to keep up the
good work. Always remember this, as prophets, it's always a percentage
thing. If you ever score more than 50 percent in a week, that's as
close to perfect as you're ever going to get."
"How long have you been in the prophecy business?," asked False Prophet No. 1.
Head False Prophet was overjoyed about his prophecy career. "I'll be
95 years old next week," he stated. "I've been a prophet for 70 years,
including the last 20 years in my current position."
"How's your percentage of accuracy?," asked FalseProphet No. 2.
"My overall percentage ofaccuracy is 43 percent," said Head False
Prophet. "My best week's percentage was 56 percent."
"Wow!," exclaimed False Prophet No. 1. "You're the man!"
"Yes I am, aren't !," declared Head False Prophet. "Yes I am!"
From His eternal throne, God was listening to the conversation, and He
knew He needed to address the false prophets, who trembled when they
sensed the presence of the Sovereign Lord. "You guys are very proud of
yourselves," God observed.
"Yes, Sir, we are," Head False Prophet admitted.
"I don't know why," said the Lord, "with such paltry percentages of success."
Momentarily, Head False Prophet forgot with whom he was talking. "I
suppose you know someone else who can do better!," he sneered.
"I sure do," God chuckled."When I give a message to a prophet to
deliver, and he says what I tell him to say, my percentage of accuracy
is100 percent!"
"I need to learn to keep my big mouth shut," said Head False Prophet.
"Yes you do!," God agreed. "Yes you do!"

QUOTES OF THE DAY

"Allah will not change the fate of a people, until the people are
changing their own fate"
"Success is hard, but it's harder if you do not succeed!"
"Successful people are not those who never fail,but the success is one
of the most fail but continued to rise from failure to become experts
in their field."
"Face, biological & enjoy your struggle, because there are a lot of
ease after difficulty."
"Successful people away from grief, shame, low self-esteem and despair!"
FREEDOM & GO FIGHT WIN!!!

Keep a positive attitude.

Since 1986, University of Kentucky scientist David Snowdon has been
studying 678 nuns hoping to discover secrets of the brain. In
particular, what happensto the brain as we age. His findings, known as
the Nun Study , have shedsome light on how to livea mentally active
life wellinto old age. One of his findings is that a positiveemotional
state at an early age might help ward off disease and even prolong
life. In fact, there is a growing body of literature that shows
acorrelation between a person's attitude and their physical health,
mental health, and longevity.

Stop smoking

Dr. Rippe, whom we previously mentioned, also admonishes that if
you're in your 50's and you smoke, you are cutting off seven years
ofyour life. In addition to accelerating the aging process, smoking
wrinkles skin and makes you look old beyond your years.

Hawa Mahal - INDIA

Location: This monument is located in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Built In: 1799
Built By: Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh
How to Reach: Hawa Mahal can be easily reached from anywhere in
Jaipur, since it is a very famous landmark.
Jaipur is synonymous with Hawa Mahal. This beautiful monument of India
was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in the year 1799. Also known
as the Palaceof Winds, this beautiful monument is the landmark of
Jaipur. The monument is five stories high and the front of themonument
is delicately carved with beautiful motifs. It provides an outstanding
example of Rajput style of architecture. Hawa Mahal is not exactly a
palace but a screen of superbly sculpted windows that look like the
front of a palace. It was built for the royal ladies of Rajasthan who
wanted to view the busycity life from inside a veil. Read on about
Hawa Mahal of Rajasthan.
The structure comprises of 953 beautiful windows made out of pink
sandstone. These windows are known as"Jharokhas" and are built in a
way that it resembles a honeycomb.Behind every window is a small
chamber meant for sitting comfortably and viewing the busy city life.
The palace is called Hawa Mahal because these small windows allow
natural circulation of air, thus allowing ventilation from all parts
of the palace.
The monument is visited by scores of tourists every year, both local
and foreign who are completely mesmerized by the sheer magnitude and
elegance of this monument. The best time to view this monument is
early morning during sunrise when it looks exceptionally gorgeous. The
upper floors of the palace can be reached by climbing the narrow
ramps. There are no stairs inside the Hawa Mahal.
The palace is now maintained by the Archaeological Department. There
is a small museum located in the premises of Hawa Mahal that houses
ancient artifacts related to the Rajput lifestyle. This beautiful pink
sandstone structure is a must see if you are visiting Jaipur. It is
located right in the center of the city and can be easily reached from
anywhere in Jaipur. You can always hire an auto or a taxi to get to
this famous monument.

Free Muslim Women

If the media and its ensuing stereotypes are to be believed then Islam
does not have very much to offer women, except for a life of misery,
oppression and slavery. However, if one bothers to look closely at
Islam then it has an abundanceto offer men and women alike.
There is little doubt that many Muslim women are subject to abuse and
subjugation - without making sweeping generalizations, many women in
some so called Muslim lands are denied the rights given to them by
Islam - rights to which they are entitled as human beings and as
women. However we must separate Muslims from Islam; we must separate
theory from practice. In Islam this separation is possible - Islamic
legislation has given women unprecedented status, even if Muslims did
not always live up to these amazing standards.
Let us take a quick look at some of the rights of women in Islam,
comparing them with some of the legislation relating to women in
Britain:
Education
Considered by many these days as a basic human right, in Islam both
men and women are duty bound to seek education for the Prophet
Muhammad said:"The search for knowledge is a duty on every Muslim."
(Bukhari) So, while there were no places at British Universities until
the late 1870s (Ox. Ill. His. Brit. p493), there have been records of
Islamic Universities with women students throughout the history of
Islam: Nafisah was an early 8th century hadith scholar and the great
jurist Shafi participated in her circle at Al-Fustat. Shaika Shuhuda
another 8th century scholar was a lecturer at Baghdad University - the
Oxford and Cambridge of its time. Nazhun was a 12th century scholar
and of course we cannot forget Ayesha, the wife of the Prophet who in
the 7th century was one of the greatest relaters of hadith.
So, whilst Muslim women were attending universities and were lecturers
and scholars in the 8th century, 80% of London Women and 100% of East
Anglican women were illiterate in 1640 - figures taken fromA. Fraser
page 129 and D. Cressy page 178.
Political Participation
Women in the UK managed to gain the right to vote in 1918, but that
was only for women over thirty. They did not manage to gain full
voting rights equal with men until 1928. These gains were not achieved
easily though - to gain the vote the Suffragettes marched, rallied,
chainedthemselves to railings, went on hunger strike and eventually
one of them jumped in front of the Royal Horse on Derby Day. Muslims
women however each had the right to give or not to give their
allegiance from the beginning - andthis right was given themwithout
them having to march, rally, not eat or jump in front of a horse.
Property
Up until 1801 British women did not have the right to own anything -
not even themselves. For up until this time a husband had the right to
sell his wife. In Sweden in 1984 a man was entitled to half his wife's
earnings. Islam though has allowed women to own their own property
from the outset. Everything a woman earns belongs to her. Sheis not a
chattel to be bought and sold, but rather an individual human being,
responsible to no one forher income except for God. A married woman
may remind her husband:"What's his is theirs, what's hers is her own!"
It would be easy to go onwith a list of the rights ofwomen in Islam -
but how does Islam really benefit women?
Islam has given women the right to be themselves! They are equal
before God - on theDay of Judgment they will be answerable as
individuals and cannot say "my husband told me to do it", "my, father,
brother, uncle - led me astray". Nor will they be treated unfairly
because they are women - women have souls in Islam - and there has
never been any debate about that in Islamic history unlike in
Christianity!
Islam offers to women, asit does to men, a belief inGod, and this
upholds everything. Belief in the Creator gives life a wholeness, and
a balance, for it means thatwe do not look at everything in the short
term - the intrinsic wholeis this world and the Hereafter. This belief
in God, this taqwa - God consciousness - thus shapes everything in
Islam.
Men and women in Islam are protecting friends of one another; they are
garments of each other hiding each other's faults. The Qur'an says:
"Verily, for all men and women who have surrendered themselves unto
God, and all believing men and believing women, and allmen and women
who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in
adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves before God, and
all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and
self-denying women, andall men and women who are mindful of their
chastity, and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for all
of them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward"
(Surah 33: verse 35).
This verse offers women so much; it offers them paradise on the basis
of their own actions. It demands of them good character, tells both
men AND women to be active; and instills in them the sense of
individual responsibility.
So, Islam offers to women, as it offers to men - paradise as a reward,
it offers a complete picture which considers both this worldand the
hereafter - built solidly upon the foundation of a believe in The
Creator. A relationship with one's Creator brings untold peace - for
men and for women.
Islam allows women to know themselves as they are. Thus in Islam
womenare equal to men, but they are not the same. Men and women are
equal before God - they are the protecting friends of one another,
they are garments of oneanother, hiding one another's faults; but they
are not the same. In Islam- imitation is not liberation.
Women are not men - an obvious statement, but one which is often
overlooked. Islam offers a balance - which can be seen if one looks to
nature - black and white, up and down, day and night etc. etc. Two
halves to form a whole. Balance is absolutely vital. But, after the
industrial revolution women and men are becoming more and more alike.
Men havebecome cogs in the system. Women have alsobeen pulled into the
consumerism of an industrialized society andhave been forced into the
work place, but still receive no help at home -a recent study showed
that 9 out of 10 men were not 'New Men' and did not help out at home
(The Times, Nov. 1995).
Western society has ignored the balance and told women that for them
to have status they must achieve what men achieve. Western society has
created a new image for women based on the male - and this is very
objectionable. Rather than highlighting her individual strengths, she
is told to compete according to male criteria in order to have value.
But she is not given any help to cope with her additional
responsibilities. "Work, have a career to achieve status - but we will
not provide crhche facilities, or time off during school holidays." We
are now facing a situation where, as the President of Bosnia, Alija
Ali Izebegovic, said:
"Modern civilization has disgraced motherhood... It has preferred the
calling of a salesgirl, model, teacher of other people's children,
secretary, cleaning woman and so on to that of mother. It has
proclaimed motherhood to be slavery and promised to free women from
it." (Islam Between East and West p.144-145)
So, we have put down the feminine and are saying: 'masculine criteria
is the best, indeed only thing to judge by, feminine criteria is
second class - useless'.
But in Islam both are equal, but they are different. So in Islam we do
not have the situationwhere: -the logical is perceived as better than
the lateral; the firm is perceived as better than the tender; the
analytical is perceived as better than the intuitive. In Islam women
do not say:"I'm only a housewife" - Where did this ONLY come from? -
It came from taking the masculine criteria as best.Why is being in the
rat-race superior to being a mother? Because we see the masculine as
superior to the feminine. Where is the spirit of the Malcolm X (Malik
El Shabazz) quote:
"If you educate a man you educate one person; if you educate a woman
you educate and liberate a nation".
Women in Islam of coursehave a role beyond that of motherhood - one
does not spend 25 years preparing for and another 25 years recovering
from motherhood - but the point is do not demean motherhood; and do
not demean and belittle the feminine. Islam offers to women pride in
the feminine. The equal but different roles of men and women in Islam
haveto be understood, and in understanding - individuals can be
themselves, and thus finda balance and true happiness.
And this peace and security allows and gives room for the development
of a woman's potential based on her own strengths.

THE STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM - As a wife:

As a wife:
The Qur'an clearly indicates that marriage issharing between the
twohalves of the society, and that its objectives, besideperpetuating
human life, are emotional well-beingand spiritual harmony. Itsbases
are love and mercy.
Among the most impressive verses in the Qur'an about marriage is the following.
"And among His signs is this: That He created mates for you from
yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He
ordainedbetween you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for
people who reflect." (Qur'an 30:2 1).
According to Islamic Law, women cannot be forced to marry anyone
without their consent.
Ibn Abbas reported that agirl came to the Messenger of God, Muhammad
(P.), and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without
her consent. The Messenger of God gave her the choice . . . (between
accepting the marriage or invalidating it). (Ibn Hanbal No. 2469).In
another version, the girl said: "Actually I accept this marriage but
Iwanted to let women know that parents have no right (to force a
husband on them)" (Ibn Maja, No. 1873).
Besides all other provisions for her protection at the time of
marriage, it was specifically decreed that woman has the full right to
her Mahr, a marriage gift, which is presented to her by her husband
and is included in the nuptial contract, and thatsuch ownership does
not transfer to her father or husband. The concept of Mahr in Islam is
neither an actual or symbolic price for the woman, as was the case in
certain cultures, but rather it is a gift symbolizing love and
affection.
The rules for married life in Islam are clear and in harmony with
upright human nature. In consideration of the physiological and
psychological make-up ofman and woman, both have equal rights and
claims on one another, except for one responsibility, that of
leadership. This is a matter which is natural in any collective life
and which is consistent with the nature of man.
The Qur'an thus states:
"And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them, and
men are a degree above them." (Qur'an 2:228).
Such degree is Quiwama (maintenance and protection). This refers
tothat natural difference between the sexes whichentitles the weaker
sex toprotection. It implies no superiority or advantage before the
law. Yet, man's role of leadership in relation to his family does not
mean the husband's dictatorship over his wife. Islam emphasizes the
importance of taking counsel and mutual agreement in family decisions.
The Qur'an gives us an example:
"...If they (husband wife) desire to wean the child by mutual consent
and (after) consultation, there is no blame on them..." (Qur'an 2:
233).
Over and above her basic rights as a wife comes the right which is
emphasized by the Qur'an and is strongly recommended by the Prophet
(P); kind treatment and companionship.
The Qur'an states:
"...But consort with them in kindness, for if you hate them it may
happen that you hate a thing wherein God has placed much good."
(Qur'an 4: l9).
Prophet Muhammad. (P) said:
The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best among you
to my family.
The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you are
those who are best totheir wives. (Ibn-Hanbal, No. 7396)
Behold, many women came to Muhammad's wives complaining against their
husbands (because they beat them)- - those (husbands) are not the best
of you.
As the woman's right to decide about her marriage is recognized, so
also her right to seek an end for an unsuccessful marriage is
recognized. To provide for the stability of the family, however, and
in order to protect it from hasty decisions under temporary emotional
stress, certain steps and waiting periods should be observed by men
and women seeking divorce. Considering the relativelymore emotional
nature of women, a good reasonfor asking for divorce should be brought
before the judge. Like the man, however, the woman can divorce her
husband with out resorting to the court, if the nuptial contract
allows that.
More specifically, some aspects of Islamic Law concerning marriage
anddivorce are interesting and are worthy of separate treatment.
When the continuation of the marriage relationship is impossiblefor
any reason, men are still taught to seek a gracious end for it.
The Qur'an states about such cases:
When you divorce women, and they reach their prescribed term, then
retain them in kindness and retain themnot for injury so that you
transgress (the limits). (Qur'an 2:231). (See also Qur'an 2:229 and
33:49).
c) As a mother:
Islam considered kindness to parents next to the worship of God.
"And we have enjoined upon man (to be good) to his parents: His
motherbears him in weakness upon weakness..." (Qur'an 31:14) (See also
Qur'an 46:15, 29:8).
Moreover, the Qur'an has a special recommendation for the good
treatment of mothers:
"Your Lord has decreed that you worship none save Him, and that you
bekind to your parents. . ." (Qur'an 17:23).
A man came to Prophet Muhammad (P) asking:
O Messenger of God, who among the people is the most worthy of my good
company? The Prophet (P) said, Your mother. Theman said then who else:
The Prophet (P) said, Your mother. The man asked, Then who else? Only
then did the Prophet(P) say, Your father. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
A famous saying of The Prophet is "Paradise is at the feet of
mothers." (In Al'Nisa'I, Ibn Majah, Ahmad).
"It is the generous (in character) who is good to women, and it is the
wicked who insults them."
3. The Economic Aspect
Islam decreed a right of which woman was deprived both before Islam
and after it (even aslate as this century), the right of independent
ownership. According to Islamic Law, woman's right to her money, real
estate, or other properties is fully acknowledged. This rightundergoes
no change whether she is single or married. She retains her full
rights to buy, sell, mortgage or lease any or all her properties. It
is nowhere suggested in the Law that a woman is a minor simply because
she is a female. It is also noteworthy that such right applies to her
properties before marriage as well as to whatever she acquires
thereafter.
With regard to the woman's right to seek employment it should be
stated first that Islam regards her role in society as a mother and
awife as the most sacred and essential one. Neither maids nor
baby-sitters can possibly take the mother's place as the educator of
an upright, complex free, and carefully-reared children. Such a noble
and vital role, which largely shapes the future of nations, cannot be
regarded as "idleness".
However, there is no decree in Islam which forbids woman from seeking
employment whenever there is a necessity for it, especiallyin
positions which fit her nature and in which society needs her most.
Examples of these professions are nursing, teaching (especially for
children), and medicine. Moreover, there is no restriction on
benefiting from woman's exceptional talent in any field. Even for the
position of a judge, where there may be a tendency to doubt the
woman's fitness for the post due to her more emotional nature, we find
early Muslim scholarssuch as Abu-Hanifa and Al-Tabary holding there
isnothing wrong with it. Inaddition, Islam restored to woman the right
of inheritance, after she herself was an object of inheritance in some
cultures. Her share is completely hers and no one can make any claim
on it, including her father and her husband.
"Unto men (of the family)belongs a share of that which Parents and
near kindred leave, and unto women a share of that which parents and
near kindred leave, whether itbe a little or much - a determinate
share." ((Qur'an 4:7).
Her share in most cases is one-half the man's share,with no
implication that she is worth half a man! It would seem grossly
inconsistent after the overwhelming evidence of woman's equitable
treatment in Islam, whichwas discussed in the preceding pages, to make
such an inference. This variation in inheritance rights is only
consistent with the variations in financial responsibilities of man
and woman according to the Islamic Law. Man in Islam is fully
responsible for the maintenance of his wife, his children, andin some
cases of his needy relatives, especially the females. This
responsibility is neither waived nor reduced because of his wife's
wealth or because of her access to any personal income gained from
work, rent, profit, or any other legal means.
Woman, on the other hand, is far more secure financially and is far
less burdened with any claims on her possessions. Her possessions
before marriage do not transfer to her husband and she even keeps her
maiden name. She has no obligation to spend on her family out of such
properties or out of her income after marriage. She is entitled to
the"Mahr" which she takes from her husband at the time of marriage. If
she isdivorced, she may get an alimony from her ex-husband.
An examination of the inheritance law within the overall framework of
the Islamic Law reveals not only justice but also an abundance of
compassion for woman.
4. The Political Aspect
Any fair investigation of the teachings of Islam o~ into the history
of the Islamic civilization will surely find a clear evidence of
woman's equality with man in what we call today"political rights".
This includes the right of election as well as the nomination to
political offices. It also includes woman's right to participate in
public affairs. Both in the Qur'anand in Islamic history we find
examples of women who participated in serious discussions and argued
even with the Prophet (P) himself, (see Qur'an 58: 14 and 60: 10-12).
During the Caliphate of Omar Ibn al-Khattab, a woman argued with him
in the mosque, proved her point, and caused him to declare in the
presence of people: "A woman is right and Omaris wrong."
Although not mentioned in the Qur'an, one Hadeeth of the Prophet
isinterpreted to make woman ineligible for the position of head of
state. The Hadeeth referred to is roughly translated: "A people will
not prosper ifthey let a woman be their leader." This limitation,
however, has nothing to do with the dignity of woman or with her
rights. It is rather, related to the natural differences in
thebiological and psychological make-up ofmen and women.
According to Islam, the head of the state is no mere figurehead. He
leads people in the prayers, especially on Fridays and festivities; he
is continuously engaged in the process of decision-making pertaining
to the securityand well-being of his people. This demanding position,
or any similar one, such as the Commander of the Army, is generally
inconsistent with the physiological and psychological make-up of woman
in general. It is a medical fact that during their monthly periods and
during their pregnancies,women undergo various physiological and
psychological changes. Such changes may occur during an emergency
situation, thus affecting her decision, without considering the
excessivestrain which is produced.Moreover, some decisionsrequire a
maximum of rationality and a minimum of emotionality- a requirement
which does not coincide with the instinctive nature of women.
Even in modern times, and in the most developed countries, it is rare
to find a woman in the position of a head of state acting as more
thana figurehead, a woman commander of the armedservices, or even a
proportionate number ofwomen representatives in parliaments, or
similar bodies. One can not possibly ascribe this to backwardness of
various nations or to any constitutional limitation on woman's right
to be in such a position as a head of state or as a member of the
parliament. It is more logical to explain the present situation in
termsof the natural and indisputable differences between man and
woman, a difference which does not imply any"supremacy" of one over
the other. The difference implies rather the"complementary" roles
ofboth the sexes in life.

Dua Upon Waking Up

.
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِىْ اَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا اَمَاتَنَا وَ
اِلَيْهِ النُّشُوْرُ
All praise to Allah , who gave us life after having given us death and
to himis our final return.
(Bukhari)

The Real Orphan

The real orphan is unruly
yet he thinks he acts coolly
He loves to rant and rave;
is it attention he craves?
Who has produced one so errant?
surely it is the hopeless parent!
The father too busy in the shop
the mother buying another shapely top!
The parents cares for himnot
letting him to lie and rot
If one has to about him complain
the parents says; 'surely my angel isn't to blame!'
To the parents I say; 'if you leave the nanny to bring up your child,'
'do you expect him to behave other than wild?'

Her period came before she did her ‘umrah

My wife and I went to Makkah two days ago to perform Hajj, and in the
airplane we intended to enter ihraam for 'Umrah.When we reached
Makkah, we went to the hotel to put our luggagethere, and after that
my wife found out that her period had come when we reached the hotel.
What is the ruling on that? Does she have to offer a ransom (fidyah)?
What is the value of the fidyah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Menses does not preventa woman from entering ihraam for Hajj and
'umrah, but it is haraam for her to circumambulate the Ka'bah until
after her menses ends. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said to 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) when she
got her menses before entering Makkah:"Do everything that the pilgrim
does but do not circumambulate the House until you become pure (i.e.,
your menses ends). Agreed upon.
It is proven in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that when she became pure, she
circumambulated the Ka'bah and did saa'i between al-Safa and
al-Marwah. This indicates that if a woman gets her menses before doing
tawaaf, she should not do tawaaf and saa'i until she becomes pure.
Based on this, what you wife must do is wait until she becomes pure,
and then circumambulate the Ka'bah and do saa'i between al-Safa and
al-Marwah, then cut her hair. Then she will have completed her 'umrah.
And she does not have tooffer a ransom for having gotten her menses
when she was inihraam.And Allaah knows best.

Her period came before she did her ‘umrah

My wife and I went to Makkah two days ago to perform Hajj, and in the
airplane we intended to enter ihraam for 'Umrah.When we reached
Makkah, we went to the hotel to put our luggagethere, and after that
my wife found out that her period had come when we reached the hotel.
What is the ruling on that? Does she have to offer a ransom (fidyah)?
What is the value of the fidyah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Menses does not preventa woman from entering ihraam for Hajj and
'umrah, but it is haraam for her to circumambulate the Ka'bah until
after her menses ends. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said to 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) when she
got her menses before entering Makkah:"Do everything that the pilgrim
does but do not circumambulate the House until you become pure (i.e.,
your menses ends). Agreed upon.
It is proven in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that when she became pure, she
circumambulated the Ka'bah and did saa'i between al-Safa and
al-Marwah. This indicates that if a woman gets her menses before doing
tawaaf, she should not do tawaaf and saa'i until she becomes pure.
Based on this, what you wife must do is wait until she becomes pure,
and then circumambulate the Ka'bah and do saa'i between al-Safa and
al-Marwah, then cut her hair. Then she will have completed her 'umrah.
And she does not have tooffer a ransom for having gotten her menses
when she was inihraam.And Allaah knows best.

Hajj is not obligatory fora person who does ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj

Before the begining of the month of Haj, I did my umrah before the
month of Haj, some one told me that Haj is wajeeb on me now , although
I have already did haj 2 years back, please clarify the same?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What this person told you is not correct, because Hajj is only
obligatory once in a lifetime, because of the hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas,
which says that al-Aqra' ibn Haabis asked the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "O Messengerof Allaah, is Hajj (to
be done) every year or only once?" He said: "One once, and whoever
does more than that, it is a voluntary (act of worship)." Narrated by
Abu Dawood, 1721; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
Since you did Hajj beforethat, then you do not have to do Hajj again.
There are three months of Hajj: Shawwaal, Dhu'l-Qi'dah and
Dhu'l-Hijjah. Perhaps this person understood from the fact that they
are called the months of Hajj that whoever does 'Umrah during these
months is obliged to do Hajj. But this is incorrect, rather the reason
why they are called the months of Hajjis that Hajj must happen during
these months, not before or after them.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a
man who did Hajj tamattu', then after doing 'Umrah he went back to his
city and did not do Hajj – does he have to do anything (offer any
expiation or ransom)?
He replied: You do not have to do anything, because if a person is
doing Hajj tamattu' and enters ihraam for 'umrah, then decides notto
do Hajj before he enters ihraam for Hajj, then he does not have
tooffer any expiation or ransom, unless he vowed to do Hajj this year.
If he made such a vow then he is obliged to fulfil his vow.

Is it permissible to change one’s ihraam clothes?

When performing Hajj and staying overnight inMina I had a "wet dream"
(out of my control). When I woke up I immediately made ghusl and
washed and changed my ihram. Did I do the correct thing and is my Hajj
still valid?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, it is permissible for the pilgrim in ihraam to change his ihraam
clothes. We have previously quoted the fatwa of the Standing Committee
in the answerto question no. 26722 . Here we will add the fatwa of
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen said:
It is permissible for the muhrim (pilgrim in ihraam) who is doing Hajj
or 'Umrah, male or female, to change the clothes in which he or she
entered ihraam and to put on different clothes, if the other clothes
are things which it is permissible for the pilgrim in ihraam to wear.

Hadhir & Nadhir

"They encompass nothing of His knowledge save what Hewill" (2:255)
"(He is) the Knower of the Unseen and He reveals unto none His secret,
save unto every Messenger whom He has chosen" (72:26-27)
"Nor does he withhold grudgingly a knowledgeof the Unseen" (81:24)
Ibn Khafif al-Shirazi said in his al-'Aqida al-Sahiha(§48):
[The Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, ] is knower of what is
and what shall be and he gave news of the Unseen(wa [ya'taqidu] annahu
al-'âlimu bimâ kâna wa mâ yakûnu wa akhbara 'an 'ilmi al-ghayb).
Meaning, in the sense of being imparted by Allah whatever He imparted
tohim. Our teacher the Faqîh Shaykh Adib Kallas said: "Note that Ibn
Khafif did not
say 'He knows all that is and all that shall be.'"
Shaykh 'Abd al-Hadi Kharsa told us:
The Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, possesses knowledge of all
that is and knows the created universes in the same way that one knows
a room in which one sits. Nothing is hidden from him. There are two
verses of the Holy Qur'an that affirm this, [But how (will it be with
them) when we bring of every people a witness, and We bring you (O
Muhammad) a witness against these] (4:41) and [Thus We have ap­pointed
you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses against man­kind and
that the messenger may be a witness against you] (2:143) nor can the
Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, be called to witness over what
he does not know nor see.
The above evidence is confirmed by the authentic Prophetic narration
from Abu Sa'idal-Khudri in the Sahih, Sunan, and Masanid:
The Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "Nuh and his
Communityshall come <also: 'shall be brought'> and Allah Most High
shall say: 'Did you convey [My Mes­sage]?' He shall say, 'Yes, indeed!
my Lord.' Then He shall ask his Com­munity, 'Did he convey [My
Message] to you?' and they shall say, 'No, no Prophet came to us.'
Then Allah shall ask Nuh, 'Who is your witness?' and he shall reply,
'Muhammad, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, and his Community.' Then we
shall bear witness that he conveyed [the Message] indeed, and this is
[the meaning of] His saying, [Thus We have ap­pointed you a middle
nation (ummatanwasatan), that you may be witnesses against man­kind]
(2:143), al-wasat meaning 'the upright' (al-'adl)."[2]
Ibn Hajar in his commentary of the above narration in Fath al-Bari
said that another same-chained, similar narration in Ahmad and Ibn
Majah shows that such witnessing applies to all the Communities and
not just that of Nuh,`alayhis salaam:
The Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "One Prophet shall
come on the Day of Resurrection with a single man [as his Community];
another Prophet shall come with two men; others, with more. The nation
of eachProphet shall be summoned and asked, 'Did this Prophet convey
[the Message] to you?' They shall reply, no. Then he shall be asked,
'Did you convey [the Message] to your people?' and he shall reply,
yes. Then he shall be asked, 'Who is your witness?' and he shall
reply, 'Muhammad and his Com­munity.' Whereupon Muhammad and his
Community shall be sum­moned and asked, 'Did this man convey [the
Message] to his people?' They shall reply, yes. They shall be asked,
'How do you know?' They shall reply, 'Our Prophet came to us and told
us that the Messengers have indeed conveyed [the Message].'This is
[the meaning of] His say­ing, [Thus We have appointed you a middle
nation] – He means upright (yaqûlu 'adlan) – [that you may be
witnesses against man­kind and that the messenger may be a witness
against you] (2:143)."
Al-Qari said in commentary of the narration of Nuh, `alayhis salaam,
cited in Mishkat al-Masabih:
"And he shall reply, 'Muhammad and his Community'" means that his
Community are witnesses while he vouches for them, but his men­tion
came first out of reverence (li-t-ta'zîm). It is possible thathe,
sall-Allahu `alayhi wasallam, too witnesses for Nuh, since it is a
context of help and Allah Most High said [When Allah made (His)
convenant with the Prophets] until He said [you shall believein him
and you shall helphim] (3:81). In this there is a remarkable warning
that the Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, is present and
witnessing in that Greatest Inspection (wafîhi tanbîhun nabîhun annahu
sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallama hâdirun nâzirun fî dhâlika al-'ardi
al-akbar), when the Prophets are brought, Nuh being the first, and the
latter's witnesses arebrought, namely, this Community.[3]
There are other verses that affirm that the Prophet, sall-Allahu
`alayhi wa sallam, hears and sees the deeds of human beings. Allah
Most High said: [And know that the Mes­senger of Allah is among you]
(49:7). In the verses [Allah and His Messenger will see your conduct]
(9:94) and [Act! Allah will behold your actions, and (so will) His
Messenger and the believers] (9:105), the Pro­phet's, sall-Allahu
`alayhi wa sallam, percep­tion is put on a par with that of the Lordof
the worlds Who sees and encom­passes all on the one hand and, on the
other, that of all the living believers.
Shaykh 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Ghumari said:
The saying of Allah Most High [O you who believe!Observe your duty to
Allah, and give up what remains (due to you) from usury, if you are
(intruth) believers. And if you do not, them be war­ned of war
(against you) from Allah and His Messenger] (2:278-279) indicates that
the Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, is alive in his noble
grave, fighting the usurers withhis supplication against them or with
whatever suits his isthmus-life. I donot know anyone that inferred
this from the verse before me.[4]
The above is further confirmed in the Sunna by the following evidence:
(1) Ibn Mas'ud's authentic narration of the Prophet's, sall-Allahu
`alayhi wa sallam, witnessing of all the deeds of the Umma fromhis
Barzakh:
The Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "My life is a great
good for you, you will relate about me and it will be related to you,
and my death is a great good foryou, your actions will be exhibited to
me, and if I see good­ness I will praise Allah, and if I see evil I
will ask forgivenessof Him for you." (Hayâtî khayrun lakum
tuhaddithûna wa yuhad­dathu lakum wa wafâtî khayrun lakum tu'radu
a'malukum 'alayya famâ ra'aytu min khayrin hamidtu Allâha wa mâ
ra'aytu min shar­rin istagh­fartu Allâha lakum.)[5]
(2) The authentic narration of "the Supernal Company" (al-mala'u
al-a'lâ) from Mu'adh ibn Jabal (RA) and others:
The Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "My Lord came to me
in the best form" – the narrator said: "I think hesaid: 'in my sleep'"
– "and asked me over what did the Higher Assembly (al-mala'
al-a'lâ)[6] vie; I said I did not know, so He put His hand between my
shoulders, and I felt its coolness in my innermost, and knowledge of
all things between the East and the West came to me."[7]
(3) The staying back of Sayyidina Gibril, `alayhis salaam, at the
point the Pro­phet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, went beyond the
Lote-Tree of the Farthermost Boundary (sidrat al-muntaha) and heard
the screeching of the pens writing the Foreor­dained Decree then saw
his Lord,[8] although Gibril is the closest of all crea­tures toAllah
U and the angels do see Him according to Ahl-al-Sunna.[9]
Al-Qadi 'Iyad in al-Shifa, in the section titled "Concerning the
places where it is desirable to in­voke blessings and peace upon him"
cited from 'Amr ibn Dinar al-Athram (d. 126) the explanation of the
verse [when you enter houses salute one another] (24:61): "If there is
no-one in the house then say: 'as-salâmu 'alâ
al-Nabiyyi wa rahmatullâhi wa barakâtuh.'"[10]
Al-Qari said in his commentary on al-Shifa': "Meaning, because his
soul, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, is present in the house of the
Muslims(ay li'anna rûhahu
'alayhi al-salâmu hâdirun fî buyûti al-muslimîn)."[11]
What 'Iyad cited from al-Athram is only narrated by al-Tabari in his
Tafsir from Ibn Jurayj, from 'Ata' al-Khurasani (d. 135):
Hajjaj narrated to me from Ibn Jurayj: I said to 'Ata': "What if there
is no-one in the house?" He said: "Give salâm! Say,al-salâmu 'alâ
al-Nabiyyi wa rahmatullâhi wa barakâtuh, al-salâmu 'alaynâ wa 'alâ
'ibâdillahal-sâlihîn, al-salâmu 'alâ ahli al-bayti wa rahmatullâh." I
said: "This statement you just said about my entering the house in
which thereis no-one, from whom did you receive it?" He replied: "I
heard it without receiving it from anyone in particular."[12]
'Ata' was a pious muhaddith, mufti, and wâ'iz from whom Yazid ibn
Samura heard the statement: "The gatherings of dhikr are the
gatherings of [teaching] the halâl and the harâm."[13] His
trustworthiness and/or memory were contested by al-Bukhari, Abu Zur'a,
Ibn Hibban, Shu'ba, al-Bayhaqi, al-'Uqayli, and Ibn Hajar, but he was
nevertheless declared thiqa by Ibn Ma'in, Abu Hatim, al-Daraqutni,
al-Thawri, Malik, al-Awza'i, Ahmad, Ibn al-Madini, Ya'qub ibnShayba,
Ibn Sa'd, al-'Ijli, al-Tabarani, and al-Tirmidhi, while Ibn Rajab
concludes he is "thiqa thiqa."[14]
A False Assertion against Mullah Ali al-Qari
Recently, someone forwarded the strange claim that al-Qari's text in
Sharh al-Shifa' actually stated, "NOT THAT his soul, sall-Allahu
`alayhi wa sallam, is present in the houses of the Muslims" (lâ anna
rûhahu hâdiratun fî buyûti al-muslimîn) that is, the diametrical
opposite of what al-Qari actually said.
He [al-Qari] discussed theissue in the Sharh of Shifa, that lâ anna
rûhahu hâdiratun fî buyûti al-muslimîn i.e. this notion is incorrect
that the soul of our Master Hazrat Mohammed, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa
sallam, is present in the homes of the Muslims. In some copies the
word lâ has been dropped and has with­out any reason created confusion
for some individuals, including Mufti Ahmed Yar Khan sahib (see Jaa
al-Haqq p. 142). ... In all his explicit quotes HazratMulla Ali
al-Qari himself negates the belief of hâdir wa nâzir. Those who have
relied on his brief, indistinct quotes (out of context) are absolutely
and definitelywrong.[15]
That one can actually dare to make the above claim is only because of
ignorance of the Arabic language since al-Qari prefaces the statement
with the word "meaning(ay)," which would be grammatically incorrect if
it were followed by a disclaimer such as "not that his soul is present
inthe houses of the Muslims." The truth is that no such word as lâ has
been dropped because there was no such word there in the first place,
and the claim that there was is nothing short of tampering (tahrîf).
Furthermore, the word al-Qari used for "present" is hâdir in the
masculine, not hâdiratunin the feminine, as rûh can have either gender
but the masculine is more appropriate here to refer to the Prophet,
sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam.
A Denial of Prophetic Attributes
Another one of those of the same School considered by some to be
knowledgeable objected to attributing the characteristics of hâdir
nâzir to the Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, because, he
claimed, these attributes belong to Allah U. Even if the latter
premise were true,the reasoning is spurious and is like saying that
because al-Ra'ûf and al-Rahîm are Divine Attributes, they cannot be
also Prophetic Attributes.
This sophistry was refuted by al-Qadi 'Iyad in al-Shifa where he said:
Know that Allah has bestowed a mark of honor on many of the Prophets
by investing them with some of His names: for example He calls Ishaq
and Isma'il "knowing" ('alîm) and "forbearing" (halîm), Ibrahim
"for­bearing" (halîm), Nuh "thankful" (shakûr), Musa "noble" (karîm)
and "strong" (qawî), Yusuf "a knowing guardian" (hafîz, 'alîm), Ayyub
"patient" (sabûr), 'Isa and Yahya "devoted" (barr), and Isma'il
"truthful to the promise"(sâdiq al-wa'd)... Yet He has preferred our
Prophet Muhammad, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, since He has adorned
him with a wealth of His names in His Mighty Book and on the tongue of
His Prophets.[16]
The above evidence establishes beyond doubt that there is no
impediment to the possibility of hâdir nâzir to be Attributes shared
by Allah Most High with some of His servants if such two Names should
be established to be His. In fact, it is known that the two
angel-scribes, the qarîn, the angel of death, and Shaytan, are also
present, seeing, hearing, and fully wit­nessing the deeds of human
beings at any given time.
Furthermore, are Hâdir and Nâzir among the Divine Names and
Attributes? Imam Ahmad al-Sirhindi was quoted to say: "Allah Most High
is aware of each and every minor and major condition and is Hâdir and
Nâzir. One should feel shame before Him."[17]
However, the Divine Attributes are ordained and non-inferable.[18]
Logic, reasoning, analogy, and other forms of interpretation are not
used to infer an attribute but only Divine disclosure through the
primary two sources of the Shari'a i.e. Qur'an and Sunna. This is an
elementary point of doctrine that is present in most if not all books
of 'aqîda, including the Maturidi classics. So we cannot speak of
al-Hâdir,while al-Nâzir is the same as al-Shahîd wherethe divine Sight
means His Knowledge.
Imam al-Bayhaqi said:
The meaning of "The Witness" (al-Shahîd) is He Who is well aware of
all that creatures can know only by way of witnessing while being
present. . .. because a human being who is far away is subject to the
limitation and shortcomings of his sensory organs, while Allah Most
High is not endowed with sensory organs nor subject to the
limita­tions of those who possess them.[19] (Shâhid is also a
Prophetic Name in the Qur'an.)
As for al-Hâdir it is precluded, because Hâdir in Arabic has the sense
of a being physically present at a location, i.e. attributes of the
created that are abso­lutely precluded from the Creator. Therefore
Hâdir in relation to Allah Most High, like the attribute of
omnipresence, may only be applied figura­tively to mean that He is
All-Knowledgeable, but neither "Omnipresent" nor Hâdir have actually
been reported or mentioned among the Divine Attributes in the Qur'an,
the Sunna, and the texts of the early Imams. Allah knows best.
When some of these rebuttals were presented to the above-mentioned
objector, he replied verbatim, that "By Haazir and Naazir, we mean
Allah's knowledge is complete and comprehensive. Nothing is hidden
from the abso­lute knowledge of Allah. In other words, he is Aleem and
this quality of Allah is repeatedly mentioned inthe Qur'aan." By thus
replying he has acknowledged that:
1. He used the Attributes Hâdir and Nâzir figuratively, to mean 'Alîm.
2. He has done so on the basis of his own interpretation of the former
two terms as meaning the latter term, neither (a) on linguistic bases
nor (b) according to a
Law-based stipulation (nass shar'î).
To return to the statement of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi – Allah sanctify
his soul – that "[He] is Hâdir and Nâzir,"there are also caveats:
1. Isolated statements cannot be used to invalidate a basic rule of
Ahl al-Sunna in the Divine Names and Attributes, namely that spelled
above as found in the doctrine of the Salaf and Khalaf on al-Asmâ' wa
al-Sifât.
2. In practical terms, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi was careful to frame his
statement within an affirmation of the sincere murîd's consciousness
of the all-encompassing
nature of Divine Knowledge within the ladder of spiritual process in
the Naqshbandi Tarîqa, just as the Shuyukh of the Shadhili Tarîqa
teach their murîds to say, "Allâhu hâdirî, Allâhu nâziri, Allâhu
ma'î." These expressions are meant to induce scrupulous Godwariness
and in fact all refer to the attributes of Divine Knowledge without
any resemblance whatsoeverto the hudûr or nazâr of created beings
other than in name.
3. In doctrinal terms, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi means something other
than what those who use hâdir in the Arabic language and in relationto
the Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, mean. Namely, hemeans
hâdir not in the normal creatural sense of "present" but in the
non-creatural sense of "Divine Knowledge of Things in their Essence"
(al-'ilm al-hudûrî). This isexplained by him at length in his epistle
48 of Volume Three to the Prince, Zadah Khwaja Muhammad Sa'id, titled
"The Secret of His Nearness and the Self-Disclosure of His Essence."
This is a highly peculiar, specialized sense that should be treated
thus unless one is interested in making Shaykh Sirhindi say other than
what he means.

Unconditional Love

I've found this post on the web, and I could not hold myself from
adding it here. The original site Thylacine's Lair is a very
interesting project and it is definitely worth of visiting. So when
you"recover" after this post -feel free to read more inspirational
stories at Thylacine's Lair
Unconditional Love
When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.
When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.
When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love.
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.
When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons
You thanked her by coloring the dining roomtable.
When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays.
You thanked her by plopping into the nearestpile of mud.
When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school.
You thanked her by screaming, "I'M NOT GOING!"
When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the next-door-neighbor's window.
When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.
When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano lessons.
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.
When you were 10 years old she drove you all day,from soccer to
gymnastics to one birthday party after another.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.
When you were 11 years old, she took you and your friends to the movies.
You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.
When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.
When you were 13, she suggested a haircut that was becoming.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.
When you were 14, she paid for a month away atsummer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.
When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.
When you were 16, she taught you how to drive her car.
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.
When you were 17, she was expecting an important call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.
When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying untildawn.
When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove you to
campus, carried your bags.
You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm so you wouldn't be
embarrassedin front of your friends.
When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing anyone.
You thanked her by saying, "It's none of your business
When you were 21, she suggested certain careersfor your future.
You thanked her by saying, "I don't want to be like you
When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation.
You thanked her by asking whether she couldpay for a trip to Europe.
When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment.
You thanked her by telling your friends it wasugly.
When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked about your plans for the future.
You thanked her by glaring and growling,"Muuhh-ther, please!"
When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried
and told you how deeply she loved you.
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country
When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.
You thanked her by telling her, "Things are different now."
When you were 40, she called to remind you of a relative's birthday.
You thanked her by saying you were "really busy right now.
When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.
You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to their children.
And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never didcame
crashing down like thunder.
YOUR HEART.
If she's still around, neverforget to love her more than ever. And if
she's not, remember her unconditional love.
Give your love to your Mom! Until it's too late! Enjoy these precious
moments together!
And pass it on...

Easter Island

Easter Island (Rapa Nui in the indigenous language), is a
Chilean-governed island in the south eastern Pacific Ocean . Rapa Nui
is a small, hilly, now treeless island of volcanic origin. It's been
called the most isolated inhabited territory on Earth, but there is
another aspect that sets it apart from any other place on Earth -its
hundreds of megalithic human-like statues that face inland from the
shore. These enigmatic statues are called moai .
Almost all moais were carved out of distinctive, compressed, easily
worked volcanic ash. The largest one weights up to165 tons, and its
height isalmost 22 meters. Some upright moai have become buried up to
their necks by shifting soils.
This massive production of megalithic works on an island that is
absolutely barren, with just grass, immediately captures our
imagination . How did it all happen? Who built these statues? And why
did they build them?
Some scientists suggest that Easter Island inhabitants, the Rapanui ,
came from Polynesia. But similarities to Indian stone statues around
Lake Titicaca in South America are striking. Is this accidental or
not? Scholars are unable to definitively explain the function and use
of the moai statues . Some of them suggest that the statues were
symbols of authority and power, both religious and political.
One of the biggest riddlesabout Easter Island is how the statues
'traveled' from the quarryto their platforms or ahus, sometimes as far
as 20 or 25 kilometres away? Rapa Nui legend has it that the
moai"walked from the quarry". But less than one third of all carved
moai actually made it to a final ceremonial ahus site. Was this due to
the inherent difficulties in transporting them? Were the ones that
remain in the quarry deemed culturally unworthy of transport? Or had
the islanders run out of the resources necessary to complete the
Herculean task of carving and moving the moai?
Easter Island is more well known as Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua, meaning ' The
Navel of the World ' and as Mata-Ki-Te-Rani, meaning ' Eyes Looking
atHeaven '. These ancient names and a host of mythological details
point to the possibility that the remote island may once have been
both a geodetic marker and the site of an astronomical observatoryof a
long forgotten civilization .

Dhu al-Qa'dah (Dhul Qa'dah) Qiblah (Qibla or Kiblah) Muharram Al-Haram

Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah) is the twelfth and final month in the
IslamicLunar Calendar, marking the end of the year. This is the last
sacred month in which fighting was forbidden. It is also known as
Zilhaj, Zulhijjah, Zul Hijjah.
Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah): Literally means 'Lord of the Pilgrimage'.
It is during this month in which the Hajj Pilgrimage takes place and
pilgrims from all around the world congregate at Makkah to visit the
Kaaba. The Hajj Pilgrimage is performed on the eighth, ninth and the
tenth of this month. Eid ul-Adha, the 'Festival of the Sacrifice' is
held onthe tenth day.
First ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah): Days of virtue and
righteous deeds
The sacred month of Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah) is one of the highly
blessed months. The pious and upright companions of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (saw) and their first generation followers used to spend this
month in prayers andsupplications, particularlythe first ten
noteworthy days which have also been distinguished in Glorious Qur'an.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) had said that supplications made in these
10 days get a positive reply from Allah (SWT).
Ibn Abbas says about the Ayah in Surah Al-Baqarah, "Remember Allah
during the well known days," (2:203) thatit refers to the first ten
days of Dhul Hijjah. [This is related by al-Bukhari]
Allah (SWT) swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something
is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allah (SWT)says in
Glorious Qur'an:"By the dawn; by the ten nights" [Surah Al-Fajr,
89:1-2]. Ibn Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujahid and others of the earlier
and later generations said that this refers to the firstten days of
Dhul Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: "This is the correct opinion." [Tafseer
Ibn Katheer, 8/413]
Praise be to Allah (SWT) Who has created Time and has made some
timesbetter than others, some months and days and nights better than
others,when rewards are multiplied many times, asa mercy towards His
slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them
more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to
gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply
himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement.
This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity
to correct ones faults andmake up for any shortcomings or anything
that one might have missed. Every one ofthese special occasions
involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer
to Allah (SWT), and some kind of blessing though which Allah
(SWT)bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoeverHe will. The happy
personis the one who makes themost of these special months, days and
hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of
worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allah (SWT)
and will feel the joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of
Hell. [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataaif, p.8]
1. Makkah at the center ofthe earth
2. Makkah during ProphetAbraham (pbuh)
3. Makkah during Qosai, great Grandfather of Holy Prophet Muhammad
(saw), year 157 before Hijrah .
4. Makkah during Quraish,year 12 before Hijrah.
5. Makkah during Omayied Era, year 91 Hijrah.
6. Makkah during Abbasied Era, year 310 Hijrah.
7. Makkah during Ottoman Empire, year 1215 Hijrah.
8. Makkah during King Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz, year 1412 Hijrah.
The approximate locationof a hundred countries inrelation to Kaaba.
They classified into three categories with respect to their proximity
to the Kaaba.

Battle of al-Ahzab (Tribes), Battle of Khandaq (Ditch, Moat, Trench):

The Qureshite communityhad one important dream: The destruction of
Mohammed and his religion. Pagan tribes outside Mecca were sharing
with them the same dream. Like the Meccans, these tribes considered
Mohammed a serious menace to their religion. This belief brought these
tribes and the Muslims into military confrontations in which the
Muslims had the upper hand. These tribes,therefore, were like the
Meccan community full ofresentment and rancor towards Mohammed and his
religion.
Non-Pagan Tribes
There were clashes between the Muslims andsome of the people of
scripture who were neighboring Medina caused by their breaching of
covenants with the Holy Prophet. Tribes from among them such as Banu
Al-Natheer and others were exiled by the Prophet.
A delegation from these people went to Mecca and other Arab
communities during the fifth year after the Hijrah,propagating war
against the Prophet and attempting to mobilize the Arab forces for the
proposed war. They did not need much effort to persuade the Meccans to
a military undertaking against the Prophet. Their response to the
invitation was prompt, and without hesitation, they mobilized four
thousand fighters. This army was supplemented with six thousands from
Ghatafan, Saleem, and other tribes. Thus, ten thousands strong marched
towards Medina.
The Holy Prophet received the news of the imminent invasion a few days
before their arrival at Medina. He consulted his companions, and
Salman Al-Farisi (the Persian) advised the Prophet to dig a moat
around Medina to prevent the invaders from entering it. The Messenger
commanded the Muslims (who were about three thousands) to implement
the plan. The moat was dug withinsix days.
Witnessing the moat, the invaders were surprised and realized that it
had become difficult for themto enter Medina. Thus they found it
necessary to besiege Medina instead of invading it directly. Banu
Quraidhah,a community from the followers of the Scripture, joined the
pagan army after its arrival. This community had a covenant of peace
with the Prophet. Their treacherous action was a frightening surprise
to the Muslims. By breaching the covenant, this community gave the
pagan army additional forces and equipment. It became the duty of the
Muslims to add to their defensive lines another line.
The Muslims in horror
There were many hypocrites among the Muslims who circulated
frightening rumors, which added to the fear of the Muslims. The Holy
Qur'an tells us of the psychological crisis with which the Muslims
lived during that period:
"Behold! They came uponyou from above you and from below you, and when
the eyes grew wildand the hearts gaped up to the throats, and ye
imagined various (vain) thoughts about God! In that situation the
believers were tried: They were shaken with a mighty Shock. And
behold! The hypocrites and those in whose hearts there is disease
(even) say: God and His Apostle promised us nothing but delusion!
Behold! A party among them said: O people of Yathrib (Medina), you
cannot stand (the attack),therefore turn back! And a band of them ask
for leave of the Prophet, saying: Truly our houses are bare and
exposed though they were not exposed; they intended nothing but to
flee." (33:10-13)
The pagan army, on the contrary, was enjoying an extremely high
morale. Victory to them was certain. Medina was under their siege, and
its inhabitants did not possess the courage to come out of it. Their
confidence in victory andmorale went higher when Banu Quraidhah joined
them. This made them change their strategy from the siege of Medina to
a direct invasion.
Amr's Venture
Amr Ibn Abd Wodd, accompanied by Dhirar Ibn Al-Khattab, Akramah Ibn
Abu Jahl, and others, sought and found a narrow place in the moat.
Their horses leaped above the moat tothe other side. Had this
adventure succeeded many pagan fighters were expected to follow them
and make it feasible for the whole army to pass through that narrow
place, for they could have spanned the two sides of the ditchby
filling that narrow gap with soil.
The Muslims were in a state of shock and horrorbefore the passage of
these pagan soldiers to their side. The new danger, which was
presented by their passage, made the morale of the Muslims much lower
than before.
Men of strong faith
Though the hearts of most of the Muslims werefilled with fear, some of
them were unshaken by the new danger. It rathermade their faith
strongerin God, His Messenger, and the promised victory.These
individuals were ready to sacrifice themselves and one of them
certainly was determined to try to confine the danger, then to remove
it. The Holy Qur'an tells us of the morale of these believers.
When the believers saw the confederate forces, they said: This is what
God and His Apostle had promised us. And God and His Apostle told us
what is true. And it only added to their faith and their zeal in
obedience."Among the believers aremen who have been true to their
covenant with God: Of them some have completed their vow (to the
extreme), and some (still) wait; but they have never changed (their
determination) in the least." (33:23)
The Holy Qur'an does not inform us of the number of those believers
whose faith was increased by the increase of the danger. These
believers may have been scores or just a few. However, faithsometimes
remains only as a state of mind without being transformed into action.
Some of the faith is active, flowing with vitality and moving the
faithful to face the danger and to rise to its level and above its
level.
The number of these distinguished believers remained unknown.
Ali's Response
However, history informed us of one of them because of his outstanding
achievements at this battle, in confining and removing the danger,
which shook the very foundation of the Islamic state. That man was no
other than Ali Ibn Abu Talib.
Amr Ibn Wodd, who crossed the moat, was well known among the Arabs. He
attended the battle, boastfully making his place known to people. His
very passage from one side to the other side of the moat, accompanied
only by a small number of fighters, indicates that the man was
extremely courageous. He was the only one from among theten thousand
fighters who tried to invade the Muslims directly and challenge them
totally while he was with them on one side.
The passage of Amr and his companions presented to the Muslims a new
and serious danger and a frighteningsurprise, which they never
expected. The doorwas about to be opened widely, and hundreds and
thousands were expected to follow. The surprise, however, did not
frighten or astonish Ali. History informs us of Ali's
present-mindedness and fast response, for he immediately moved to
confine the danger, then to remove it. Leading a small number of
believers, he went immediately to the point where the Islamic defense
line was broken by the passage of Amr. Hehad his companions stand
there, preventing others from attempting to follow Amr. And after he
confined the new danger, he managed to remove it completely.
While mounting his horse, Amr went around the area of Sal'a, facing
the Muslims and challenging them: "Is there any dueler?" He repeated
this call but there was no response on the part of the companions.
This compelled Ali to leave his place where he was deterring the pagan
forces from following Amr by crossing the Moat.Responding to Amr's
challenge, he left that place temporarily to be defended by the few
who were with him.
He neared Amr and askedhim to face him in a duel.At this moment the
Prophet (S.A.W.) uttered this historical sentence: "Entire faith is
facing entire infidelity" . Amr arrogantly replied: "Why,son of my
brother (Amr was a friend of Abu Talib,father of Ali)? By God, I would
not like to kill you." Ali replied: "But, by God; I would love to kill
you." A short but extremely violent duel between the two heroes took
place. Ali killed Amr immediately and Amr's companions ran away,
trying to re-cross the moat from the Islamic side to the pagan side.
Ali exclaimed: "Allahu Akbar," (God is Great) and so did the Muslims.
The death of Amr was theend of the new danger. Those who were with him
ran away, trying to save their skin; but most of them were killed
before they could cross to the other side.
Ali made a great contribution in the defense of Islam at this battle
during which the danger against the new Faith reached its peak.
At this battle the Muslims faced a greater danger than ever before.
The elements of the Islamic defense were the same three elements which
played their roles during the two battles of Badr and Ohod: The
firmness of the Messenger and his ideal leadership: the heroism of
Ali; and the determination of the Islamic army.
A fourth element was added at this battle: The role of Salman
Al-Farisi (the Persian) who counseled the Prophet to dig the moat
around Medina.
The role of the Islamic army during the Battle of Ohod was smaller
than itsrole during the Battle of Badr. And it was less important at
the Battle ofthe Moat than it was at the Battle of Ohod, for the
Muslims during the Battle of the Moat did noteven dare face the enemy.
They only dug themoat around the city before the arrival of the pagan
army then stood behind the moat until theend of the battle.
The roles of the first two defensive elements were similar to their
roles at Badr and Ohod and probably bigger. The firmness of the
Messenger, his leadership, his war strategy and his speed in digging
the moat were most essential in making the Muslims pass the crisis
safely.
Ali's role at this battle was outstanding in the history of the Islamic defense.
The magnitude of Ali's contribution
It would not be logical to say that the Muslims wereunable
collectively to kill Amr, who could not by himself prevail against
thousands of Muslims. But this was not the case.Amr was calling for a
duel. A duel could only bebetween two persons. It was considered to be
shameful for two men or more to have a duel with one man. Amr
challengedall the Muslims to send one of them to have a duel with him.
None of them was willing to face him except Ali.
Nor would it be logical tosay that Amr was the entire power of the
pagan forces, and that his death was a defeat for the whole
confederate army. But it would be logical to affirm two important
matters:
1. Ali's initiative to block the passage point and prevent others from
following Amr had stopped the danger and confined it. Had the passage
point remained open, a great number of the pagan soldiers wouldhave
followed Amr and their passage could have resulted in establishing a
bridge between the two sides of the moat. Such a bridge would enable
the whole army to cross.
One hour of negligence could have led to a decisive defeat of the
Islamic army. This did nothappen because Ali was fast in his response
to thenew danger, present minded, calm and collective and ready to
deal with the serious crisis.
2. The death of Amr proved to the pagan army that they were unable to
pass the moat again, and that what Amrcould not accomplish could not
be accomplished by others. By this the pagan army had to face one of
two alternatives: Withdrawal, or continuation of the siege until the
Muslims surrender or were forcedto cross the moat and fight the
pagans. The continuity of the siege of Medina was beyond the ability
of the pagan army. It did not have the food supplies for ten thousand
fighters and their horses and camels, which could enable themto
continue the siege for several months or weeks.In addition, a
hurricane like wind went on causing the pagan army many damages and
making its life miserable. The hurricane was preceded by an argument
between the pagans and their Jewish allies, which made their
co-operation in the battle highly difficult.
Thus, there was only one alternative for the pagan army to take after
the failure of Amr and his death: The withdrawal and that is what they
did.
We ought not to forget an important matter! Thedeath of Amr and most
ofhis companions raised the morale of the Muslims. Their hope in
continuity of life and in victory was revived. All this was a result
of Ali's endeavor, and by this wecan understand the meaning of the
declaration of the Prophet: "The duel of Ali Ibn Abu Talib against
AmrIbn Abd Wodd at the Battle of the Moat out weighs the good deeds of
my whole nation until the Day of Judgment."
The Confederate Army withdrew and the Muslims passed the crisis
safely. They regained their confidence concerning the future because
of failure of the Confederate forces after their biggest mobilization.
The Messenger said after their withdrawal: "After today, we shall
invade them and they will not invade us."

In the heart of change

Vanya Orr walks the villages and forests of the Nilgiris to create
self-sufficient communities, says Esther Elias.
Shola forests arch over a road winding up the Nilgiris to Kollimalai
village, 10 km from Udhagamandalam. In a terraced organic farm there,
a 79-year-old British woman skips over the slopes and plains, with a
backpackslung over her shoulders. Cold winds from the hills mess
withher cropped, grey hair. She pauses beside a row of lemongrass,
pulls off a slender leaf, crushes it and says, "The cymbopogon growing
higher up smells slightly warmer."Twenty years in the Nilgiris have
given Vanya Orr, and the thousand farmers she's taught, a personal
history with each of the 200 plants on the 1.7-acre farm.
Vanya's link with the Nilgiris dates back six generations to when her
grandmother Amy Ryan grew up in Ooty's plantations with her
grandparents. As a teacher in Bangalore's Bishop Cotton School, Amy
found love in James Peter Orr, then chairman of the Bombay Improvement
Trust. James went back to Bombay to seek permission for marriage and
wrote Amy a letter from everystation the train halted.Nine decades
later, in 1994, 60-year-old Vanya and her 80-year-old mother returned
to India to travel that letter trail. They then went up the Nilgiris
to find her mother's ancestral home. The windows had fallen in and the
doors were rotting but the house still stood; its ground floor home to
cows.
Vanya had returned to the Nilgiris amid a logjam between the
Government and the people who were employed on the Government Cinchona
Plantations, since the Forest Department in Dodabetta had reclaimed
the land where the plantations stood. "I had brought along pictures of
my grandparents and of their ancestors and the people told me our
destinies were linked. But I didn't know the language, or how anything
worked here; it would have been egotistical to think I could help at
all," she says. Vanya stayed withthe cows for three dayshoping for
some clarityof thought. When nonearrived, she returned to the U.K.,
but friends handed her 500 pounds and sent her back with assistance
from Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT),
Bangalore.
With FRLHT, Vanya began an organic Medicinal Plant Development Area
(MPDA) in Dodabetta that employed primarily women and paid them the
standardwage rate for men. "The village women taught me Tamil, gave me
a bed and a mattress, food and care," she says.
Organic agriculture was central to Vanya's childhood spent on a farm
in Wales. Her years as a nurse in London taught her about alternative
medicine systems. These skills came together at MPDA in Cinchona
village whereshe worked with 80 women in distillation units that
manufactured medicinal oils for sale in tandem with the Spices Board.
An ailing mother saw her return to the U.K. six years later. "It felt
like abandoning my baby and the separation hurt me, emotionally and
spiritually."
While in the U.K., a report published by theHorticultural Department
in the Nilgiris plagued Vanya's mind. It said the collective debt of
the Nilgiris' farmers for agricultural chemicals crossed Rs.30 crore.
Moreover, it deemed the majority of the grasslands unfit for
agriculture due to aggressive farming. "I felt we needed to revive the
land under ICU and hence came back in early 2001."
Organic farm
With Jayalakshmi, a friend from her Cinchona days, Vanya began an
organic farm and nursery in Lakanmanai. "We lived together in a loft
abovea cowshed and in the land around us we composted waste, made
mulch and biodynamic sprays, andgrew vegetables without disease since
the herbs surrounding them protected them and us." The seeds of
Vanya's organisation, Earth Trust (ET), were sown in this nursery.
Today, three such nurseries exist. Over a thousand farmers have been
trained in organicfarming. At least 500 of them have reduced pesticide
and fertilizer usage to 10 per cent. Over 100 have shifted over
completely and market their produce through a farmers' collective. As
we pick our way through the strawberry patches, carrots and cabbage,
beans and peas at the Kollimalai nursery, the smell of fresh dung
floats in. Vanya runs vermicompost through her fingers and says:
"Organic farming is about loving and respecting the Earth;
acknowledging that she is a living being. She should have the same
rights that humans do. Like it is illegal to kill, so should it be to
wound the Earth."
Vanya also returned to India drawn by the memory of a woman she knew
in Dodabetta,who immolated herself because of domestic violence and
died in Vanya's arms. "You can't watch something like that without it
searing your consciousness. Alcoholism and anger stem from
disempowerment; and women are often trapped in these situations. We
wanted to give them tools to cope, not escape." Thusbegan ET's women
empowerment initiatives.
In the heart of the community in Kateri village is a small hall where
18 women, mostly Badagas, gatherdaily. In a dialect more Kannada than
Tamil they talk of husbands, children, health and food, as they create
handmade frocks, petticoats, pillow covers and sweaters. From 2004, 16
other villages have hosted ET's Income Generation Project for three
months at a time. Women often join not knowing how to thread a needle.
Many leave to open tailoring units of their own.
Training women
Intrinsic to Vanya's efforts with women is a12-module health
programme. It teaches women about their bodies, stress management,
common ailments and treatments through reflexology, yoga, meditation,
massage, ayurveda, siddha and homeopathy. It focuses on locally
cultivable medicinal herbs. Twelve village health workers from the
Kota, Irula, Toda and Kurumba tribes have received this training in
depth. Every morning, they travel over a hundred km from East Nilgiris
to theherbal preparation uniton the Nilgiri Adivasi Welfare
Association hospital grounds in Kollikarai village, Kotagiri. There,
they make adathodai syrup, hair oils and massage oils, dry powders and
triphala mixtures, among others, to be used in their villages.
Between them they also take care of the health needs of 50 villages.
While Vanya's work with the men and women of the Nilgiris has been
prolific, it is projects with children that excite her most.
"Today, farming families do not want their children to touch the soil
and tribal children don't know their forefathers' medicinal remedies.
So much ancestral knowledge will die with this generation," she says.
To right this, ET began eco clubs in 16 Government middle schools.
On a warm afternoon, we climb the stone steps to the one in Thenalai
village, the first to join the programme. A green patch opens to the
side, where children grow vegetables for their midday meal. "Five
kilos of cowdung,four litres of cow urine,three litres of curd,
twolitres of milk and one litre of ghee go into panchakavyam, which
fertilises the garden," explains Kausalya, a student. Twenty-two
children have used the techniques learnt in this garden to begin
kitchen gardens in their homes. "When theparents see the first-fruits
of the children's effort, you should see the joy," says Vanya.
Most schools have on-site gardens, but those without the space, plant
and nurture the Shola forests around their schools. About 22 km from
Thenalai, members of the Guernsey School Eco Club cleaned the
forestsnearby and collected 4,000 plastic bottles. These were stacked
one above the other to build a greenhouse where indigenous Shola
saplings are nursed.
This intimate, sustainable relationship with the Earth is what Vanya
envisions for the Nilgiris. "We're moving towards a technological
world order where all our food, water and resources are shipped in
from a centralised source. If a landslide occurs and villages are
blocked off, there's absolute havoc. These were once entirely
self-sufficient communities. We need to go back to that stage," she
says.
Vanya's work has brought her in contact with officials who've
sometimes resented the "European in their patch", but the stories of
changed lives egg her on. She narrates the story of Sriram, who'd lost
his parents and was living with his grandmother who wasn't healthy
enough to work. "He wasn't doing too well in school. But at home, he'd
created this beautiful garden off which his grandmothercooked each
day. That'sthe thing about India. Every emotion, every story is so
powerful and concentrated. People are very very happy or very very sad
or very very kind. India is very very."

Dance of life

Forget dancers who balance pots on their heads. Have you seen the
brick man go abouthis daily grind
On a construction site where bricks are carefully stacked, I saw a
brick man who was tidying them up even further, beautifully
symmetrical layering , reminding me of the time when we gave our
children wooden blocks to play with, andmake houses. One of the early
domestic workers who worked with us used to call the play things murgi
ghar.
Then to my sheer amazement this lean man with a sleeveless banyan, and
a kind of short pants with a towel around it, like the kerala style of
wearing a dhoti, put a flat piece of old rusted metal on his head,
overa turban made of a dirty towel and balancing himself like
akuchipudi dancer, tooktwo bricks at a time with his two arms,
heldwide open, and did an extraordinary pile on the tray on his head –
two inside and then two outside. Then another two inside, and then
with two arms taking up two on either side, another set.Like this it
went on till he had four layers of four bricks each and then finally
balancing himself and always with head erect, he took two more and
carefully raising his arms put them on top of the 16 – like a mantapam
on his head,all the while straight backed, with only knees bending and
arms totally in balance.
In perfect balance
Then he walked across the road, in delicate perfect balance, and
climbed up several steps created out of bamboo to the third floor of
this house under construction, putthem down and came back again for
more.
He could have been one of the dancers whom we see in Rajasthan with
six or seven pots balanced ontheir head swinging to the amazement and
applause of tourists. Or the kuchipudi dancers who balance pots and
also dance with their feet in large thalis . An achievement of
balance, we would think! We would then pay to watch the dancers and
their skills.The brick man had no such audience. Watching him and his
extraordinary balancing act were four 'supervisor' type men sitting on
plastic chairs talking to each other.
My brick man would bea perfect candidate for being included in the
Kalakshetra dancing school, where balance is the fundamental
principle, back straight,a straight line from the back of the head to
theback of the feet, is the ultimate as the famous dancer and teacher,
Prof Chandrasekhar explained during one of his lectures at Rabindra
Bhavan. I could almost see him move in graceful natya , balancing two
diyas on outstretched palms, with a pot on his head - totally relaxed.
Alas, no such luck for my brick man…
I presumed, knowing a little about wage fixation, that he would be
paid per square metre of the bricks thathe carried and not by the
number of trips that he made, like the best of dancers. This is of
course, not 'breaking news' in countries like India – we have seen
similar scenarios in Africa, unrecognised physically punishing labour
with gross inequality and lack of recognition of value. We also know
that the option of mechanising that task, or upgrading its physical
punishment, by let us say, giving him a wheelbarrow to pile his
bricks, or a donkey with two packs on its back would probably deprive
him of his wage, as someone else would be willing to do that,
displacing this 'lowest of the low' worker of his livelihood. The
dilemma is deeply entrenched in countries like ours, where wage led,
employment-led growth is not the mantra and where poverty and
inequality and unemployment rage. I continue to watch my elegant
delicate brick man, helplessly, from my balcony as he dances across
the street.