Jazk bro Adil for this article from Asma..
Do Not Delay or Get it Over With
by Asma bint Shameem
Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar!
The sound of the adhaan echoed throughout the neighborhood.
"Oh, its Asr already ?!" She absentmindedly thought in her head as she flipped channels with the remote. "I 'll pray as soon as this show is over," she mumbled to herself, as she settled down to watch her favorite TV program. And before she knew it, it was another show and then yet another, when all of a sudden, she realized how late it was.....the light outside had turned yellowish orange.....the birds were chirping loudly.... ...the sun was almost about to set.
She hurriedly got up, made wudu and did 4 quick rakahs of Asr as fast as she could, so that she could ‘get it over with‘.
Subhaan Allaah, how many of us are guilty of something like that ?
Okay, may be its not television for all of us. For some of us, its cooking and cleaning, 'busy' with the kids. And for some its video games and playstations; while for others it's talking on the phone, chatting on the internet, shopping, sleeping, you name it. Or it may be for just no reason at all.
We delay our prayer .... and delay our prayer until the time for it is almost over and then we quickly peck the floor with our heads, thinking we are absolved of the obligation. In other words, we 'just get it over with’.
But, Brothers and sisters, do you realize what the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) called such a prayer? He called it the 'prayer of the hypocrite'!
Anas ibn Maalik said, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) say, ‘That is the prayer of the hypocrites, that is the prayer of the hypocrites, that is the prayer of the hypocrites. One of them will sit until the sun turns yellow, and is between the horns of the Shaytaan, or on the horns of the Shaytaan, then he will get up and peck out four (rakahs), in which he does not remember Allaah except a little.’” (Abu Dawood).
And its not just Asr. We tend to do that with all our prayers, delaying it until its time is almost up for no valid reason, except that we are just plain old lazy.
Allaah says that laziness in prayer is a characteristic of the hypocrites.
“And when they stand up for al-salaah, they stand with laziness”
[al-Nisaa 4:142].
“So woe unto those performers of Salaah (hypocrites);those who delay their Salaah” [al-Maoon 107:4-5]
In fact, do you know what the best deed in the sight of Allah is? Its prayer at its time.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) was asked: Which deed is best? He said: “Prayer done on time.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)
And yet we delay it, without thinking much of it. And obviously when we delay the prayer, we rush through it, not paying attention to the ruku or sujud or the proper etiquettes of prayer.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘The worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer.’ He said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, how can a person steal from his prayer?’ He said, ‘By not doing rukoo and sujood properly.’” (Ahmad and al-Haakim--saheeh by Albaani).
And he (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘The one who does not do rukoo properly, and pecks in sujood, is like a starving man who eats only one or two dates; it does not do him any good at all.’” (al-Tabaraani- hasan by al-Albaani).
Subhaan Allaah ! And where are we with our Salaah ?
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) used to move at a measured pace during salaah, allowing every bone to return to its place with each movement. And he commanded those who were not doing their prayer properly to do the same.
Remember the hadeeth about the person who rushed through his prayer? The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) told him three times: “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” Then he told the man: “When you go to pray, say takbeer, then recite whatever you can of the Quraan. Then bow until you are at ease in bowing, then rise until you are standing up straight. Then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration, then sit up until you are at ease in sitting. Then do that throughout the entire prayer.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)
Obviously if we wait till the last few moments to pray, we will not be at ease or be able to pay attention to what the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) has instructed to do.
Obviously, we will end up 'stealing' from the prayer.
And you know what, we may just rush through the Salaah, 'getting it over with', as some of us like to say, but who knows how much of it was even accepted by Allaah? For the reward that one gets for Salaah is in proportion to the degree of khushoo he has in the prayer.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said: “A slave may pray and have nothing recorded for it except a tenth of it, or a ninth, or an eighth, or a seventh, or a sixth, or a fifth, or a quarter, or a third, or a half.” ( Ahmad; Saheeh al-Jaami).
We, as Muslim must hasten to prayer and with khushoo, if we want to increase our Imaan and good deeds. This is one of the attributes of the believers whose hearts are attached to their prayers. The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) would be attending to his familys needs, then when he would hear Bilaal give the adhaan, he would stop whatever he was doing and rush to pray.
He (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) used to say, “Let us relax with it [the prayer], O Bilaal."
He did not say, ‘Let us get it over with.’
And he (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Five prayers which Allaah has made obligatory. Whoever does wudoo properly for them, prays them on time, does rukoo properly and has perfect khushoo, it is a promise from Allaah that he will be forgiven, but whoever does not do this, has no such promise – if Allaah wishes, He will forgive him, and if He wishes, He will punish him.” (Abu Dawood, Saheeh al-Jaami).
Those of us who are lazy and do not pray until the time is up for no valid reason...those of us who just want to ‘get it over with, should remember what our deeds will say to us when we are in our grave: "for the believer’s deeds will say to him in his grave: “By Allaah, I only saw you quick to obey Allaah and slow to disobey Him.” But in the case of the munaafiq (hypocrite) and faasiq (evildoer), his deeds will say: “By Allaah, I only saw you slow to obey Allaah and quick to disobey Him.” ( Ahmad; saheeh by al-Albaani)
Friday, 20 March 2009
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
To breakfast or Not to breakfast - that is the question
You probably heard it from your own parents: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But now you're the one saying it — to your sleepy, frazzled, grumpy kids, who insist "I'm not hungry" as you try to get everyone fed and moving in the morning. 
Even if you eat a healthy morning meal every day, it can be
tough to get kids fueled up in time for school, child care, or a day of play. But it's important to try. Here's how to make the morning meal more appealing for everyone.
Why Bother With Breakfast?
Breakfast is a great way to give the body the refueling it needs. Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to participate in physical activities — two great ways to
help maintain a healthy weight.
Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless, or irritable. In the morning, their bodies need to refuel for the day ahead after going without food for 8 to 12 hours during sleep. Their mood and energy can drop by midmorning if they don't eat at least a small morning meal.
Breakfast also can help keep kids' weight in check. Breakfast kick-starts the body metabolism, the process by which the body converts the fuel in food to energy. And when the metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories.
Also, people who don't eat breakfast often consume more calories throughout the day and are more likely to be overweight than those who skip lunch. That's because someone who skips breakfast is likely to get famished before lunchtime and snack on high-calorie foods or overeat at lunch.
Breakfast Brain Power
It's important for kids to have breakfast every day, but what they eat in the morning is crucial too. Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein while low in added sugar may boost kids' attention span, concentration, and memory — which they need to learn in school.
Even if you eat a healthy morning meal every day, it can be
tough to get kids fueled up in time for school, child care, or a day of play. But it's important to try. Here's how to make the morning meal more appealing for everyone.Why Bother With Breakfast?
Breakfast is a great way to give the body the refueling it needs. Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to participate in physical activities — two great ways to
help maintain a healthy weight.Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless, or irritable. In the morning, their bodies need to refuel for the day ahead after going without food for 8 to 12 hours during sleep. Their mood and energy can drop by midmorning if they don't eat at least a small morning meal.
Breakfast also can help keep kids' weight in check. Breakfast kick-starts the body metabolism, the process by which the body converts the fuel in food to energy. And when the metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories.
Also, people who don't eat breakfast often consume more calories throughout the day and are more likely to be overweight than those who skip lunch. That's because someone who skips breakfast is likely to get famished before lunchtime and snack on high-calorie foods or overeat at lunch.
Breakfast Brain Power
It's important for kids to have breakfast every day, but what they eat in the morning is crucial too. Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein while low in added sugar may boost kids' attention span, concentration, and memory — which they need to learn in school.
Research also has shown that kids who eat breakfast get fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients. They also tend to keep their weight under control, have lower blood cholesterol levels and fewer absences from school, and make fewer trips to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger.
Making Breakfast Happen
It would be great to serve whole-grain waffles, fresh fruit, and low-fat milk each morning. But it can be difficult to make a healthy breakfast happen when you're rushing to get yourself and the kids ready in the morning and juggling the general household chaos.
So try these practical suggestions to ensure that — even in a rush — your kids get a good breakfast before they're out the door:
Stock your kitchen with healthy breakfast options
Prepare as much as you can the night before (gets dishes and utensils ready, cut up fruit, etc.)
get everyone up 10 minutes earlier
let kids help plan and prepare breakfast
have grab-and-go alternatives (fresh fruit, individual boxes of cereal, yogurt) on days when there is little or no time to eat
If kids aren't hungry first thing in the morning, be sure to pack a breakfast that they can eat a little later on the bus or between classes. Fresh fruit, cereal, nuts, or half a peanut butter and banana sandwich are nutritious, easy to make, and easy for kids to take along.
You may also want to check out the breakfasts offered at school or daycare. Some offer breakfasts and provide them at free or reduced prices for families with limited incomes. If your child eats breakfast outside the home, talk with him or her about how to make healthy selections.
Making Breakfast Happen
It would be great to serve whole-grain waffles, fresh fruit, and low-fat milk each morning. But it can be difficult to make a healthy breakfast happen when you're rushing to get yourself and the kids ready in the morning and juggling the general household chaos.
So try these practical suggestions to ensure that — even in a rush — your kids get a good breakfast before they're out the door:
Stock your kitchen with healthy breakfast options
Prepare as much as you can the night before (gets dishes and utensils ready, cut up fruit, etc.)
get everyone up 10 minutes earlier
let kids help plan and prepare breakfast
have grab-and-go alternatives (fresh fruit, individual boxes of cereal, yogurt) on days when there is little or no time to eat
If kids aren't hungry first thing in the morning, be sure to pack a breakfast that they can eat a little later on the bus or between classes. Fresh fruit, cereal, nuts, or half a peanut butter and banana sandwich are nutritious, easy to make, and easy for kids to take along.
You may also want to check out the breakfasts offered at school or daycare. Some offer breakfasts and provide them at free or reduced prices for families with limited incomes. If your child eats breakfast outside the home, talk with him or her about how to make healthy selections.
What not to serve for breakfast is important too. Sure, toaster pastries and some breakfast bars are portable, easy, and appealing to kids. But many have no more nutritional value than a candy bar and are high in sugar and calories. Read the nutrition labels carefully before you toss these breakfast bars and pastries into your shopping cart.
Breakfast Ideas to Try
The morning meal doesn't have to be all about traditional breakfast items. You can mix it up to include different foods, even the leftovers from last night's dinner, and still provide the nutrients and energy kids need for the day.
The morning meal doesn't have to be all about traditional breakfast items. You can mix it up to include different foods, even the leftovers from last night's dinner, and still provide the nutrients and energy kids need for the day.
Try to serve a balanced breakfast that includes some carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. Carbohydrates are a good source of immediate energy for the body. Energy from protein tends to kick in after the carbohydrates are used up.. Fiber helps provide a feeling of fullness and, therefore, discourages overeating. And when combined with adequate liquid consumption, fiber helps move food through the digestive system, preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol.
Good sources of these nutrients include:
carbohydrates: whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-grain breads and muffins, fruits, vegetables protein: low-fat or nonfat dairy products, lean meats, eggs, nuts (including nut butters), seeds, and cooked dried beans fiber: whole-grain breads, waffles, and cereals; brown rice, bran, and other grains; fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts
carbohydrates: whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-grain breads and muffins, fruits, vegetables protein: low-fat or nonfat dairy products, lean meats, eggs, nuts (including nut butters), seeds, and cooked dried beans fiber: whole-grain breads, waffles, and cereals; brown rice, bran, and other grains; fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts
Here are some ideas for healthy breakfasts to try:
whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and a cup of yogurt
whole-grain waffles topped with peanut butter, fruit, or ricotta cheese
whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced hard-cooked eggs
hot cereal topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves
peanut butter on a bagel with fresh fruit (banana or apple wedges) and low-fat milk breakfast smoothie (milk, fruit, and teaspoon of bran, whirled in a blender) vegetable omelet with a bran muffin and orange juice bran muffin and yogurt with berries hummus on whole-wheat toast and milk lean turkey on a toasted English muffin and vegetable juice heated leftover rice with chopped apples, nuts, and cinnamon, plus fruit juice cream cheese and fresh fruit, such as sliced strawberries, on a bread or a bagel
shredded cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla, folded in half and microwaved for 20 seconds and topped with salsa
whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and a cup of yogurt
whole-grain waffles topped with peanut butter, fruit, or ricotta cheese
whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced hard-cooked eggs
hot cereal topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves
peanut butter on a bagel with fresh fruit (banana or apple wedges) and low-fat milk breakfast smoothie (milk, fruit, and teaspoon of bran, whirled in a blender) vegetable omelet with a bran muffin and orange juice bran muffin and yogurt with berries hummus on whole-wheat toast and milk lean turkey on a toasted English muffin and vegetable juice heated leftover rice with chopped apples, nuts, and cinnamon, plus fruit juice cream cheese and fresh fruit, such as sliced strawberries, on a bread or a bagel
shredded cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla, folded in half and microwaved for 20 seconds and topped with salsa
And don't forget how important your good example is. Let your child see you making time to enjoy breakfast every day. Even if you just wash down some whole-wheat toast and a banana with a glass of juice or milk, you're showing how important it is to face the day only after refueling your brain and body with a healthy morning meal.
Monday, 16 March 2009
LAUGHTER IS THE BEST EXERCISE
According to researchers, laughter stimulates the feel good chemicals in the brain so you want to do it over and over again. Laugh your way to good health. Here's what happens throughout the body.
FACEWhen we laugh, as many as 15 muscles squeeze are faces into a smile. Increased blood flow there may turn us a bit pinker and give us a happy glow.
EYES HAVE IT
If the laugh is vigorous enough, our tear ducts can activate. Sometimes our glee can have a cumulative effect till we are literally crying with joy-and studies show that tears, whether happy or sad, may reduce
symptoms of stress.
If the laugh is vigorous enough, our tear ducts can activate. Sometimes our glee can have a cumulative effect till we are literally crying with joy-and studies show that tears, whether happy or sad, may reduce
symptoms of stress. MOUTH
Have'nt you heard the heart laughter going ha-ha ha, rhythmic blasts of vocalized air. In addition, saliva of patients have been tested and after laughing episodes they found that there were higher levels of disease-fighting agents called immuno globins. Other studies have found higher blood levels of killer T-cells, suggesting that laughter may raise our immune function.
Have'nt you heard the heart laughter going ha-ha ha, rhythmic blasts of vocalized air. In addition, saliva of patients have been tested and after laughing episodes they found that there were higher levels of disease-fighting agents called immuno globins. Other studies have found higher blood levels of killer T-cells, suggesting that laughter may raise our immune function.
VOCAL POINT
Our vocal equipment has to roll up its sleeves to produce our high pitched hysteria. The diaphragm, a strong muscle under the lungs, pumps down and up, filling the lungs and then blasting air out of them,
up through the voice box to produce the laugh. A hearty guffaw is quite a workout for this system, requiring as much effort and volume as yelling. Because the lungs are exchanging much more air than normal, they enrich the blood with oxygen.
Our vocal equipment has to roll up its sleeves to produce our high pitched hysteria. The diaphragm, a strong muscle under the lungs, pumps down and up, filling the lungs and then blasting air out of them,
up through the voice box to produce the laugh. A hearty guffaw is quite a workout for this system, requiring as much effort and volume as yelling. Because the lungs are exchanging much more air than normal, they enrich the blood with oxygen. WRESTLE YOUR VESSELS
Our heart rate and blood pressure spike briefly when we laugh.. They increase a bit even when
we chuckle while sitting in a chair watching a funny act. In addition to possible immune benefits noted earlier, laughter seems to help diabetics keep their glucose levels in check.In a recent study, cardiologist Michael Miller investigated the effect of laughter on the inner lining of the blood vessels, or endothelium. Yes,
even that part of our body produces chemicals- good ones when it expands, bad ones when it constricts.
PAIN RELIEVER
Whether in our extremities or up in our brains, laughter seems to have an analgesic effect; it
increases our tolerance for pain. Back in 1987, psychologist Rosemary Cogan used the discomfort of a pressure cuff to test another medical benefit of another medical benefit of laughter °pain management. Subjects who had watched a 20 minute actor comedian routine could tolerate a tighter cuff than those who had watched an informational tape or no tape at all.
Whether in our extremities or up in our brains, laughter seems to have an analgesic effect; it
increases our tolerance for pain. Back in 1987, psychologist Rosemary Cogan used the discomfort of a pressure cuff to test another medical benefit of another medical benefit of laughter °pain management. Subjects who had watched a 20 minute actor comedian routine could tolerate a tighter cuff than those who had watched an informational tape or no tape at all. 
BELLY LAUGHS
A hearty laugh can cause us to double over and tense all our major muscle groups for minutes at a time, leading to a simple conclusion Laughter is exercise. A leading professional in this area Lee Berk calls it "Inner jogging" .The heart rate and blood pressure go up while you're laughing, but then they fall down below your baseline afterwards, the same as with exercise. This could be very important.
A hearty laugh can cause us to double over and tense all our major muscle groups for minutes at a time, leading to a simple conclusion Laughter is exercise. A leading professional in this area Lee Berk calls it "Inner jogging" .The heart rate and blood pressure go up while you're laughing, but then they fall down below your baseline afterwards, the same as with exercise. This could be very important.
EXERCISE
Exercise for elderly and sick people who can't get out and run three
kilometers. According to Provine, early laughter researcher William Fry found that it took ten minutes on his rowing machine to elevate his heart rate to the same level provided by a good belly laugh. A finding that may have millions rationalizing how important it is to sit down and have a good laugh with family and friends and cheer up your life. 
Exercise for elderly and sick people who can't get out and run three
kilometers. According to Provine, early laughter researcher William Fry found that it took ten minutes on his rowing machine to elevate his heart rate to the same level provided by a good belly laugh. A finding that may have millions rationalizing how important it is to sit down and have a good laugh with family and friends and cheer up your life. 
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Honor Killings and The Bridges TV Tragedy
Honor Killings and The Bridges TV Tragedy
http://www.mana-net.org/pages.php?ID=activism&NUM=1055
The alleged confession by Muzzammil Hassan, co-founder of Bridges TV, for the tragic killing of his wife Aasiya, is indeed a monstrous and deplorable act that Muslims, Christians and all human beings should strongly condemn. If true, the choice made by Mr. Muzzammil to kill his wife -- and in such a brutal fashion -- is something he will be judged and punished for by the Creator of the heavens and the earth. There are some people who will judge Al-Islam and all Muslims for the actions of this one man, but ALLAH will not. Simply because the Creator is Just and will not allow any individual to bear the burdens of another. All Muslims are not guilty of this act (although the silence of many can contribute to it) and the religion of Al-Islam does not endorse this behavior. Instead, Al-Islam strongly condemns it.
Horrendous killings of spouses have been done by people of all religions, races, cultures and nationalities. It is curious to note, that the media in the US singles out individual actions done by so-called Muslims who disobey their religion and blames all Muslims and the religion of Al-Islam for their heinous actions. Recently, we were inundated with news about other Americans who killed their families, themselves, and their children. But in none of those cases was the religion or all its followers blamed or castigated for their actions. Recently in Florida, a Christian Professor who taught music and sang soloist at the United Methodist Church, killed his wife, children and himself. Nothing was made about him being Christian with some hidden justification in his religion causing his actions nor was the entire Methodist Church castigated. Why the double standards when it comes to Al-Islam?
According to many news paper reports, Muzzammil had a history of domestic violence. He was a very secular person who “rarely showed up at the mosque and was obsessed with financial matters.” The Die Burger, a South African paper, reports the following from Aasiya’s sister Asma Firirey about her domestic abuse, "Firfirey, as well as a Pakistani woman identifying herself as another of Aasiya Hassan's sisters, characterized her as living in fear.
“Firfirey said the last time she saw her sister was in May 2008, when she visited South Africa. When she arrived, she was badly injured, and Firfirey's family paid the equivalent of about $3,000 for her to be treated.”
“Aasiya Hassan returned to America, because she wanted to complete her MBA degree and "didn't want to leave her children with that monster." She said she calls Muzzammil Hassan "the fat man with evil eyes."
The Buffalo News also reports the following, “The Hassans were well-known to local police, both in Orchard Park and Texas, where Muzzammil has family. Police were called to their Orchard Park home more than a dozen times for domestic issues…”
This event, which exposes a well-respected, prominent Muslim as a domestic abuser, who allegedly decapitated his wife, is an Islamophobic scaremonger’s dream. It gives these biased opportunists a platform to continue demonizing Al-Islam and Muslims by equating this awful act to Al-Islam. One of the things they claim is that this act is an example of honor killing endorsed by Al-Islam. This false notion is what I will address in the rest of my essay.
Honor killings are a Middle Eastern cultural phenomenon that is practiced by ignorant Muslims, Christians and others from that region. It pre-dates Islam and is an ugly manifestation that many Islamic, Christian and other organizations are working hard to eradicate. Honor killings are murders by families on family members who are believed to have brought "shame" on the family name. It is usually done by a male member of the family who kills a female relative for “tarnishing” the family image.Many books have been written about honor killings. Two famous books, Norma Khouri’s “Forbidden Love” and Souad’s “Burned Alive” turned out to be total fabricated stories deliberately written to demonize Palestinian and Arab people. Dr. Therese Taylor wrote an excellent article which exposes Burned Alive as a fraudulent account of a supposed attempted Palestinian honor killing. Dr. Taylor shows, with expert clarity, how ridiculous the claims in the book are regarding honor killings. You can read her excellent article at this link.
According to Wikipedia and other sources, in Indonesia -- generally believed to be the country with the largest Muslim population -- honor killings are unknown, as well as in parts of West Africa with majority-Muslim populations and many other Islamic countries like Bangladesh. Although honor killings are not an Islamic phenomenon, somehow there is a major effort to associate honor killings with Al-Islam.
There is nothing in the Quran, or the examples of Prophet Muhammad (saaw), that endorses honor killings. Yet it is prevalent in many so-called Muslim cultures and even amongst some Muslims in European and western culture. So how is the innocent mind supposed to understand this seeming contradiction?
Sometimes when we look at other cultures and religions we blindly associate practices to foreign religions forgetting that the same thing can be done out of ignorance by other cultures and religions within the West as well. Take the Mafia and contract killings for example. The Italian origin of the Mafia is cradled in the same country where the highest authority in Catholicism resides. It comes from the country that is the seat of Catholicism. Contract killings by the Mafia are a mainstay of Christian societies and can be found in just about any Christian country in the West. We could ignorantly associate the Mafia and contract killings using examples of how Mafia men were seen going to Mass and even make bogus claims about verses in the Bible supporting this Christian cultural manifestation known as the Mafia. We could even write articles about it ignorantly stating “Yes, it is Christian. Don’t Apologize for It!” and show how violent and cruel contract killings are and associate that and the Mafia with Christianity. We could also deride Christianity for being a backwards, evil religion with ugly inhuman and uncivilized practices that cannot be excused and must be stamped out as a result of it. But would we be correct in doing so?
It is easy for the uninformed, insincere and deliberately demonizing minds to make those unfair assessments about other people’s religion. But a child with just a little inkling of common sense and the desire to know the truth can easily take an approach that would dispel all the hyperbole by simply going to the religion to see what it really teaches. A sincere mind studying the noble teachings of Christ (saaw) would know right away that contract killings and the Mafia has nothing to do with the beautiful revelations from G-d to Christ (saaw). So too would a sincere mind studying the gracious teachings in the Quran and Al-Islam know that those teachings do not endorse honor killings, terrorism and a whole host of other lies being told by fiendish people in an attempt to deliberately demonize Al-Islam.
Try as they may, the accusers who blame Al-Islam for honor killings could never produce a verse from the Qur’an or anything in Al-Islam to prove their wrong assertions. The most they claim is that the Qur’an approves wife beating and point to verse 4:34, taking it completely out of context to prove their claim. But let’s look at what verse 4:34 actually says. One of the most popular translations of the Qur’an by Yusuf Ali states the following:
“As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).”
There is nothing in this verse that states a man should kill his wife for honor. If you know Arabic the word used for beat by the Qur’an is not the same Arabic word that is used for beat as when you beat someone to inflict pain. The word used is the Arabic word “edrobhohunna”. That word does not mean beat in a violent way to incur physical damage. The Arabic word that means beat to incur physical damage is “hatumhoo”. The Quran did not use the word “hatumhoo”; it used “edrobhohunna”, which is a word meaning an action that shows displeasure without causing physical harm. It is striking such that even a baby won’t be harmed. It is hard to translate because in English when we use the word strike it implies harm, but in Arabic this word does not imply physical damage or harm. Some translators in an attempt to get close to the meaning in Arabic translate “edrobhohunna” as a tongue lashing or "...then punish her mildly", or "...then go away from them" because the reference is to not do any physical harm but only as a means of having the husband after doing other things show -- as a last resort -- his displeasure with his wife.
The root of "edrobhohunna" is "daraba", "beat". There are many words in Arabic derived from this root. Other examples include "dharabtum", which is used in Verse 4:94, and is usually translated in English, "go forth/go out/go abroad". Whilst it is possible to translate "edrobhohunna" as “beat/strike", just as in English it is equally possible to translate "beat it" as “leave”, "separate", "part". The verse that follows verse 4:34 goes on to talk about appointing arbitrators from each side and the need to strive for reconciliation. In this context, it is more likely that the correct meaning of the word " edrobhohunna " is "leave/separate/part".
At the same time there is a wealth of teachings in Al-Islam about the marital relationship. Numerous verses in the Quran extol the beautiful relationship between men and women. One of them is as follows:
“And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.” 30:21
The Prophet (saaw) being the best example for Muslims never beat any of his wives. When approached by a man about how he should treat his wife, the Prophet (saaw) told him to feed her as you would feed yourself, provide for her clothes as you would for yourself, do not beat her and do not revile her. Remarking upon those men who beat their wives, he said they are not good Muslims. He said “The best among you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife!” According to the Prophet’s wife 'Aishah (ra), the Prophet (saaw) never once raised his hand to her, in fact the only time he ever raised a hand against anyone, was when he was fighting in battle.
I could go on and on with more examples from Al-Islam and you would never find where the Quran or anything in the teachings of Al-Islam endorses honor killings. But the Quran is very precise and very clear regarding what the conditions are for when a life should be taken. Needless to say, honor killings are not among the reasons. The Quran treats human life as sacred. It is given by ALLAH and it is only ALLAH who has the authority to take life or provide the means by which that life can be taken. One specific verse in the Quran dealing with the taking of life is as follows:
“5:32 …if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people…”
The Quran equates the seriousness of taking the innocent life of one person to killing a whole people. It is a very serious matter when someone is killed.
Honor killings, death for adultery, death for apostates and other things practiced in so-called Islamic countries are corruptions and not true Islam. You will find nothing in the Qur’an endorsing any of those practices, yet it is perplexing to know that they are practiced within some Muslim societies by some confused Muslims. Colonialism had a big hand to play in this, as admitted to by several documentaries, books and other literature, under colonialism, the British and other western powers encouraged extremism in Al-Islam. They killed out and stifled the voices of true Islam and encouraged cultural and barbaric practices to thrive and be supported. This was a tactic used to destroy Muslim societies and today we see the ugly remnants of that in many Muslim countries.
Please read “Confessions of a British Spy” to learn more about how thoroughly such work was done within the Islamic world to encourage extremism, bad cultural habits and un-Islamic behavior, being portrayed under the banner of Al-Islam in order to weaken the people and make them better subjects of the colonialists.
Any so-called Muslim who practices honor killings should be given the full punishment of the law. They ignored the clear teachings in their religion to follow a barbaric practice. They deserve the full implementation of justice against them for going against the true teachings of Al-Islam by taking innocent lives to satisfy their ego and feed their false sense of honor.
http://www.mana-net.org/pages.php?ID=activism&NUM=1055
The alleged confession by Muzzammil Hassan, co-founder of Bridges TV, for the tragic killing of his wife Aasiya, is indeed a monstrous and deplorable act that Muslims, Christians and all human beings should strongly condemn. If true, the choice made by Mr. Muzzammil to kill his wife -- and in such a brutal fashion -- is something he will be judged and punished for by the Creator of the heavens and the earth. There are some people who will judge Al-Islam and all Muslims for the actions of this one man, but ALLAH will not. Simply because the Creator is Just and will not allow any individual to bear the burdens of another. All Muslims are not guilty of this act (although the silence of many can contribute to it) and the religion of Al-Islam does not endorse this behavior. Instead, Al-Islam strongly condemns it.
Horrendous killings of spouses have been done by people of all religions, races, cultures and nationalities. It is curious to note, that the media in the US singles out individual actions done by so-called Muslims who disobey their religion and blames all Muslims and the religion of Al-Islam for their heinous actions. Recently, we were inundated with news about other Americans who killed their families, themselves, and their children. But in none of those cases was the religion or all its followers blamed or castigated for their actions. Recently in Florida, a Christian Professor who taught music and sang soloist at the United Methodist Church, killed his wife, children and himself. Nothing was made about him being Christian with some hidden justification in his religion causing his actions nor was the entire Methodist Church castigated. Why the double standards when it comes to Al-Islam?
According to many news paper reports, Muzzammil had a history of domestic violence. He was a very secular person who “rarely showed up at the mosque and was obsessed with financial matters.” The Die Burger, a South African paper, reports the following from Aasiya’s sister Asma Firirey about her domestic abuse, "Firfirey, as well as a Pakistani woman identifying herself as another of Aasiya Hassan's sisters, characterized her as living in fear.
“Firfirey said the last time she saw her sister was in May 2008, when she visited South Africa. When she arrived, she was badly injured, and Firfirey's family paid the equivalent of about $3,000 for her to be treated.”
“Aasiya Hassan returned to America, because she wanted to complete her MBA degree and "didn't want to leave her children with that monster." She said she calls Muzzammil Hassan "the fat man with evil eyes."
The Buffalo News also reports the following, “The Hassans were well-known to local police, both in Orchard Park and Texas, where Muzzammil has family. Police were called to their Orchard Park home more than a dozen times for domestic issues…”
This event, which exposes a well-respected, prominent Muslim as a domestic abuser, who allegedly decapitated his wife, is an Islamophobic scaremonger’s dream. It gives these biased opportunists a platform to continue demonizing Al-Islam and Muslims by equating this awful act to Al-Islam. One of the things they claim is that this act is an example of honor killing endorsed by Al-Islam. This false notion is what I will address in the rest of my essay.
Honor killings are a Middle Eastern cultural phenomenon that is practiced by ignorant Muslims, Christians and others from that region. It pre-dates Islam and is an ugly manifestation that many Islamic, Christian and other organizations are working hard to eradicate. Honor killings are murders by families on family members who are believed to have brought "shame" on the family name. It is usually done by a male member of the family who kills a female relative for “tarnishing” the family image.Many books have been written about honor killings. Two famous books, Norma Khouri’s “Forbidden Love” and Souad’s “Burned Alive” turned out to be total fabricated stories deliberately written to demonize Palestinian and Arab people. Dr. Therese Taylor wrote an excellent article which exposes Burned Alive as a fraudulent account of a supposed attempted Palestinian honor killing. Dr. Taylor shows, with expert clarity, how ridiculous the claims in the book are regarding honor killings. You can read her excellent article at this link.
According to Wikipedia and other sources, in Indonesia -- generally believed to be the country with the largest Muslim population -- honor killings are unknown, as well as in parts of West Africa with majority-Muslim populations and many other Islamic countries like Bangladesh. Although honor killings are not an Islamic phenomenon, somehow there is a major effort to associate honor killings with Al-Islam.
There is nothing in the Quran, or the examples of Prophet Muhammad (saaw), that endorses honor killings. Yet it is prevalent in many so-called Muslim cultures and even amongst some Muslims in European and western culture. So how is the innocent mind supposed to understand this seeming contradiction?
Sometimes when we look at other cultures and religions we blindly associate practices to foreign religions forgetting that the same thing can be done out of ignorance by other cultures and religions within the West as well. Take the Mafia and contract killings for example. The Italian origin of the Mafia is cradled in the same country where the highest authority in Catholicism resides. It comes from the country that is the seat of Catholicism. Contract killings by the Mafia are a mainstay of Christian societies and can be found in just about any Christian country in the West. We could ignorantly associate the Mafia and contract killings using examples of how Mafia men were seen going to Mass and even make bogus claims about verses in the Bible supporting this Christian cultural manifestation known as the Mafia. We could even write articles about it ignorantly stating “Yes, it is Christian. Don’t Apologize for It!” and show how violent and cruel contract killings are and associate that and the Mafia with Christianity. We could also deride Christianity for being a backwards, evil religion with ugly inhuman and uncivilized practices that cannot be excused and must be stamped out as a result of it. But would we be correct in doing so?
It is easy for the uninformed, insincere and deliberately demonizing minds to make those unfair assessments about other people’s religion. But a child with just a little inkling of common sense and the desire to know the truth can easily take an approach that would dispel all the hyperbole by simply going to the religion to see what it really teaches. A sincere mind studying the noble teachings of Christ (saaw) would know right away that contract killings and the Mafia has nothing to do with the beautiful revelations from G-d to Christ (saaw). So too would a sincere mind studying the gracious teachings in the Quran and Al-Islam know that those teachings do not endorse honor killings, terrorism and a whole host of other lies being told by fiendish people in an attempt to deliberately demonize Al-Islam.
Try as they may, the accusers who blame Al-Islam for honor killings could never produce a verse from the Qur’an or anything in Al-Islam to prove their wrong assertions. The most they claim is that the Qur’an approves wife beating and point to verse 4:34, taking it completely out of context to prove their claim. But let’s look at what verse 4:34 actually says. One of the most popular translations of the Qur’an by Yusuf Ali states the following:
“As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).”
There is nothing in this verse that states a man should kill his wife for honor. If you know Arabic the word used for beat by the Qur’an is not the same Arabic word that is used for beat as when you beat someone to inflict pain. The word used is the Arabic word “edrobhohunna”. That word does not mean beat in a violent way to incur physical damage. The Arabic word that means beat to incur physical damage is “hatumhoo”. The Quran did not use the word “hatumhoo”; it used “edrobhohunna”, which is a word meaning an action that shows displeasure without causing physical harm. It is striking such that even a baby won’t be harmed. It is hard to translate because in English when we use the word strike it implies harm, but in Arabic this word does not imply physical damage or harm. Some translators in an attempt to get close to the meaning in Arabic translate “edrobhohunna” as a tongue lashing or "...then punish her mildly", or "...then go away from them" because the reference is to not do any physical harm but only as a means of having the husband after doing other things show -- as a last resort -- his displeasure with his wife.
The root of "edrobhohunna" is "daraba", "beat". There are many words in Arabic derived from this root. Other examples include "dharabtum", which is used in Verse 4:94, and is usually translated in English, "go forth/go out/go abroad". Whilst it is possible to translate "edrobhohunna" as “beat/strike", just as in English it is equally possible to translate "beat it" as “leave”, "separate", "part". The verse that follows verse 4:34 goes on to talk about appointing arbitrators from each side and the need to strive for reconciliation. In this context, it is more likely that the correct meaning of the word " edrobhohunna " is "leave/separate/part".
At the same time there is a wealth of teachings in Al-Islam about the marital relationship. Numerous verses in the Quran extol the beautiful relationship between men and women. One of them is as follows:
“And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.” 30:21
The Prophet (saaw) being the best example for Muslims never beat any of his wives. When approached by a man about how he should treat his wife, the Prophet (saaw) told him to feed her as you would feed yourself, provide for her clothes as you would for yourself, do not beat her and do not revile her. Remarking upon those men who beat their wives, he said they are not good Muslims. He said “The best among you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife!” According to the Prophet’s wife 'Aishah (ra), the Prophet (saaw) never once raised his hand to her, in fact the only time he ever raised a hand against anyone, was when he was fighting in battle.
I could go on and on with more examples from Al-Islam and you would never find where the Quran or anything in the teachings of Al-Islam endorses honor killings. But the Quran is very precise and very clear regarding what the conditions are for when a life should be taken. Needless to say, honor killings are not among the reasons. The Quran treats human life as sacred. It is given by ALLAH and it is only ALLAH who has the authority to take life or provide the means by which that life can be taken. One specific verse in the Quran dealing with the taking of life is as follows:
“5:32 …if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people…”
The Quran equates the seriousness of taking the innocent life of one person to killing a whole people. It is a very serious matter when someone is killed.
Honor killings, death for adultery, death for apostates and other things practiced in so-called Islamic countries are corruptions and not true Islam. You will find nothing in the Qur’an endorsing any of those practices, yet it is perplexing to know that they are practiced within some Muslim societies by some confused Muslims. Colonialism had a big hand to play in this, as admitted to by several documentaries, books and other literature, under colonialism, the British and other western powers encouraged extremism in Al-Islam. They killed out and stifled the voices of true Islam and encouraged cultural and barbaric practices to thrive and be supported. This was a tactic used to destroy Muslim societies and today we see the ugly remnants of that in many Muslim countries.
Please read “Confessions of a British Spy” to learn more about how thoroughly such work was done within the Islamic world to encourage extremism, bad cultural habits and un-Islamic behavior, being portrayed under the banner of Al-Islam in order to weaken the people and make them better subjects of the colonialists.
Any so-called Muslim who practices honor killings should be given the full punishment of the law. They ignored the clear teachings in their religion to follow a barbaric practice. They deserve the full implementation of justice against them for going against the true teachings of Al-Islam by taking innocent lives to satisfy their ego and feed their false sense of honor.
Thursday, 5 March 2009
WE WILL NOT GO DOWN (Song for Gaza)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E14b_9wStUU
http://www.michaelheart.com/Song_for_Gaza.html
WE WILL NOT GO DOWN (Song for Gaza) (Composed by Michael Heart) Copyright 2009
A blinding flash of white light Lit up the sky over Gaza tonight People running for cover Not knowing whether they’re dead or alive
They came with their tanks and their planes With ravaging fiery flames And nothing remains Just a voice rising up in the smoky haze
We will not go down In the night, without a fight You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools But our spirit will never die We will not go down In Gaza tonight
Women and children alike Murdered and massacred night after night While the so-called leaders of countries afar Debated on who’s wrong or right
But their powerless words were in vain And the bombs fell down like acid rain But through the tears and the blood and the pain You can still hear that voice through the smoky haze
We will not go down In the night, without a fight You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools But our spirit will never die We will not go down In Gaza tonight
http://www.michaelheart.com/Song_for_Gaza.html
WE WILL NOT GO DOWN (Song for Gaza) (Composed by Michael Heart) Copyright 2009
A blinding flash of white light Lit up the sky over Gaza tonight People running for cover Not knowing whether they’re dead or alive
They came with their tanks and their planes With ravaging fiery flames And nothing remains Just a voice rising up in the smoky haze
We will not go down In the night, without a fight You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools But our spirit will never die We will not go down In Gaza tonight
Women and children alike Murdered and massacred night after night While the so-called leaders of countries afar Debated on who’s wrong or right
But their powerless words were in vain And the bombs fell down like acid rain But through the tears and the blood and the pain You can still hear that voice through the smoky haze
We will not go down In the night, without a fight You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools But our spirit will never die We will not go down In Gaza tonight
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