Look for your heart in three places

Allah (swt) revealed this powerful supplication about the Day of Resurrection, for the judgement on the eternal fate of each soul is decided by Allah (swt) on that day, rendering a pure heart necessary for entering Paradise.
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Look for your heart in three places 
10/24/2013 - Social Religious - Article Ref: AK1102-4467
Number of comments: 11
By: Heina Dadabhoy





The word "heart" is one of the most commonly used motifs, metaphors, and symbols in human history. It is a term whose definition is broad enough to include the fierceness of strength and courage as well as the tenderness and vulnerability of intense emotion. Traditional science, however, has downplayed the heart as merely a monotonously contracting muscle, while the brain is touted as both the center and originator of intelligence and feeling.

In spite of this, the tendency to ascribe psychological sensitivities to that constantly beating organ continues to haunt contemporary human thought. At the language level, the word "heart" remains a strong conveyer of emotion and meaning. If human beings are discouraged, they are disheartened; if stoic, heartless; if in the best state of energy and enthusiasm, hearty.

In the face of traditional science, why does the collective psyche of humanity continue to fixate upon this same intangible concept of the heart? Perhaps it is because, to this day, the stopping of the heartbeat signifies the coming of death. It might be ascribed to the way that the heart responds so readily to emotional signals, increasing or reducing pace in direct correlation to the human psychological state. Within human consciousness, the heart's meaning extends beyond that of a muscle; within Islam, the role of the heart cannot be understated.

The heart is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur'an. One of the mentioned du`a' (supplications) of Prophet Ibrahim, `alayhi salam (peace be upon him), beseeches to Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (the Exalted and Glorified): "Do not forsake me on the Day of Resurrection, a day where neither money nor children will benefit except whoever meets Allah with a sound heart" (26:87-89). Allah (swt) revealed this powerful supplication about the Day of Resurrection, for the judgment on the eternal fate of each soul is decided by Allah (swt) on that day, rendering a pure heart necessary for entering Paradise.

The Arabic term for the heart, qalb, has a very specific meaning. It refers to what defines the existence of the individual: one's personal center of faith. A most illustrious and beautiful chapter of the Qur'an, Surah Yaseen, is referred to as the heart of the Qur'an. According to the Prophet Muhammad, salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings be upon him), the virtues of reciting this qalb, among others, include receiving benefits of the dunya (earthly life) and the removal of the dread of the akhirah (life after death).





Furthermore, worship of Allah (swt) is divided into four categories, two of which deal with the heart: its sayings and its actions. A true Mu'min (Believer) is said to possess a pure heart that is well-informed in the total belief of Allah (swt) and complete trust in Him-a heart that is true to its Maker (swt) in both its impulses and the carrying out of those impulses. The qalb was created to hold its Creator as its highest Authority, Love, and Loyalty. If the heart is dead, then spiritual (and, eventually, physical) problems would manifest themselves in the individual.

In purifying the heart, a Believer can rest assured that the best of examples is being followed: that of Prophet Muhammad (saws), the most virtuous of the creations of Allah (swt) and the most beloved to Allah (swt). Indeed, despite his perfection in the sight of Allah (swt), the Prophet's heart (saws) was not only cleansed by Angel Jibreel (Gabriel), but was also purified by his own strategies of worship.

One of the greatest interpreters of Shari`ah (Islamic law) of the fourteenth century, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, was greatly concerned with matters of the qalb. According to him, `Abdullah ibn Mas`ood, radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him), one of the closest companions of the Prophet (saws), once presented a diagnostic by which a Believer may determine the state of the qalb. He said:

"Look for your heart in three places: when listening to the Qur'an, when seeking knowledge (of Allah) and when in privacy. If you cannot find it in these places, then ask Allah (swt) to bless you with a heart, for indeed you have no heart."


A soul with no heart can not even begin to work on increasing its level of submission to its Lord-the very foundation of its purity. A vital conductor of faith must be found and awakened within every loyal slave of Allah (swt). The following exploration of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ood's (ra) mentioned places transcends the mind and body and deals with a site precious to all human beings.

Source: Alkalima - Heina Dadabhoy



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Harmonious Home: A Guide to Spousal Serenity

Harmonious Home: A Guide to Spousal Serenity

One question has been explored by every outlet imaginable and every social circle: "What is the secret to a successful marriage?" With the increasing divorce rate in the U.S. stretching beyond 50 percent, and above 30 percent among North American Muslim communities, the question is more than relevant.

In light of this, three married couples- all having more than seven decades of marriage merit under their belts-discussed their secrets, methods and advice on the key to cultivating felicitous families at the ISNA Convention.

RELIGIOSITY IN THE RELATIONSHIP

"Religion is a factor in my own marriage. When you're in a marriage, especially an intercultural marriage, there has to be something that pulls you together," says ISNA president Imam Mohamed Magid. Magid, a Sudanese Muslim American, took part in the convention panel with his wife, Aamarah DeCuir, a Native American.

There are two essential factors to incorporating religiosity in a marriage, according to Magid. The first is the establishing of rituals in the home. This includes prayer, thikr or remembrance of God, and a constant reference to Islamic values. The second is establishing a sense of belonging to the Muslim community. Magid believes that these are the primary factors to fertilize a spiritual growth for the married couple with which they can create a sense of harmony.

Catapulting from Magid's point, Dr. Iqbal Unus, headquarters director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought, and devoted husband for more than 40 years, chimed in with his own thoughts. "You have to create a culture of faith in the home, maintaining an overall perception that everything you do is Islamic."

Implementing Islam is one of the key ingredients for a successful marriage, according to Humaira Basith. "When we began our married life, we decided that whatever big decision we made in our marriage would be an Islamic decision. Not an Indian decision or a Mexican decision." Basith, married to Edmund Arroyo for more than a decade, emphasized the role of religion in her own intercultural marriage. "We made a distinction between culture and religion," Basith says.

Each couple reflected on their own marriage and came to the ultimate conclusion that marriage and religion are interwoven. Like all other aspects of the Muslim way of life, Islamic values are not entities unto themselves but tied tightly to daily life and even the smallest gestures, according to the couples.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Any sociologist or psychiatrist expert will say the key to any successful relationship is developing communication. Marriage is no exception. Knowing how to speak, how to let others speak, and knowing when not to speak are the fundamentals for establishing positive communication with your spouse. Seemingly simple, these basics are often overlooked by married couples. Dr. Altaf Hussain says communication is the top problem among married couples.

Where does the communication begin to fall apart? Arroyo says it all begins with a lack of listening skills by each spouse. "I train couples to learn to listen properly," says Arroyo, founder of Heartspeak Institute, a company that focuses on family and marriage counseling. "You're not trying to find holes in what the person is saying but really listening to try and understand what they're saying, especially about a difficult topic."

Experts agree with Arroyo, listening to others while being devoid of an agenda or motive is essential. Many couples focus on clinging to singular statements or exclamations that will eradicate their responsibility or serve as justification for begrudging the other person. Arroyo explained that this is both unfair and unproductive. Listening wholly with full context is the only way to understand what it is your spouse is trying to communicate.

Acknowledging purpose is another important part of communicating, according to Unus. "Communication has to be very natural and must come from the feeling that you need to connect with this person," he says.

Communication professionals agree that, increasingly among couples, what takes place is negative communication circles. The proprietary form of communication is one person blaming the other or waiting for a reason to angrily express how they feel. This causes the other spouse to become defensive and retaliate reflexively. Conclusively they create a never ending circle of negativity where no one is heard and both are hurt.

The marriage experts believe to avoid these problems and to establish a more harmonious way to express what they're feeling, couples should adhere to the following tips:

Make sure the person you're talking to is ready to hear what you're saying

In the heat of the moment, anger overshadows any real absorption of what you're trying to say. Wait until you're both collected and prepared to listen.

Don't assume your spouse is a mind reader

One of the most common mistakes couples make is assuming the other automatically knows what they want, need, or expect with- out ever expressing it directly.

Stay on track

When you agree to sit and discuss one specific problem, don't use this as an opportunity to dive into other emotional issues or to criticize mistakes of the past. Focus on one problem at a time and with sensitivity.

Don't generalize

Once your spouse makes a mistake it does not give you precedence to brand them with that mistake for the entirety of your marriage. Specify what's troubling you in that particular moment and avoid hurtfully pointing out a list of past blunders.

Keep talking.

Once an issue is resolved and things are alright again doesn't mean conversations should desist. Having a frequent flow of pleasant exchanges can enhance your mutual respect as well as reassure your spouse of your affection towards them.

HANDLING EXPECTATIONS

Two types of expectations can lead to creating a disconnecting and conflicting marriage. In a marriage, according to Magid, couples must contend with hidden as well as external expectations. "The person has to adapt to the limitations of their spouse," says Magid. "In return, spouses must also exert their maximum effort within their capacity."

He adds, "What brings tension to a marriage is having extreme expectations."

Oftentimes, couples, before marrying, conceal hidden expectations like the husband who expects his wife-to-be to wear hijab after they marry. Or the wife who convinces herself that she will make her husband start praying once they are married. This is a dangerous way of thinking when beginning a marriage, according to Magid. "You have to develop a 'what you see is what you get,' kind of attitude."

Battling another bout of outside factors that can harm a marriage are external expectations. This is where the issue of handling in-laws presents itself. Arroyo believes there is an important recognition to be sought not only by the spouses themselves, but their older counterparts. "A concept I want everyone to remember is the concept of different versus deficient. Just because someone does something differently, doesn't mean it's incorrect or deficient."

He further explained that realizing that everyone is an individual with their own way of doing things and developing routines can be different from what the other is accustomed to, but this does not mean their way is inherently wrong.

Aamarah DeCuir, organizer of the ISNA Matrimonial banquets and wife to Imam Magid, has her own methods for making in-laws less of a problem. "The most important thing for me that I've learned about in-laws, is having knowledge. Take the time to learn the manners and etiquette of your in-laws." She explained that knowing more about the family and their customs beforehand can help establish an appreciation for your effort to learn. Speaking to in-laws themselves, DeCuir pointed out that they need to create a leeway for that spouse to make mistakes.

Most couples view their parents as a SWAT team, waiting by the phone for their back-up call. Ready to tear down the door and rush to their child's defense, leaving the spouse outnumbered and defeated. Experts, as well as Magid, agree couples need a new outlook. "If your spouse does something you don't like, don't call your family to complain so they can take your side," Magid says.

Similarly, looking at one's in-laws as some obligatory acquaintance met with groans and plastered smiles is also a mistake. "One of the golden rules of a marriage is to have a relationship with your in-laws independent of your spouse," said Magid. "You have to have the ability to pick up the phone and start a conversation and not because your spouse is sitting there beside you."

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IH1109-4859

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EID MUBARAK AND MANY HAPPY RETURN OF THE DAY

EID MUBARAK AND MANY HAPPY RETURN OF THE DAY

أتقدم لكم بأطيب التهاني وأجمل البركات بمناسبة حلول عيد الفطر المبارك

أعاده الله علينا وعليكم و على الأمة الإسلامية بالخير والبركات

سائلاً المولى عز وجل أن يتقبل صيامنا وقيامنا.

 BROTHERS, SISTERS AND FRIENDS WORLDWIDE EID MUBARAK AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY.

EID MUBARAK

EID AL-FITIR 2011 
 
Eid Mubarik and many happy returns of the day.Do not miss the Eid prayer and make your families, relatives and friends happy. Provide charity to the poor and deprived neighbours, visit the sick, and remember the dead of your relatives and friends.

May Allah accept our fasting, our prayers and our charity during Ramadan and after. May Allah bless us, our families, friends, neighbours and all Muslims worldwide with joy, prosperity and peace of mind.

May Allah free all oppressed, cure all sick, enrich all poor. May Allah guide us to his path and make us those whom he shields from all evil. May Allah make us those he frees from hell in the honour of Eid Al-Fitr Al-mubarak.Ameen.

EID MUBARAK TO YOU ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISLAM.




Ahmed Hassan Arwo
Somaliland Presidential Economic Advisor
eci.advisor@gmail.com


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World's Most Famous Atheist Accepts Existence of God because of Science

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HAPPY ISLAMIC NEW YEAR 1 MUHARRAM 1431 CORRESPONDING TO 17 DEC. 2009

MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY. MAY ALLAH BESTOW PEACE WHERE THERE IS WAR

AND PROTECT THOSE IN PEACE WITH HIS SHIELD. MAY ISLAMIC STATES SOLVE THEIR

DIFFERENCE AND UNITE AS ONE NATION, TO RESTORE THE ALLAH GIVEN DIGNITY OF

THEIR RELIGION

.AMEEN.

LIFE AND DEATH, THE TASTE OF EVERY SOUL.

I woke up suddenly one night

and saw a strange light in my room ....

The problem is that the lights are off

I saw the clock, it was 3.30 in the morning

Okay...so where is all this light coming from??

----------

I turned around and saw something very strange..

My body was half way through the wall (??!)

I immediately pulled it out and sat down to see if i'm okay

.....

This is strange...

I tried to push onto the wall, but MY ARM GOES THROUGH

...I heard a sound

I turned to my brother's bed to see him sleeping

I was really scared of what was happening to me...so I tried to wake him up....but....he doesn't reply!!

I went to my parent's bedroom..I tried to wake up my mother...and father...I just wanted somebody to react to me...

but nobody did.

I tried to wake my mother up again...she woke up this time...

-----

she got up ... but didn't communicate to me

She was saying "In the name of Allah, most Merciful, most Gracious" (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) again and again...

She woke my dad up saying 'get up, man, I want to check up on the kids.'

My dad replied in disinterest .. 'it's not time for this, let me sleep and inshAllah tomorrow i'll get to that'

But she was insisting..so he woke up.

I was THERE. I was screaming..'dad', 'mum' ... nobody was replying

I held mother's clothes to grab her attention..but she didn't recognise my existence

I followed her 'till she got to my bedroom

They got into the room and turned on the lights...

it wasn't making any difference to me anyway because there was a strong light there.

I then saw the strangest thing in my life...

my OWN BODY....on my bed.

I was trembling...how can there be two of me??...how can that person look so much like me??...and what is he doing on my bed????

I started hitting/slapping myself to wake up from this nightmare...

but it was too real to be a nightmare.

dad said 'Yalla, see the kids are sleeping. Let's go back to bed.'

but mother wasn't at all confident...she went to the person sleeping in my bed and said

'Khalid, wake up!! ... WAKE UP!!'

but he wouldn't reply.

She tried again and again....but no reply.

Then i turned to see my dad tearing...

Today witnesses the first time in my life that I have seen my dad's tears.

The place was shaking with the screaming

... My brother woke up..."What's going on??!"

In a very sad tone, with tears rolling down her cheek, mother replied 'your brother's dead! Khalid is DEAD!!'

------

I went to mother and said 'please mum...don't cry..I'm right here look at me!'

But nobody's replying to me..WHY??

I turned to Allah and asked Him to wake me up from the nightmare!

quickly following my dua was a voice saying (Quran):

" You were in negligence from this, so We uncovered the blinds and today your sight is (like iron) "

لقد كنت في غفلة من هذا فكشفنا عنك غطاءك فبصرك اليوم حديد

Suddenly two creatures held my arm..they weren't human!!

"Leave me ALONE! Who are you and what do you want from me??"

'We're your grave's guards'

I said 'but I'm not dead yet! let go of me!!'

I can still see, hear, touch, and speak..I'm not dead!

They replied with a smile : "You humans are fascinating! You think that by dying your life ends, while in fact life on Earth is a small dream compared to the Here after; a dream that ends at your death."

They started pulling me towards my grave...

On the way I saw people just like me, each had two guards like mine.

Some were smiling, others crying, others screaming.

I asked the guards 'why are they all doing that?'

They replied 'These people now know their fate...some were in ignorance so they--'

'--so they go to Hell??!' I interrupted

They said 'yes.'

and continued..

'and those laughing are going to Heaven'

I quickly replied: 'What about me..where will I go??'

They said 'you were at times a good Muslim, while other times not. One day you obey Allah, the next you disobey Him. And you weren't clear with yourself and your fate will remain so: lost.'

I replied, shaking: 'SO AM I GOING TO HELL??'

They said: ' Allah's mercy is great, and the journey is long '

I turned to see my family carrying my dead body in a coffin..so i ran to them ..

I said: 'make dua for me'

but nobody replied..

I went to my brother and warned him .. 'be careful with w hat you do in this life... don't be a fool like myself!'

I was really hoping that he could hear me...

The two angels (guards) tied up my soul on top of my body ..

I saw my relatives pouring sand over me ..

----

at that moment I was hoping that I would be in their place...

that I can turn to Allah and do as much as He wants from me...

that I would ask for forgiveness and once and for all repent my sins that angered Him...

but unfortunately I couldn't.

I shouted ' People, don't let this life tempt you ! Wake up to the truth... one day you will DIE, and you never know when..or how. '

I hoped for somebody to hear me....nobody there did

but YOU heard me....

save yourself.

Smile to others, forgive them when you have the power to punish them. Allah forgives those that forgive others. Do your prayers regularly with an open heart. Let Allah guide your life, not Satan. Read the Quran regularly and let the Prophet (p.b.u.h) be your role model in life.

Work in this timed life for your salvation in an eternal one.

And ... make dua for me because I'm not perfect. And I point the above to myself just as much as I do to my friends.

Please spread this message to as many people as possible, for every person whose heart it touches Allah will reward you in this life and the hereafter.

Keep the chain GOING.

UK: Muslim youth invited to anti-terrorism exercise

UK: Muslim youth invited to anti-terrorism exercise

via Islam in Europe by Esther on 02/11/09

UK: Muslim youth invited to anti-terrorism exercise

On the fifth floor of Scotland Yard in central London, live video feeds are coming in with news of a terror threat. The 30 people in the room are forced to make decisions that could change lives - which homes do they raid? Who do they stop and search?

But they are not counter-terror officers, in fact many of them are not even sure they trust the police. They are 17 to 25-year-olds from around London, nearly all of them Muslim, and they are acting as if they are officers responding to a terror attack as part of Act Now, an exercise run as part of the government's £140m Prevent programme.

It aims to stop young people feeling isolated or having mistrust for authorities - targeting those that the government and the police agree are vulnerable to radicalisation.

Ali Al-Musawy, 17, is from Kenton, West London. He spent his early teenage years causing trouble for the police and his family.
He has turned things around but still has gripes with the police and, like all the youths in this room, his main problem is with the police's stop and search powers.
"That is a big issue, because there are youths that say 'Why's he coming to me on suspicion of terrorism, do I look like a terrorist?' and 'Why can't they search the other white guys, why can't they be the terrorist?'

"That's an issue with the police, they should know how to handle things." Hanad Mahamood, 24, is a youth worker from Brent in London and he holds the view of the police that the exercise is designed to change.

"I was being stopped and searched just for being a black youth and Islam is on the agenda now.

"I feel even more victimised by the police now and I know most people in my community do."

Police hope the Prevent exercise will give young people a better understanding of why and how the police make decisions, fostering better community relations.

(more)

Source: BBC

S.P. Scott: Muhammad was indeed an Apostle of God

S.P. Scott: Muhammad was indeed an Apostle of God

S. P. Scott writes in, History of the Moorish Empire in Europe, p. 126: If the object of religion be the inculcation of morals, the diminution of evil, the promotion of human happiness, the expansion of the human intellect, if the performance of good works will avail in the great day when mankind shall be summoned to its final reckoning, it is neither irreverent nor unreasonable to admit that Muhammad was indeed an Apostle of God.

Hospital mix-up shatters Makkah woman’s life

Hospital mix-up shatters Makkah woman's life Badea Abu Al-Naja | Arab News

MAKKAH: A DNA test on a 34-year-old Saudi woman recently proved that she is not biologically related to the parents who raised her. The mistake was traced back to a hospital that at the time of the woman's birth would place newborn babies in the same communal bed in the maternity ward. "I was brought up among brothers and sisters whom I loved dearly but to whom I do not have any blood relationship," said the woman in tears. The woman, who agreed to speak to Arab News on condition of anonymity, said that the woman who raised her — who passed away 11 years ago — treated her well and made her feel especially loved because she had darker skin than her siblings. "My brothers and sisters got married and left the house," she said. "I lived alone with my mother and father and I was doted over. After my mother died my father engulfed me with his love." But then the stability and care was shattered when another woman approached a court in Makkah saying that she was the biological daughter of the man. A DNA test was ordered and the woman's complaint proved true. "My sisters and brothers and I were called to do the same test that proved they were related to him, but I wasn't. The claimant turned out to be his real daughter," she said. The biological mother also came forward in the investigation to say that the two women were born on the same day in 1975 at Makkah's Jaroul Hospital. The mother told the judge that a nurse in the maternity ward picked up the wrong newborn from a communal bed. The biological mother said the child grew up with much lighter skin than her siblings. As she grew up she became convinced she was not related to the family that raised her. One day at a wedding, she met a girl who told her she looked a lot like members of a family that had one dark-skinned girl. She eventually tracked down the family and then went to the court to challenge her paternity. "Since then my life has been shattered," said the dark-skinned woman. "I still love the man who raised me, and he loves me dearly. I cannot leave him after all these years and go back to my original family." To add to the grief: her biological father passed away years ago and her surviving biological family struggles to make ends meet. "They are very poor and I am not employed though I am a college graduate," she said. "I will not be in a position to help them. I cannot leave the man who raised me

`Eid Al-Fitr Sunday in Most Countries

`Eid Al-Fitr Sunday in Most Countries

By IOL Staff

WORLD CAPITALS — `Eid Al-Fitr, which crowns a month of fasting, prayers and Qur'an recitation, will start on Sunday, September 20, in most Arab and Muslim countries as well as in North America and Europe. Saudi religious authorities confirmed the sighting of the moon of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. "Thus, Saturday is the last day of Ramadan and Sunday will be the first day of `Eid Al-Fitr," the Saudi Judicial Council said in a statement. `Eid al-Fitr 1430: Give & Forgive Similar announcements were made in the Gulf Cooperation Council members Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa also announced the start of the Muslim feast on Sunday. Authorities in Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Tunsia, Algeria, Yemen and Iran also confirmed Sunday as the first day of `Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan. Iraq's Sunnis will also celebrate `Eid Sunday, according to the Sunni Religious Authority. Lebanon's Shiites and Sunnis will unite in celebrating the three-day `Eid. In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, the Religious Affairs Ministry announced that Sunday will be the first day of `Eid. The Muslim feast will also be celebrated Sunday in Malaysia, according to the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal. The South Korea Muslim Federation said Muslims in the country will celebrate `Eid on Sunday. In Japan, the Roue`t e Hilal committee also confirmed Sunday as the first day of `Eid el-Fitr, one of the two main Islamic religious festivals together with `Eid Al-Adha. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) announced on its website that `Eid will be on Sunday. Thai Muslims will also celebrate `Eid on Sunday, according to the Provincial Islamic Religious Councils. `Eid for South Africa's Muslims will be on Sunday, according to Jamiatul Ulama. Malawi Muslims will also celebrate `Eid on Sunday, according to the Muslim Association of Malawi. In Australia, the Board of Imams of Victoria announced that the `Eid will be on Sunday. Sunday in Europe, America British Muslims will also celebrate the first day of `Eid Al-Fitr on Sunday, announced the Regents Park Mosque and the UK Ruyate Hilal Committee. Turkey had earlier announced Sunday as the start of `Eid based on astronomical calculations. The majority of Muslims in Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Albania, Slovenia and Russia had decided to follow Turkey. The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) earlier announced that the first day of `Eid will be in Europe on Sunday based on astronomical calculations. The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) also announced that `Eid will fall on Sunday. During `Eid, families and friends exchange visits to express well wishes and children, wearing new clothes bought especially for `Eid, enjoy going out in parks and open fields. The festivities and merriment start after special prayers to mark the day. Differences Libya already celebrated `Eid Al-Fitr on Saturday. A few countries will celebrate the start of the Muslim feast on Monday. Oman and Morocco announced that the moon of Shawwal could not be sighted on Saturday. Thus, the first day of `Eid will be on Monday. `Eid will also start in Mauritius on Monday, according to the Jummah Mosque Society. Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan will sight the moon of Shawwal on Sunday. Thus,`Eid will fall either on Monday or Tuesday. Moon sighting have always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue. While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow the same moon sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia. A third, however, disputes both views, arguing that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this. This usually causes confusion among Muslims, particularly in the West, on observing the dawn-to-dusk fasting and celebrating the `Eid Al-Fitr.

UK: Police not to charge Muslim extremists for hate crime

UK: Police not to charge Muslim extremists for hate crime

UK: Police not to charge Muslim extremists for hate crime

POLICE will be ordered not to charge Muslim extremists in many hate crime cases – to stop them becoming more militant.

Guidelines will tell forces to press for conviction only in cases of clear-cut criminal acts.
Officers will be advised not to proceed when evidence of lawbreaking is "borderline".

Examples of crimes to which a blind eye may be turned include incitement to religious hatred or viewing extremist material on the internet.

Last night critics warned that the move could mean Islamic radicals being give the freedom to encourage violence.

Some saw the move as a politically correct attempt to appease extremists who hate Britain.
It could even mean officers tolerating many activities of Muslim preachers of hate like the hook-handed cleric Abu Hamza.


(more)

Islamic Thoughts with Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi

Essays By Dr. Nabulsi published In the COPENHAGEN post Newspaper Under sponsored of Iltizam Org

Article Title Article date Author name Read 1- Investing our time 2 of 2 (Our life's most precious assets) . . 2008-12-24 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 2- Investing our time 1 of 2 (Our life's most precious assets) . 2008-12-18 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 3- Committing to Islam's Key Principles:A Basic Tenet of the Pilgrimage to Mecca . 2008-12-10 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 4- The recipe for a successful, prospering economy . 2008-12-02 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 5- An Islamic perspective on squandering and the economy . 2008-11-28 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 6- You owe it to your neighbours. . 2008-11-21 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 7- Strengthening family ties. . 2008-11-14 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 8- Humanity and Equality in Islam. . 2008-10-24 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 9- An Islamic perspective on the global financial crisis. . 2008-10-17 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 10- Islam universality vs. modern globalization. . 2008-10-10 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 11- The Jewel of Medina. . 2008-09-19 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 12- Islamic teachings offer a practical guide to living Islam and social graces. . 2008-09-12 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi 13- The Prophet Muhammad's Mercy, Justice and Love. . 2008-08-30 Dr.Muhammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi

SAMOTALIS: Muslims urged to settle disputes, forge unity

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Charity - Saudi Style

As Wall Street imploded last Wednesday, one of its biggest investors was 6,500 miles away — and what seemed to be several centuries in the past — giving away some of his vast wealth. In a lavish desert camp outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal sat on a thick carpet while hundreds of men gathered to seek his charity.

They lined up to kiss his shoulder and hand him pieces of paper with requests for money — to buy a home or a car, to educate a child, pay off a debt or repair a mosque. Some brought him modest gifts, to thank him for past favors. Others offered poems and songs in praise. "Everybody knows that nobody who comes to you leaves disappointed," one Bedouin tribesman sang in a high lilt. "I ask for nothing more than that." (See photos of Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal at his desert camp here.)


Alwaleed is a nephew of Saudi King Abdullah, and he's also the richest man in the Arab world, with a personal fortune estimated at $21 billion at the end of last year, and holdings that include big pieces of Citicorp, Apple, Motorola, Disney, News Corp and Time Warner, to name just a few.
Many of his stocks were taking a battering as Alwaleed held court in Camp Rumah, but the Prince seemed unperturbed. The previous day, responding to news of Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy, he'd told me that while his U.S. holdings had been affected by Wall Street's slump, his investments elsewhere were doing fine. "All in all, we're withstanding it well," he said.
All the same, Alwaleed kept an eye on his investments: His camp is equipped with several large-screen TVs, many of them tuned to CNBC, Bloomberg TV and other news channels. The Prince constantly sent and received text messages on his cellphone, and took calls on two satellite phones. "I'm never cut off from news," he said. "News is one constant in my life." These Wednesday night gatherings in the desert at which he disburses instant charity are another — he's done them for nearly 25 years. "If I'm in the country on Wednesday, I'll come here and do this, no matter what."

The prospect of instant charity had brought nearly 350 Saudi men from across the kingdom to Camp Rumah on this night. The Prince and his wife host female supplicants at their palatial Riyadh home on Saturdays. Being Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, the men had waited for several hours without food or water. They were divided into two groups — around 30 sheikhs, or tribal elders, greeted Alwaleed on his arrival at the camp, around 6 p.m., while the rest waited a few hundred yards away. The Prince joined the sheikhs for "iftar" — the meal that breaks the day's fast. After a light meal of dates and yoghurt, they knelt for prayers.
Afterward, they sat in silence as Alwaleed chatted with a couple of journalists and tracked the unremittingly grim news from New York. Pretty much every financial stock was heading south, quick. Alwaleed shook his head and smiled. He appeared fascinated, even enthralled by the unfolding disaster, like a young boy watching a slow-motion trainwreck. "Unbelievable," he said, over and over again. He took a call on his cellphone. "It's a meltdown, no?" he told his caller, still smiling.
When CNBC's Maria Bartiromo appeared on the screen, the Prince was suddenly animated. "I know her very well," he said. "Look, I'll send her a message now, and she will write back." He punched an SMS message on his Motorola, and sure enough, 10 minutes later, Bartiromo replied. Alwaleed chuckled and settled back on his cushions. He showed the journalists some photographs stored in his cellphone. "This is me with Bashar Assad," he said. "And me with Steve Balmer and Bill Gates."

Dinner was announced at nearly 8 p.m., and everybody trooped off to an open-air dining area, to sit down on carpets for a feast of Roman proportions — giant trays of lamb, chicken, fish, rice, bread and pasta, and a dozen desserts. The guests are not restricted by the Prince's own no-meat diet, but on his orders all the desserts were made with Splenda.
After dinner, it was time for the Prince to finally receive the supplicants. The sheikhs went first, then the rest of the men, each handing him their request in writing. Alwaleed scarcely glanced at the notes before handing them to an aide, who stuffed them into a suitcase. His brusque manner didn't seem to offend any of the men; they knew not to expect any sort of conversation with the Prince. "If I stop to talk to everybody, then it would take hours and hours — not fair to those who are at the back of the line," he said. "The important thing is that I get to shake hands with everyone, and they can leave knowing that their request will be answered."
It would take over an hour for the Prince to shake hands with every one of the supplicants. They then slipped into the night, leaving Alwaleed with a small coterie of retainers — and the TV sets, blaring out the bad tidings from New York.

The written requests will eventually be read by Alwaleed's staffers, who will consider the merits of each application and recommend appropriate donations for the Prince's approval. An aide told me that in five years of working for Alwaleed, he'd never known an applicant to get nothing. "The smallest sum we pay out is 2,000 Saudi Riyals (around $560)," he said. The largest payouts exceed 100 times that sum. Although the Prince rarely handed out cash on the spot, the aide explained, he sometimes gave away cars — and on one occasion, a prized falcon worth $50,000.
Alwaleed figured the requests he received Wednesday night would cost him around $1.5 million. It's a safe bet he lost many times that sum the same day on Wall Street.