SEPANG, Sept 28 - Lotus Racing Team's proposed name change to Team Lotus by its owner Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes does not reflect national interest said deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim.
Razali said if the name change goes through, it would not reflect a Malaysian identity because Lotus was a sister company of national car producer Proton Berhad.
"The action of Tony will certainly raise a number of issues and disappointment among various authorities. This will be about a team that may continue to forget the Malaysian interest and identity,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.
Razali was at the airport to send off 93 athletes from the Malaysian contingent who left for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games which starts on Oct 3.
Last week at the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix, Fernandes announced that starting next year, Lotus Racing would be known as Team Lotus, since the team had received the rights from David Hunt.
Fernandes had wanted to change the name after buying over Team Lotus Ventures from Hunt.
Yesterday, Proton and Lotus Group chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Salleh denied Hunt had any rights over the Team Lotus name and said the national car manufacturer would continue to support the group to defend the group's rights.
Razali said a discussion need to be held between the interested parties while national interest must be the priority.
"I hope Lotus and Proton will quickly find an amicable solution to the issue since the country's interest is at stake and the promises made when forming the team is maintained.
"If Tony continues his efforts (name change), I feel many parties, including the national petroleum company, motoring companies and clubs that had supported the team all the way will be disappointed,” he said. - Bernama
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Lotus Racing's change of name will rob Malaysian identity - Razali
Proton and Fernandes fight over Lotus name
LONDON, Sept 28 - The Malaysian car company that owns British-based Lotus sportscars squared up for a fight with racing team boss Tony Fernandes on Monday over the right to use the evocative brand in Formula One.
Proton said in a statement that it had terminated a licence for Fernandes’s 1 Malaysia Racing Team to compete as Lotus Racing and would “take all necessary steps” to stop him using the Team Lotus name from 2011.
Fernandes, the Malaysian entrepreneur who announced at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix that Lotus Racing would compete as Team Lotus next season, fired back a broadside of his own.
Lotus Racing chief executive Riad Asmat said in a statement that the team had issued proceedings in the London High Court “for a declaration that Team Lotus Ventures has the rights to use the Team Lotus name and everything associated with that brand in relation to Formula One”.
The original Team Lotus was created by the late Colin Chapman in the 1950s and became one of the most successful teams in the sport’s 60-year history, with 79 race victories before it folded in 1994.
"A new dream starts today, Team Lotus is back,” Fernandes declared on Friday.
Fernandes, who runs the Air Asia airline, said he had acquired Team Lotus Ventures from David Hunt — brother of the late world champion James — who had retained the rights to the name since the team’s exit from F1.
Proton disputed those rights.
Proton chairman Nadzmi Salleh said: “We believe the Lotus brand to be one of the most valuable brands in Formula One today.
"We are the owners of this brand, and will take all necessary steps to protect it.
"Tony Fernandes has no rights to use the Lotus brand in the 2011 Formula One season, and we will strongly resist any attempts by him to use our brand without our permission and will withdraw our sponsorship of the Lotus Racing team.”
Until 1994, Lotus’s last year in F1 until this season, the team and car firm were in common ownership.
"Since 1994, David Hunt has claimed to have acquired assets of Team Lotus, including its name, from the liquidator,” said Proton.
"He has never raced as Lotus. Mr. Hunt’s attempt to acquire the name Team Lotus was ineffective. Group Lotus is the owner of all rights in the “Lotus” automotive brand including those relating to Formula One.”
Proton said Group Lotus had terminated its current licence to Fernandes because of “flagrant and persistent breaches of the licence by 1 Malaysia Racing Team, which were damaging to the “Lotus” brand.”
Asmat said the team had never discussed extending the licence and the Proton sponsorship accounted for about 1.5 percent of his budget. - Reuters
Terjemahan BISIK-BISIK 21/9/10
Yesterday, another candidate has offered himself for the PKR deputy
presidency at the party polls in November. He is former party deputy
secretary-general P.S. Jenapala.
This brings the number of candidates vying for the number two post to
three. The other two are vice-president Azmin Ali and central
committee member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.
This new development further intensified the tensions in the PKR
elections even though the party is not that great. Furthermore, in a
news conference yesterday, Jenapala claimed that two PKR divisions in
Perak, which had nominated him, were directed to withdraw their
nominations.
Awang does not know to what extend the claim is true. The question
whether such claim is true or not is up to the party to clear the air.
For Awang, Jenapala’s campaign has started in earnest and it has also
spiced up the election.
Interestingly, Azmin is said to have the support of PKR adviser Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim while Anwar's daughter, Nurul Izzah, who is MP for
Lembah Pantai is said to be backing Zaid.
Awang could hardly wait for further developments in the run up to the PKR polls.
Awang – Observing behaviour.
Najib commends Obama, says time to galvanise the moderates
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak commended United States President Barack Obama for taking “a courageous public position” in dealing with Islamophobia, saying the US president did so “knowing it might cost him his political terms.”
The prime minister said however that it was now time for the US president to galvanise the moderates, bring in the non-governmental organisations and social movements so that more people would see the importance of taking a moderate stance.
"If you take an extremist or an extreme position then you are going to aggravate the situation,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg on Monday in New York.
Najib was responding to a question on the position taken by Obama in the recent plans by a pastor in Florida to burn copies of the Quran to commemorate the Sept 11 attacks.
The pastor later cancelled the plans amid a flurry of condemnations, including from Obama who said that it would only benefit the al-Qaeda and endanger US troops Afghanistan and Iraq.
In the six-minute interview, Najib was asked on a number of issues including Islamophobia.
Najib said: “This is a very important issue that we need to deal with because lately, we”re seeing a resurgence, if you like, or an upswing in terms of fearing Islam or Islamophobia.”
"There is a danger we are being pressured by the periphery, meaning the extremists and I don”t mean just extremists among the Muslims.
"There are extremists among Christians, there are extremists among the Jews.
But what is important is for us the majority, the moderates — and in fact I made a clarion call — that there should be a movement of the moderates,” he said.
He added that it was vital “to capture the higher ground” and not allow the extremist to dictate and push their agenda to impress the majority.
Najib is currently in New York to attend the 65th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Asean-US Summit held on the sidelines of UNGA.
During his intervention at the Asean-US Summit, Najib conveyed to Obama that Malaysia wanted to help the US to overcome Islamophobia to allow the American society a better understanding of Islam and dispel negative perceptions towards the religion. - Bernama
Come partake in Malaysia's economic transformation - Najib
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has called on international investors to partake in Malaysia's economic transformation programme which promises abundant busines and investment opportunities through hundreds of tangible projects.
In making the call, Najib said specific initiatives under the country's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) has been lined up including seven already “immediately identified and ready to take off” for implementation.
The seven projects, entailing an investment of RM114.7 billion, would begin under the ETP before the year-end.
"We got many more in the pipeline. We have got 131 specific initiatives that would be converted into tangible projects and these will be made very public and investors will be invited to participate,” Najib said in an interview on CNBC's
“Closing Bell Excess” business programme in New York on Monday evening.
CNBC Closing Bell excess is a widely-watched business programme with a global audience which interviews leaders, top economists and market movers.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, also assured investors there would be an effective mechanism to ensure execution and implementation of the projects destined to transform Malaysia into a high-income economy by 2020.
With US$1.4 trillion investments needed to drive the ETP, Najib said the government was “looking at resurrecting the role of the private sector to be the dominant sector”.
The government was also looking at some eight strategic reform initiatives that would drive the transformation programme which would ulimately create 3.3 million jobs in Malaysia's quest to become a developed nation.
He said Malaysia also took cognizance of dwindling investments last year and the realities in the marketplace whereby there was greater competition for the investment dollar.
"What we need to do is to be more globally competitive (and to this end) we have liberalised 27 sub-sectors to attract global investors.
“We are also looking at more reform initiatives besides looking at having a really specific plan that would get the market excited,” he said.
"I think the market is already excited about the plans, so we believe the targets are actually achievable,” he said.
As for the economy, Najib said fundamentals were favourable to drive growth.
The numbers really look promising, he said, citing the superlative 10.1 per cent expansion in Gross Domestic Product in the first-quarer of this year followed by a commendable 8.5 per cent growth in the second-quarter.
"We are looking at a pretty good performance for this year...certainly about six per cent,” he said.
The Prime Minister also expressed confidence in Malaysia's financial stability, buttressed by solid banks and financial institutions with the banking system very liquid and lending activities being very strong.
Other attributes such as strong consumer confidence, high domestic demand coupled with a benign external environment plus Malaysia's strong position as a trading nation has positioned the country well and lent credence to its macro economic fundamentals.
Despite scepticism by some quarters, Najib stressed Malaysia was very focused on becoming a developed nation based “on one single very measurable criteria which is GDP per capita.” "It's no use talking in general terms, let's be very very specific (and) targeted. Yes, we want to grow, we want to increase GDP per capita from about US$7,000 per capita to more than US$15,000.
"Its going to be a journey towards a massive transformation,” he said.
To questions that infrastructure related projects such as nuclear energy development and a high speed rail to Singapore, which were being discussed now, would further open up opportunities, he clarified that some of these projects were not immediate and could be planned for four or five years down the line.
Nevertheless, it enabled investors to plan ahead because there was now a clarity of direction, said Najib.
To views that the ongoing sodomy trial involving former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was damaging the country's reputation, he said the trial had nothing to do with political prosecution.
"This is about one individual against another individual,” he said.
"And, there are laws in Malaysia and the judiciary is independent, so people have to accept that,” said Najib. - Bernama
Malaysia Mega Sale 2010 Hot Deals You Won’t Resist!
A week has passed since Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival started, what have you bought so far?
Here, at 701Panduan, we’ll keep you updated with the latest events & activities and Mega Sale Hot Deals. Below are some irresistible hot deals: -
- Sunway Pyramid – Get Fabulousale Gift Booklet filled with offers and free gift vouchers worth more than RM700 link
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- Fella Design – Fella Design Biggest Warehouse Sales is on! 10 days only from 30 July – 8 Aug. It’s back with more choices, much better discounts on all sofas, armchair, coffee tables, dining sets, bed linen, fabrics, carpets and plenty more! link
- Fujihome – Mega Sale Promotion – Induction hob at RM299 only! Get Fujihome RM100 gift voucher. link
- The Chicken Rice Shop – Chef Ismail’s Rendang Ayam Kunyit wholesome meal set for RM14.99 only! link
Happy Independence Day Malaysia!
53 years ago in Stadium Merdeka, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj shouted “Merdeka!” for 7 times and it marks our independence day since then. Malaya or Malaysia (after 1963) gained independence on 31st August 1957 from British. It was a peaceful independence attained by agreement with the United Kingdom where Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj embarks on a delegation of ministers and political leaders to negotiation with the British in London. Yes, the agreement was accepted then and 31st August 1957 has been selected as the official day!
Although the independence we have do not experienced any shed of blood and fighting, the long period of colonization and freedom is something that worth more than that. Being an independence nation, there is so much we can do and proved to the world. Over the last 53 years since the first day of independence, Malaysia has changed a lot. From an agriculture based economy, we have moved to industrial based economy. The success in other areas also shows we have what it takes to be on our own.
Here at 701Panduan, we are so happy and anticipated to celebrate this memorable day of Merdeka. We believe that our beloved country, Malaysia will be more successful in the future. And as the generation who lives without knowing the hardness of colonization, we should appreciate our independence and should strive at best for our country!
Happy Independence Day Malaysia!
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Top 10 Ways to Live Greener
Making your live greener does not necessarily cost you a sum of money, but rather, you can spend less and get more benefit by being greener. It is the best wake-up call to change your lifestyle to save our planet starting from top 10 ways to live greener below.
- Bring your own reusable shopping bags so you don’t have to waste on plastic bags. Even now there are many reusable shopping bags that come with attractive design that could add to the stylish you while shopping.
- Use public transportation or consider going to your destination by foot or bike. By doing this you’re not only avoiding traffic jams but also help saving the environment and of course, it is good for your health.
- Aware of your electrical use. Make sure you turn off your electronic appliances if you’re not using them. This little precaution can help you to cut your bills too!
- Reduce the paper use. Since paper is made from tree, think before you use. Only use toilet roll or tissue paper when you really need it or consider a cloth rag or napkin and don’t mind using both sides of paper for office work.
- Consume your water use wisely. Turn off your water tap when brushing your teeth or washing your hand. The running water is obviously a waste.
- Hand-wash your dishes. You don’t have to spend money on dish washer anymore. What you can do is to fill in your sink basin with soapy water and let the dishes soak for a while before rinse it. Save money and water too!
- Don’t waste food. Plan your meal according to your need, reuse the leftovers and practice taking small servings of food to avoid wastage.
- Start gardening. This can be done by planting a tree or flower in your yard. If gardening is not your thing, choose plants that require less resources and attention. With our tropical environment, it is not hard to plant one.
- Sell or donate used items. It is a waste for other people if you throw away your unused items. Chances are there are always someone looking for cheap things and reused items to save money.
- Recycle as many as you can. This is one of the major ways to be greener and help the environment. In fact, recycling has been practiced a long time ago. Pay a visit to your nearest recycle center if you have some things to recycle such as bottle, paper, glass or metal.
Everyone wants to live greener now. The Selangor government has implemented ‘No Plastic Bag’ day every Saturday —. You don’t have to live in Selangor or practice ‘No Plastic Bag’ day only on Saturdays, you can do it everyday and help to make the world a better place by practicing the list above.
The Unity on Malaysia Day
Malaysia Day will be held on September 16, also in conjunction with the formation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia way back in 1963.
The plan was at first to be announced on June 1 but was later postponed to August 31 in order to make a grand celebration together with the sixth celebration of Malaysia own Independence Day but plan was changed due to several objections and was only declared then on September 16.
Hence, it marked a special significant on this day itself and that Information Communication and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim hope to gather all Malaysians to celebrate this year together as one and hopefully the celebrations will continue on for years to come. Not only should they celebrate August 31 but also September 16. Declared only last year, this year would be the first year to celebrate Malaysia Day and Sabah will take the lead.
There will be a grand celebration and for you out there, you can definitely expect a 47 minutes long of musical tribute to mark off the 47 years since the formation in 1963.
The celebration will be held at Padang Merdeka at 4pm and our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to make an appearance to officially launch the celebration and sign the Malaysia Day Book, a gold-plated book, together with the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak. There will also be a special award presentation to three recipients; one each from Sabah and Sarawak as well as another representative from Peninsula.
It’s a celebration that any races, religions, cultures or political ideologies should gather together and celebrate to show the unity of Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsula as one.
Plan ahead of this meaningful day by visiting our country attraction places by referring to our comprehensive Malaysia City Guide
Celebrating Aidilfitri in Town – September 2010
This special Hari Raya open house is also said to promote Malaysian multi-cultural values as guests from all over town are invited to celebrate Hari Raya together. Popular traditional food of Hari Raya such as lemang, ketupat and rendang as well as kuih raya are served during the open house. There are also assortments of the host’s locality such as Sarawak’s layer cake or better known as Kuih Lapis, if the host is from Sarawak.
Within this month long Hari Raya celebration, it is common to visit up to 3 or more open house celebrations!Well, it can be said that the open house tradition is very synonymous with tones of food and it is all free! But don’t neglect your health, do not overeat! Eat according to your diet and stay healthy especially in this festive season of Aidilfitri. So where’s your next open house?
And if you are looking for Caterers for next year’s open house, you know where to find them only at
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tricks of The Shaytan Against Us
As for the tricks of Shaytaan against you they are seven.
1. He obstructs you from doing acts of obedience . Repel him, if Allah protects you, by realizing that you are in need of these acts of obedience in order to gather provision from this life for the next life which will have no ending.
2. He commands you to procrastinate in acts of obedience . Repel him , if Allah protects you, by realizing that your appointed time is not in your hands and that you could die at any moment.
3. He commands you to rush in acts of obedience by suggesting to you , " Hurry! In order that you can do so-and-so!" Repel him, if Allah protects you, that realizing that few acts of obedience done with perfection is better than many done incompletely.
4. He commands you to perfect your worship in order to be seen of men. Repel him, if Allah protects you, by realizing that the sight of Allah is enough for you over the sight of men.
5. He whispers arrogance and pride in your heart by saying, " Who is greater and more precise than your obedience?" Repel him, if Allah protects you, , by realizing that your acts of obedience to Allah is a blessing from Allah, not from yourself. If it were not for the bounty of Allah, you would not be able to establish any act of obedience , which are nothing next to the blessing of Allah Ta`ala.
6. This is the greatest of his tricks, he says to you, " Make strenuous effort in keeping your obedience of Allah secret. Soon He will make your acts manifest before the world!" Repel him, if Allah protects you, that you are a slave of Allah and that He alone is your Master. If He wills , He will manifest you and is He wills He will keep you concealed. If He wills, He will make you important and if He wills He will make you insignificant. That is for Him to decide, and you should not care whether He manifest your good deeds to people or not, because there is nothing in thier hands worth seeking after.
7. He suggest in your heart, " There is no need for you to perform acts of obedience to Allah. Truly, if you were created and destined to be among the people of bliss, then there is no danger in you neglecting the acts of worship. And if you were created and destined to be among the people of wretchednedd, then there is no benefit in doing them. Repel him , if Allah protects you, that realizing that you are a slave . And that it the duty of a slave to obey the commands as is the rights to slaveness (`ubuudiyya).
Allah is the Rabb, and He knows the rights of Lordship (rubuubiyya). Thus these acts of obedience will benefit you in every way if you were created and destined to be among the people of bliss. It will benefit you by increasing your reward. And if you were not created and destined for bliss, then in no way Allah will punish you for acts of obedience. These acts of obedience will not harm you. For to be entered into the fire while you are obedient to Allah is more precious to you than you being entered into the fire while you are disobedient.
And how is it possible for you to enter the fire when the Promise of Allah is true and His Words are Truthful. For He has promised a tremendous reward for acts of obedience. Whoever meets Allah Ta`ala while he has faith and obedience will never enter the fire and he has dully earned the Paradise by the Promise of Allah the Truthful and not by any act. It is in that Allah has informed us by His saying, " Allah`s praises are due to Allah who made good to us His Promise and has made us inherit the earth and we may abide in the Paradise whenever we please. Excellent is the Reward of those who work. 39:74.
Tree of IMAN
If someone gives you a plant to take care of..how do you think you will do it? Wouldn't you try your best to not to let that plant die? And of course, to do that you are going to make sure that all the things that plant need, you provide it and keep it away form all the harmful things.
At the same time you will try to find out about the basic elements that plant is consisted of and the basic things those elements need to grow properly.
Believe me or not but all of us have one, very delicate and at the same time very strong tree to take care of given to us by our Lord.
Allah (SWT) has given us this tree that is planted in our hearts, called "shajarat-ul-Iman" (Tree of Iman).
Allah (swt) describes that tree in Quran:
"Have you not seen how Allah coined a similitude (of parable) a good word like a good tree, the root of that tree is firmly established in the ground and the branches reach the heavens."
At another place in Quran Allah (swt) said:
"(this particular tree by the permission of its Lord), gives fruits (all kinds of fruits) anytime Allah (swt) wants it to give fruits.
Allah (swt) also said:
"Allah coin similitude for the human beings (for you and I), so that perhaps we may reflect (we may think)."
Science say there are trees in other plants than earth
Allah (swt) created seven heavens and earth other than this planet. Some people say that there are trees and some say there are not. There is proof in Quran and Sunnah that there are trees in Jannah (heaven). One of them is called "Toobaa", the tree for the "ghurab'a" (strangers). The shade of that tree is one month journey and this is where the believers will take their clothes from.
Most Important Tree in this World: The most important tree in this dunya (world) is the Tree of Iman (shajarat-ul-Iman). The tree that Allah (swt) has planted in our hearts. The tree that we all should be worrying about day and night. We all must know what that tree of Iman is made of so that we can take good care of it.
What Does the Tree of Iman Have:
Almost all the trees that Allah (swt) has created/originated, almost all of them have three very basic things:
1. Root (O'rooq)
The roots of the most important tree on this earth are:
a) Knowledge (I'lm)
b) Certainty (Yaqeen)
The tree of Iman is the basic belief of Islam
"La ilaha illallah"
"There is no God worthy of worship except Allah (swt)"
So the root for us of the Tree of Iman, is the KNOWLEDGE of the meaning of "la ilaha illallah". It covers every single aspect of our life. When we know that there is no God other then Allah (swt), we totally surrender to Him alone and we take everything that He gave us through the Quran and the Sunnah of Rasul of Allah (saw).
The other half of the root of this tree is the certainty, meaning the certainty of everything what "la ilaha illallah" brings.
When implementing Islam in our lives, or when accepting a matter which we were not aware of before, we should do it with firm belief and certainty, as long as it is from the Quran and the authentic Sunnah of Rasul and his Companions.
2) Trunk: (Saaq)
The tree of Iman, like the other trees, also has a trunk, which is Purity of Intention: (al-Ikhlas)
We must have the purity of intention for our tree to be firm and unshakable and immovable.
Abdullah Ibn Sahl at-tuzkuri (ra) (scholar from the taba'een) was asked:
"What is al-Iman?", he said:
"Iman is statement, is action, is intention and is Sunnah. If it is a statement without actions then it is Kufr (disbelief), if it is a statement and action with out intention then it is Nifaq (hypocrisy), if it is a statement, action and intention without the Sunnah, then it is Bid'ah (innovation)."
To keep a healthy trunk of our tree, we must have a pure intention of our actions. Our every righteous deed is divided into two parts. The first half of a righteous deed is the purity of intention. The nyyah has to be pure for the pleasure of Allah ONLY!
3) Branches & Fruits:
This tree should also has branches and fruits. And these are:
a) Righteous deeds
b) Honorable/Noble Character
At several places in Quran, Allah (SWT) has distinguished the people of Jannah from the people of Hell as Indeed those who believed and did righteous deeds....
Those people who believed and did righteous deeds have also been given the glad tidings of Jannah at several places in Quran:
Every righteous deed consists of two parts. First part is the purity of intention (for the sake of Allah only!). Second half of the righteous deed is that the action has to be in conformed with Shariah (Quran and Sunnah of Rasul (SAW) and the Companions(May Allah be pleased with them)). If the action is not conformed with Shariah, it is not considered a righteous deed!
When a tree has firm roots and healthy trunk and branches, it automatically produces good fruits. Similarly, when we establish firm roots of Iman in our heart and keep healthy trunk and branches of the tree the fruits will prosper. If we have the knowledge of our deen and certainty of whatever knowledge we have, and we do righteous deeds with pure intentions, we will automatically develop an honorable and noble character.
Things that will Make Our Tree Die:
1)Kufr:
If we allow kufr to come into our tree, it will destroy the tree.
2) Shirk:
If we allow shirk to come into our tree, it will also destroy the tree.
3) Bid'ah:
If we allow Bid'ah (innovations) of all types to come into our tree, it will demolish our tree. Our tree will become yellow, our tree will become dry and our tree will eventually die!
Note: Muslims nowadays are involved in so many "religious practices" thinking that they are pleasing Allah (swt), though in reality they are getting themselves involved either in bid'ahs or sometimes even to the extant of shirks. Muslims, intentionally or unintentionally, either add or remove stuff from how a certain act was originally practiced by our pious predecessors and hence making it a bid'ah. And since the act was not practiced according to the "Shari'ah", it will not be considered a righteous deed.
To avoid from getting ourselves involved in these dangerous things, it is extremely important to have the "knowledge" of the deen and to refer back to our pious predecessors in every single thing we do or say.
What is AL-Iman:
Al-Iman is:
1) Belief:
Iman is a belief in our hearts. It is to have a firm belief of "la illah illallah" in our hearts and all the thing that it brings. Every thing that we find from Quran and Sunnah, we must have a sincere and firm belief on that without having any doubts.
2)Statement:
Iman is a statement by our tongue. We must state "la illaha illallah" by our tongues. Meaning what ever believes we have, we cannot just keep them in our hearts, but we must say them out.
3) Actions:
Iman is to carry out our believes and our statements by our bodily limbs. After believing in "la illaha illallah" and stating it, we must imply it in our actions. And the way we imply "la illaha illallah" in our actions is by modifying our every action and deed according to the Quran and Sunnah of Rasul and our pious predecessors.
A general example of the above could be wearing hijab. If one has a firm belief in Allah (swt) and whatever He revealed, will definitely believe that wearing hijab is a command of Allah and it is mandatory. Then only believing is not enough, we must have to admit by stating by our tongues the fact that hijab is necessary and inform other people about it in a nice pleasing way (not in a displeasing or complaining manner). But still our Iman is not completed until we start wearing it ourselves.
To think that Iman is in our hearts only, is one of the tricks of Iblis (satan). We shouldn't be fooled by the shaytans (satan) of the Ins wal Jin (Humans and Jinns) by thinking that Iman is in our chests only and as long as we have a firm belief, our Iman is completed Rather we HAVE to show our believes by our statements and by our actions
Highest and Lowest of Iman:
Rasul of Allah (saw) said:
"Iman has 70 branches. And the highest of al-Iman is the statement "la illaha illallah" (It is the most sublime, the most magnificent and the most superior of all Iman). The lowest of the Iman is to remove some harmful thing from the street. And modesty is a part of al-Iman."
Iman Wears Out:
We all go through high and low levels of Iman. As Rasul of Allah told us:"al-Iman wears out in each and everyone of you and me like a "thaub" (garment) wears out (like our clothes wears out...and they become shabby eventually. Iman wears out like that "thaub").
So Rasul of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) advised us (since our Iman wears out) "So all of you Muslims, should ask Allah (swt) to RENEW the Iman in our hearts.
Ten Things We Waste
Ten Things We Waste
1. --Our Knowledge-- Wasted by not taking action with it.
2. --Our Actions-- Wasted by committing them with out sincerity.
3. --Our Wealth-- Wasted by using on things that will not bring us ajr. We waste our money, our status, our authority, on things which have no benefit in this life or in akhirah.
4. --Our Hearts-- Wasted because they are empty from the love of Allah, and the feeling of longing to go to Him, and a feeling of peace and contentment. In it's place, our hearts are filled with something or someone else.
5. --Our Bodies-- Wasted because we don't use them in ibadah and service of Allah
6. --Our Love-- Our emotional love is misdirected, not towards Allah, but towards something/someone else.
7. --Our Time-- Wasted, not used properly, to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for past deeds
8. --Our Intellect-- Wasted on things that are not beneficial, that are detremental to society and the individual, not in contemplation or reflection.
9. --Our Service-- Wasted in service of someone who will not bring us closer to Allah, or benefit in dunyaa
10. --Our Dhikr-- Wasted, because it does not effect us or our hearts.
So don't wasting again..use everything that we have properly in the right way..
Sabr
-an essential element in fulfilling our ubudiyyah to Allah (swt)
- Rasulullah (saw) said: Sabr is a source of light
- In the Quran it says: [And practice sabr, for you are under Our gaze] One of the early ulamah used to carry a parchment with this ayah on it in his pocket, and he looked at it constantly.
- Sabr is human; animals know nothing more than their basic needs and instincts, all they can do is react; humans have been endowed with reason which balances instinct. We go from wanting food as baby, play as a child, zinnah in adolescence, until we reach puberty and are endowed with some reason.. but reason is not enough, it is not alone sufficient as guidance, the 'aql (intellect) needs 'naql (revealation) "Descartes said I think therefore I am, Ghazali before him said I will therefore I am, I say: I perform sabr, therefore I am human" This deen is the completeness of our maturity and our humanity.
So what is sabr?
The steadfastness of the religious call over the call to passion- if the deen overcomes the nafs, this is sabr
Sabr is an UPHILL BATTLE- when we're going downhill we're losing energy, when we're going uphill we're gaining potential energy. In sabr, we are gaining "spiritual potential energy".
There are 2 kinds of sabr (or two ways we can perform sabr):
1) when something we desire happens to us, something we like, we exhibit sabr in controlling our selves, not going into excess, not transgressing the bounds set down for us by Allah(swt)
Abdur Rahmad ibn Auf said: We were tried by hard times and we showed sabr, but when we were tried in ease and excess, we failed.
Hadeeth: I do not fear for you poverty; I fear for you plentifulness of dunyaa, and it will destroy you as it had destroyed nations before you.
Qur'an: O you who believe, do not let your families and your wealth draw you away
from the dhikr of Allah; and whosoever does that is indeed the loser.
2) Sabr in what we dislike. In 3 areas of life:
a) sabru ala ta'aat: in obeying Allah (swt). sabr against our nafs who dislikes it, whether in spirituality or mundane, sabr before, during and after the act of obedience.
b) sabru anil ma'asee: to show sabr against disobedience to Allah (swt). We are attracted to do injustice to others thinking we are doing justice to ourselves. We live in an environment that is dangerously attractive, we need to have patience, constancy, steadfastness = sabr.
c) sabr andil ma'asid: to show sabr in times of calamity, adveristy, pain, whether physical or emotional. Everything that is in the capacity of an individual to change, he should- but have sabr in what you cannot. Not reciprocating harm is sabr.
Hadeeth: whenever a museebah (hardship) befalls you (and you show sabr) Allah (swt) atones for you some of your sins
Hadeeth: Allah (swt) atones some of our sins not only by physical endurance but by emotional ones as well
Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) asked the Prophet (saw) "Ya Rasulullah, who amongst people are the most tried (subject to hardships)?" Rasulullah (saws) said: The Anbiyyah (messengers of Allah) and after them the Salihoon (righteous) and then in accordance to your eman, taqwaah etc, there will be more hardships, not less. Every mu'min will be tried by difficulties in accordance (proportion) to their deen. If in this person's deen is solidity (their deen is deeply rooted) the balaa' will increase, to purify, cleanse, strenghten, elevate the person. And if in the deen in this person there is riqaa (weakness, thinness), then that persons balaa will be weakened, until the person walks on the earth cleansed of sins until they meet Allah.
What are the adaab of sabr?
1- once the calamity befalls us, we must show sabr immediately without delay.
A woman was in the cemetary, crying, mourning her love, when Rasulullah (saws) said to her "show sabr". She said, not knowing who he was "thats easy for you to say, you have not lost a loved one". When the companions told her who he was, she asked for forgiveness and rasulullah (saws) said: Sabr is to be shown at the beginning of hardship.
2- al-itirjaa': to say immediately, sincerely, from the heart: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhee raji'uun" -Verily from Allah we come and to Him we return
3- the tongue and the senses do not act violently - use them correctly, don't get caught up in the pain of the moment
4- Hussnul sabr- sabrun jameel- the highest level, the most beautiful sabr
Sabr can be categorized into 3 levels:
1- Tarkus sabraa: the lowest level- when one does not complain but inside dislikes what's happening to them
2- Ar-ridhaa-bil-beelah: no complaint, to show satisfaction with the balaa (hardship), because they have yaqeen (certainty) that Allah only does to the 'abd what is best for them
3- Ash-shukr-alal-beelah: to have ridhaa (satisfaction) and to be grateful to Allah for the hardship because that person has yaqeen that this is to elevate his spiritual status- looks at the consequence, not the immediate event we are taught sabrun jameel in the story of yaqub and yusuf (as)
Ali (ra) said: Of the realization of the Majesty of Allah, and of knowledge of the right Allah (swt) has on His creation, is that when one is befallen with a calamity, one does not complain, does not even mention what has befallen him.
An 'abd should feel ashamed to describe the pain, we are complaining about the Creator to the creation?
Ibn Qays (a tabi') said: I lost my eyesite 40 years ago, I have never told anyone.
an ulumah (didn't get the name): "Whosoever complains about a calamity that has befallen him to other than Allah, such an individual would never find the sweetness of ta'aa (obedience to Allah (swt)) in the heart"
How to attain sabr?
The cure to any disease of the heart (arrogance, anger, lack of hayaa)
1- ILM: brings desire and want to change, use the ilm the teacher conveys to you! brings about hazm- energy, resolve to change
2- AMAL: take it into everyday life, in your actions Qat'al asbaab- severing the ways and avenues to bad deeds. example: lowering the gaze for zinnah. for every haraam avenue, there is a halaal alternative.
No pain, no gain- condition your nafs and your qalb, or they will condition you
Work hard on uprooting the weeds of passion, disobedience and sin. Sow the seeds in your heart of the will to change and sincerity. Let the rain be the mercy and forgiveness of Allah purifying the land, our hearts.
The best door from which we can enter the majesty of Allah, is humility.
1- Always be conscious in our hearts and minds of Allah's nimaah
2- Always be conscious of our weaknesses, the sins we have committed. Have faqar- the opposite of pride, self-reliance, self-interest..
Qur'an: "InnaAllah ma'as sabireen: Verily Allah is WITH those who have sabr."
Ya Allah, make us of those who have sabr, and grant us Your mercy and Your forgiveness.
Ameen.
Qur'an: A Teacher of Modern Scientist
Ours is an era of space probes, computer chips, laser surgeries and cloning. If we were to label any book as a revelation from God, we couldn't help but to scrutinize this Scripture using modern scientific knowledge. It could not be that a revelation, proclaiming itself from God, could constitute aspects contradicting established scientific facts. How could we assume otherwise, when God is the one who created the universe and the laws operating within it.
The Quran was revealed 1400 years ago to the last Prophet of God, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a guidance for all humanity. The entire Quran has been committed to memory by millions of Muslims around the world and has been preserved by God from any interpolations, for continuing guidance. Although the Quran is a religious book with a total of about 6600 plus verses dealing with many aspects of a person's life, about 1000 of those verses are of scientific nature, none contradicting established scientific facts.
Dr. T.V.N. Persaud [1], professor of Anatomy, says: "You have an illiterate person (Prophet Muhammad) making profound statements that are amazingly accurate, of a scientific nature...I personally can't see how this could be mere chance, there are too many accuracies and like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which lead him to these statements".
Besides providing guidelines in personal, social, moral and spiritual spheres of humanity, the Quran touches upon diverse scientific topics like astronomy, geology, embryology, genetics, biology, archeology etc. Some of these are mentioned below to prove the Quran's Divine origin.
The Big Bang !
Currently, the Big Bang model of the origin of the universe is the cosmological paradigm most widely accepted by astronomers. It holds that about 15 billion years ago the universe began with the explosive expansion of a single, extremely dense matter, the primordial mass. Only after the development of radio telescopes in 1937 that, the necessary observational precision was achieved in order for astronomers to arrive at the above conclusion. What does the Quran say about our universe's origin?
"Do not the unbelievers see that the Heavens and the earth were joined together, then We split them apart." (21:30)
Expanding Universe
In 1925, Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space telescope is named) provided the observational evidence for the expansion of the universe. Stephen Hawking (author of 'A Brief History of Time') states: "The universe is not static, as had previously been thought, it is expanding". So what did God reveal in the Quran, 1400 years ago?
"And the firmament, We constructed with power and skill and verily We are expanding it" (51:47) ("We" is the Arabic plural of respect, not the Christian plural of 'trinity")
The Existence of Sun's Orbit
Ancient people use to believe that the Sun revolves around the earth. Later, Nicholas Copernicus in 1512, laid his Heliocentric Theory of Planetary motion, which placed the sun motionless in the center of the solar system with all the planets revolving around it. Modern science tells us now that the sun too is not still, but is in motion.
The sun traveling at roughly 150 miles per second takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the center of our Milky Way Galaxy and 25 days to make one complete rotation around its own axis. See how beautifully and accurately God revealed this phenomenon in the Quran:
"It is He who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its orbit with its own motion." (21:33)
Conquest of Space by Human
Human exploration and the conquest of space began with the launching of the Russian Satellite, Sputnik I on Oct. 4, 1957. Then followed the launching of humans into space, which eventually led to a manned space flight to the Moon on July 20th, 1967. Thus the dream of humanity since the dawn of civilization to go beyond the earth to the heavens was realized.
The Quran, 1400 years ago, clearly predicted human's advancement and the possibility of space flight.
"O assembly of Jinns and humans, if you can penetrate the regions of the heavens and the earth, then penetrate them! You will not penetrate them save with a power (of God)." (55:33)
The Protective Atmosphere
Earth is constantly bombarded by meteoroids that disintegrate upon the atmosphere and by lethal rays emitted by the sun. This UV radiation is absorbed by the Ozone layer forming the outer fringe of our atmosphere. Thus our atmosphere along with its Ozone layer is a protective covering for us. Life possibly could not have existed without it. How meticulously, does our Lord sustain and protect us against this atmospheric destruction.
"And We have made the atmosphere a protective roof, yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things point to." (21:32)
Embryology
The Dutch naturalist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) produced lenses powerful enough to prove that many tiny creatures are not spontaneously generated but are produced from eggs. The science of Embryology as we know it today did not discover many of the detailed aspects of human embryonic development until the 1970s, using powerful microscopes, ultra sound and fiber optics technology. See how the Quran described the stages of embryonic development.
"God fashioned man from a small quantity (of sperm)" (16:4) Fertilization takes place with only one sperm among several tens of million produced by man.
"Then We placed him as a drop in a place of rest" (23:13) Implantation of the blastocyst in the uterus.
"Then We made the drop into a leech like structure..." (23:14) This resemblance of the human embryo to a leech is an appropriate description of the human embryo from days 7-24, when it clings to the endometrium of the uterus.
"And He (God) gave you hearing and sight and feeling and understanding." (32:9) The internal ears appear before the eyes, and the brain (the sight of understanding) differentiates last.
Dr. E. Marshall Johnson [2] Professor of Anatomy, concluded after studying verses from Quran: "The Quran describes not only the development of external form but emphasizes also the internal stages - the stages inside the embryo of its creation and development, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science... so I see nothing in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved..."
Gender Determination
The concept of "Gender Determination" as being described by geneticists, is one of the outstanding informations revealed to us in the Quran. This information is now a known fact, that sperms are the deciding factors in determining the type of gender (male or female) in the new embryo. This determination through the male sperm is due to the fact that sperms have an X and Y chromosomes, while the female ovum has only X Chromosomes (X, X). Through the Quran, The Almighty informs us that it is the male sperms that determine the type of gender for the new offspring:
"Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled (without purpose)? Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in humble form)? Then did (God) make and fashion (him) in due proportion. And of him He made two sexes, male and female..." (75:36-40)
Existence of Pairs in All Creation
Before the dawn of the modern era, humans conceived that only animal life was divided into two genders, male and female. Then the discovery was made that this phenomenon was present in plants and vegetation too. We have found this reality existing in every creation, animate as well as inanimate, though in different forms.
In electricity, these two genders can be classified as positive and negative. North and south pole describe it in magnetism, electron and proton in atoms, matter and antimatter etc. Even bacteria could be positive or negative, while the truth is, this creation is made of pairs. At the time the Holy Quran was being revealed in the 7th century C.E., we knew of pairing in animals and plants only, but the Quran describes the phenomenon in the most lucid manner:
"Hallowed is He, Who created pairs in all things, those that grow from the earth and of themselves, and what they know not." (36:36)
The Quranic statement:
"...And what they know not" is as true today, as it was when Holy Quran was revealed. Though we have discovered that every created thing exists in pair, we have yet to discover many things that exist.
We have expounded scientific marvels from the Holy Quran to convince sincere seekers of truth that it is the infallible Word of God. No mortal being can ever speak with such authority, finality, knowledge, perfection, and precision coupled with exotic beauties of expression, as does God in the Quran.
By realizing these Truths about the Quran and the religion of Islam revealed by our Creator and Sustainer, many modern scientists are turning towards it.
Dr. Keith Moore [3], Professor of Embryology, after analyzing the verses of the Quran for three years comments: "It has been a pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about Human Development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God or Allah because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later"
Dr. Maurice Bucaille [4], French Physician, after studying Quran and comparing it with modern science, addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 proclaimed: "Our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain how a text produced at the time of the Quran could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times".
Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson [5], Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, proclaims:
"...These Hadiths (sayings of Muhammad) could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available at the time of the writer (7th century)...It follows that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches... There exist statements in the Quran shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Quran having been derived from God".
Dr. Tejatet Tejasen [6], Professor of Anatomy, attending the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference, stood up and likewise announced: "From my studies and what I have learnt at this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran 1400 years ago must be true. That can be proved the scientific way".
These men of knowledge, in their unbiased studies of the Quran, all proclaimed its truthfulness as a Revelation of Almighty God.
"Soon we will show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth) and in their own soul, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth..." (41:53)
Guidance to humanity proclaimed in the Quran is complete and applicable to all societies and all times. Whether we are living in the Stone Age or the Space Age, riding in horse pulled carriages or flying in Space Shuttles, we haven't changed a bit. We still possess physical and emotional desires, we live in societies, interact with one another, establish social, political and economic systems; thus the relevant need for guidance by our Creator in all these spheres of our life. Islam is the only religion which is totally compatible with scientific facts and provides complete, explicit and clear guidance in all spheres of life.
The Quran was revealed in Arabic, but translation of its meaning are available in English and other languages for non-Arabs. Likewise Islam is not restricted to people of the east or Arabs, it is a universal religion revealed for all of mankind.
We invite all sincere humans to study Islam with an open mind. Don't blindly follow the whims and paganistic influences of the environment around us. God bestowed upon us this superb mind to seek and live the truth; for we all will be accountable on the Day of Judgment for our beliefs and deeds. Don't delay your salvation.
Welcome to Islam
Five Steps for Effective Da'wah
I. Ways of Relating to People
A. Be attentive and show concern. When shaking hands. The Prophet (pbuh) never released his hand first, and never turned his face away from others until they did.
1. Be consistently considerate 4. Share in others' interests.
2. Inquire about the absent 5. Exchange gifts
3. Visit the sick 6. Listen to and look at the
speaker
B. Address people by the names they like One day the prophet asked a man about his name, and he replied that it was Abdulhajjar (slave of stone). The prophet said "No, you're Abdullah" (the slave of Allah)
II. Requirements for Effective Da'wah
A. Don't blame the people for their mistakes or be critical.
1. Many people are hypersenstive to criticism.
2. Some people become defensive when blamed. When Musa went to Pharoah, Allah said, "but speak to him mildly........perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)".
B. Don't embarrass by correcting someone in front of others.
The Prophet (pbuh) used to use plurality when correcting a particular person in front of a group. For example, he would ask the group, "what do you think about those who do such-and-such a bad thing?".
C. Satisfy the people's halal needs.
1. Help those in need
2. Don't wait to assist the needy until they ask you
3. The prophet (pbuh) always helped the needy
4. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgement. whoever alleviates [the lot of] a needy person, Allah will alleviate [his lot] in this world and the next.
D. Always be fair, just, and honest
E. Give others sincere respect and heighten their self-esteem.
1. Remember, if the respect you show others is not genuine you will be showing hypocrisy, rather than respect.
2. One day a mushrik came to the prophet (pbuh) who was sitting with Abu Bakr on his right. The Prophet had Abu Bakr move to left,and had the mushrik sit on his right,a position of honor.
3. Two brothers came to speak to the Prophet (pbuh) when the younger of them spoke first, the Prophet interrupted him and asked the older to start.
F. Don't be angry or retaliate for injury to yourself, but be angry or retaliate only for wrongdoing in the view of Allah.
III. Techniques for Growing Closer to Others
A. Attempt to understand deeply those you deal with
1. Find out their background (cultural, educational, social, etc) because that helps in finding access to their minds and hearts.
2. Attempt to know everyone equally well. Favoritism creates mistrust and hurt feelings.
B. Be simple, moderate, and respectful
C. Do not insulate yourself from the bad people. They need you more than the others.
D. Be tactful
1. Avoid personal questions and embarassing comments
2. Address the person according to his level of understanding
E. Be cheerful and enthuisiastic
Al-Harith, a companion said, I have never seen anyone who smiled most of the time as the Prophet (pbuh) did.
F. Present a pleasant appearance
1. Be clean and neat
2. Observe decency in dress
3. Wear clothing that is harmonious to the total outfit
4. The prophet (pbuh) saw someone with uncombed hair and asked, "Didn't you find something with which to comb it?"
5. Never eat raw onion or garlic when going to the masjid or to meet with people.
IV. Obstacles to Da'wah
A. Don't be afraid of temptation.
Some peole fear contact with non-Muslims for fear of succumbing to their bad influence. the remedy for this is to strengthen one's faith.
B. Don't be shy.
1. Some people lack the courage to mix with others and socialize.
2. The remedy for this is practice.
C. Fear of one's inability to express oneself and lack of confidence in one's capabilities for logical analysis and persuation. The remedy for this is practice.
V. The field for Da'wah: school, neighborhood, workplace and family..anywhere in all time..
Banana News (A Must Read) - Fascinating !
A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:
Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting.
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again..
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
**Depression:* According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
**PMS:* Forget the pills - eat a banana.. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
**Anemia :* High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
**Blood Pressure:* This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
**Brain Power:* 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
**Constipation:* High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
**Hangovers:* One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
**Heartburn:* Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
**Morning Sickness:* Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood
sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness
**Mosquito bites:* Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it
amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
**Nerves:* Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
**Overweight* and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips... Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady..
**Ulcers:* The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
**Temperature control:* Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
**Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): *Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
**Smoking &Tobacco Use:* Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
**Stress:* Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
**Strokes:* According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%! *
**Warts:* Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!" **
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!
Anger, How a Muslim Deals With It
Anger is one of the evil whispers of Shaytaan, which leads to so many evils and tragedies, of which only Allah knows their full extent. For this reason Islam has a great deal to say about this bad characteristic, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) described cures for this "disease" and ways to limit its effects, among which are the following:
(1) Seeking refuge with Allah from the Shaytaan:
Sulayman ibn Sard said: "I was sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and two men were slandering one another. One of them was red in the face, and the veins on his neck were standing out. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, `I know a word which, if he were to say it, what he feels would go away. If he said "I seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytaan," what he feels (i.e., his anger) would go away.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 6/337)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If a man gets angry and says, `I seek refuge with Allah,' his anger will go away." (Saheeh al-Jaami' al-Sagheer, no. 695)
(2) Keeping silent:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 1/329; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 693, 4027).
This is because in most cases, the angry person loses self control and could utter words of kufr (from which we seek refuge with Allah), or curses, or the word of divorce (talaaq) which would destroy his home, or words of slander which would bring him the enmity and hatred of others. So, in short, keeping silent is the solution which helps one to avoid all that.
(3) Not moving:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so his anger will go away; if it does not go away, let him lie down."
The narrator of this hadeeth is Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him), and there is a story connected to his telling of it: he was taking his camels to drink at a trough that he owned, when some other people came along and said (to one another), "Who can compete with Abu Dharr (in bringing animals to drink) and make his hair stand on end?" A man said, "I can," so he brought his animals and competed with Abu Dharr, with the result that the trough was broken. [i.e., Abu Dharr was expecting help in watering his camels, but instead the man misbehaved and caused the trough to be broken]. Abu Dharr was standing, so he sat down, then he laid down. Someone asked him, "O Abu Dharr, why did you sit down then lie down?" He said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: . . ." and quoted the hadeeth. (The hadeeth and this story may be found in Musnad Ahmad, 5/152; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', no. 694).
According to another report, Abu Dharr was watering his animals at the trough, when another man made him angry, so he sat down . . . (Fayd al-Qadeer, al-Manaawi, 1/408)
Among the benefits of this advice given by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the fact that it prevents the angry person from going out of control, because he could strike out and injure someone, or even kill - as we will find out shortly - or he could destroy possessions and so on. Sitting down makes it less likely that he will become overexcited, and lying down makes it even less likely that he will do something crazy or harmful. Al-'Allaamah al-Khattaabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his commentary on Abu Dawud: "One who is standing is in a position to strike and destroy, while the one who is sitting is less likely to do that, and the one who is lying down can do neither. It is possible that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told the angry person to sit down or lie down so that he would not do something that he would later regret. And Allah knows best." (Sunan Abi Dawud, with Ma'aalim al-Sunan, 5/141)
(4) Following the advice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Advise me." He said, "Do not become angry." The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told him, "Do not become angry." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath al-Bari, 10/456)
According to another report, the man said: "I thought about what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, and I realized that anger combines all kinds of evil." (Musnad Ahmad, 5/373)
(5) Do not become angry and Paradise will be yours (a saheeh hadeeth, see Saheeh al-Jaami', 7374. Ibn Hijr attributed it to al-Tabaraani, see al-Fath 4/465):
Remembering what Allah has promised to the righteous (muttaqeen) who keep away from the causes of anger and struggle within themselves to control it, is one of the most effective ways of extinguishing the flames of anger. One of the a hadeeth that describe the great reward for doing this is: "Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will fill his heart with contentment on the Day of Resurrection." (Reported by al-Tabaraani, 12/453, see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 6518).
Another great reward is described in the Prophet's words: "Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will call him before all of mankind on the Day of Resurrection, and will let him choose of the Hur al-'Iyn whoever he wants." (Reported by Abu Dawud, 4777, and others. It is classified as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6518).
(6) Knowing the high status and advantages offered to those who control themselves:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The strong man is not the one who can overpower others (in wrestling); rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when he gets angry." (Reported by Ahmad, 2/236; the hadeeth is agreed upon). The greater the anger, the higher the status of the one who controls himself. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The strongest man is the one who, when he gets angry and his face reddens and his hackles rise, is able to defeat his anger." (Reported by Imam Ahmad, 5/367, and classified as hasan in Saheeh al- Jaami', 3859)
Anas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by some people who were wrestling. He asked, "What is this?" They said: "So-and-so is the strongest, he can beat anybody." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Shall I not tell you who is even stronger then him? The man who, when he is mistreated by another, controls his anger, has defeated his own shaytaan and the shaytaan of the one who made him
angry." (Reported by al-Bazzaar, and Ibn Hijr said its isnaad is saheeh. Al-Fath, 10/519)
Following the Prophet's example in the case of anger:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is our leader and has set the highest example in this matter, as is recorded in a number of a hadeeth. One of the most famous was reported by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he was wearing a Najraani cloak with a rough collar. A Bedouin came and seized him roughly by the edge of his cloak, and I saw the marks left on his neck by the collar. Then the Bedouin ordered him to give him some of the wealth of Allah that he had. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) turned to him and smiled, then ordered that he should be given something." (Agreed upon. Fath al-Baari, 10/375)
Another way in which we can follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is by making our anger for the sake of Allah, when His rights are violated. This is the kind of anger which is praiseworthy. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) became angry when he was told about the imam who was putting people off the prayer by making it too long; when he saw a curtain with pictures of animate creatures in `Aishah's house; when Usaamah spoke to him about the Makhzoomi woman who had been convicted of theft, and he said "Do you seek to intervene concerning one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?"; when he was asked questions that he disliked, and so on. His anger was purely for the sake of Allah.
(8) Knowing that resisting anger is one of the signs of righteousness (taqwaa):
The righteous (al-muttaqoon) are those praised by Allah in the Qur'aan and by His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Paradise as wide as heaven and earth has been prepared for them. One of their characteristics is that they (interpretation of the meaning) "spend (in Allah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, [they] repress anger, and [they] pardon men; verily, Allah loves al-muhsinoon (the good-doers)." [Al `Imraan 3:134]
These are the ones whose good character and beautiful attributes and deeds Allah has mentioned, and whom people admire and want to emulate. One of their characteristics is that (interpretation of the meaning) ". . . when they are angry, they forgive." [al-Shooraa 42:47]
(9) Listening to reminders:
Anger is a part of human nature, and people vary in their anger. It may be difficult for a man not to get angry, but sincere people will remember Allah when they are reminded, and they will not overstep the mark. Some examples follow:
Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man sought permission to speak to `Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him), then he said: "O son of al-Khattaab, you are not giving us much and you are not judging fairly between us." `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was so angry that he was about to attack the man, but al-Hurr ibn Qays, who was one of those present, said: "O Ameer al-Mu'mineen, Allaah said to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): `Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish' [al- A'raaf 7:199]. This man is one of the foolish." By Allah, `Umar could go no further after al-Hurr had recited this ayah to him, and he a man who was careful to adhere to the Book of Allah. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 4/304).
This is how the Muslim should be. The evil munaafiq (hypocrite) was not like this when he was told the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and one of the Companions said to him, "Seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytaan." He said to the one who reminded him, "Do you think I am crazy? Go away!" (Reported by al- Bukhaari, al-Fath, 1/465). We seek refuge with Allah from failure.
(10) Knowing the bad effects of anger:
The negative effects of anger are many; in short they cause damage to one's own self and to others. The angry person may utter words of slander and obscenity, he may attack others (physically) in an uncontrolled manner, even to the point of killing. The following story contains a valuable lesson:
`Ilqimah ibn Waa'il reported that his father (may Allah be pleased with him) told him: "I was sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when a man came to him leading another man by a rope. He said, `O Messenger of Allah, this man killed my brother.' The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked him, `Did you kill him?' He said, `Yes, I killed him.' He asked, `How did you kill him?' He said, `He and I were hitting a tree to make the leaves fall, for animal feed, and he slandered me, so I struck him on the side of the head with an axe, and killed him.' . . ." (Reported by Muslim, 1307, edited by al-Baaqi).
Anger could lead to less than killing, such as wounding and breaking bones. If the one who caused the anger runs away, the angry person turns his anger in on himself, so he may tear his clothes, or strike his cheeks, or have a fit, or fall unconscious, or he may break dishes and plates, or break furniture.
In the worst cases, anger results in social disasters and the breaking of family ties, i.e., divorce. Ask many of those who divorced their wives, and they will tell you: it was in a moment of anger. This divorce results in misery for the children, regret and frustration, a hard and difficult life, all as a result of anger. If they had remembered Allah, come to their senses, restrained their anger and sought refuge with Allah, none of this would have happened. Going against the sharee'ah only results in loss.
The damage to health that results from anger can only be described by doctors, such as thrombosis, high blood pressure, tachycardia (abnormally rapid heartbeat) and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing), which can lead to fatal heart attacks, diabetes, etc. We ask Allaah for good health.
(11) The angry person should think about himself during moments of anger:
If the angry person could see himself in the mirror when he is angry, he would hate himself and the way he looks. If he could see the way he changes, and the way his body and limbs shake, how his eyes glare and how out of control and crazy his behaviour is, he would despise himself and be revolted by his own appearance. It is well-known that inner ugliness is even worse than outer ugliness; how happy the Shaytaan must be when a person is in this state! We seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytaan and from failure.
(12) Du'a
Du'a is always the weapon of the believer, whereby he asks Allah to protect him from evil, trouble and bad behaviour and seeks refuge with Him from falling into the pit of kufr or wrongdoing because of anger. One of the three things that can help save him is: being fair at times of contentment and of anger (Saheeh al-Jaami', 3039). One of the du'a of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was:
"O Allah, by Your knowledge of the Unseen and Your power over Your creation, keep me alive for as long as You know life is good for me, and cause me to die when You know death is good for me. O Allah, I ask You to make me fear You in secret and in public, and I ask You to make me speak the truth in times of contentment and of anger. I ask You not to let me be extravagant in poverty or in prosperity. I ask You for continuous blessings, and for contentment that does not end. I ask You to let me accept Your decree, and for a good life after death. I ask You for the joy of seeing Your face and for the longing to meet You, without going through diseases and misguiding fitnah (trials). O Allah, adorn us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who are guided. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds."
'Dont be angry it was nice to see all of us smile..
