Ali Ibn Talib and his Love for Abu Bakr – Farewell Speech

"The city of Al-Madeenah literally trembled on the day that Abu Bakr
(radi Allaahu 'anhu) died; in fact;other than the day of the Prophet's
death the peopleof Madeenah had never witnessed a sadder day, nor a
day upon which they had shed more tears. Upon hearing the sad news,
'Ali ibn Abi-Talib (radi Allaahu 'anhu) hurried towards AbuBakr's
house, all the while saying, "Verily we belong to Allah, and to Him is
our return."
'Ali (radi Allaahu 'anhu) then stood outside the house in which Abu
Bakr (raadi Allaahu 'anhu) had died, and made the following long
speech, which he addressed to Abu Bakr (raadi Allaahu 'anhu) himself:
"O Abu Bakr, may Allah have Mercy upon you. You were the closest
companion and friend of the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam); you were a comfort to him; you were the one he trusted most.
If he had a secret, he would tell it to you; and if he needed to
consult someone regarding a matter, he would consult you. You were the
first of your people to embrace Islam, and you were the most sincere
of them in your faith. Your faith was stronger than any other
person's, as was the degreeto which you feared Allah. And you were
wealthier then anyone else in terms of what you acquired from the
religion of Allah 'Azza Wa-Jall (The Posessor of Might and Majesty).
You cared most for both the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) and Islam. Of all people, you were the best Companion to the
Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam); you possessed the
best qualities; you had the best past; you ranked the highest; and you
were closest to him. And of all people you resembled the Messenger of
Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) the most in terms of his guidance
and demeanor. Your ranking was higher than anyone else's, and the
Prophet (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) honored you and held you in
higher esteem than anyone else. On behalf of the Messenger of Allah
and Islam, may Allah reward you with the best of rewards. When the
people disbelieved in the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) you believed in him. Throughout his life, you were both his
eyes with which he (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and his ears with
which he heard. Allah has named you truthful in his book when He said:
"And he (Muhammad (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) who has brought the
truth (this Qur'an and Islamic Monotheism) and (those who) believed
therein (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism), those are
Al-Muttaqun (the pious andrighteous persons)" (Qur'an39:33)
When people were stingy in their support for the Messenger of Allah
(salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) you comforted him.And when people sat
still, you stood side by side withthe Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu
'alayhi wa sallam), facing the same hardships that he faced. In times
of hardship, you were truly a good and noble Companion of his. You
were the 'second of two', his Companion in the Cave; and the one upon
whom As-Sakeenah descended. You were his Companion during the
migration and you were his successor regarding the religion of Allah
and His nation. And truly good sucessor you proved to be when the
people apostatized.
You did what no other Khaleefah of a Prophet did before you. You stood
up firmly and bravely when his other Companions lost their resolve and
became soft. And when they became weak, you adheredto the methodology
of the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). You truly
were as the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:
weak in your body, but strong regarding the commands of Allah; humble
in yourself, but lofty in your ranking with Allah; well-esteemed in
theeyes of people, honored and great in their hearts. Not a single one
of them had any reason to dislike you, to be suspicious of you, or to
hold you in contempt.
The weak and humble you have always treated as strong and honorable,
making sure you gave them what was rightfully theirs. And in this
regard, you have treated relatives and strangers equally. Of all
people, you respect those who are most obedient to Allah and who fear
Him the most. In your overall character, you embody truth and
compassion. Your speech has always been characterized by the qualities
of wisdom and decisiveness. And you have always struck a noble balance
between gentleness and firmness. You have always based your decisions
on knowedge, and once you have made your decisions, you have always
kept a firm resolve to execute them.
Verily to Allah do we belong, and to Him is our return. We are pleased
with, and we submit to, Allah's decree. And by Allah,other than the
death of theMessenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) Muslims
have neverbeen afflicted with a greater calamity than the calamity of
your death. Youhave always been a protector....

The Incredible Story of “The Lamp”

My father once narrated [a story to me] about an old man who had a
dream. In this dream, he met Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah in one of
the markets of 'Unayzah; It was one of the markets which leads to the
assembly (a gathering place) – a well known placein 'Unayzah.
During this meeting, Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah handed a lamp to
this old man.
When the old man [later] enquired about the [meaning of his] dream, he
was told that he will have a child who would [grow up to] be pious
(saalih) andhe would have [an elevated] stature in [islaamic]
knowledge.
So, a child was born to this old man, and he was set upon naming him
Saalih, inthe hope that his dream would be true and specific to this
child.
So, Saalih was religious anddevout, and loved the people, [just] as
they loved him [too]. He would recite the Qur.aan and stand the night
in prayer, however, he was not a student of knowledge.
Saalih then got married and had a son, whom he named Muhammad; He was
Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen. ♥
And in reality – and we consider him as such – he was the lamp which
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah had given the old man [in the dream].
And [as for] this old man, [well, he] was the grandfather of Shaykh
Ibn 'Uthaymeen – may Allaah have mercy upon him.
~Narrated by: The Shaykh'sson, 'Abdullaah ibn Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen

Islamic Article :-How Big is your Light?

You're sitting comfortably in your room when all of a sudden, the
electricity goesoff. It becomes completely dark. You can't see a
thing. Although it is your own house, life comes to an inconvenient,
complete halt.
That's because you can't see a thing! You dare not move, in the fear
that you may knock something overor worse still, you may stumble and
hurt yourself. Uncomfortable and unnerving, isn't it?
Now fast forward to an unknown time in the future……when it will be
darker and even worse…..
when you…. and I…… and all of mankind…..will be gathered in the dark,
in front of a bridge…..
a bridge that is sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair…..
a bridge called as-Siraat…….the bridge over Hellfire.
When the companions asked about the bridge, he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa
Sallam) said:
'It is a slippery (bridge) on which there are clamps and (hooks like)
thorns which are wide at one side and narrow at the other and have
bent ends… Some of the believers will cross the bridge as quickly as
the wink of an eye, some others as quick as lightning, a strong wind,
or fast horses or she-camels. So some will be safe without any harm;
some will be safe after receiving some scratches, and some will fall
down into Hellfire. The last person will cross by being dragged (over
the bridge)." [Bukhaari]
And then, it will be orderedthat we all pass over this bridge. And we
will have no choice but to comply to the order of the Lord of
theWorlds. But it will be dark, darker than any darkness one can ever
imagine…..
and on this horrific Day, mankind will be desperate… desperate to do
anything, anything, to have some kind of light that will help them see
the way and guide them to cross over the Siraat.
And then….. there will be light.
But, you know what? This light will only be accordingto the light of
Imaan that you had in your heart in the Dunya.
If your Imaan was strong, so will be this light….strongand bright and
illuminating. And if your Imaan was weak, this light will be weak too,
dim and faltering and feeble.
Ibn Kathir reported in his Tafseer:
"They will pass over the Siraat according to their deeds. Some of them
willhave a light as large as a mountain, some as a date tree, some as
big as a man in the standing position. The least among them has a
light as big as his index finger,it is lit at times and extinguished
at other times." (Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir).
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim says:
"For one person, it (the light) will be like the sun,for another like
the moon, the stars or a lamp. For yet another, this light will be
only at the tips of his toes; it will shine, then go out [then shine,
then go out]. For just as his light had been in this world, so he
shall be given when crossing the Bridge. In fact, it is the same light
that had appeared to him before. However, just as the hypocrite has no
real light in this world, or has only an outward light butnone within,
so shall he be given [on that Day] anoutward light which will vanish
in the darkness and be lost."
If you lived a life of righteousness and Taqwa, a life according to
Islaam, submitting to Allaah and repenting to Him, obeying His
commandments, hoping for His Mercy yet fearing His Wrath, taking care
not to disobey Him to the best of your ability, then good news for
you, O Muslim. Allaah will illuminate your path over the Siraat just
like He illuminated your heart in this Dunya with guidance and
righteousness.
"The Day (will surely come) when you shall see believing men and women
with their light running before them andon their right hands, (it will
be said to them): 'Glad tidings for you this Day. You shall live for
ever in Gardens underneath which rivers flow! That is indeed the
mighty triumph." (Surah Hadeed: 12)
BUT,
If you dared to disobey theLord of the Worlds, following your whims
and desires, earning haraam, lying, cheating and backbiting,involved
in all sorts of sins and forgetting the Aakhirah, then dim andfeeble
will be your light in accordance with the deeds that YOU chose to
commit.
Imagine the desperation, despair and hopelessness of a person in such
a situation!
Complete darkness….. and abridge, that he has to cross….a bridge so
sharp and so slippery and so thin,with hooks….stretching over
Hellfire….and he can't see a thing!
May Allaah protect us.
Wouldn't he give anything,anything to have a light that is strong and bright…..
A light that can illuminate his way across the Siraat….
A light that can take him toJannah??!!
Alas…for him, it will be too late…..
BUT, it's not too late for US.We still have time. We still have a
chance to make our light big and strong. All we have to do is to
submit to Allaah and repent sincerely.

HADEES :- ~

"O Allah, You know, while You are over Your Throne, that humility is
more beloved to me than nobility. O Allah, You know,while You are over
Your throne, that poverty is more beloved to me than richness. O
Allah, You know, while You are over Your throne, that I don't prefer
anyone or anything over Your love."
- Bishr al-Hafi (rahimahullah)

HEALTH - ~ "5 Life-Enhancing Reasons to Eat Fish"

"5 Life-Enhancing Reasons to Eat Fish"

1.Prevent Heart Disease: A Danish study of 49,000 women that was
publishedMonday in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart
Association found that women who ate little to no fish had 50 percent
more heart problems than those who ate fish at least once per week.
Additionally, researchers found that women who rarely ate fish had a
three-fold higher disease risk than those who ate it often. Other
research has found that eating fish high in omega-3s can slash blood
fat levels, which can contribute to a lower heart-disease risk.
2.Reduce Alzheimer's Risk: Eating fish as little as once a week can
help preserve gray-matter neurons — the part of the brain linked to
memory and cognition — according to a new study presented last monthat
the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting.
Researchers found that people who eat baked or broiled — but notfried
— fish had larger brains and larger cells in the areas of the brain
responsible for memory and learning. Scientists believe the larger
brain volume can help lower the risk of cognitive decline and
Alzheimer's disease.
3.Improve Skin and Hair: One of the biggest drawbacks to a low-fat
dietis you often deprive your skin and hair of the healthyfat it
needs, leaving it dull and dry. The omega-3s in fish are exactly the
type of healthy fat to eat to keep your skin looking nourished and
your hair shiny. Research has also linked fish and omega-3 consumption
to treatment of skin conditions such as psoriasis.
4.Ease Depression: Several studies have found that when taken along
with prescription antidepressantmedications, the omega-3sin fish are
more effective attreating depression that just prescription medication
alone. One study of 52 pregnant women found that taking a300 mg
capsule of omega-3s during pregnancy significantly reduced the women's
risk of postpartum depression.
5.Boost Brain Development: The EFA omega-3 found in salmon and other
nutrient-rich fishare essential nutrients for children because they
contribute to brain development. Some studieshave even found that
omega-3 consumption can help soothe symptoms of ADHD. Experts
recommend, however, that parents ask their pediatrician before
introducing supplements to a child's diet.

HEALTH - ~ Pick up the pace

Why exercise is important for the heart.

My Grandpa lived to be a healthy 89 years; and evenin his 80s he would
walk almost 15 km up and down to collect his pension. Of course this
was20 years ago. Today it is impossible to walk so much considering
the pollution, traffic, weather... But how many of us even walk to the
shop down thestreet? We would rather waste time searching for the bike
keys than walk.
This is not about living longer; it's about living healthier. It is
not uncommon to hear of young people in their thirties die of heart
attack all thanks to stress, inactivity and hypertension.
Special muscle
Our heart is a special type of muscle called the myocardium and, like
any other muscle, it requires itsdose of exercise or
cardio-respiratory training. This also improves the efficiency of the
lungs. Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling or any rhythmic
movement that uses the larger muscles groups and can elevate theheart
rate and keep it up done over an extended period of time (say 20-40
min) is called cardio-respiratory training or aerobic training (with
the help of oxygen).
The average heart rate for an individual is 72 beats per minute.
During cardio training the pulse is pushed higher levels keeping the
age factor in mind.
For example, during a briskwalk, the first source of energy for the
working muscle is glucose from the blood. Once the sugar levels are
exhausted, energy is got from the stored fat. However, for this,
oxygen is essential because only oxygen breaks down stored fat into
energy. As the body asks for more oxygen while exercising, the demand
is sent to the heart. The heart starts pumping faster to demand oxygen
from the lungs. This entire exchange forcesthe lungs and the heart to
become extremely efficientso that the working musclecan continue
exercising. The end result: a healthy heart and lungs.
The right level
But it is very important to understand that each one of us has
different levels of fitness and different goals. So performing the
right exercise for the right number of days in the righttime at the
right intensity is the key. As a beginner, introduce cardio activity
three times a week. As activity levels increase, gradually go to five
sessions a week. The duration initially can be 20 minutes (even 10
minutes is good enough for a complete beginner) and increased to 30,
40 and 60 minutes in about two to four weeks.
How hard to exercise (the intensity) has to be kept in mind during a
cardio workout. One easy methodis that the heart rates should be
elevated to 60 to 90 per cent of the age predicted maximum heart rate.
Don't worry; it's not as bad as that sounds. The maximum heart rate is
220bpm (beats per minute) forall. So if you are 30 years old then
220-30 = 190. A beginner would start at 60 per cent intensity which
means 60 per cent of 190 =114 bpm.
So pick up a heart rate monitoring watch, strap it on, calculate your
exercise heart rate, and hit the road, cycle, gym, pool... anywhere as
long it's somewhere other than the couch.
Walk right
Walk with chin up and lookforward
Keep neck and shoulders relaxed
When stepping forward, plant heels first, then roll through with body weight
Swing arms with bent elbows up to chest level
Hold tummy muscles tight
Don't take long strides to avoid knee pain
Breathe deeply from stomach if possible but don't inhale through mouth/

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ The Inner Secrets of Fasting

... They also say that the reason for his (sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam) exertion in the last ten days of Ramadaan was due to his
(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) seeking of the Night of Al-Qadr
(Lailatul-Qadr). An explanation of the inner secrets of fasting and
its characteristics There are three levels of fasting: The general
fast, the specific fast, and the more specific fast. As for the
general fast,then it is the refraining of the stomach and the private
parts from fulfilling their desires. The specific fast is the
refraining of ones gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing and eyes, as
well as the rest of his body parts from committing sinful acts. As for
the more specific fast, then it is the heart's abstention from its
yearning after the worldly affairs and the thoughts which distance one
away from Allah, as well as its (the heart's) abstention from all the
things that Allah has placed on the same level. From the
characteristics of the specific fast is that one lowers his gaze and
safeguards his tongue fromthe repulsive speech that isforbidden,
disliked, or which has no benefit, as well as controlling the rest of
his body parts. In a hadeeth reported by Al-Bukhaaree: "Whosoever does
not abandon false speech and the acting uponit, Allah is not in need
of him leaving off his food and drink." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Abu
Dawood,at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Maajah] Another characteristic of the
specificfast is that one does not overfill himself with food during
the night. Instead, he eats in due measure, forindeed, the son of
Aadam does not fill a vessel more evil than his stomach. If he were to
eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make
good use of himself for the remainder of the night. In the same way,
if he eats to his fill for suhoor, he does not make good use of
himself until the afternoon.This is because excessive eating breeds
laziness and lethargy. Therefore, the objective of fasting disappears
due to one's excessiveness in eating, for what is intended by the
fast, is that one savors the taste of hunger and becomes an abandoner
of desires. Recommended Fasts As for the recommended fasts, then know
that preference for fasting is established in certain virtuous days.
Someof these virtuous days occur every year, such as fasting the first
six days of the month of Shawaal afterRamadaan, fasting the day of
`Arafah, the day of `Aashooraa, and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and
Muharram. Some of them occur every month, such as the first part of
the month, the middle part of it, and the last part of it. So whoever
fasts the first partof the month, the middle part of it, and the last
part of it, then he has done well. Some fasts occur every we...

INDIA - Ooty , Tamil Nadu (Ooty is also known as Ootacamund / Udhagamandalam )

State: Tamil Nadu
District: The Nilgiris
Famous for/as: Hill Station
Languages: Tamil
Best Season: Apr - May, Sep - Nov
Weather: Summer 10-21°C, Winter 5-21°C
Altitude: 2486 m
Pincode: 64300x
STD code: 0423

~
Ooty, also known as Ootacamund, is the Queen of hill stations and the
capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist
resorts in India. Ooty is also a land of picturesque picnic spots.
This place used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the
Britishers during the colonial days. It is situated at an altitude of
2,240 mt above sea level.
An added attraction for thetourists is the mountain train journey on a
ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near
Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves,
fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant
vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens.
One can notice a marvelouschange in vegetation, as one goes from
Kallar to Coonoor . The establishment of numeroustea estates made Ooty
famous. Lofty mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles
and miles of tea gardens greet the passengers on most routes.
The annual Tea and Tourism Festival attracts crowds in huge numbers
tovisit the place and have a great time in this wonderful place. The
environment is so wonderful that is invites a lot of tourist
attraction who come here to enjoy a wonderful time with nature while
staying close to huge landscape.
Ooty has blooming vegetation and wonderful tea gardens and fine pine
and eucalyptus trees, which keep enhancing the beauty of the place.
Severalareas are preserved like that of sanctuary so as to conserve
the beauty of the nature and avoid extinction of the various animals.
Must See/Do: Ooty Botanical Gardens , Doddabetta Peak , OotyLake ,
Tiger Hill , Sim's Park , Dolphin's Nose , Catherine Falls ,
HiddenValley
Destinations in this region: Bellikkal , Coonoor , Red Hills/

Had Allah willed, He would have made you one Ummah

Allah says in the Quran, Surat Al-Maaidah (5:48):
To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed,He
would have made youone nation [united in religion], but [He intended]
to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good.
To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you
concerning that over which you used to differ.
The differences between us, differences of religion, ethnicity and
nationality, are a test and a blessing. They are a part of Allah's
plan. If He had willed it, He could have made us all onesingle Ummah,
with no disagreements and no variations, homogeneous like a field of
grass, all blending together so that the eye could rest on any one
person and he would look no different from any other. Allah could have
made us all with the same language, same faces, eyes and hair, same
customs and traditions, same cuisines, same art and architecture… But
that doesn't sound like a very interesting or exciting world, does it?
The religious differences among us are a test. The other differences
are blessings.
Never let the vast variety of human tongues and traditions become a
source of hostility, suspicion or despair. Never let the physical
distances betweenus become a source of frustration. Be grateful for
the beauty of a Tibetan monastery high in the Himalayas, or the tang
of Thai curry, or the beating of the drum at an Indonesian wedding, or
thegreat variety of cultures found in your own hometown. Be glad for
the opportunity to be exposed to something different, andto let your
mind open like a flower.
If the differences between people present a challenge,then welcome the
challenge; Allah has given you that challenge for a reason, so look
for the opportunity to learn. It is there.

The Wisdom of the Prophet: the Incident of the Epileptic Woman

There is a hadith narrated by 'Ata bin Abi Rabah:
Ibn 'Abbas once said to me,"Shall I show you a womanof the people of Paradise?"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet (peacebe upon him) and
said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please
invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be
patient and you will have Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke
Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but
I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not
become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." - Bukhari :: Book 7
:: Volume 70 :: Hadith 555
This hadith was published recently on MuslimasOasis.com , and I was
fascinated by the many comments from readers who have epilepsy and
have been inspired or comforted by this hadith.
One sister wrote:
"(This hadith) was a comfort to me as an epileptic when I had a
seizure outside of a masjid on the pavement in Philadephia during a
busy Jumaah afternoon. When I came to, my niqab was removed, my hijab
loosened, and my husband and a brother were helpingthe paramedics that
had arrived. Because of this hadith I felt comfort in spite of being
such a spectacle, alhamdulillah."
Another said:
"I too am an epileptic. When I first reverted to Islam over 3 years
ago, oneof the sisters who witnessed my Shahada wrote this hadith out
and gave it to me. It is a HUGE comfort to know this. May Allah ease
the trials of all epileptics and those who suffer from any disease
andgrant us all sabr. Ameen!"
And there were other similar comments, from men and women, ma-sha-Allah.
I don't have epilepsy or any other serious sickeness,Alhamdulillah
(praise God) for all His blessings. But as Iread the comments of
people who do have some illness and have been tremendously comforted
by this hadith, all of a sudden I realized the huge wisdom of the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in whathe said to the epileptic woman. He
could have simply invoked for her and she would have been cured, and
then all of us 1,400 years later would read the story and say,
"Ma-sha-Allah, another miracle to prove his Prophethood." But it
wouldhave no lasting personal significance.
Instead, by asking the woman to be patient and promising her Jannah
(Paradise), the Prophet (pbuh) has sent a message of hope down through
the ages to all the other sufferers in the world: Allah sees your
suffering. Your pain will be compensated, and your patience rewarded
with the greatest possible prize.
Even today epilepsy cannotbe cured, though it can be controlled
somewhat through medication. So even now, all these years later, in
this age of medical wonders, this hadith still has immediate
significance for people who suffer from this illness, and in fact
frompeople who suffer from any illness, from cancer to leprosy to
bipolar disorder.
Another point of note is that every Prophet was sent with certain
types of miracles appropriate to theunderstanding of their people.
Musa (Moses, peacebe upon him) was sent with the staff of power andthe
white hand, because his mission was to a peoplesteeped in sorcery.
"Medicalmiracles" – curing the sick, even bringing the dead back to
life – were the hallmark of the Prophet Isaibn Maryam (Jesus son of
Mary, pbuh), because he was sent to a people who specialized in
healing arts.
If the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had made it his habit to cure the sick,
the Christians might say about us Muslims, "Oh, you are only taking
Biblical stories and applying them to your Prophet."
Instead, though the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed his shareof
wonders, he was given the greatest miracle of all, the Quran, a living
proof through the millenia, and asource of eternal guidance. This is
appropriate becausehis immediate mission wasto a people of poetry, of
language and eloquence; while his greater mission was to all of
humanity.
"Say: 'If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to
produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of
it, even if they backed up each other with help and support.'" (Quran
17:88)
Did the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a mereshepherd and trader living
almost one and a half thousand years ago in the lonely deserts of
Arabia, realize the lasting significance of his actions? Did he
perceive the way hiswords and deeds would echo down the annals of
history?
Sure he did. He was a man of great wisdom, courage and natural
intelligence. Hedid not do things randomly, especially in matters of
worship. And hewas guided by Allah in these matters, so that his
actions could serve as an example for humanity untilthe Day of
Resurrection.

Our Prophet's (saas) Affectionate, Protective and Loving Attitude Toward The People of The Book

OUR PROPHET (SAAS) GAVE THE NAJRAN CHRISTIANS PERMISSION TO WORSHIP IN
THE MASJID-I NABAWI
"A Christian Najran delegation came to Medina at the time of the
afternoon prayer and entered the Masjid-i Nabawai. Arriving when our
Prophet (saas) and his people were still peforming the
afternoonprayer, the Christians turned to the East and prepared to
worship.SOME COMPANIONS WISHED TO PREVENT THEM WORSHIPING, BUT THE
PROPHET (SAAS) COMMANDED THAT THEY BE LEFT ALONE AND PERMITTED TO
WORSHIP. " ( Tabarî, I bn Kathir, Razî, Qurtubî; Surah Al 'I mran,
3/1-61; Part of these commentaries dealt with the beginning of the
Surah, and some with the 61st verse, known as the mubahala verse).
(Hamidullah, The Prophet of Islâm, trans.: Salih Tug, Ankara 2003, I,
920; Saricam, The Prophet Muhammad and His Universal Message, 278.)
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SPREAD OUT HIS CLOAK FOR THE NAJRAN CHRISTIANS TO
SIT ON DURING THEIR VISIT
In addition, according to some accounts, our Prophet (may Allah
blesshim and grant him peace) attended their weddings , visited their
sick, and was generous to them. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAAS) EVEN
SPREAD OUT HIS CLOAK SO THAT THE CHRISTIANS OF NAJRAN WHO CAME TOVISIT
HIM COULD SIT ON IT.
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OFTHE BOOK WERE ENTRUSTED TO MUSLIMS
In the agreement which our Holy Prophet (saas) decreed the articles to
Ibn Harris ibn Ka'b, who is a Christian, and other Christians: " THE
RELIGION, CHURCHES, LIVES, CHASTITY AND PROPERTY OF THE ENTIRE
CHRISTIANS LIVING IN THEEAST AND THE WEST ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF
ALLAH, HIS PROPHET (SAAS) AND ALL THE BELIEVERS.None of the people
embracing the religion of Christianity will be forced to accept Islam
. If one of the Christians suffers murder or injustice, Muslims are
obliged to help him," he narrated the verse: "Only argue with the
People of the Book in the kindest way…" (Surat al-Anqabut, 29/46).
(Ibn Hisham, Abu Muhammad Abdu'l-Malik, (v.218/834), as-Seerat
an-Nabaweeyat, Daru't-Turasi'l-Arabiyye, Beirut, 1396/1971,
IV/241-242; Hamidullah, Al-Wasaiq, s.154-155, No.96-97; DoğuBatı
kaynaklarında birlikte yaşama, "Living together in Eastern and Western
sources, p. 95)
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) MADE THE HOMES OF THE COMPANIONS AVAILABLE FOR
VISITING MEMBERS OFTHE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK TO STAY IN
In the time of our Prophet (saas) envoys and delegations visited
Medinain groups. Sometimes these groups – includingthe People of the
Book – would stay for more than 10 days, such that the houses of some
people such as Abdurrahman bin Awf, Mu g ire bin S ube, Abû Ayyub
al-Ansarî and Ansar were made available for them. In addition, a tent
pitched near the Masjid and where the People of Suffa, who acquired
knowledge around the Masjid al-Nabawi, stayedwould be prepared for the
visitors. Our Prophet (saas) would give documents of privilege
(written commands and instructions setting out rights and privileges
bestowed on certain groups and individuals in agreements with
foreigners)and official texts notifying the lands set aside for them.
He would apppoint governorsfrom among them to some regions. Again, in
sending alms officials to Muslims, the Holy Messenger would also
appoint Christians as non-Muslims capitation tax officials. In fact,
these official delegations that arrived were all evidence of the whole
Arabian peninsula's acceptance of the Prophet Muhammed's (saas)
prophethood and dominion. (Saricam, The Prophet Muhammad and His
Universal Message, 356.)
ON MATTERS THAT WERE NOT REVEALED, OUR PROPHET (SAAS) WOULD ACT
ACCORDING TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, NOT THE PAGANS OF
MECCA
In Mecca, Rasulullah (saas) opposed the Meccan pagans on subjects on
which there had been no revelation, AND ACTED IN THE LIGHT OF THE
BEHAVIOR OF THE POEOPLE OF THE BOOK . (Bukhârî, al-Libâs 70; Muslim,
al-Fadâ'il 90)
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SENT COMPANIONS ON HEJIRA TO THE CHRISTIAN NAJASHI
The first Christian country that attracted the interest of our Prophet
(saas) before the Hejira and that he desired Muslims to migrate to was
Abyssinia. In the face of the ruthless tortures and oppression on the
part of the pagans of Mecca, Rasulullah (saas) desired the Muslims of
Mecca to migrate to Abyssinia and he expressed those feeling in these
words: "If you wish and have the means, seek shelter in Abyssinia.
BECAUSE NOBODY IS PERSECUTED IN THE LANDS OF THE KING WHO RULES THERE.
THAT IS A TRUE AND SAFE PLACE. STAY THERE UNTIL ALLAH MAKES THINGS
EASIER." (Muhammad Hamîdullah, al-Wasaik al-Siyasiyya, (trans.Vecdi
Akyuz), Kitabevi, Istanbul 1997,p.115; Hamîdullah, The Prophet of
Islam, I,297.)

NEWS - ~ Cargo plane hits busin Ghana airport crash

3 June 2012 Last updated at 01:28
~
A cargo plane has crash landed in Ghana's capital Accra, hitting a bus
full of passengers, officials say.
Ten passengers on board the bus were reported to have been killed
while allfour crew members survived.
Local TV showed the heavily damaged Boeing 727 Allied Air plane lying
across a road close to Kotoka International Airport.
Ghana's airport operator said the plane, which hadflown from Lagos,
Nigeria, overshot the runway.
It said in a statement thatthe four crew members were receiving
treatmentat an airport clinic.
"The aircraft collided witha minivan, resulting in 10confirmed
fatalities," the statement added.
Police and troops cordoned off the scene following the incident just
after 19:00 GMT on Saturday.
Ghana's Vice President John Dramani Mahama told reporters at the
airport that a thorough investigation would be carried out.
"No early conclusions should be drawn. We should allow investigations
to arrive atthe actual cause. But I canassure Ghanaians that
thesituation is under control," he said.
Ghana Airport Company said flights were continuing as normal at the airport.
Kofi Kportufe, head of Ghana's national disaster management agency,
praised the emergency services for their quick response, which he said
had "averted further disaster".
"This is a sad day for Ghana," he said.
The BBC's West Africa correspondent John James says Ghana's air safety
record has been good in recent years.

Unawareness: A sly threat

The happy and joyful movements of a small child amuse people. The hard
decisions and reactions to events that are so important to adults,such
as economic crises, natural disasters, wars, and oppression, have no
meaning for them. As longas they are not hungry or thirsty or have
lost a toy, they live in contentment, unaware of what is going on
around them. And as long as they are content, they unconsciously go on
sleeping, playing, and laughing.
However, although it may not be obvious at first, many people are
hardly different from children when it comes to their level of
awareness. This characteristic is especially evident in their lack of
appreciation for such important matters as Allah's (God's) existence
and the Hereafter, the purpose of their creation, the certainty of
death, andthe account they will give to Him in the Hereafter forevery
action or thought while alive.
Most people live accordingto their own desires and intentions, unaware
of Allah's commands and prohibitions, even though He informs us of
them through clear signs. They only want to enjoy the world's
pleasures, be happy, and satisfy their own egos. They pursue its
temporary allurements to the exclusion of all else, working all their
lives to get what they want. Their greatest worries are that their
efforts be in vain andthat they will lose what they already have.
However, this short life and everything pertaining to it will one day
come to an end. Unaware of the eternal punishment awaiting all those
who lived their lives without making any attempt to please Allah, they
head toward the Day of Judgment—a day of great fear and distress for
them. But they continue to desire the world's transitory allurements
andworry only about losing them.
This unconscious, insensible, and uninterested attitude, which they
insist upon following despite His clear evidences, commands,
andwarnings, is known as "unawareness."
Allah has created blessings, including their own bodies and many
beautiful things wherever they may look, to remind human beings of His
existence. At every moment and in every place, we see that creationis
imbued with countless wonders:
In the creation of the heavens and Earth, and the alternation of the
night and day, and the ships that sail the seas to people's benefit,
and the water that Allah sends down from the sky–by which He brings
the ground to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures
of every kind–and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds
subservient between heaven and Earth, there are Signs for people
whouse their intellect. (Surat al-Baqara: 164)
Think of everything that happens and everything you see while you are
awake. When you get up and look in the mirror, yousee your body
regenerated after a long sleep and notice how it continues to function
perfectly without your interference. You see your body just as it was
yesterday—your symmetrical and esthetically shaped body that started
from the division of a single cell andnow contains about 100 trillion
of them; your bodyin which hundreds of complex functions occur ina
perfect sequence of which you are not even aware.
But most people pay no attention to these facts. When looking in the
mirror, all they see is whattheir face generally looks like or if
their hair is combed. They think of nothing except work, school, or
what they are going to do that day. Thusthey fail to realize that
every new day offers themanother opportunity to draw closer to Allah.
Perhaps this will be their last opportunity to do so, for this might
be their last day on Earth. Most people, who cannot appreciate
thevalue of this opportunity, generally busy themselveswith trying to
please only themselves or others. We can explain this with the
following example:
Think of a general knowledge quiz. The winner will win a great deal of
money. How will the contestants behave during the contest? Will they
look around distractedly instead of listening to the questions and
thinking of the answers? Will they criticize the host's shirt, tone of
voice, or hairstyle?Instead of concentrating on the answer, will they
think about what they are going to do or wear tomorrow?
Quite the contrary. The contestants would listen carefully to the host
and try to use the limited time in the best possible way. They would
concentrate on coming up with the answers by being interested in
nothing except the matter at hand.If they were to engage in the type
of meaningless behavior just cited, then we would think that they are
bewildered, have a closed mind, or are irrational; in other words,
unaware.

Tips of

Love cannot express the idea of music, while music may give an idea of love
=
I Heard You Are Good In Algebra . . . !!! ... Can You Please Replace
My 'X' Without Asking 'Y'
=
You may fall from the sky,you may fall from a tree, but the best way
to fall is to fall in love with me.
=
Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
=
Minimum love is friendship; Maximum friendship is love.
=
It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does.

The Best Days in the World

.... Allaah)are to be done in plenty onthese days. Dhikr Ibn `Abbaas
commented on the verse > [22:28] by saying: [Tafseer ibn Katheer]
Fasting One of thewives of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam,
said: "Allaah's Messenger used to fast the (first) nine days of Dhul
Hijjah, the day of `Ashooraa', and three days of each month. [Saheeh
Sunan Abee Daawood#2129] Fasting on all thesedays, however, is not a
waajib (compulsory), nor is it a constant sunnah that the Messenger,
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, never dropped. `Aa'ishah said: "I never
saw the Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, fast the ten days."
[Muslim] The Day of `Arafah- The Best Day of the Whole Year The day of
`Arafah is the day when the pilgrims stand in worship on the Mountain
of `Arafah. "Fasting the dayof `Arafah expiates the [minor] sins of
two years: apast one and a coming one.And fasting the day of
`Aashooraa' expiates the sins of the past year." [Muslim] "There is no
day on which Allaah `azza wa jall frees people from the Fire as He
does no the day of `Arafah. He comes close (to those standing on
`Arafah) and then revels before His angels, saying:"What are these
people seeking?" [Muslim] The Dayof al-`Ad-haa The tenth of
Dhul-Hijjah is `Eed ul- Ad-haa or the day of an-Nahr (slaughtering).
It marks the conclusion of themajor rites of Hajj, and commemorates
Allaah's bounty on His Messenger Ibraaheem, when He gave him a ram to
sacrifice as ransom for his son Ismaa`eel, `alayhimassalaam. "The day
of al-Fitr [i.e. `Eed ul-Fitr], the day of an-Nahr,and the days of
Tashreeq are `Eed days for us Muslims. They are days of eating and
drinking." [Ahmad, an-Nasaa'ee, Saheeh ul-Jaami` #8192] The Three Days
Following `Eed ul-`Ad-haa On these days, the pilgrims completetheir
rites, Muslims continue with their `Eed celebrations, and are
prohibited to fast. "The days of tashreeq are days of eating, drinking
and mentioning Allaah." [Muslim] The Sacrifice Allaah `azza wa jall
mentioned the sacrifice together with the first and foremost worship
in Islaam: prayer. This is a clear indication of its great importance.
Thus He ordered His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, to
slaughter sacrifices by saying: Ruling The general concensus of the
Muslim scholars is that the sacrifice is an important sunnah, and a
worship called for in the Law of Allaah. However, they differ as to
whether it is nafl (voluntary) or waajib(mandatory)...

Speak justice – Al Qur’an 6:152

Speak the truth – Al Qur'an 3:17
Speak straight – Al Qur'an 33:70
Speak justice – Al Qur'an 6:152
Speak kindly – Al Qur'an 2:83
Speak politely – Al Qur'an 17:53
Speak fairly – Al Qur'an 17:28
Speak gently – Al Qur'an 20:44
Speak graciously – Al Qur'an17:23
Speak not in vain – Al Qur'an23:3
Speak no lie – Al Qur'an 22:30.

An unauthentic story about ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him

Question
Salam alaikum, I have read this story on a website andwould like to
know, if this story is known and authentic? 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, radi
Allahu anhu, said that a man cameto his house to complain about his
wife. On reachingthe door of his house, he hears 'Umar's wife shouting
at him and reviling him. Seeing this, hewas about to go back, thinking
that 'Umar himselfwas in the same position and, therefore, could
hardlysuggest any solution for hisproblem. 'Umar, radi Allahuanhu, saw
the man turn back, so he called him and enquired about the purpose of
his visit. He saidthat he had come with a complaint against his wife,
but turned back on seeing the Caliph in the same position. 'Umar, radi
Allhu anhu, told him that he tolerated the excesses of his wife for
she had certain rights against him. He said,"Is it not true that she
prepares food for me, washes clothes for me and suckles my children,
thus saving me the expense of employing a cook, a washerwoman and a
nurse, though she is not legally obliged in any way to do any of these
things? Besides, I enjoy peace of mind because of her and am kept away
from indecent acts on account ofher. I therefore tolerate all her
excesses on account of these benefits. It is right that you should
also adopt the same attitude." (Quoted in Role of Muslim Women in
Society: Afzular Rahman, page 149) Salam alaikum Nuha
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
is His slave and Messenger.
We have neither known of anyone who reported this story with its chain
of narrators nor did we find anyone who clarified whether it is
authentic or weak. Nonetheless, Al-Bujayrimi from the Shafi'i School
of jurisprudence, mentioned itin his "Haashiyah" saying: " Note: It
was reported that a man came to 'Umar… ", sohe mentioned it with the
form which indicates uncertainty 'it was reported'. Moreover,
Ash-Shablanji (Egyptian) quoted it from Al-Bujayrimi in his book "Noor
Al-Absaar Fi Manaaqib Aal Bayt An-Nabi Al-Akhyaar" when he mentioned
the merits of 'Umar .
Allaah Knows best.

{Rewrite Article} - Do You See it In Yourself?

One of Allah's names is Al-Wadood, The Most Loving, and this is
appropriate because a Creator must have love in order to create works
of beauty and power. Allah created you out of love. He created you
with intent. Hecreated you to succeed, notto fail, and He gave you all
the tools that you need to thrive. Open your eyes and see what a
miracle you are,what a thing of beauty, what a gift to the world. I
see that in every person I know. If I met you, I'm sureI would see the
miracle and beauty in you too. Do you see it in yourself?

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ The Way to Paradise is Very Hard

4.36 out of 5 Most Popular Paradise is very high, and ascending
tolofty places takes a great deal of effort. The way to Paradise is
filled with things that go against human wishes and inclinations. This
needs strong determination and willpower. In a hadith narrated by
Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah,the Messenger of Allah,
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said: "Hell has been veiled with desires,
and Paradise has been veiled with hardships." The version recorded by
Muslim says"surrounded" instead of"veiled." [Jami al-Usul, 10/521, no.
8069] An-Nisa'i, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud report from Abu Hurayrah that
the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: "When Allah
created Paradise, He told Jibril, 'Go and look at it.' So he went and
looked at it, then he came back and said: 'By Your Glory, no one will
hear of it but he will enter it." So He surrounded it with hardships
and siad, 'Go and look at it.' So he went and looked at it, thencame
back and said: 'By Your Glory, I fear that noone will enter it." [Jami
al-usul, 10/520, no. 8068. Tirmidhi said: It is a gharib sahih hasan
hadith] An-Nawawi commented onthe first hadith: "This is an example of
the beautiful, eloquent and concise speech of which the Prophet,
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, was capable, in which he gives a
beautiful analogy. It means that nothing will help you to reach
Paradise except going through hardships, and nothing will lead you to
Hell but whims...

The Lowest Rank of Those in Paradise

.. hu `anhu, narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam
said: "I know the last person who will come out of Hell and the last
one to enter the Paradise. A man comes out crawling and Allah
(subhanahu wa ta`ala) says: Go, enter the Paradise. Then he approaches
it and it appears to him as if filled, then he returns back and says:
O Allah, I found it full. Then Allah says: Go, enter the Paradise. He
approaches it and it appears to him as if filled. He then returns back
and says: O Allah, I found it to be full. Allah says to him: Go, enter
Paradise, you have what is equal to the whole world and ten folds (or,
you have what is equalto ten times this world). Hethen says: "O Allah,
are youmocking me (or laughing at me) while You are the King?" Ibn
Mas`ood said: I saw the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam laugh
till his molar teeth were seen. Abdullah stated that the Prophet
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: "That is thelowest rank of those in
the Paradise." [Al Bukhari and Muslim] In the Hadith narrated by Ibn
Mas`ood and the Hadith narrated byAbu Saeed al Khudri, is the story of
the man of the tree, who is in the lowest rank of Paradise. Allah
reminds him, beseech such and such. When he says all and has nothing
more to beg, Allah says: That is for you with ten folds more. Then he
enters his house where his two wives of black and white eyed Hoor
al`Ein came to him and say:We thank Allah who brought you alive to us
and brought us alive to you. Then he says: No person is given like
what I have been given." [Muslim] Al Mughira ibn Shu`ba narrated that
the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam,said: "Musa `alaihis salam
asked Allah: Who is of the lowest rank among those of Paradise....

A Post, Comment, our Reply

Our Posts Topic:-> ''With Allah, in Islam''

María: comments

I was in your facebook page and my first vision was this, I don´t
agree with this.
"Those who love to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet them, and those who
detest to meet Allah, Allah detests to meet them". Do you agree with
this?
Tell me something, knowing that God has created everything us
included, you as a father, do you think if you have two children that
you are going to treat them differently? do you think that if one of
your childrenis in the wrong way, you are going to despise him or her
or you are going to try hard to get him or her in the right way?
If we as human with all our defects, when we are parents we care and
love the way we do, then God Almighty, Merciful…….. Love us beyond our
human emotions, we are just human beings, and if any of us condemns a
brother or a sister we are telling who we are, these are human
attributes, God is far beyond our simple human understanding
andknowledge.
The word "detest" shows a side of a reality, I mean we are in a world
where we handle two sides, God is Oneness, Wholeness,…. includes in
Him both sides,how do you think He is going to show preferencesfor one
of His creatures and not for the others, He knows everything,…. He
cares of every single creature, ……I don´t know if you get my point
here,….
The Word is one of the most powerful tools we have and is good to
remember that behind a Word there is always a Thought.
Allah(swt) knows best.
Beslama/
~
Our Reply:
*I was paraphrasing a hadith qudsi:
Abu Huraira narrates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that Allah says:
"If My servant loves to meet Me, I love to meet him; and if he
dislikes (abhors) to meet Me, I dislike (abhor) to meet him."
Aisha said: "Oh Allah's Messenger, as for death, we all hate it."
Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said:"It is not that, but that when a
believer (at the time of death) is given theglad tidings of the mercy
of Allah, His Pleasure, and of Paradise, he loves to meet Allah, and
Allah also loves to meet him, and when an unbeliever is given the news
of the torment and hardship which he is going to face at the Hand of
Allah, he abhors to meet Allah and Allah also abhors meeting him."
***
Maria, I understand the point you are making. It's true that Allah
cares for every one of His creatures, and He wants the best for every
creature. But it's alsotrue that Allah is a just God. True justice
cannot exist without reward and punishment.
If someone comes to Allahon the Day of Judgment never having believed
in Him, having lived a corrupt life full of sins – maybe a murderer,
maybea child molester, maybe anoppressor, or whatever the case may be
– that person will not like to meet Allah. He will fear to meet Allah
because he knows he will be punished. Similarly, Allah will not like
to meet him, because He must punish him.
So, yes, of course Allah prefers some creatures over others. He
prefers those who believe in Him and obey Him, who do good in the
world, who show love and compassion to other creatures. This is
natural. And He loves to meet those people, as they will be happy to
meet Him.

China - Hongcun: a village thriving on water

2012-06-01 03:06:24 GMT 2012-06-01 11:06:24(Beijing Time) Xinhua English


Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.
(China.org.cn/SunHui)
Hongcun Village is located in Yixian County at the foot of the
southwestern slope of Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province. With morning
mist, stone bridges, white walls, water lily ponds and hills, it has
been described as a village out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Besides halls, pavilions and temples, the village consists of 160
ancient residences. These architectures, with fantastic stone
carvings, were built during the Mingand Qing dynasties and widely
regarded as the best historic sites throughout China.

The Aim Is To Attain The Good Pleasure Of Allah

Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, makingmy religion sincerely
His." (Surat az-Zumar: 11)
Once having grasped the extent of Allah's infinite might, to forget
His existence and remain heedless is merely to delude oneself. What
Allahdemands from human beings is that they seek to earn His good
pleasure as their sole priority in life.
Since it is Allah Who created man, provided him his sustenance and all
other such blessings, and Who promised him eternallife in the , it
would be an act of ingratitude for man to seek the pleasure of others,
or the gratification of his own self, as his primary aim. The
punishment for such ungratefulness is eternal hellfire.
There are two choices a man can make; he can either found his life on
Allah's good pleasure, and thus earn the reward of His Paradise, or
choose thepath that leads to Hell. A third option is not available for
him. This is clearly expressed in the following verse:
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and
His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brinkof a
crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of
Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)
Those values praised in the Qur'an are those founded on purely that
which achieves Allah's pleasure. For example, self-sacrifice, which is
pleasing to Allah, is valid only if the person does notexpect anything
for it in return, but rather only to attain Allah's good pleasure. It
is related in the Qur'an that believers conduct themselves correctly
only to seek Allah's countenance:
They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and
captives: "We feed you only out of desire for theFace of Allah. We do
not want any repayment from you or any thanks." (Surat al-Insan: 8-9)
Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) also stated in ahadith that Allah's Pleasure must always be
held above man's pleasure:
Whoever seeks Allah's Pleasure at the expense ofmen's displeasure,
will winAllah's Pleasure and Allah will cause men to be pleased with
him. And whoever seeks to please men at the expense of Allah's
Displeasure, will win the Displeasure of Allah and Allah will cause
men to be displeased withhim. (narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh)
The greatest honor and gratification man can ever attain is Allah's
good pleasure. Allah makes His servants pleased with Himthrough the
multitude of blessings He bestows on them. In a verse of the Qur'an,
the reward for believers who are pleased with Allah, and with whom
Allah is pleased, is related as follows:
Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing
under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is
pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is for those who
fear their Lord. (Surat al-Bayyina: 8)
Allah's good pleasure is not only earned solely by performing certain
acts of worship at definite times. Allah's good pleasure is also
earned by conducting oneself correctly throughout one's lifetime. The
following verse informs us that a believer's entire life must be
oriented towards a single goal:
Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah
alone, the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am:162)

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ Creation in Fruits

It is He Who stretched out the earth and placedfirmly embedded
mountains and rivers in it and made two types ofevery kind of fruit.
He covers over day with night. There are Signs in that for people who
reflect. (Surat ar-Rad, 3 )

Bijapur INDIA

The beautiful city of Bijapur is located in Karnataka in South India.
It is famous for the many historic marvels that dot the city. The
history of the city dates back to the 11thcentury when it was founded
by the Chalukya dynasty. They referred to it as Vijayapura.
It was since the 14th century that the city was being called Vijapur
or Bijapur when it came under the Bahamani sultanate of Gulbarga . The
city was taken over by theAdil shah dynasty in the 15th century. Much
of the city's greatness belongs tothe monuments that wereconstructed
during this period. After India's independence the place became part
of the Bombay state but it was restored to Mysore in 1956.
The city comprises people of both Aryan and Dravidian descent. Most of
the city's population is Hindu Lingayat. There are very few Christian
and Muslim communities in the region.
There are several world famous locations in the city such as the following:
*. Gol Gumbaz , one of thelargest domes in the world
*. Ibrahim Rauza , an architectural marvel
*. Jumma Masjid , the largest mosque in the area
*. Malik-e-Maidan, the largest medieval cannon in the world. There are
many more equally magnificent structures like Asar Mahal, Chand Bawdi,
Gagan Mahal, Barakaman and Upri Buruj. Besides these the city also has
several sprawling gardens.
Bijapur still maintains its royal character and the many monuments are
sure to acquaint one with the rich culture and tradition of the area.

Agra India : Plains : Uttar Pradesh

The Taj Mahal
Agra [1] is the city of the Taj Mahal, in the north Indian state of
Uttar Pradesh , some 200 km from Delhi .
Agra has three UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Taj Mahal and the Agra
Fort in the city and Fatehpur Sikri nearby. There are also many other
buildings and tombs from Agra's days of glory as the capital of the
Mughal Empire.
The city has little else to recommend it. Pollution, especially smog
and litter, is rampant and travellers are pestered by swarms oftouts
and hawkers at every monument, mosque,temple or palace. That said, the
sites are some of the wonders of the world and no trip to India is
complete without at least one visit to the Taj.
[ edit ] Understand
While Agra's heyday was as the capital of the Mughal empire between
1526 and 1658, the city was founded much earlier.The earliest
reference to Agra is in the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, while
Ptolemy was the first person to call it by its modern name. The
recorded history of Agra begins around the 11th century, and over the
next500 years, the city changed hands between various kings, both
Hindu and Muslim.
In 1506, Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, moved
his capital from Delhi to Agra. His son Ibrahim Lodi was the last
ruler of the Lodi dynasty, as he was defeated in 1526 by Babur, the
first Mughal ruler, in the battle of Panipat. Agra fell too, and
became the capital of the Mughals, whose rule over Agra was
uninterrupted except for a brief period between 1540 and 1556. In
1540, Sher Shah Shuri overthrew Humayun became the ruler of much of
North India, including Agra. After Sher Shah Suri'sdeath his
descendants proved unequal to the task of ruling the kingdom, and
Hemu, a Hindu general of Suri became the effective ruler who would
later crown himself King HemachandraVikramaditya just as the kingdom
was facing an assault from the reinvigorated Mughals. In 1556, Hemu
would be defeated and killed in the second battle of Panipat, and the
Mughals regained Agra.
Mughals were great builders. Babur built the Aram Bagh (garden of
relaxation) modeled after the garden of paradise, where he was
eventually buried after his death. His grandson Akbar refurbished the
Agra fort and built the Fatehpur Sikri , an entire city just onthe
outskirts of Agra. He also renamed Agra after himself, and the city
was known as Akbarabad while it was in Mughal hands. Akbar's grandson
Shah Jehan would give Agra its most famous monument, the Taj Mahal ,
which is the mausoleum of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal . The Taj is
constructed in white marble. It took 20 years toconstruct, and is now
universally known as a monument to love. Legend has it that Shah Jehan
wanted a replica of the Taj constructed in black marble that would be
his final resting place. There is no actual support for this theory,
but even if it were true, it would havebeen unlikely to be eventuated.
His son Aurangzeb was austere and pious, and had no time or
inclination for the ostentation of his forefathers, preferring to
spend his money on wars in South India. In any case,even during Shah
Jehan's reign, which was the period when the Mughal empire was at its
height, the construction of the Taj put a strain on the resources of
the empire and caused a min-famine around Agra. Shah Jehan was
eventually buried in the white Taj, next to his beloved Begum.
Shah Jehan, in addition to giving Agra its greatest claim to fame, was
also responsible for beginning its decline, as decided to shift his
capital to Shahjehanabad, which we now know as Old Delhi, in 1658.
Though Aurangzeb ordered a move back, this too was short lived, as he
moved his headquarters down south to Aurangabad to be focus onhis
wars. Agra declined, and so did the Mughal Empire. The city was
eventually captured by theMarathas, who renamed it back to Agra. In
1803, it came under the British, who situated the Agra Presidency
there, and when India gained independence, the city was incorporated
into the state of Uttar Pradesh, anddid not gain even the limited
honour of being the state's capital, that distinction going to Lucknow
, further east. It isnow a tourist town, known for the Taj and a
couple of other monuments.
Anyone interested in reading a novel based on the remarkable story
behind the Taj Mahal's creation should consider Beneath a Marble Sky
by John Shors. Beneath a Marble Sky is an international bestseller,
has won multiple awards, and is being made into a movie by Hollywood.
Other book (historical fiction) is The Taj by Colin De Silva.
[ edit ] Get in
Agra is 200 km southeast from Delhi and is one of the points of the
tourist's Golden Triangle of Agra- Delhi - Jaipur . Agra is also very
well connected via rail/

Hollywood, California

Although Hollywood is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, for some it's
more a state-of-mind. "I'mgoing to Hollywood," say young hopefuls who
dream of acting in movies or on television.
Indeed, they're going to Los Angeles but probably not to Hollywood
itself. Though Hollywood has long represented the glitz and glamour of
the film, television, and music industries, most studios have moved
away from this quirky district in favor of other L.A. neighborhoods,
like Burbank.
Nevertheless, Hollywood still attracts millions of visitors each year
who travel there to pay homage to their favorite stars and perhaps
even catch a glimpse of a few famous personalities. Sometimes they're
lucky! And while, for years, Hollywood had a rather seedy reputation,
the town has endeavored to make recent improvements in the areasmost
visited by tourists, adding a new kind of charm to this interesting
neighborhood.
-
Hollywood is fun to explore on foot but, by far,the best way to see
Hollywood and all of its sights is by taking a narrated bus tour of
the city, especially if it's your first visit. Visitors will find lots
of companies with kiosks on Hollywood Boulevard touting their tours as
the best available.In fact, many of them are very good and will
provide you with an excellent overview of the landmark attractions in
the city.
Some of the tours are fairly short while others will consume the
better part of the day. Which youchoose will depend on justhow
star-struck you mightbe! Most of the tours also venture into nearby
neighborhoods, particularly Beverly Hills, the area where many
starsmake their homes and have for decades. Though the buses aren't
allowed to come to a complete stop in front of the houses,you'll still
get a good look at them.

NEWS - ~ Britain marks Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, HCMR, form up in the early
hours of this morning Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Palace of
Westminster, London during the Queens Diamond Jubilee Procession
rehearsal. (AP)
Mugs celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
on sale in Trafalgar Squareon June 1, 2012 in London,England. (AP)
Britain on Saturday kicks off four days of celebrations to mark Queen
Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee, includinga 1,000-boat river pageantand
a star-studded concert.
The queen starts the festivities by indulging in her love of horse
racing at the Epsom Derby on Saturday before riding in aceremonial
barge on the Thames at the centre of the giant flotilla on Sunday.
One million people are expected to line the river to see the
extravaganza ofsteam boats and tugs, speed boats and historic vessels.
A concert in the shadow ofBuckingham Palace featuring Paul McCartney
and other top names is the highlight on Monday before the four-day
extravaganza culminates in the pomp and splendour of a ceremonial
parade on Tuesday.
Aside from the setpiece events in London, millions of people up and
down the country are commemorating the jubilee by throwing a party at
home.
"It looks like the entirety of Britain is going to turn out," said
historian Kate Williams, the author of"Young Elizabeth: The Making of
our Queen".
They will be making the most of the two-day public holiday granted for
an historic occasion -- the queen is only the second British monarch
to celebrate a diamond jubilee, after queen Victoria, in 1897.
Union Jacks are fluttering in streets and shop windows and retailers
report that red, white and blue bunting and even jubilee garden gnomes
areselling fast.
The celebrations take place as the royal family enjoys its highest
support for decades, with a recent poll showing that 80 percent of
Britons want the country to remain a monarchy.
Those levels of support are comparable to 1953, the year of the
queen's coronation.
Coming hot on the heels of Prince William's wedding to the then Kate
Middleton last year, the jubilee is likely to further boost the
royals' popularity.
Amid the acclaim for the queen it is easy to forget that just a decade
ago, thepicture was very different.
Following the death of Diana, princess of Wales, ina Paris car crash
in 1997, the monarch was widely criticised for failing to join in the
public outpouring ofgrief.
She did eventually bow toDiana's coffin as it passed, a moment that
Williams says was a turning point.
Now there is a "massive surge" of affection for the queen both in
Britain and across the Commonwealth, said Williams.
"At the moment the queen's popularity is as high as it's ever been
sinceher coronation," she told AFP.
"This is really quite incredible when you think about how
extraordinarilyunpopular she was after the death of Diana."
At the centre of the celebrations is an 86-year-old great-grandmother,
who was visiting Kenya in February 1952 when she was told that her
father, king George VI, had died atthe age of 56, thrusting her into
the role of queen.
When she ascended to thethrone in 1952 aged just 25, Winston Churchill
was prime minister of Britain, Jawaharlal Nehru led the
newly-independent India and swathes of Africa and Asia were still
governed by Britain.
She has visited 116 countries over the past six decades, but in a nod
to her age she and her husband Prince Philip have given their children
the task of visiting the countries of the Commonwealth in the jubilee
year.
Philip has recovered from emergency heart surgery in December and is
expected to play a full partin the jubilee celebrations, just a week
before his 91stbirthday.

--
/ - - {http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/edkGf}
/ - - - -

Islamic Article :- The Second Wife

I heard a commentary the otherday which hit home like little else has
in a long time. A news commentator had just finished interviewing some
local youngsters on the impact that the Clinton/Lewinsky affair had
upon them. Most of the young people said the same. "It is personal."
"Let him be." "No oneis perfect." and so forth... The commentator,
when summing up his report said, "The President is supposed to
represent the morals and valuesof the society that he represents." He
paused and then said, "Maybe that is the problem."
That pretty much summed it up.Clinton represents the morals and values
of America. He is the poster-child for the greedy, over-indulgent
American who isconcerned with nothing more than self gratification. So
why do so many Muslims idealize this society? Why are so many of us so
enamoured with the values of these people that we either appologize
for or even deny basic tenents of our belief?
One such tenent is polygyny. Polygyny is the practice of marrying more
than one wife. Unfortunately, often the term polygamy - the practice
of marrying more than one spouseis used to describe the practice in
Islam. This is incorrect. Islam allows more than one wife, up to four.
I have found that Muslims have fallen prey to the Western ideal of one
woman for one man, which is laughable when you look to the reality of
their relationships. The majority of men admit to committing adultery
and a growing numberof women do the same. The system in the West has
been described by some as serial monogomy because of the insane
divorce rate, but is in reality little more than a charadefor an open
unchecked worshipof human desire.
Unfortunately, I have heard Muslim women say, I would rather that my
husband commit adultery than that he bring a second wife. What a low
state we have reached that such a comment could ever come from a
Muslim. May Allah (SWT) Guide us, Ameen!
I have even heard Muslims actually ask, "Why is it allowed for men but
not for women to have more than one spouse at atime?" Our level of
faith in the Wisdom of Allah has fallen to such an all-time low, that
we no longer think that it is wrong or even disliked to question the
judgement of Allah.
Too many of us follow the West into the lizard hole, and we don't even
bother to take a lightwith us to see if it is safe. We nolonger care.
We assume that they know what they are doing and we jump in with no
fear. I wish such Muslims would have the same amount of faith in Allah
(SWT) that they have in theWest.
We have to start dealing with Islamic issues with the eyes andears and
minds of Muslims, not with the tongues of the Kafirs, Insha-Allah.
Look to this society. Any sane, rational human being can see the
destruction they have brought upon themselves with their modern
concepts of love, justice, equality and humanrights. The only true
definitions of these concepts are those revealed by Allah (SWT) and
taught and practiced by His beloved Messenger. America hasshown itself
to be devoid of values, time and time again, but too many Muslims
blindly ignorethe results of these actions and continue to follow
them, footstep by footstep.
Allah (SWT) has made it so easy for us. He has given us all that we
need to deal with any issue that may present itself. He has paved an
even, straight path forus, so why do so many of us consistantly veer
to roads that are clearly wraught with dangerand isapointment? Allah
(SWT) has blessed us with guidance. He has blessed us with knowledge.
He has blessed us with Islam. So, which of the blessings of our Lord
will we ignore?
Allah (SWT) says,
"... Marry of the women that please you; two, three or four, but if
you fear you will not be able to deal justly, then only one..."
(An-Nisa 4:3)
I have looked to this statement many times. Some people point out to
me the part that speaks of dealing justly, and they matchit with,
"And you have it not in your power to do justice between wives, even
though you may wish (it), but be not disinclined (from one) with total
disinclination, so that you leave her as it were in suspense; and if
you effect a reconciliation andguard (against evil), then surely Allah
is Forgiving, Merciful."
(An-Nisa 4:129).
Here, they say, it is impossible for a person to be fair, therefore it
is not allowed to marry more than one. This doesnot match what is
written. The verse says to not desert them. How can this be a command
to not marry more than one? Also, I find this theory hard to accept
since I know that the prophet, the companions, the second generation,
the third generationand so forth were all practicers of polygyny. If
it were wrong, oreven makru - as some state - then we would not find
the majority among our best generations practicing it.

--
/ - - {http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/edkGf}
/ - - - -