--------Why the Devil is called Shaytan ??? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Arabic language, Shaytan is derived from Shatana, which means the
far thing. Hence, the Shaytan has a different nature than mankind, and
his sinful ways are far away from every type of righteousness. It was
also said that Shaytan is derived from Shata, (literally `burned'),
because it was created from fire. Some scholars said that both
meanings are correct, although they state that the first meaning is
more plausible. Further, Siybawayh (the renowned Arab linguistic)
said, "The Arabs say, `So-and-so has Tashaytan,' when he commits the
act of the devils. If Shaytan was derived from Shata, they would have
said, Tashayyata (rather than Tashaytan).'' Hence, Shaytan is derived
from the word that means, far away. This is why they call those who
are rebellious (or mischievous) from among the Jinns and mankind a
`Shaytan'. Allah said,
﴿وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نِبِىٍّ عَدُوّاً شَيَـطِينَ الإِنْسِ
وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُوراً﴾
(And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies ـ Shayatin
(devils) among mankind and Jinn, inspiring one another with adorned
speech as adelusion (or by way of deception)) (6:112).
In addition, the Musnad by Imam Ahmad records that Abu Dharr said that
the Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him)said,
«يَا أَبَا ذَرَ تَعَوَّذْ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَيَاطِينِ الْإِنْسِ وَالْجِنِّ»
(O Abu Dharr! Seek refuge with Allah from the devils of mankind and
the Jinns.) Abu Dharr said, "I asked him , `Are there human devils' He
said, (Yes.)'' Furthermore,it is recorded in Sahih Muslim that Abu
Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
«يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ وَالْكَلْبُ الْأَسْوَدُ»
(The woman, the donkey and the black dog interrupt the prayer (if they
pass in front of those who do not pray behind a Sutrah, i.e. a
barrier).) Abu Dharr said,"I said, `What is the difference between the
black dog and the red or yellow dog' He said,
«الْكَلْبُ الْأَسْوَدُ شَيْطَانٌ»
(The black dog is a devil.).''
Also, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab RA once
rode aBerthawn (huge camel) which started to proceed arrogantly. `Umar
RA keptstriking the animal, but the animal kept walking in an arrogant
manner. `Umar RA dismounted theanimal and said, "By Allah! You have
carried me on a Shaytan. I did not come down from it until after I had
felt something strange in my heart.'' This Hadith has anauthentic
chain of narrators.

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Cultural India : Indian Monuments : Char Minar

The Charminar, Hyderabad is a massive and impressive structurewith
four minarets. The Charminar in Hyderabad was constructed in 1591 by
Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah.
The Charminar in Hyderabad was constructed in 1591 by Mohammed Quli
Qutab Shah. He built the Charminar to mark the end of plague in the
Hyderabad city. Since the construction of the Charminar, the Hyderabad
city has almost become synonymous with the monument. The Charminar is
a massive and impressive structurewith four minarets. In the evening,
with illumination, the great Charminar looks even greater. With the
passage of time the Charminar occupied so much importance that it
became the heart of all bustling activities. It is inthe bustling
bazaars around the Charminar that you find the traditional nahari
stalls and kulchas of Hyderabad. Hyderabad isone of those few cities,
which have a fine blend of modernity and tradition.
The Charminar has four imposing arches, which face the four main
directions. A row of small vaulted niches ornament each of the four
arches. The Char Minar is a two-storied building with the first floor
being covered. The balconies on this floor provide a great view of the
surrounding areas. Asmall mosque adorns thetop floor of the Charminar.
This mosque is situated on the western side of the Charminar facing
Mecca, the holy city of the Muslims. This mosque is said to be the
oldest surviving mosque in Hyderabad city. Charminar, the hub of
Hyderabad city, has four wide roads going in each direction. The
Charminar is square in shape, each side measuring 100 feet, witha
central pointed high arch at the center.
The four minarets of the Charminar dominate the landscape of the
region. The minarets, their domed finials rising from their
lotus-leaves cushion, rise to 180 feet from the ground. The whole
structure containsvarious small and ornamental arches arranged in
vertical and horizontal fashion. The cornice on the first floor
upholds a series of six arches and capitals on each portico, rising to
the double-story gallery of the minarets. The projected canopy,
decorative brackets and decoration in stucco plaster add graceful
elegance to the Charminar. On the upper courtyard, a screen of arches
topped by a row of square jalis or water screens provides a delicate
charm to the muscular look of the Charminar.

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WINTER HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS IN INDIA

Honeymoon is a time when two people, after tying the knot, relax
andenjoy sometime away from others. It's just the two of them spending
allday long together. Honeymoon is the time when the newly wed couple
gets to know each other better. Honeymoon is the beginning of their
new life together. A honeymoon destination has to be such where you
forget about the daily chores and whims and just rekindle the love. In
India honeymoon is the first official outing for the bride and the
groom, so it has to be a special destination to celebrate the occasion
of being together and entering a new phase of life.
Auli
Auli is located in the cradle of snow-capped mountains. Auli is one
ofthe very few places in India where skiing is a major pastime. As the
winters set in, the mountains seem to extend to the firmament with
arms of snow. The bitter cold winds, the vast snow-covered landscape,
the sylvan mountains, all add up to make Auli a skier's paradise.
Patnitop
Patnitop is a beautiful and serene hill station. With all its beauty
at a hill station, it is a charming plateau at 2, 024m. The meadow is
surrounded by dense woods and lush greenery of Pines. Trackslead to
pockets where time stands still and calmprevails. If seeking snowboard
joys December to March is the time to be here.
Manali
Manali is surrounded by towering peaks at an arm length. Situated in
the lap of Kullu Valley, Manali is an ancient town. Manali's major
asset is its proximity to the snow line. The national level skiing
competition is held on the slopes of Solang Nullah and the winter
carnival is organized at Manali. Flourishing orchards, popular
honeymoon destination and trail head for numerous treks make Manali a
dream destination.
Tamilnadu
Tamilnadu is a wonderful tourist place. It has natural beauty i.e.blue
beaches and clear skies. People enjoy the peace amidst the lively and
magnificent temples. There are more than 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu,
which has given the state the distinctive title of 'A Land of
Temples'. Built by various dynasties these temples bear a superficial
resemblance to each other in that they share the same physical
features - the gopuram or the imposing tower over theentrance and the
spacious halls and corridors.
The history of the Tamils presents an exciting pageant of a powerful
civilization whose origindates back to ancient times. It is clear that
the Tamils, who belong to the Dravidian race, werethe first major
occupantsof the country and settled in the north-western part of India
long before the coming of the Indo-Aryans. Excavations have revealed
that the features of the people ofthe Indus Valley Civilization bore a
strongresemblance to this race.
Tamil Nadu celebrates alltheir festivals in colourful splendour. Tamil
Nadu offers the traveller excellent value, particularly in
accommodation. Hotel prices are generally lower than they are further
north and standards are often higher. The food in Tamil Nadu is
comparatively inexpensive and good. Tamil Nadu provides the visitor
with a wide variety of cuisines.
For the tourists, most important point to remember about Tamil Nadu is
the rainy season between October and December when the northeast
monsoon brings rain here. Throughout the year for the plains, cotton
is the best wear. In the hilly areas, you will need to carry a light
sweater or two, heavier woollens are a must for winter. Umbrellas are
extremely needed during the hottest months and raincoats will come in
handy between October and December i.e. the rainy season. The best
time to visit to Tamil Nadu is between November and March.
Tamil Nadu is bounded by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the north and
Kerala in the west. The eastern and western tips of the state are
defined by the Point Calimere and Mudumalaiwildlife sanctuaries while
the northern extreme is Pulicat lake and the southernmost tip is
Kanyakumari, the land's end. The people ofTamilnadu lead relaxed
lifestyles. The urban social recreations include clubs, golf links,
beach resorts, theme parks, race courses, art and theatre. Visits to
game reserves, holiday resorts, long sandy beaches, zoological and
entertainment parks andsanctuaries are the othermany social pastimes
available. Tourists spots include hill stations like Ooty and
Kodaikkanal which are all time favourites.
Coonoor
A quiet hill station, an hour away from Ooty, and reached by a
delightful toy-train, Coonoor nestles snuggly in the lap of the famous
blue Nilgiri hills. A delightful town with exquisite scenery all
round, there is much to see at this idyllic, lesser-known retreat
covered by grassy meadows, a profusion of sunflowers, marigolds and
rhododendrons, all growing wild.
With steep hills and valleys carpeted with teabushes, interspersed
with eucalyptus and silver oak, life moves at agentle pace in this
town of tea estates. Commanding a breathtaking view of theCoimbatore
plains, it is a paradise for avid trekkers and naturalists with its
vast stretches of undisturbed shoals forests. An essentially small tea
garden town, the weather remains pleasantly cool throughout the year.

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Imam Hasan (a.s.):

Imam Hasan (a.s.) was born on the 15th of Ramzan al-Mubarak in the 3rd
Hijrah. His name was suggested by Allah (swt) through a Vahi
(revelation) to the Prophet Mohammad (saw) which suggested that since
Imam Ali (a.s.) isto the Prophet Mohammad (saw) as Hazrat Haroon
(a.s.) was to Hazrat Moosa (a.s.), thename of his child should be on
the name of the son of Hazrat Haroon (a.s.) which was Shabbar -
meaning Hasan in Arabic. This was the first time that a child was
named Hasan.
Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Knowledge
Imam Hasan (a.s.), like all other Imams wasgranted divine knowledge by
Allah (swt)and he demonstrated it right from his childhood.
Once Imam Hasan (a.s.) was asked "What are the 10 strong things that
are stronger than one another?" Imam Hasan (a.s.) replied:
Among the strong things is Stone;
Even stronger is the Iron which is used to break Stone;
Even stronger is the Fire which melts Iron;
Even stronger is the Water which extinguishes Fire;
Even stronger are Clouds that carry Water with them;
Even stronger is the Air which floats the Clouds with it;
Even stronger is the Angel who moves the Air;
Even stronger is the Angel who will give Death to the Angel who moves the Air;
Even stronger is the Death which will come upon the Angel of Death; and
Even stronger is the order of Allah (swt) which governs the Death.
Once the ruler of Rome asked Imam Hasan (a.s.):"Which are the
creations which were born without a mother and father or Male and
Female?" and Imam Hasan (a.s.) replied:
These are 7 creations: Hazrat Adam (a.s.), HazratHawwa (a.s.), the
lamb which was sent in place of Hazrat Ismaeel (a.s.), the camel of
Hazrat Saleh (a.s.), the serpent of Hazrat Moosa (a.s.), Ibleesand the
crow that taught the method of burial to Qabeel son of Hazrat Adam
(a.s.).
Two Ahadith in praise of Imam Hasan (a.s.)
1. Ahmad ibn-e-Hambal, Tirmizi, Nisai and ibn-e-Habban quoted on
authority of Hazrat Huzaifa (r.a.) and Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri (r.a.)
that Prophet Mohammad (saw) said - Hasan (a.s.) and Hussain (a.s.) are
the leaders of the youth of paradise and Fatimah (s.a.) is the leader
of the women of paradise.
2. Tirmizi and Ibn-e-Habban quoted from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (r.a.)
that Prophet Mohammad (saw) said - Hasan (a.s.) and Hussain (a.s.) are
my and my daughter's sons. O Allah I love them so you love them too
and you love anyone who would love them.
Problems during and after Imam Hasan (a.s.) life
As with the otherImam (a.s.), Imam Hasan's lifewas also filled with
difficulties. From thevery childhood he saw the faces and activities
ofthe so called companions of the Prophet Mohammad (saw) who left him
alone in several battlefields, who objected to the Prophet Mohammad's
(saw) decisions up to the stage that some of them expressed their
doubts that he was Allah's Prophet.
Then upon the demise of Prophet Mohammad (saw), he saw that only a
handful of his faithful companions were there to bury him and the rest
had left him to share political power among themselves. He saw the
atrocities of Bani Ummayad in the way they treated the Ahle Bait(a.s.)
and hurled accusations against ImamAli (a.s.) after the killing of
Hazrat Usman third Caliph. He lived through the battles of Siffin ,
Jamal and finally saw the martyrdom of his father Imam Ali (a.s.).
As if all of this was not enough, even after his death the agents of
Bani Ummaya continued their work against the Ahle Bait (a.s.) and
grafted stories of hundreds of marriages of Imam Hasan(a.s.). Some
mentioned that he married 70 times and other said that he married more
than 300 times but none could count names of more than 10 wives. Such
was the strength of their hatred that upon his death, he was not
allowed to be buried alongside his grand father, the Prophet Mohammad
(saw).
Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Amr Bil Maroof (Enjoininggood)
Perhaps we all have experienced the situationwhere we meant to convey
a correct criticismwith good intentions to afriend, but it has
unintentionally leaded todispleasure and annoyance. Have we
everthought about the best way to increase the effectiveness of
criticism?
In general, when a person makes a moral criticism, two targets could
be sought: (1) the action which the criticizer finds incorrect, (2)
the person who has performed the incorrect action. What is painful and
burdensome about criticism, and can lead to anger, grudge, and
animosity is the damage that hurts one's pride. Although that person
might argue about his action and bring proofs for its correctness, in
reality, he is defending"himself", and is attempting to save his
esteem and personality.
Therefore, to assure that a criticism does not hurt one's pride or
make him react, the criticizer has toset the incorrect action asthe
main target of his criticism rather than its performer. If so, the
criticism would be constructive, and desirable consequences would
follow. The traditions of Imam Hassan (as) bear a good example of such
criticism:
An old man sat to do his Wudhu / Wuzu (Ablution). But his Wudhuwas not
correct. Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Hussain (a.s.) the grandsons of
the ProphetMohammad (saw), then two young boys, watched him. They
immediately realized thatthe old man was not doing his Wudhu
correctly, but hesitated totell him directly. Perhaps the old man
would feel humiliated by two youngboys, or he might even lose interest
in the act of worship.
Sitting next to him, they started to do the Wudhu and during the
Wudhu, Imam Hasan (a.s.)said: "Oh Hussain my Wudhu is correct and more
perfect than yours."
In reply, Imam Hussain (a.s.) insisted that his own Wudhu was better
than Imam Hasan's.
Finally they said: "Let us refer to this gentleman. He is older than
us and should be able to decide."
The old man was listening patiently. The boys performed their Wudhu
under his supervision, one after theother. And when they had finished,
he realized the Wudhu done by the boys was methodical andcorrect. It
was his own Wudhu which was incorrect. Turning to Imam Hasan (a.s.)
and Imam Hussain (a.s.), he gently said: "The Wudhu done by you is
correct. I am grateful that you chose to guide me in such a beautiful
manner."
Imam Hassan (as) and Imam Hussain (as) neither criticized the old man,
nor reproached himfor his ignorance of the ruling of Islam.
Moreover,they did not refer to his way of performing Wudu, nor did
they call his action void. Rather, they performed Wudu themselves and
taught the old man its correct way indirectly. The result of this
polite and wise criticism was that the old man confessed to his
mistake explicitly, learned how to perform Wudu correctly, and thanked
them with kindness and pleasure.
Indeed, having good morals is the best way of criticism and education.
It is so important that according to Imam Hassan (as), "The best of
the best is having good morals".
How cautious are we towards the details the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) have
taught us in criticizing our brothers in faith? Arewe helping others
progress and get educated through good morals and leniency?
Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Anger Management
Mubarad and Ibn Aisha narrated that a man fromSyria saw Imam Hasan
(a.s.) riding a horse and started insulting him. Imam Hasan (a.s.) did
not reply to the man. When the Syrian stopped, ImamHasan (a.s.)
proceeded towards him and after cheerfully greeting him said:
"Old man, I believe you are a stranger. Maybe you have confused me
with another person. If you ask forgiveness, it is granted to you. If
you askfor a means of transportation, we shall provide it for you. If
you are hungry, we shall feedyou. If you are in need of clothes, we
shall cloth you. If you are deprived, we shall grant you. If youare
being sought, we shall give you refuge. If you have any need, we shall
fulfill it for you. And if you wish to proceed with your caravan be
ourguest until you leave, it would be more useful to you, for we hold
a good position, great dignity and vast belongings."
When the man heard the words of Imam Hasan (a.s.) he cried and said:
"I testify that you are Allah's heir on His earth. Allah surely knows
to whom He assigns His Message. You and your Father were the most
resented of Allah's creatures to me, but now you are the most
belovedof Allah's creatures to me."
The man then directed his caravan and became their guest of the town
until he departed while believing in their love.
Imam Hasan (a.s.) Maid Servant and Anger Management
Once a maid of our 2nd Imam, Imam Hasan (a.s.) dropped a hot bowlof
soup on Imam Hasan (a.s.).
She was very scared because she thought the Imam Hasan (a.s.) would be
angry and punish her.
She immediately recited the Ayah: "...Those who control (their) anger..."
Imam Hasan (a.s.) smiled and said he was not angry .
Then she recited the nextpart of the Ayah: "...And are forgiving
towards people..."
Imam Hasan (a.s.) said he had forgiven her.
She then finished the Ayah: "...Allah loves those who do good..."
Imam Hasan (a.s.) told her she was free.
The above Ayah is from the Holy Quran: Surah Aal-e-Imraan (3), verse 134.
Moral: The Holy Qur'an is not just there to read butto learn from and
act upon. It is the word of Allah and teaches us everything we need to
know if only we understood it.

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