This is the map of the Muslim world at its peaks.
All United is There is no god but God/Allah and Mohammad (pbuh) was Gods/Allah's prophet.
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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29.3.09
A map of the Muslim Ummah at its peak
This is the map of the Muslim world at its peaks.
All United is There is no god but God/Allah and Mohammad (pbuh) was Gods/Allah's prophet.
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
27.3.09
Islam helps shape coming Indonesian elections
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Islamic parties in Indonesia will not get enough votes in the coming election to nominate a presidential candidate, according to polls, analysts and an Islamic party official.
Supporters of Indonesia's Democratic Party of Struggle take part in a campaign event in Jakarta on March 24.
Nevertheless, the influence of Islam on politics in Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim country -- has many nationalist parties changing their strategy.
The April 9 national elections will determine the makeup of Indonesia's 550-seat parliament, as well as its regional representation council, provincial, county and city assemblies. More than 38 parties are vying for these seats, but very few are expected to get the 20 percent of parliamentary seats needed to nominate a presidential candidate in the July election.
In fact, the only party expected to meet the 20 percent threshold is President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono's Democratic Party. Other parties will have to join alliances to nominate a president.
Yudyohono's "charming" personality, and his government's ability to weather the current worldwide financial downturn, have kept him on top of the polls, according to James Castle, who analyzes Indonesian politics and economy.
Castle said despite the influence of Islam on Indonesian politics, voters are more concerned about economic issues. "Like everywhere in the world, economics is the key factor," he said. "It's quite clear from all these surveys, when inflation was high, the president's popularity is low. Now that inflation has come down, the president's popularity is high, and he and his party are doing very well in the polls coming into the election."
So far, Indonesia has not felt the impact of the global recession, partly because its economy is more isolated than other countries'. But the government has taken steps to protect the currency and the economy from the downturn, Castle said.
"This will probably just be a speed bump for Indonesia," he said.
Although financial issues are the main concern for voters in Indonesia -- where poverty is rampant -- Yudyohono's Democratic Party has recently had to bow to pressure from Islamic groups.
Andi Mallarangang, a spokesman for the president, acknowledged that the party's support for an anti-pornography bill -- which was passed in October -- was a "symbolic gesture" to the Islamic groups that had called for the measure.
"During the process of legislation, (the government) made sure we do not support pornography," Mallarangang said. "But there should be no limitation on freedom of arts and expression"
He noted that the final law was not as strong as the initially proposed bill.
Another issue that has made headlines in the Indonesian media is the government's position on Ahmadiyah, a Muslim sect that does not believe Mohammad is the last prophet. The government recently restricted the freedoms of the group, but has so far refused to ban the group.
"In Indonesia, one group of Islamic radicals would like the government to ban Ahmadiyah ... so the government's using the middle approach in which we will not ban Ahmadiyah because they have a right," Mallarangang said. "But there are certain things that are sensitive to (their) operation that are regulated by government."
One of those groups that has been outspoken in its rejection of Ahmadiyah is Indonesia's Ulama Council. The chairman of the council, Amidhan, disputed media reports that the council has given Yudyohono's government a deadline to ban the sect or it will issue an edict against voting for Yudyohono.
Amidhan -- who goes by one name -- said the council's fatwa against Ahmadiyah was first issued in 1980, but it had to reissue the edict last year because of complaints that the sect was trying to convert other Muslims.
"We agree Ahmadiyah must be a new religion, not part of Islam," Amidhan said.
The council is an independent organization, but remains very influential. In January, it issued several new fatwas -- including bans on smoking for children and pregnant women, and chanting during yoga. A fatwa is a legal pronouncement for Muslims, but the council said it has no authority to enforce them.
Indonesia's Islamic parties are also adopting more moderate positions to attract more voters, which has caused internal divisions -- particularly for PKS, translated as the Prosperous Justice Party.
PKS legislator Zulkieflimansyah, known as Bang Zul, said the party "is between a rock and a hard place."
"We have to behave like a political party and also an Islamic movement," he said. That has led to a split between the hard-liners and the moderates in the PKS.
"We are using the elections as a test," Bang Zul said. "Hopefully, if we are able to convince the public, PKS will continue to be a significant player in politics."
Another Islamic party, the National Awakening Party, or PKB, said it intends to use the 2009 election to position itself for the next election in five years.
"All parties want to reach the 20 percent threshold (to nominate a presidential candidate), PKB included," said the party's vice secretary-general, Helmy Faishal Zaini. "But realistically almost no party will be able to nominate on its own."
That does not mean that a small party like PKB cannot succeed, he said.
Zaini said PKB hopes it can put forward a vice presidential candidate who could possibly run for the top spot in the 2014 election.
"We need to build a foundation now," he said. "So one way to do this is to join one of the senior people (politicians) with a junior person this time. ...
"2009 could be the beginning of the new generation" of politicians
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Supporters of Indonesia's Democratic Party of Struggle take part in a campaign event in Jakarta on March 24.
Nevertheless, the influence of Islam on politics in Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim country -- has many nationalist parties changing their strategy.
The April 9 national elections will determine the makeup of Indonesia's 550-seat parliament, as well as its regional representation council, provincial, county and city assemblies. More than 38 parties are vying for these seats, but very few are expected to get the 20 percent of parliamentary seats needed to nominate a presidential candidate in the July election.
In fact, the only party expected to meet the 20 percent threshold is President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono's Democratic Party. Other parties will have to join alliances to nominate a president.
Yudyohono's "charming" personality, and his government's ability to weather the current worldwide financial downturn, have kept him on top of the polls, according to James Castle, who analyzes Indonesian politics and economy.
Castle said despite the influence of Islam on Indonesian politics, voters are more concerned about economic issues. "Like everywhere in the world, economics is the key factor," he said. "It's quite clear from all these surveys, when inflation was high, the president's popularity is low. Now that inflation has come down, the president's popularity is high, and he and his party are doing very well in the polls coming into the election."
So far, Indonesia has not felt the impact of the global recession, partly because its economy is more isolated than other countries'. But the government has taken steps to protect the currency and the economy from the downturn, Castle said.
"This will probably just be a speed bump for Indonesia," he said.
Although financial issues are the main concern for voters in Indonesia -- where poverty is rampant -- Yudyohono's Democratic Party has recently had to bow to pressure from Islamic groups.
Andi Mallarangang, a spokesman for the president, acknowledged that the party's support for an anti-pornography bill -- which was passed in October -- was a "symbolic gesture" to the Islamic groups that had called for the measure.
"During the process of legislation, (the government) made sure we do not support pornography," Mallarangang said. "But there should be no limitation on freedom of arts and expression"
He noted that the final law was not as strong as the initially proposed bill.
Another issue that has made headlines in the Indonesian media is the government's position on Ahmadiyah, a Muslim sect that does not believe Mohammad is the last prophet. The government recently restricted the freedoms of the group, but has so far refused to ban the group.
"In Indonesia, one group of Islamic radicals would like the government to ban Ahmadiyah ... so the government's using the middle approach in which we will not ban Ahmadiyah because they have a right," Mallarangang said. "But there are certain things that are sensitive to (their) operation that are regulated by government."
One of those groups that has been outspoken in its rejection of Ahmadiyah is Indonesia's Ulama Council. The chairman of the council, Amidhan, disputed media reports that the council has given Yudyohono's government a deadline to ban the sect or it will issue an edict against voting for Yudyohono.
Amidhan -- who goes by one name -- said the council's fatwa against Ahmadiyah was first issued in 1980, but it had to reissue the edict last year because of complaints that the sect was trying to convert other Muslims.
"We agree Ahmadiyah must be a new religion, not part of Islam," Amidhan said.
The council is an independent organization, but remains very influential. In January, it issued several new fatwas -- including bans on smoking for children and pregnant women, and chanting during yoga. A fatwa is a legal pronouncement for Muslims, but the council said it has no authority to enforce them.
Indonesia's Islamic parties are also adopting more moderate positions to attract more voters, which has caused internal divisions -- particularly for PKS, translated as the Prosperous Justice Party.
PKS legislator Zulkieflimansyah, known as Bang Zul, said the party "is between a rock and a hard place."
"We have to behave like a political party and also an Islamic movement," he said. That has led to a split between the hard-liners and the moderates in the PKS.
"We are using the elections as a test," Bang Zul said. "Hopefully, if we are able to convince the public, PKS will continue to be a significant player in politics."
Another Islamic party, the National Awakening Party, or PKB, said it intends to use the 2009 election to position itself for the next election in five years.
"All parties want to reach the 20 percent threshold (to nominate a presidential candidate), PKB included," said the party's vice secretary-general, Helmy Faishal Zaini. "But realistically almost no party will be able to nominate on its own."
That does not mean that a small party like PKB cannot succeed, he said.
Zaini said PKB hopes it can put forward a vice presidential candidate who could possibly run for the top spot in the 2014 election.
"We need to build a foundation now," he said. "So one way to do this is to join one of the senior people (politicians) with a junior person this time. ...
"2009 could be the beginning of the new generation" of politicians
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
16.3.09
Turning Iraq and the Middle east to Christians, Baptist ones
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
11.3.09
The Message- Story of Islam in Arabia and Mohammad pbuh
From Crackle:
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Terrorized by 'War on Terror' How a three-word mantra has undermined America
Terrorized by 'War on Terror'
How a three-word mantra has undermined America
by Zbigniew Brzezinski
The "war on terror" has created a culture of fear in America. The Bush administration's elevation of these three words into a national mantra since the horrific events of 9/11 has had a pernicious impact on American democracy, on America's psyche and on U.S. standing in the world. Using this phrase has actually undermined our ability to effectively confront the real challenges we face from fanatics who may use terrorism against us.
The damage these three words have done -- a classic self-inflicted wound -- is infinitely greater than any wild dreams entertained by the fanatical perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks when they were plotting against us in distant Afghan caves. The phrase itself is meaningless. It defines neither a geographic context nor our presumed enemies. Terrorism is not an enemy but a technique of warfare -- political intimidation through the killing of unarmed non-combatants.
But the little secret here may be that the vagueness of the phrase was deliberately (or instinctively) calculated by its sponsors. Constant reference to a "war on terror" did accomplish one major objective: It stimulated the emergence of a culture of fear. Fear obscures reason, intensifies emotions and makes it easier for demagogic politicians to mobilize the public on behalf of the policies they want to pursue. . . .
To justify the "war on terror," the administration has lately crafted a false historical narrative that could even become a self-fulfilling prophecy. By claiming that its war is similar to earlier U.S. struggles against Nazism and then Stalinism (while ignoring the fact that both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia were first-rate military powers, a status al-Qaeda neither has nor can achieve), the administration could be preparing the case for war with Iran. . . .
Such fear-mongering, reinforced by security entrepreneurs, the mass media and the entertainment industry, generates its own momentum. The terror entrepreneurs, usually described as experts on terrorism, are necessarily engaged in competition to justify their existence. . . .
The entertainment industry has also jumped into the act. Hence the TV serials and films in which the evil characters have recognizable Arab features, sometimes highlighted by religious gestures, that exploit public anxiety and stimulate Islamophobia. Arab facial stereotypes, particularly in newspaper cartoons, have at times been rendered in a manner sadly reminiscent of the Nazi anti-Semitic campaigns. Lately, even some college student organizations have become involved in such propagation, apparently oblivious to the menacing connection between the stimulation of racial and religious hatreds and the unleashing of the unprecedented crimes of the Holocaust. . . .
Someday Americans will be as ashamed of this record as they now have become of the earlier instances in U.S. history of panic by the many prompting intolerance against the few.
In the meantime, the "war on terror" has gravely damaged the United States internationally. . . .
Full Article
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
How a three-word mantra has undermined America
by Zbigniew Brzezinski
The "war on terror" has created a culture of fear in America. The Bush administration's elevation of these three words into a national mantra since the horrific events of 9/11 has had a pernicious impact on American democracy, on America's psyche and on U.S. standing in the world. Using this phrase has actually undermined our ability to effectively confront the real challenges we face from fanatics who may use terrorism against us.
The damage these three words have done -- a classic self-inflicted wound -- is infinitely greater than any wild dreams entertained by the fanatical perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks when they were plotting against us in distant Afghan caves. The phrase itself is meaningless. It defines neither a geographic context nor our presumed enemies. Terrorism is not an enemy but a technique of warfare -- political intimidation through the killing of unarmed non-combatants.
But the little secret here may be that the vagueness of the phrase was deliberately (or instinctively) calculated by its sponsors. Constant reference to a "war on terror" did accomplish one major objective: It stimulated the emergence of a culture of fear. Fear obscures reason, intensifies emotions and makes it easier for demagogic politicians to mobilize the public on behalf of the policies they want to pursue. . . .
To justify the "war on terror," the administration has lately crafted a false historical narrative that could even become a self-fulfilling prophecy. By claiming that its war is similar to earlier U.S. struggles against Nazism and then Stalinism (while ignoring the fact that both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia were first-rate military powers, a status al-Qaeda neither has nor can achieve), the administration could be preparing the case for war with Iran. . . .
Such fear-mongering, reinforced by security entrepreneurs, the mass media and the entertainment industry, generates its own momentum. The terror entrepreneurs, usually described as experts on terrorism, are necessarily engaged in competition to justify their existence. . . .
The entertainment industry has also jumped into the act. Hence the TV serials and films in which the evil characters have recognizable Arab features, sometimes highlighted by religious gestures, that exploit public anxiety and stimulate Islamophobia. Arab facial stereotypes, particularly in newspaper cartoons, have at times been rendered in a manner sadly reminiscent of the Nazi anti-Semitic campaigns. Lately, even some college student organizations have become involved in such propagation, apparently oblivious to the menacing connection between the stimulation of racial and religious hatreds and the unleashing of the unprecedented crimes of the Holocaust. . . .
Someday Americans will be as ashamed of this record as they now have become of the earlier instances in U.S. history of panic by the many prompting intolerance against the few.
In the meantime, the "war on terror" has gravely damaged the United States internationally. . . .
Full Article
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
8.3.09
Jesus was a Muslim
Is Jesus a Arab Muslim ?
A Muslim is some one who Submits Their Will to God. This Is What Jesus Did and Taught.
Son of God is a figure of speech which many other Prophets were labeled as for example; in the King James Version of the Bible
(Psalms 2:7) David is the begotten Son of God.
Many others in the Bible are called God's son;
Jacob God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22)
Solomon is God's son (2 Samuel 7:13-14)
Ephraim is God's firstborn son (Jeremiah 31:9)
Adam is the son of God (Luke 3:38)
Other Prophets were Labeled as Messiah for example {1 Samuel 15:17} Which in Hebrew means Anointed/Chosen/Prophet;
Solomon (1 Kings 1:39)
David (1 Samuel 16:13)
Jewish priests (Leviticus 4)
Other Prophets Preformed similar Miracles as Jesus ;
Ezekiel raised many from the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-9)
Joshua stopped the sun and moon for one whole day (Joshua 10:12-13)
Elisha raised the dead, resurrected himself, healed a leper, fed a hundred people with twenty barley loaves and a few ears of corn, and healed a blind man: (2 Kings 4:35, 13:21, 5:14, 4:44, and 6:11.)
Elijah raised the dead (1 Kings 17:22 and 14.)
Other Prophets were filled with the Holy Ghost;
Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:67)
Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:41)
Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 4:8)
Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 13:9)
Many other Prophets were called Lord for example;
Abraham (Genesis 18:12)
Esau (Genesis 32:4)
Joseph (Genesis 44:20)
David (1 Samuel 25:24)
Jesus taught to rinse before Praying as Muslims do {John 13:10}
Jesus bowed down in Submission on the Ground to God as Muslims do {Matthew 26:39}
Jesus said, all of You who Submit your will to God, are my true Brothers and Sisters (Mark 3:31-35) as Muslims do
Jesus taught Salvation comes from Submitting your will to God and Faith as Muslims do .
(Matthew 7:21-23) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
In conclusion, Jesus was neither a Jew nor a Christian, Lets see where the name Jew comes from. {Gen 11:31} we see that Abraham took his family out of his home land "Ur of the Chaldees"
Therefore, Abraham could not have been a Jew because that is a part of Iraq. He was more an Arab than a Jew. Secondly, the name Jew came after the existence of Judah, the great-grandson of Abraham.
Abraham in the Bible is called "a Hebrew" {Genesis 14:13} which means a human from the other side of the Euphrates. It also means pertaining to Eber a descendant of Shem, clearly not "a Jew".
The descendants of Jacob were called Israelites {Gen 32:28} consisting of twelve tribes. Judah was nicknamed "Jew" so that only Judah's descendants were called Jews originally.
Moses, was from the tribe "Levite" {Exodus 6:16-20} therefore also not a Jew. The name Jew {according to the Bible} is not a reflection of "an organized religion" as you put it, but a Tribe, a fore name, an ancestor branch off of a large family tree.
Jesus may have been a Jew by birth right, but a Muslim by Faith.
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
A Muslim is some one who Submits Their Will to God. This Is What Jesus Did and Taught.
Son of God is a figure of speech which many other Prophets were labeled as for example; in the King James Version of the Bible
(Psalms 2:7) David is the begotten Son of God.
Many others in the Bible are called God's son;
Jacob God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22)
Solomon is God's son (2 Samuel 7:13-14)
Ephraim is God's firstborn son (Jeremiah 31:9)
Adam is the son of God (Luke 3:38)
Other Prophets were Labeled as Messiah for example {1 Samuel 15:17} Which in Hebrew means Anointed/Chosen/Prophet;
Solomon (1 Kings 1:39)
David (1 Samuel 16:13)
Jewish priests (Leviticus 4)
Other Prophets Preformed similar Miracles as Jesus ;
Ezekiel raised many from the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-9)
Joshua stopped the sun and moon for one whole day (Joshua 10:12-13)
Elisha raised the dead, resurrected himself, healed a leper, fed a hundred people with twenty barley loaves and a few ears of corn, and healed a blind man: (2 Kings 4:35, 13:21, 5:14, 4:44, and 6:11.)
Elijah raised the dead (1 Kings 17:22 and 14.)
Other Prophets were filled with the Holy Ghost;
Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:67)
Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:41)
Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 4:8)
Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 13:9)
Many other Prophets were called Lord for example;
Abraham (Genesis 18:12)
Esau (Genesis 32:4)
Joseph (Genesis 44:20)
David (1 Samuel 25:24)
Jesus taught to rinse before Praying as Muslims do {John 13:10}
Jesus bowed down in Submission on the Ground to God as Muslims do {Matthew 26:39}
Jesus said, all of You who Submit your will to God, are my true Brothers and Sisters (Mark 3:31-35) as Muslims do
Jesus taught Salvation comes from Submitting your will to God and Faith as Muslims do .
(Matthew 7:21-23) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
In conclusion, Jesus was neither a Jew nor a Christian, Lets see where the name Jew comes from. {Gen 11:31} we see that Abraham took his family out of his home land "Ur of the Chaldees"
Therefore, Abraham could not have been a Jew because that is a part of Iraq. He was more an Arab than a Jew. Secondly, the name Jew came after the existence of Judah, the great-grandson of Abraham.
Abraham in the Bible is called "a Hebrew" {Genesis 14:13} which means a human from the other side of the Euphrates. It also means pertaining to Eber a descendant of Shem, clearly not "a Jew".
The descendants of Jacob were called Israelites {Gen 32:28} consisting of twelve tribes. Judah was nicknamed "Jew" so that only Judah's descendants were called Jews originally.
Moses, was from the tribe "Levite" {Exodus 6:16-20} therefore also not a Jew. The name Jew {according to the Bible} is not a reflection of "an organized religion" as you put it, but a Tribe, a fore name, an ancestor branch off of a large family tree.
Jesus may have been a Jew by birth right, but a Muslim by Faith.
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Why are so many Women converting to Islam ?
According to "The Almanac Book of Facts", the population increased 137% within the past decade, Christianity increased 46%, while Islam increased 235%.
In a recent poll in the (US), 100,000 people per year in America alone, are converting to Islam. For every 1 male convert to Islam, 4 females convert to Islam, Why?
It is Clear why Christians are converting.
1. Christian Scientists are declaring the Koran is from God. Visit Here for Christian and atheist Scientists who convert to Islam and why: http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/muslim/library/jesus-say/ch13.html
2. The Christian Bishops and Priests are admitting the Bible has tensions. http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/muslim/library/jesus-say/ch2.1.html
3. Jesus is a Muslim: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/4229/jam.html
The question still remains, why are more women converting than men to Islam ?
Perhaps they realize their Soul is worth the Factual Research.
1. The Bible Convicts Women as the original
Sinners, (ie. Eve picking from the forbidden
tree){Genesis 2:4-3:24}. The Koran Clarifies it
was Adam Not Eve {Qur'an 7:19-25}
2. The Bible says "The Birth of a Daughter is a
loss" {Ecclesiasticus 22:3}. The Qur'an says both
are an Equal Blessing { Qur'an 42:49}
3. The Bible Forbids Women from Speaking in
church {I Corinthians 14:34-35}. The Qur'an says
Women Can argue with the Prophet {58:1}
4. In the Bible, divorced Women are Labeled as
an Adulteress, while men are not {Matthew 5:31-32}. The
Koran does Not have Biblical double standards
{ Qur'an 30:21}
5. In The Bible, Widows and Sisters do Not
Inherit Any Property or Wealth, Only men
do{Numbers 27:1-11}The Koran Abolished this
male greediness { Qur'an 4:22} and God Protects
All.
6. The Bible Allows Multiple Wives{I Kings 11:3}
In The Koran, God limits the number to 4 only
under certain situations (with the Wife's
permission)and Prefers you Marry Only One
Wife{ Qur'an 4:3} The Koran gives the Woman
the Right to Choose who to Marry.
7. "If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not
pledged to be married and rapes her and they are
discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty
shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he
has violated her. He can never divorce her as long
as he lives" {Deuteronomy 22:28-30}
One must ask a simple question here, who is
really punished, the man who raped the woman or
the woman who was raped? According to the
Bible, you have to spend the Rest of Your Life
with the man who Raped You.
The Prophet Muhammad Says {Volume 9, Book
86, Number 101} Narrated by Aisha:" It is
essential to have the consent of a virgin (for the
marriage)".
Would the Christian men Reading this prefer the
Women they know to Be Christian or Muslim?
8. The Bible also asks Women to wear veils as in
Islam {I Corinthians 11:3-10}, this lowers the
chance of rape, (God Forbid), see statistic link
below.
9. Women were given rights to Vote less than a
100 years ago in the (US), while the Quran (42:38) gave
Women Voting rights almost 1,500 years ago.
10. Islam has unconfined Women and has given them
the human right to reach for the sky. There have been
Muslim Women Presidents through out the centuries,
but to this date, the oppressive mentality of the
men in the Western U.S.A. has stopped any Women from becoming
Presidents in predominately Christian countries,
while the Muslim countries have voted for and
elected Female Presidents.
Here is a list of previous Female Muslim leaders:
Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Aishah bint Abu Bakr
Fatimah bint Muhammad
Barakah
Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan
Rumaysa bint Milhan
Umm Salamah
Asma bint Abu Bakr
Zaynab al-Ghazali
Maryum Jameelah
Source
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
In a recent poll in the (US), 100,000 people per year in America alone, are converting to Islam. For every 1 male convert to Islam, 4 females convert to Islam, Why?
It is Clear why Christians are converting.
1. Christian Scientists are declaring the Koran is from God. Visit Here for Christian and atheist Scientists who convert to Islam and why: http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/muslim/library/jesus-say/ch13.html
2. The Christian Bishops and Priests are admitting the Bible has tensions. http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/muslim/library/jesus-say/ch2.1.html
3. Jesus is a Muslim: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/4229/jam.html
The question still remains, why are more women converting than men to Islam ?
Perhaps they realize their Soul is worth the Factual Research.
1. The Bible Convicts Women as the original
Sinners, (ie. Eve picking from the forbidden
tree){Genesis 2:4-3:24}. The Koran Clarifies it
was Adam Not Eve {Qur'an 7:19-25}
2. The Bible says "The Birth of a Daughter is a
loss" {Ecclesiasticus 22:3}. The Qur'an says both
are an Equal Blessing { Qur'an 42:49}
3. The Bible Forbids Women from Speaking in
church {I Corinthians 14:34-35}. The Qur'an says
Women Can argue with the Prophet {58:1}
4. In the Bible, divorced Women are Labeled as
an Adulteress, while men are not {Matthew 5:31-32}. The
Koran does Not have Biblical double standards
{ Qur'an 30:21}
5. In The Bible, Widows and Sisters do Not
Inherit Any Property or Wealth, Only men
do{Numbers 27:1-11}The Koran Abolished this
male greediness { Qur'an 4:22} and God Protects
All.
6. The Bible Allows Multiple Wives{I Kings 11:3}
In The Koran, God limits the number to 4 only
under certain situations (with the Wife's
permission)and Prefers you Marry Only One
Wife{ Qur'an 4:3} The Koran gives the Woman
the Right to Choose who to Marry.
7. "If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not
pledged to be married and rapes her and they are
discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty
shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he
has violated her. He can never divorce her as long
as he lives" {Deuteronomy 22:28-30}
One must ask a simple question here, who is
really punished, the man who raped the woman or
the woman who was raped? According to the
Bible, you have to spend the Rest of Your Life
with the man who Raped You.
The Prophet Muhammad Says {Volume 9, Book
86, Number 101} Narrated by Aisha:" It is
essential to have the consent of a virgin (for the
marriage)".
Would the Christian men Reading this prefer the
Women they know to Be Christian or Muslim?
8. The Bible also asks Women to wear veils as in
Islam {I Corinthians 11:3-10}, this lowers the
chance of rape, (God Forbid), see statistic link
below.
9. Women were given rights to Vote less than a
100 years ago in the (US), while the Quran (42:38) gave
Women Voting rights almost 1,500 years ago.
10. Islam has unconfined Women and has given them
the human right to reach for the sky. There have been
Muslim Women Presidents through out the centuries,
but to this date, the oppressive mentality of the
men in the Western U.S.A. has stopped any Women from becoming
Presidents in predominately Christian countries,
while the Muslim countries have voted for and
elected Female Presidents.
Here is a list of previous Female Muslim leaders:
Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Aishah bint Abu Bakr
Fatimah bint Muhammad
Barakah
Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan
Rumaysa bint Milhan
Umm Salamah
Asma bint Abu Bakr
Zaynab al-Ghazali
Maryum Jameelah
Source
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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Rewards, benefits and virtues of Al Quran and its recitation
This article is a collection of Quranic verses, Ahadeeth (Prophet’s Saying) and sayings of the salaf (pious people that followed the prophet) on the majesty of Quran, the great virtues for reading and following it.
1. Quran on Quran
To begin with, there are many verses in the Quran itself that underscore the majesty of Allah’s verses and the Quran itself –
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Say: ‘If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another’”[Quran Al-Israa’ 17:88]
Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect. [Quran Al-Hashr 59:21]
“This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon [the pious] [Quran Al-Baqarah 2:2]
2. The Rewards of Reciting Quran in Qiyaam Al-Layl (Night prayers before Fajr)
We all know from the Quran and the Ahadeeth about the countless rewards and benefits of praying and reciting Quran during the nightly prayers (last one third of the night)
As is stated in the hadeeth narrated by ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Whoever recites ten aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will not be recorded as one of the forgetful. Whoever recites a hundred aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will be recorded as one of the devout, and whoever prays a thousand aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will be recorded as one of the muqantareen (those who pile up good deeds).” (Reported by Abu Dawood and Ibn Hibbaan. It is a hasan report. Saheeh al-Targheeb, 635).
Imaam al-Bukhaari used to pray qiyaam and tahajjud at night until the time of suhoor, and he would read between a half and a third of the Quran, and complete it at suhoor every third night.
3. Reciting Quran in Ramadan
Quran has even more of an important significance in the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong) [Quran al-Baqarah 2:185]
Jibreel used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) every night in Ramadaan, and study the Quran with him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5; Muslim, 4268.
Hence the salaf used to read Quran a great deal during Ramadan, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Qataadah (may Allah have mercy on him) used to complete the Quran every seven nights all the time, and every three nights in Ramadaan, and every two nights during the last ten days of Ramadaan.
Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i used to complete the Quran in Ramadaan every three nights, and in the last ten days every two nights.
4. General Rewards of Reciting Quran
The rewards of reciting the Quran are many. An authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee states:
Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well.
In another hadeeth, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
This hadith proves that people who are not well versed in the Arabic languge or have other difficulties in reciting the Quran, get even a higher reward for reciting the Quran in Arabic for their extra effort.
5. Quran as intercessor in the day of judgment
The Prophet said:
The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]
6. Benefits of reciting certain Quranic surahs (chapters)
The following are authentic Ahadeeth regarding the benefits of certain Soorahs.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
There is a soorah of the Quran containing thirty verses which have interceded for a man until he was forgiven. It is the soorah Tabaarak alladhi bi yadihi’l-mulk. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2891; Ahmad, 7634; Abu Dawood, 1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786. This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi and by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 3/6.
Regarding the healing power of The S?rah al-F?tiha
It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “A group of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey and traveled until they stopped in (the land of) one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they refused to welcome them. The chief of that tribe was stung by a scorpion and they tried everything but nothing helped them. Some of them said, ‘Why don’t you go to those people who are camped (near us), maybe you will find something with them.’ So they went to them and said, ‘O people, our chief has been stung by a scorpion and we have tried everything but nothing helped him. Can any of you do anything?’ One of them said, ‘Yes, by Allah, I will recite ruqyah for him, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not welcome us, so I will not recite ruqyah for you until you give us something in return.’ Then they agreed upon a flock of sheep.’ Then he went and spat drily and recited over him Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen [Soorat al-Faatihah]. (The chief) got up as if he was released from a chain and started walking, and there were no signs of sickness on him. They paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the ruqyah said, ‘Do not divide them until we go to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, then wait and see what he tells us to do.’ So they went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, ‘How did you know that it (al-Faatihah) is a ruqyah?’ Then he added, ‘You have done the right thing. Share out (the flock of sheep) and give me a share too.’ And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) smiled.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2156; Muslim, 2201
A note about certain fabricated Ahadeeths narrating the benefits of some Quran Soorahs
Although there are authentic Ahadeeth regarding the rewards and benefits of reciting certain Quranic Soorahs, unfortunately there are even more fabricated Ahadeeth that highlight the benefits of other Soorahs. Therefore, not all Ahadeeth highlighting the benefits of reciting all Soorahs are authentic, even though some of those Ahadeeth mention a chain of narrators. Many scholars have proven the weakness of the narration chain of those Ahadeeth. As quoted at islam-qa.com, “Many ahaadeeth were fabricated about the virtues of various soorahs of the Quran. Their fabricators’ intention was to encourage people to read Quran and devote themselves to that, and they claimed that they were doing good thereby. But their intentions were misguided because that is undoubtedly subject to the stern warning contained in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Whoever tells a lie about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 10; Muslim, 4. It makes no difference whether the lie is intended for good or for evil.”
7. A Muslim’s Status is Raised by the Quran
A Musilm’s status is raised by the Quran - the more he recites, follows its commandments and makes Quran part of his or her life, the more Allah will elevate his or her status in this life and hereafter.
Saheeh Muslim mentions a story where some men came to question Umar ibn Al-Khattaab during his khilaafah about the leadership of Makkah, they asked, “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said, “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed slave in charge of the people of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered them, “Verily he is a reader of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it.”
‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]
Narrated Aisha: The Prophet said,
Such a person who recites the Quran and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward." (book #60, Hadith #459)
8. Healing Power of The Quran
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
And We send down of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) nothing but loss” [Quran Al-Isra’ 17:82]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
We and others have tried this on many occasions and we have seen that it works in ways that physical remedies do not. Indeed we now regard physical medicine as the doctors regard folk medicine. This is in accordance with the law of divine wisdom, not contrary to it, but the causes of healing are many and varied. When the heart is in contact with the Lord of the Worlds, the Creator of the disease and the remedy, the Controller of nature Who directs it as He wills, he has other remedies apart from the remedies that are sought by the heart that is far away from Him and that turns away from Him. It is known that when a person’s spirits are high and his body is in good shape, they cooperate in warding off disease and suppressing it, so if a person is in high spirits and physical good shape, finds comfort in being close to his Creator, loving Him, enjoying remembrance of Him (dhikr), devoting all his strength and power for His sake and focusing on Him, seeking His help, putting his trust in Him, how can anyone deny that this is the greatest medicine or that this spiritual power gives him the means to ward off pain and defeat it completely? No one would deny this but the most ignorant of people, those who are furthest away from Allah and the most hard-hearted and unaware of human nature.
It is well known in the Shareeah regarding the use of Ruqyah for physical and spiritual healing. “Ruqyah” is an incantation or prayer for healing – usually from the Quran or Dua prescribed by the Prophet (SAWS). Ruqyah is one of the greatest remedies that the believer should use regularly. The greatest of Ruqyah are Soorah al-Faatihah and al-Mi’wadhatayn ( the last two surahs of the Quran – Surah Al-Falaq and Surah Al-nas). There is nothing wrong with the Muslim reciting ruqyah for himself. That is permissible; indeed it is a good Sunnah, for the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited ruqyah for himself, and some of his companions recited ruqyah for themselves. (islam-qa.com)
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was ill, he would recite al-Mi’wadhatayn over himself and spit drily. When his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped him with his own hand, seeking its barakah (blessing).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4728; Muslim, 2192 (al-Mi’wadhatayn are the last two surahs of the Quran – Surah Al-Falaq and Surah Al-nas)
9. Virtues of reciting the Quran
Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said,
The example of a believer who recites the Qur’an is that of a citron (a citrus fruit) which is good in taste and good in smell. And the believer who does not recite the quran is like a date which has a good taste but no smell. And the example of an impious person who recites the Qur’an is that of Ar-Rihana (an aromatic plant) which smells good but is bitter in taste. And the example of an impious person who does not recite the quran is that of a colocynth which is bitter in taste and has no smell." (Book #93, Hadith # 649)
10. Dispelling worries and regret
Ibn al-Qayyim summed fifteen ways through which Allah may dispel worries and regret. In describing one of the ways, he mentions (ref: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/22704/healing)
Letting one’s heart wander in the garden of the Quran, seeking consolation in it from every calamity, seeking healing in it from all diseases of the heart, so that it will bring comfort to his grief and healing for his worries and distress.
One of the means of treating them is mentioned in the saheeh hadeeth from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him):
There is no-one who is afflicted by distress and grief, and says: (O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant; my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, that You make the Quran the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety),’ but Allah will take away his distress and grief, and replace it with joy.” This is one of the remedies prescribed in sharee’ah. (The original Dua in Arabic is: ‘Allahumma inni ‘abduka ibn ‘abdika ibn amatija naasyati bi yadika, maada fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka. As’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghayb ‘indaka an taj’al al-Qurana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’ huzni wa dhihaab hammi
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Those who believe [in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism], and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of f Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur ‘an 13: 28)
Thanks to brothers at Iqrasense.com
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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7.3.09
al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham A forgotten man, learn who it is.
Without doubt, another great physicist, who is worthy of ranking up alongside Newton, is a scientist born in AD 965 in what is now Iraq who went by the name of al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham.
Most people in the West will never have even heard of him.
As a physicist myself, I am quite in awe of this man's contribution to my field, but I was fortunate enough to have recently been given the opportunity to dig a little into his life and work through my recent filming of a three-part BBC Four series on medieval Islamic scientists.
Modern methods
Popular accounts of the history of science typically suggest that no major scientific advances took place in between the ancient Greeks and the European Renaissance.
But just because Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages, does not mean there was stagnation elsewhere. Indeed, the period between the 9th and 13th Centuries marked the Golden Age of Arabic science.
Great advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, physics, chemistry and philosophy. Among the many geniuses of that period Ibn al-Haytham stands taller than all the others.
Prism (BBC)
Ibn-al Haytham conducted early investigations into light
Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the father of the modern scientific method.
As commonly defined, this is the approach to investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge, based on the gathering of data through observation and measurement, followed by the formulation and testing of hypotheses to explain the data.
This is how we do science today and is why I put my trust in the advances that have been made in science.
But it is often still claimed that the modern scientific method was not established until the early 17th Century by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes.
There is no doubt in my mind, however, that Ibn al-Haytham arrived there first.
In fact, with his emphasis on experimental data and reproducibility of results, he is often referred to as the "world's first true scientist".
Understanding light
He was the first scientist to give a correct account of how we see objects.
Jim Al-Khalili (BBC)
It is incredible that we are only now uncovering the debt that today's physicists owe to an Arab who lived 1,000 years ago
Prof Jim Al-Khalili
He proved experimentally, for instance, that the so-called emission theory (which stated that light from our eyes shines upon the objects we see), which was believed by great thinkers such as Plato, Euclid and Ptolemy, was wrong and established the modern idea that we see because light enters our eyes.
What he also did that no other scientist had tried before was to use mathematics to describe and prove this process.
So he can be regarded as the very first theoretical physicist, too.
He is perhaps best known for his invention of the pinhole camera and should be credited with the discovery of the laws of refraction.
He also carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light into its constituent colours and studied shadows, rainbows and eclipses; and by observing the way sunlight diffracted through the atmosphere, he was able to work out a rather good estimate for the height of the atmosphere, which he found to be around 100km.
Enforced study
In common with many modern scholars, Ibn-al Haytham badly needed the time and isolation to focus on writing his many treatises, including his great work on optics.
He was given an unwelcome opportunity, however, when he was imprisoned in Egypt between 1011 and 1021, having failed a task set him by a caliph in Cairo to help solve the problem of regulating the flooding of the Nile.
While still in Basra, Ibn al-Haytham had claimed that the Nile's autumn flood waters could be held by a system of dykes and canals, thereby preserved as reservoirs until the summer's droughts.
But on arrival in Cairo, he soon realised that his scheme was utterly impractical from an engineering perspective.
Yet rather than admit his mistake to the dangerous and murderous caliph, Ibn-al Haytham instead decided to feign madness as a way to escape punishment.
This promptly led to him being placed under house arrest, thereby granting him 10 years of seclusion in which to work.
Planetary motion
He was only released after the caliph's death. He returned to Iraq where he composed a further 100 works on a range of subjects in physics and mathematics.
While travelling through the Middle East during my filming, I interviewed an expert in Alexandria who showed me recently discovered work by Ibn al-Haytham on astronomy.
It seems he had developed what is called celestial mechanics, explaining the orbits of the planets, which was to lead to the eventual work of Europeans like Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton.
It is incredible that we are only now uncovering the debt that today's physicists owe to an Arab who lived 1,000 years ago.
Professor Jim Al-Khalili presents Science and Islam on BBC Four at 2100GMT on Monday 5, 12 & 19 January
Story
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Most people in the West will never have even heard of him.
As a physicist myself, I am quite in awe of this man's contribution to my field, but I was fortunate enough to have recently been given the opportunity to dig a little into his life and work through my recent filming of a three-part BBC Four series on medieval Islamic scientists.
Modern methods
Popular accounts of the history of science typically suggest that no major scientific advances took place in between the ancient Greeks and the European Renaissance.
But just because Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages, does not mean there was stagnation elsewhere. Indeed, the period between the 9th and 13th Centuries marked the Golden Age of Arabic science.
Great advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, physics, chemistry and philosophy. Among the many geniuses of that period Ibn al-Haytham stands taller than all the others.
Prism (BBC)
Ibn-al Haytham conducted early investigations into light
Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the father of the modern scientific method.
As commonly defined, this is the approach to investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge, based on the gathering of data through observation and measurement, followed by the formulation and testing of hypotheses to explain the data.
This is how we do science today and is why I put my trust in the advances that have been made in science.
But it is often still claimed that the modern scientific method was not established until the early 17th Century by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes.
There is no doubt in my mind, however, that Ibn al-Haytham arrived there first.
In fact, with his emphasis on experimental data and reproducibility of results, he is often referred to as the "world's first true scientist".
Understanding light
He was the first scientist to give a correct account of how we see objects.
Jim Al-Khalili (BBC)
It is incredible that we are only now uncovering the debt that today's physicists owe to an Arab who lived 1,000 years ago
Prof Jim Al-Khalili
He proved experimentally, for instance, that the so-called emission theory (which stated that light from our eyes shines upon the objects we see), which was believed by great thinkers such as Plato, Euclid and Ptolemy, was wrong and established the modern idea that we see because light enters our eyes.
What he also did that no other scientist had tried before was to use mathematics to describe and prove this process.
So he can be regarded as the very first theoretical physicist, too.
He is perhaps best known for his invention of the pinhole camera and should be credited with the discovery of the laws of refraction.
He also carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light into its constituent colours and studied shadows, rainbows and eclipses; and by observing the way sunlight diffracted through the atmosphere, he was able to work out a rather good estimate for the height of the atmosphere, which he found to be around 100km.
Enforced study
In common with many modern scholars, Ibn-al Haytham badly needed the time and isolation to focus on writing his many treatises, including his great work on optics.
He was given an unwelcome opportunity, however, when he was imprisoned in Egypt between 1011 and 1021, having failed a task set him by a caliph in Cairo to help solve the problem of regulating the flooding of the Nile.
While still in Basra, Ibn al-Haytham had claimed that the Nile's autumn flood waters could be held by a system of dykes and canals, thereby preserved as reservoirs until the summer's droughts.
But on arrival in Cairo, he soon realised that his scheme was utterly impractical from an engineering perspective.
Yet rather than admit his mistake to the dangerous and murderous caliph, Ibn-al Haytham instead decided to feign madness as a way to escape punishment.
This promptly led to him being placed under house arrest, thereby granting him 10 years of seclusion in which to work.
Planetary motion
He was only released after the caliph's death. He returned to Iraq where he composed a further 100 works on a range of subjects in physics and mathematics.
While travelling through the Middle East during my filming, I interviewed an expert in Alexandria who showed me recently discovered work by Ibn al-Haytham on astronomy.
It seems he had developed what is called celestial mechanics, explaining the orbits of the planets, which was to lead to the eventual work of Europeans like Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton.
It is incredible that we are only now uncovering the debt that today's physicists owe to an Arab who lived 1,000 years ago.
Professor Jim Al-Khalili presents Science and Islam on BBC Four at 2100GMT on Monday 5, 12 & 19 January
Story
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Study paints rare portrait of Muslim-Americans
Muslims in America have a much more positive outlook on life than their counterparts in most predominantly Muslim countries and some other Western societies, according to a poll released Monday.
The Gallup Organization study found Muslim-Americans to be racially and ideologically diverse, extremely religious, and younger and more highly educated than the typical American.
Gallup asked respondents to evaluate their life situation by placing themselves on a ladder where the bottom step, zero, equals the worst possible life and 10 the best possible life. Gallup defined as "thriving" those who said they're currently on at least step seven of that ladder and expect to be on step eight or higher about five years from now.
Muslim-Americans (41 percent) were slightly less likely than Americans overall (46 percent) to be thriving. Yet the proportion of Muslims thriving in the United States was among the highest of Western societies surveyed, Gallup found. For example, only 8 percent of Muslims in the United Kingdom and 23 percent in France were thriving.
One exception: 49 percent of Muslims were deemed thriving in Germany, which welcomed many immigrants from Turkey during labor shortages in the 1960s and 1970s.
In predominantly Muslim countries, only in Saudi Arabia were more Muslims — 51 percent — thriving than in America.
Gallup found only 11 percent of Muslims thriving in Indonesia and Pakistan, 13 percent in Egypt, in the high teens to 20 percent in Bangladesh, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and 24 percent in Morocco. Gallup found the proportion "suffering" — answering 0 to 4 on both ladder questions — ranging from 20 to 26 percent in Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon and as high as 33 percent in Jordan and 45 percent in Pakistan.
In short, Muslim Americans look more like other Americans in their life outlook than they resemble Muslims in most predominantly Muslim nations.
The Gallup study painted an uncommon portrait of Muslims in a U.S. and global context by combining interviews with 946 Muslims from polling of more than 300,000 Americans throughout 2008 and comparing them to Gallup surveys in more than 140 other countries. With Muslim-Americans probably making up only around 1 percent of the nation's population, few sound surveys have targeted the group, despite interest after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In an essay for the Gallup report, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. — the first Muslim elected to Congress — urged Muslim Americans to "step out of the shadows of your own world, and step forthrightly into a participatory America."
"For too long — and particularly after 9/11 — Muslims have withdrawn into their own mosque-defined communities, denying themselves their rightful place in the fabric of America," Ellison wrote. "'Being Muslim' shouldn't need to be explained, but rather be observed by how each of us lives our lives, and the values we espouse. However defined we are by our religion, we are equally defined by our nationalism; we are Americans."
Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points for Muslim-Americans, 0.2 points for all Americans and varying ranges in other countries.
Source
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
The Gallup Organization study found Muslim-Americans to be racially and ideologically diverse, extremely religious, and younger and more highly educated than the typical American.
Gallup asked respondents to evaluate their life situation by placing themselves on a ladder where the bottom step, zero, equals the worst possible life and 10 the best possible life. Gallup defined as "thriving" those who said they're currently on at least step seven of that ladder and expect to be on step eight or higher about five years from now.
Muslim-Americans (41 percent) were slightly less likely than Americans overall (46 percent) to be thriving. Yet the proportion of Muslims thriving in the United States was among the highest of Western societies surveyed, Gallup found. For example, only 8 percent of Muslims in the United Kingdom and 23 percent in France were thriving.
One exception: 49 percent of Muslims were deemed thriving in Germany, which welcomed many immigrants from Turkey during labor shortages in the 1960s and 1970s.
In predominantly Muslim countries, only in Saudi Arabia were more Muslims — 51 percent — thriving than in America.
Gallup found only 11 percent of Muslims thriving in Indonesia and Pakistan, 13 percent in Egypt, in the high teens to 20 percent in Bangladesh, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and 24 percent in Morocco. Gallup found the proportion "suffering" — answering 0 to 4 on both ladder questions — ranging from 20 to 26 percent in Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon and as high as 33 percent in Jordan and 45 percent in Pakistan.
In short, Muslim Americans look more like other Americans in their life outlook than they resemble Muslims in most predominantly Muslim nations.
The Gallup study painted an uncommon portrait of Muslims in a U.S. and global context by combining interviews with 946 Muslims from polling of more than 300,000 Americans throughout 2008 and comparing them to Gallup surveys in more than 140 other countries. With Muslim-Americans probably making up only around 1 percent of the nation's population, few sound surveys have targeted the group, despite interest after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In an essay for the Gallup report, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. — the first Muslim elected to Congress — urged Muslim Americans to "step out of the shadows of your own world, and step forthrightly into a participatory America."
"For too long — and particularly after 9/11 — Muslims have withdrawn into their own mosque-defined communities, denying themselves their rightful place in the fabric of America," Ellison wrote. "'Being Muslim' shouldn't need to be explained, but rather be observed by how each of us lives our lives, and the values we espouse. However defined we are by our religion, we are equally defined by our nationalism; we are Americans."
Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points for Muslim-Americans, 0.2 points for all Americans and varying ranges in other countries.
Source
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
US mayor converts to Islam-From Jack Ellis to Hakim Mansour Ellis
The Associated Press
MACON, Georgia: Macon Mayor Jack Ellis has converted to Islam and is now working to legally change his name to Hakim Mansour Ellis.
Ellis, who was raised Christian, said Thursday that he became a Sunni Muslim during a December ceremony in the west African nation of Senegal.
"You do it because it feels right," said Ellis. "To me it's no big deal. But people like to know what you believe in. And this is what I believe in."
Ellis said he has been studying the Quran for years and that his new religion was originally practiced by his ancestors before they were brought to North America as slaves.
At the request of his two of his daughters, Ellis said he will keep his last name the same.
Ellis has not ruled out future runs for elected office after his term expires this year. But he said he had not made any calculations for how his religious conversion might affect him politically. He said he is an American first and is proud to live in a country founded on religious freedom.
In January Rep. Keith Ellison took office as the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress. The Michigan Democrat was born in Detroit and converted to Islam while in college.
Ellis said Muslims should not be painted with a broad brush simply because of a few radicals.
"If anybody wants to know about Islam, I can hold an intelligent conversation," Ellis said. "What I've found is how little we know about the religion.
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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6.3.09
Islamic Banks Unaffected by Global Financial Crisis
General Manager and board member of the Arab Finance House Dr. Fouad Nadim Matraji explained that Islamic banks have not been affected by the mortgage crisis that afflicted the international financial markets and that they are largely immune against such crisis thanks to inherent factors within Islamic banking. The most important of these factors is the prohibition of debt trading, taking precautions against money laundering, as well as the official and professional restraints upon which banks are based such as caution against embarking upon projects that entail financial difficulties and risks.
Dr. Matraji explained that Islamic banks have several alternatives [to conventional banking products] such as Ijarah Bitamlik [a renting contract that ends in ownership], Murabaha etc. which demonstrate that Islamic banking is a sound and systematic alternative banking system that others should take as an example. Islamic finance is expected to increase on the international level and its number of customers is also expected to rise as they search for an alternative [banking system].
Matraji added that Islamic banking is distinguished by a commitment to uphold integrity and its distancing from risky projects. He pointed out that this crisis has caused significant global inflation in world banks because they buy debts and enlarge accounts without tangible transactions taking place or without brokers being aware of them, highlighting that Islamic banks do not engage in such ventures.
Matraji added that only the profits of Islamic banks could be affected by the international financial crisis, but not the capital, which is protected by Islamic banking unlike conventional banks.
Full Article
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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Dr. Matraji explained that Islamic banks have several alternatives [to conventional banking products] such as Ijarah Bitamlik [a renting contract that ends in ownership], Murabaha etc. which demonstrate that Islamic banking is a sound and systematic alternative banking system that others should take as an example. Islamic finance is expected to increase on the international level and its number of customers is also expected to rise as they search for an alternative [banking system].
Matraji added that Islamic banking is distinguished by a commitment to uphold integrity and its distancing from risky projects. He pointed out that this crisis has caused significant global inflation in world banks because they buy debts and enlarge accounts without tangible transactions taking place or without brokers being aware of them, highlighting that Islamic banks do not engage in such ventures.
Matraji added that only the profits of Islamic banks could be affected by the international financial crisis, but not the capital, which is protected by Islamic banking unlike conventional banks.
Full Article
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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5.3.09
AlQuran and Science. A Series for none Muslim Friends, 10 Videos Please Enjoy
Part One-Human embryology
Part Two-Human Embryology
Part Three - Mountains
Part Four - Iron
Part Five - Rain
Part Six - Universe and Orbits
Part Seven - Seas
Part Eight - Existence of God.
Part Nine - Recitation of the Quran.
Part Ten - Message from Reverts
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
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Part Two-Human Embryology
Part Three - Mountains
Part Four - Iron
Part Five - Rain
Part Six - Universe and Orbits
Part Seven - Seas
Part Eight - Existence of God.
Part Nine - Recitation of the Quran.
Part Ten - Message from Reverts
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
4.3.09
Islam Commands Us to Do Good , Avoid Evil and be forgiving to Others
Islam Commands Us to Do Good and Avoid Evil
You who have iman! if you have taqwa of Allah, He will give you discrimination and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah's favour is indeed immense. (Surat al- Anfal: 29)
Muslims are very well aware of the good and bad as described in the Qur'an, and spend their whole lives implementing that awareness. Yet they have another important responsibility on their shoulders, and that is to invite others to see the truth, avoid evil and live by the morality of the Qur'an. That is why believers spend their whole lives telling people about the difference between good and evil. Allah has given the following command to the faithful, "Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success." (Surah Al 'Imran: 104)
Islam commands us to protect the poor, the orphan, the needy and to do good to others.
Furthermore, Allah also stresses in the Qur'an how those who abide by the commandment are much more auspicious than other people:
You are the best nation ever to be produced before mankind. You enjoin the right, forbid the wrong and have iman in Allah. If the People of the Book were to have iman, it would be better for them. Some of them are muminun but most of them are deviators. (Surah Al 'Imran: 110)
The faithful do not only perform that Qur'anic duty in respect of those people who do not know the difference between right and wrong and have no knowledge of religion, but also in respect of the faithful themselves. That is because people do not only fall into error out of ignorance, but also sometime out of forgetfulness, or by mistake, or because of their earthly desires. That being the case, the faithful also encourage good and prevent evil by reminding each other of the commandments of the Qur'an. They warn each other that only those who do good and devoutly carry out their religious obligations in this world will be rewarded with paradise, and that those who fail to avoid evil will suffer the torments of hell. That delightful responsibility means they never feel wearied or discouraged, and continue to warn others, compassionately and affectionately, no matter what mistakes they might have made. That is because in many verses Allah reveals that he loves those who have patience, and calls on the faithful to be patient when practicing the morality of the Qur'an. He reveals this in these terms in the verses:
You who have iman! seek help in steadfastness and salat. Allah is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Baqara: 153)
Except for those who are steadfast and do right actions. They will receive forgiveness and a large reward.(Surah Hud: 11)
Islam Commands us to Repay Evil with Good
A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. (Surah Fussilat: 34)
Ward off evil with what is better. We know very well what they express. (Surat al-Mu'minun: 96)
As we can see from these verses, Allah has promised the faithful that they will be able to secure positive results as long as they adopt a pleasant attitude in the face of wrongdoing. It is emphasised that even if the person he is dealing with is an enemy the believer can still establish a warm friendship with him. Responding to evil with good is also an essential part of believers' understanding of compassion. When he sees that someone is adopting an attitude that will not be pleasing to Allah, the believer first of all considers how that is going to affect the other person in the hereafter, and approaches him with toleration and humility, refusing to become puffed up with pride.
Believers may come across people with very different characters over the course of their lives. Yet they will not change their view of morality in line with the attitudes of the people they meet. The other side may speak mockingly, or use ugly words, or get angry and even behave in a hostile manner. Yet the true believer never stops being polite, modest and compassionate. He will not respond to ugly words with more of the same. He will not laugh at those who laugh at him, nor answer anger with anger. He will be patient and tolerant. In the face of insulting behaviour he will behave in such a way as to symbolise proper morality and with such compassion that the other side will be ashamed. That is the morality recommended to us by our Prophet. In one of the hadiths, he says, 'Be tolerant, so that others may be tolerant of you.' (Ahmad) In another hadith, he called on the faithful in these terms: 'None of you must be the kind of weak person who says, 'I go along with other people. If other people behave well, then so will I. If they behave badly, that is what I will do.' On the contrary, you must curb your passions to do good if others do so, and not to behave unjustly if others behave badly.' (Tirmidhi)
In the Qur'an, our Prophet was told to be forgiving in the face of the betrayal by some of the children of Israel:
...They have forgotten a good portion of what they were reminded of. You will never cease to come upon some act of treachery on their part, except for a few of them. Yet pardon them, and overlook. Allah loves good-doers. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 13)
As we have seen from this verse, Allah commanded our Prophet to be forgiving, even in the face of betrayal by one part of the children of Israel. One must also not forget that poor morality being displayed by someone else is no justification for doing the same thing oneself. Each individual is solely responsible to Allah for his actions. What is more, being with compassion, affection and proper morality in the face of bad behaviour by someone else is, according to the Qur'an, itself a sign of superior morality. That is because it reveals the extent of a believer's devotion to God. One verse reveals the reward that such a pleasing attitude will bring:
Those who do good will have the best and more! Neither dust nor debasement will darken their faces. They are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surah Yunus: 26)
Islam Commands The Faithful Always To Be Forgiving
One of the important signs of compassion is for a person to be able to be forgiving. This is how Allah calls upon His servants to be forgiving in the Qur'an:
Make allowances for people, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant. (Surat al A'raf: 199)
This is something that people may find difficult, but is an attitude that will be well rewarded in the sight of Allah. People may well be caught up in anger and refuse to forgive a mistake. But Allah has revealed to the faithful that it is better to forgive, and has recommended this morality to them:
The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it.But if someone pardons and puts things right, his reward is with Allah... (Surat ash-Shura: 40)
In another verse, Allah reveals that "But if someone is steadfast and forgives,that is the most resolute course to follow." (Surat ash-Shura: 43) and emphasizes that this is a very superior form of morality. In the words "Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and those who have made hijra in the way of Allah. They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surat an-Nur: 22) Allah encourages the faithful to consider their own position when it comes to being forgiving. That is because everyone wants Allah to forgive and protect and show him mercy. In the same way, we all hope that other people will excuse and forgive us if we make a mistake. Allah has thus commanded the faithful to treat others in the same way that they would like to be treated themselves. That is an important responsibility, and one that encourages the faithful to be forgiving towards one another. Our Prophet encouraged the faithful to be forgiving in the words, 'Allah has not failed to exalt any man who has forgiven unfairness or cruelty.' (Ahmad)
Since believers know that they may make a mistake at any moment, they behave tolerantly towards others. That is because those verses in the Qur'an that deal with repentance make it clear that the important thing is not making a mistake but rather being determined not to repeat a mistake as soon as one realizes one has done so. One of these verses reads:
Allah only accepts the tawba of those who do evil in ignorance and then quickly make tawba after doing it. Allah turns towards such people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nisa': 17)
Under these conditions, that reveal the sincerity of the individual, the faithful behave most forgivingly and compassionately towards one another. If someone who has committed an error sincerely repents having done so, then they cannot judge that person for his past deeds. Furthermore, even if the faithful are totally in the right and the other side completely in the wrong, they still have no compunction about forgiveness. That is because Allah recommends such behaviour as an example of proper morality, "Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people - Allah loves the good-doers - " (Surah Al 'Imran: 134)
When it comes to forgiveness, the faithful do not distinguish between great and small errors, and do not tailor their view of forgiveness accordingly. Someone may have committed an error and led to great loss of life or great financial loss, thus inflicting severe harm on others. Yet the faithful know that everything that happens does so by the permission of Allah and as part of His destiny, and therefore place themselves in the hands of Allah when it comes to such things, and feel no personal anger.
Alternatively, someone may have transgressed this Qur'anic rule and exceeded the bounds set by Allah. Yet it is only Allah who can judge that person's behaviour. That means that it is never up to the faithful to judge or refuse to forgive anybody on any matter. If a person is truly sorry and repentant then he will have his reward only in the sight of Allah. In fact, Allah has revealed in many verses that apart from 'ascribing partners to Him,' he will forgive the errors of the faithful if they sincerely repent. Since the faithful cannot know that, they simply forgive in the manner revealed to them By Allah, and if the Qur'an has anything to say on a particular subject they treat the person who has committed an error in the light of that.
Read More here
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
You who have iman! if you have taqwa of Allah, He will give you discrimination and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah's favour is indeed immense. (Surat al- Anfal: 29)
Muslims are very well aware of the good and bad as described in the Qur'an, and spend their whole lives implementing that awareness. Yet they have another important responsibility on their shoulders, and that is to invite others to see the truth, avoid evil and live by the morality of the Qur'an. That is why believers spend their whole lives telling people about the difference between good and evil. Allah has given the following command to the faithful, "Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success." (Surah Al 'Imran: 104)
Islam commands us to protect the poor, the orphan, the needy and to do good to others.
Furthermore, Allah also stresses in the Qur'an how those who abide by the commandment are much more auspicious than other people:
You are the best nation ever to be produced before mankind. You enjoin the right, forbid the wrong and have iman in Allah. If the People of the Book were to have iman, it would be better for them. Some of them are muminun but most of them are deviators. (Surah Al 'Imran: 110)
The faithful do not only perform that Qur'anic duty in respect of those people who do not know the difference between right and wrong and have no knowledge of religion, but also in respect of the faithful themselves. That is because people do not only fall into error out of ignorance, but also sometime out of forgetfulness, or by mistake, or because of their earthly desires. That being the case, the faithful also encourage good and prevent evil by reminding each other of the commandments of the Qur'an. They warn each other that only those who do good and devoutly carry out their religious obligations in this world will be rewarded with paradise, and that those who fail to avoid evil will suffer the torments of hell. That delightful responsibility means they never feel wearied or discouraged, and continue to warn others, compassionately and affectionately, no matter what mistakes they might have made. That is because in many verses Allah reveals that he loves those who have patience, and calls on the faithful to be patient when practicing the morality of the Qur'an. He reveals this in these terms in the verses:
You who have iman! seek help in steadfastness and salat. Allah is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Baqara: 153)
Except for those who are steadfast and do right actions. They will receive forgiveness and a large reward.(Surah Hud: 11)
Islam Commands us to Repay Evil with Good
A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. (Surah Fussilat: 34)
Ward off evil with what is better. We know very well what they express. (Surat al-Mu'minun: 96)
As we can see from these verses, Allah has promised the faithful that they will be able to secure positive results as long as they adopt a pleasant attitude in the face of wrongdoing. It is emphasised that even if the person he is dealing with is an enemy the believer can still establish a warm friendship with him. Responding to evil with good is also an essential part of believers' understanding of compassion. When he sees that someone is adopting an attitude that will not be pleasing to Allah, the believer first of all considers how that is going to affect the other person in the hereafter, and approaches him with toleration and humility, refusing to become puffed up with pride.
Believers may come across people with very different characters over the course of their lives. Yet they will not change their view of morality in line with the attitudes of the people they meet. The other side may speak mockingly, or use ugly words, or get angry and even behave in a hostile manner. Yet the true believer never stops being polite, modest and compassionate. He will not respond to ugly words with more of the same. He will not laugh at those who laugh at him, nor answer anger with anger. He will be patient and tolerant. In the face of insulting behaviour he will behave in such a way as to symbolise proper morality and with such compassion that the other side will be ashamed. That is the morality recommended to us by our Prophet. In one of the hadiths, he says, 'Be tolerant, so that others may be tolerant of you.' (Ahmad) In another hadith, he called on the faithful in these terms: 'None of you must be the kind of weak person who says, 'I go along with other people. If other people behave well, then so will I. If they behave badly, that is what I will do.' On the contrary, you must curb your passions to do good if others do so, and not to behave unjustly if others behave badly.' (Tirmidhi)
In the Qur'an, our Prophet was told to be forgiving in the face of the betrayal by some of the children of Israel:
...They have forgotten a good portion of what they were reminded of. You will never cease to come upon some act of treachery on their part, except for a few of them. Yet pardon them, and overlook. Allah loves good-doers. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 13)
As we have seen from this verse, Allah commanded our Prophet to be forgiving, even in the face of betrayal by one part of the children of Israel. One must also not forget that poor morality being displayed by someone else is no justification for doing the same thing oneself. Each individual is solely responsible to Allah for his actions. What is more, being with compassion, affection and proper morality in the face of bad behaviour by someone else is, according to the Qur'an, itself a sign of superior morality. That is because it reveals the extent of a believer's devotion to God. One verse reveals the reward that such a pleasing attitude will bring:
Those who do good will have the best and more! Neither dust nor debasement will darken their faces. They are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surah Yunus: 26)
Islam Commands The Faithful Always To Be Forgiving
One of the important signs of compassion is for a person to be able to be forgiving. This is how Allah calls upon His servants to be forgiving in the Qur'an:
Make allowances for people, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant. (Surat al A'raf: 199)
This is something that people may find difficult, but is an attitude that will be well rewarded in the sight of Allah. People may well be caught up in anger and refuse to forgive a mistake. But Allah has revealed to the faithful that it is better to forgive, and has recommended this morality to them:
The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it.But if someone pardons and puts things right, his reward is with Allah... (Surat ash-Shura: 40)
In another verse, Allah reveals that "But if someone is steadfast and forgives,that is the most resolute course to follow." (Surat ash-Shura: 43) and emphasizes that this is a very superior form of morality. In the words "Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and those who have made hijra in the way of Allah. They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surat an-Nur: 22) Allah encourages the faithful to consider their own position when it comes to being forgiving. That is because everyone wants Allah to forgive and protect and show him mercy. In the same way, we all hope that other people will excuse and forgive us if we make a mistake. Allah has thus commanded the faithful to treat others in the same way that they would like to be treated themselves. That is an important responsibility, and one that encourages the faithful to be forgiving towards one another. Our Prophet encouraged the faithful to be forgiving in the words, 'Allah has not failed to exalt any man who has forgiven unfairness or cruelty.' (Ahmad)
Since believers know that they may make a mistake at any moment, they behave tolerantly towards others. That is because those verses in the Qur'an that deal with repentance make it clear that the important thing is not making a mistake but rather being determined not to repeat a mistake as soon as one realizes one has done so. One of these verses reads:
Allah only accepts the tawba of those who do evil in ignorance and then quickly make tawba after doing it. Allah turns towards such people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nisa': 17)
Under these conditions, that reveal the sincerity of the individual, the faithful behave most forgivingly and compassionately towards one another. If someone who has committed an error sincerely repents having done so, then they cannot judge that person for his past deeds. Furthermore, even if the faithful are totally in the right and the other side completely in the wrong, they still have no compunction about forgiveness. That is because Allah recommends such behaviour as an example of proper morality, "Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people - Allah loves the good-doers - " (Surah Al 'Imran: 134)
When it comes to forgiveness, the faithful do not distinguish between great and small errors, and do not tailor their view of forgiveness accordingly. Someone may have committed an error and led to great loss of life or great financial loss, thus inflicting severe harm on others. Yet the faithful know that everything that happens does so by the permission of Allah and as part of His destiny, and therefore place themselves in the hands of Allah when it comes to such things, and feel no personal anger.
Alternatively, someone may have transgressed this Qur'anic rule and exceeded the bounds set by Allah. Yet it is only Allah who can judge that person's behaviour. That means that it is never up to the faithful to judge or refuse to forgive anybody on any matter. If a person is truly sorry and repentant then he will have his reward only in the sight of Allah. In fact, Allah has revealed in many verses that apart from 'ascribing partners to Him,' he will forgive the errors of the faithful if they sincerely repent. Since the faithful cannot know that, they simply forgive in the manner revealed to them By Allah, and if the Qur'an has anything to say on a particular subject they treat the person who has committed an error in the light of that.
Read More here
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Brazilians Join 3 Million Pilgrims Reenacting Abraham's Journey to Mecca
The tradesman Nagib Smaidi and his wife Soraia, from the city of Taubaté, in the interior of the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, traveled to Saudi Arabia just before Christmas.
In the suitcase Nagib took large and light colored towels and Soraia the long dresses worn by Muslim women. As is the asked by the Islamic religion, Nagib is going to wrap himself in the towels and Soraia will cover her whole body, except for the face and hands, to visit the holy places in Saudi Arabia where the prophet Abraham went in the past.
The couple is part of the group of Brazilian Muslims who are going to make, at the beginning of next year, the pilgrimage to Mecca, holy city in Islam.
Every year between two and three million people from the whole world travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. The next Hajj will be on the 7th of January, followed by a four-day holiday. On these days the Muslims repeat the rituals made by Abraham about two thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Brazilian Muslims normally travel in groups. The sheikhs Mohamad Amame and Yasser Hussein, from São Paulo, for example, organized a group of about 40 people. The majority of the members of the group are travelling to Mecca for the first time and are about 50 years old or more. This is the first time the sheiks organize the trip.
The pilgrimage is a re-enactment of the journey made by Abraham after building, where Mecca is located today, the Kaaba. According to the Muslim religion, the Kaaba was erected by the prophet by divine order to become a place of adoration.
It is still in the original place, but was rebuilt many times throughout the years. The peregrines, as well as praying before the Kaaba, go to other holy places such as Mount Arafat, visited by Abraham in his time for being the place where, according to Islam, Adam and Eve met.
"The peregrination is a form of coming closer to God, to turn yourself to God," said sheikh Jihad Hassan Hammadeh, vice-president at the World Assembly of Muslim Youth.
This, according to the sheikh, is the second holiday in the year for the Muslims. The other is at the end of Ramadan, period in which the followers of the Islamic religious fast from sunrise to sunset.
Source
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
In the suitcase Nagib took large and light colored towels and Soraia the long dresses worn by Muslim women. As is the asked by the Islamic religion, Nagib is going to wrap himself in the towels and Soraia will cover her whole body, except for the face and hands, to visit the holy places in Saudi Arabia where the prophet Abraham went in the past.
The couple is part of the group of Brazilian Muslims who are going to make, at the beginning of next year, the pilgrimage to Mecca, holy city in Islam.
Every year between two and three million people from the whole world travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. The next Hajj will be on the 7th of January, followed by a four-day holiday. On these days the Muslims repeat the rituals made by Abraham about two thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Brazilian Muslims normally travel in groups. The sheikhs Mohamad Amame and Yasser Hussein, from São Paulo, for example, organized a group of about 40 people. The majority of the members of the group are travelling to Mecca for the first time and are about 50 years old or more. This is the first time the sheiks organize the trip.
The pilgrimage is a re-enactment of the journey made by Abraham after building, where Mecca is located today, the Kaaba. According to the Muslim religion, the Kaaba was erected by the prophet by divine order to become a place of adoration.
It is still in the original place, but was rebuilt many times throughout the years. The peregrines, as well as praying before the Kaaba, go to other holy places such as Mount Arafat, visited by Abraham in his time for being the place where, according to Islam, Adam and Eve met.
"The peregrination is a form of coming closer to God, to turn yourself to God," said sheikh Jihad Hassan Hammadeh, vice-president at the World Assembly of Muslim Youth.
This, according to the sheikh, is the second holiday in the year for the Muslims. The other is at the end of Ramadan, period in which the followers of the Islamic religious fast from sunrise to sunset.
Source
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
3.3.09
Lightning bolt makes healer of Indonesian village boy
MOHAMMAD Ponari was, until last month, a typical kid in the impoverished East Java village of Balongsari. Then, quite literally, lightning struck.
The nine-year-old, who had been playing in the rain in his front yard, was hit by the thunderbolt but, to the astonishment of his young friends, he was unharmed.
All the more bizarre, according to an account by his village chief and his family, when he came to, he found a stone the size of an egg on his head, and was convinced he possessed healing powers.
A boy next door with a fever was his first patient. The stone was placed in a glass of water and the boy drank deeply. His fever vanished.
Then another neighbour approached him, a woman in her 30s who had suffered from a depressive condition for 15 years. She, too, was healed.
The miracles, large and small, kept coming, said Nila Retno, the local village chief.
"My arm was sprained. The water touched by stone was given to me and I applied the water to my sprained arm. Suddenly, I was OK again," she said.
The district police commissioner, Sutikno, a devout Muslim who will be making the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca this year, told of his experience.
"I was inside the house talking to the boy and his family. Together with me in the house was a boy of his age who had not spoken for five years," he said.
"Ponari shook him. The boy reacted and they started fighting, like wrestling and pulling each other's hair. Then, a few moments after the fighting, the boy started to talk."
What did he say? "He said 'I'm scared' in Javanese — but he talked."
Full story
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
The nine-year-old, who had been playing in the rain in his front yard, was hit by the thunderbolt but, to the astonishment of his young friends, he was unharmed.
All the more bizarre, according to an account by his village chief and his family, when he came to, he found a stone the size of an egg on his head, and was convinced he possessed healing powers.
A boy next door with a fever was his first patient. The stone was placed in a glass of water and the boy drank deeply. His fever vanished.
Then another neighbour approached him, a woman in her 30s who had suffered from a depressive condition for 15 years. She, too, was healed.
The miracles, large and small, kept coming, said Nila Retno, the local village chief.
"My arm was sprained. The water touched by stone was given to me and I applied the water to my sprained arm. Suddenly, I was OK again," she said.
The district police commissioner, Sutikno, a devout Muslim who will be making the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca this year, told of his experience.
"I was inside the house talking to the boy and his family. Together with me in the house was a boy of his age who had not spoken for five years," he said.
"Ponari shook him. The boy reacted and they started fighting, like wrestling and pulling each other's hair. Then, a few moments after the fighting, the boy started to talk."
What did he say? "He said 'I'm scared' in Javanese — but he talked."
Full story
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
Mumbai killers to be denied a muslim burial
Published Date: 01 December 2008
A MUSLIM graveyard today refused to bury nine of the gunmen who terrorized Mumbai.
The men were not true followers of the Islamic faith, according to the influential Muslim Jama Masjid Trust, which runs the 7.5-acre Badakabrastan graveyard in central Mumbai.
"People who committed this heinous crime cannot be called Muslim," said Hanif Nalkhande, a trustee. "Islam does not permit this sort of barbaric crime."
Ten gunmen laid siege to India's financial capital. One was captured and the rest killed.
The bodies of the nine now lie in a morgue awaiting last rites, while the lone surviving militant is in police custody.
Normally, unclaimed bodies thought to be Muslims are given to the nearest Muslim graveyard for burial after three days, leaving police unsure what to do now.
More on this here
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
A MUSLIM graveyard today refused to bury nine of the gunmen who terrorized Mumbai.
The men were not true followers of the Islamic faith, according to the influential Muslim Jama Masjid Trust, which runs the 7.5-acre Badakabrastan graveyard in central Mumbai.
"People who committed this heinous crime cannot be called Muslim," said Hanif Nalkhande, a trustee. "Islam does not permit this sort of barbaric crime."
Ten gunmen laid siege to India's financial capital. One was captured and the rest killed.
The bodies of the nine now lie in a morgue awaiting last rites, while the lone surviving militant is in police custody.
Normally, unclaimed bodies thought to be Muslims are given to the nearest Muslim graveyard for burial after three days, leaving police unsure what to do now.
Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you
Please share
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