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A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL

December 31, 2010 Leave a comment
Let us begin the New Year with the following timeless treasure…………

……..”Verily we are from Allah and to Him do we return”

Every soul shall have a taste of Death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense.
Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life):
For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.(Al-Quran).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

[Change your outlook and you will change your life ~ Because What you call Death is Life itself.]

 

Soul is not born, nor does it die ~ Why are you unnecessarily worrying?
Whom do you fear? ~ Who can kill you? ~ Soul is not born, nor does it die. 

What has happened has happened for the best ~ What is happening is happening for the best.
What will happen will also happen for the best.

Do not brood over the past ~ Do not worry about the future ~ The present is on.

What have you lost,  that you are weeping? ~ What have you brought, that you have lost?
What have you made, that has been destroyed?

What you have, you got from here ~ What was given, was given here
What you took,  you took from this universe ~ what you gave, you gave unto this universe.
You have come empty handed and shall go empty handed.
What is yours today was somebody else’s in the past and will be somebody else’s in future.
You think it is yours and are deeply engrossed in it
Actually this attachment is the cause of all your sorrow.
Change your outlook and you will change your life
Because What you call Death is Life itself.
In a moment you are a millionaire & in the very next you are poor.
Mine-Yours; Small-Big; Ours-Theirs;
Remove this from your mind, then everything is yours and you are everybody’s. 

This Body is not yours, nor you are of this body

Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Ether comprises this body and unto this shall it turn.
But the Soul is Immortal, then why do you worry?
Surrender unto your Lord, He is the ultimate support.
He who understands this, is completely free from Fear, Worry and Despair.
Whatever you do, offer it unto Him.    By this you shall forever experience Eternal Bliss. 

Verily we are from Allah and to Him do we return.
Death is unavoidable ~ So its better we reform ourselves Before it transforms us.


Categories: Food for Thought, inspiration, Islam

Amiril mumineen's – answer on distance of sun from the earth

December 30, 2010 1 comment
A man asked Imam Ali (a.s.) in Masjid-e-Kufa, “What is the distance between me and (pointing towards the sun) and the sun”.
It is worth mentioning here about the complexity of this question.
This man was an Arab. And in the Arabic language the numbers or count is limited upto one thousand (1000). The count in arabic does not exceed 1000. The answer to the question this man asked dealt in millions (distance).
It was like a challenge to Imam Ali (a.s.) to answer him in a convincing manner without confusing him.
Imam Ali (a.s.) answered : “If an Arab horse starts walking from here and continues walking for 500 years, then he (horse) will reach the sun.”
The man got convinced and walked away.  But it is for us now to ponder on what Imam Ali (a.s.) said. This
one sentence of Imam Ali (a.s.) shows and proves the genius that Imam Ali (a.s.) was.
Imam Ali (a.s.) said “If an Arab horse…”, the average speed of an arab horse is 22 mph (miles per hour).
If a horse runs the full day (24hours) it will cover approximately 520 miles. This gives us the distance the horse will cover in 24 hrs (one day).
To calculate the distance covered by the horse in one month we multiply it 520 by 29.5 (Taking an average of the number of months in arab callender. Assuming that 6 months are of 29 days and 6 months are of 30 days.). It gives us something around 15,500. The horse cover 15,500 miles in one month (30 days).
To get the distance that he will travel in one year we multiply it by 12. Since there are 12 months in a year. It gives you 1,86,000. Then multiply 1,86,000 by 500 as the horse should run for 500 years. It gives you 9,34,00,000 miles.
Now if you ask an astronomer about the distance of sun from the earth he will tell you that the distance is never constant. The orbit of the earth is oval in shape. Sometimes it comes nearer to the sun and on occasions it distances itself from the sun. When the earth is closest to the sun its distance is 9,10,00,000 miles and the distance when it is farthest from the sun is 9,48,00,000 miles. When you take an average on these two distances it comes around 9,30,000 miles.
Imam Ali (a.s.) 1400 years back told us about the distance of the earth from the sun.
—
O my Allah, the honour of being Your servant is sufficient.
I am proud of the fact that You are my Lord.
You are just as I want, so make me just as You like me to be.
الهي كفى بي عزّا أن أكون لك عبدا ، وكفى بي فخرا أن تكون لي ربّا
… أنت كما أُحبُّ ،  فاجعلني كما تحبُّ
“When Allah takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing
you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.”
Categories: Ahlul Bayt of Prophet (s), Religion, Shiate, Thought Provoking Articles

Dr.Devi Shetty, Narayana Hrudayalaya (Heart Specialist) Bangalore

December 30, 2010 2 comments




A chat with Dr.Devi Shetty, Narayana Hrudayalaya
(Heart Specialist) Bangalore was arranged by WIPRO for its employees .
The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone.


Q: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?

Ans:
1. Diet – Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil
2. Exercise – Half an hour’s walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and
avoid sitting for a longtime
3. Quit smoking
4. Control weight
5. Control blood pressure and sugar

Q: Is eating non-veg food good for the heart?

Ans: No

Q: It’s still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person
gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?

Ans: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past
the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.

Q: Are heart diseases hereditary?

Ans: Yes

Q: What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do
you suggest to de-stress?

Ans: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in
everything in life.

Q: Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required
to keep a healthy heart?

Ans: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue
and injury to joints

Q: You have done so much for the poor and needy. What has inspired you to do so?

Ans: Mother Theresa , who was my patient.

Q: Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?

Ans: Extremely rare.

Q: Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age (I’m currently only 22)
or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?

Ans: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

Q: How do irregular eating habits affect the heart ?

Ans: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body’s
enzyme release for digestion gets confused.

Q: How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?

Ans: Control diet, walk and eat walnut.

Q: Can yoga prevent heart ailments?

Ans: Yoga helps.

Q: Which is the best and worst food for the heart?

Ans: Fruits and vegetables are the best and the worst is oil.

Q: Which oil is better – groundnut, sunflower, olive?

Ans: All oils are bad .

Q: What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?

Ans: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill
test after an echo.

Q: What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?

Ans: Help the person into a sleeping position , place an aspirin tablet under the
tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit
since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.

Q: How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that
caused due to gastric trouble?

Ans: Extremely difficult without ECG.

Q: What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters?
I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems.

Ans: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, sedentary lifestyles, smoking,
junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more
vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.

Q: Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be
perfectly healthy?

Ans: Yes.

Q: Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true?

Ans : Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a
software engineer as a child

Q: Many of us have an irregular daily routine and many a times we have to stay late
nights in office. Does this affect our heart ? What precautions would you recommend?

Ans : When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities.
However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock.

Q: Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)?

Ans : Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti-hypertensive drugs
are extremely safe.

Q: Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks?

Ans : No.

Q: Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease?

Ans : No.

Q: How would you define junk food?

Ans : Fried food like Kentucky , McDonalds , samosas, and even masala dosas.

Q: You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the
reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food?

Ans: Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately,
Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease.

Q: Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension?

Ans : No.

Q: Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot
of forwarded emails on this)?

Ans : Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description
under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care
unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the
time, the ambulance does not turn up.

Q: Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low hemoglobin count lead
to heart problems?

Ans : No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your
exercise capacity.

Q: Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise.
So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in
the house, work as a substitute for exercise?

Ans : Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the
act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot.

Q: Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar?

Ans: Yes. A strong relationship since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks
than non-diabetics.

Q: What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation?

Ans : Diet, exercise, drugs on time , Control cholesterol, BP, weight.

Q: Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when
compared to day shift workers?

Ans : No. ((BUT I question this !! – NOT IN THE SCRIPT)).

Q: What are the modern anti-hypertensive drugs?

Ans : There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will chose the right combination
for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways
of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to
reduce weight and changing attitudes towards lifestyles.

Q: Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks?

Ans : No.

Q: Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women?

Ans : Nature protects women till the age of 45. (Present Global census show that
the Percentage of heart disease in women has increased than in men )

Q: How can one keep the heart in a good condition?

Ans : Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and,
go for health checkup s if you are past the age of 30 ( once in six months recommended) ….

Categories: Health is Wealth

Shiism Should Be Democratically Practised in Malaysia

December 30, 2010 7 comments

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39665.html

Petition:

بِسْــــــــــــــــــمِ اﷲِالرَّحْمَنِ اارَّحِيم

As’salamu Alaykum Ahlul bayt (Alayhis-salam) Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

PRAISE BE TO ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), LORD OF THE WORLDS, AND PEACE AND BENEDICTION BE WITH OUR PROPHET MUHAMMAD (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) AND HIS PURE PROGENY (AHLUL BAYT Alayhis-salam).

O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) & on the children of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).

Allah Huma Saley Ala Mohammed Wa Aley Muhammad

I am a Malaysian Chinese converted Muslim and married to a Pakistani Punjabi Syed Shia Naqvi. We are not able to find any Imam Bargah in every corner of Malaysia as the Malaysian Shariah law has barred us the Muslims to practise any shiism here. Shiites are subject to prosecution in Malaysia under the Internal Security Act of Malaysia (ISA). Therefore the Shiites in Malaysia are under Taqiya. This is a huge problem for the Azadaris here.

I am sending this petition to withstand the discrimination of the Shia faith in Malaysia. Malaysia is a multireligious and multiracial nation and I did not see why we the Shiites did not have the freedom to practise our own faith in Malaysia. This is totally absurd and beyond the human rights in any sense.

Since October 2000, we have information that six persons have been arrested under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). Two people have been released since then in which one has been released on condition. Out of the remaining four, three have been sent to Kamunting detention center on a two year detention order whereas one more person is undergoing the initial sixty days detention period.The actual reason of their detention in not known and there has been no press news on this detention. Family members contacted say that they do not know anything about their detention order. It is believed that they have been arrested under the ISA because they are followers of the Shia teachings, a sect within the Muslim community. We are led to believe that these people were detained purely on the grounds of their faith.

In this part of the region and countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, most Muslims belong to the Sunni mazhabs. Shia in Malaysia only amount to around two to three thousand people. The crackdown on the Shiite community is not the first one. In November 1997, 10 people were arrested under the ISA for alleged grounds of practicing Shia Islam. Those who were released early in 1997 were told to renounce their Shia faith and to revert to the Sunni Sect as a pre-condition of their release from ISA. The reason of arrest according to the police then was ” activities prejudicial to national security and Muslim unity”.

The Shia mazhab has never been declared as illegal nor its teaching deviationist in Malaysia. If it was deemed that their teaching are deviant, then they should be tried in the Syariah court (Islamic court) and not the ISA.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 10: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his right and obligations and of any criminal charge against them.

Malaysian Charter on Human Rights

Article 12: Rights to personal security Everyone has the right to live in peace and free from fear of arbitrary arrest and detention without fair and public trial.

Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this rights includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief of teachings, practice, worship and observance.

Action required:

Please send letters, emails, faxes and telegrams or sign this petition to allow Shiism to be practised democratically in Malaysia.

1) Express your concern on the continuous use of the
ISA (Internal Security Acts)

2) Stop all kind of harassment against the Shiite
community in Malaysia.

3) Urge for the immediate release without condition of
the four persons from ISA detention and charge them
in an open court for any alleged offences.

4) Urging the release of full information to the public on
the grounds off their detention.

5) Calling the Government to repeal the ISA and all
other laws allowing for detention without trial.

Please Kindly Make Your Appeals To:

Tan Sri Hasmy Agam,
Chairperson Malaysian Human Rights Commission
29th Floor, Menara Tun Razak,
Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Email: humanrights@suhakam.org.my
Fax: 603-26125620

or

Ms Mary Robinson
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Palais des Nations 8-14 avenue de la Paix,
CH 1211Geneve
Switzerland
Email: webadmin.hrch@unorg.ch
Fax: (41) 22 9170213

Jazakallahu khayran, May ALLAH Bless You !

 

Categories: Ahlul Bayt of Prophet (s), Islam, Shia, Thought Provoking Articles

Food for thought……..

December 29, 2010 1 comment

To all the persons who Exercise and ofcourse those who don’t……

1. If walking is good for your health, the postman would be immortal.
2. A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water and is fat.
3. A rabbit runs and hops and lives only 15 years.
4. A turtle doesn’t run, does nothing, yet lives for 450 years.
GO HELL WITH EXERCISE… SLEEP WELL.. EAT WELL..

Categories: Health is Wealth, Humour & Spice of Life

Friday Khutba of Ontario – Audio Files

December 29, 2010 Leave a comment
Categories: Ahlul Bayt of Prophet (s), Food for Thought, inspiration, Shia, Thought Provoking Articles

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

December 28, 2010 1 comment

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER,  JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencie s. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.


WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutt ing off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork.  Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.  About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.  Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid i t.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vita min E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot th rive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Categories: Health is Wealth

A must see video of Lesley Hazleton on the subject of Quran

December 28, 2010 2 comments

Lesley Hazleton explores the Quran and finds much that is quite different from what is reported in commonly cited accounts.

A psychologist by training and Middle East reporter by experience, British-born Lesley Hazleton has spent the last ten years exploring the vast and often terrifying arena in which politics and religion, past and present, intersect. Her most recent book, After the Prophet: the Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split, was a finalist for the 2010 PEN-USA nonfiction award.

She lived and worked in Jerusalem for thirteen years — a city where politics and religion are at their most incendiary — then moved to New York. She came to Seattle to get her pilot’s license in 1992, saw the perfect houseboat, and stayed. By 1994, she’d flown away all of her savings, and has never regretted a single cent of it. Now her raft rides low in the water under the weight of research as she works on her next book, The First Muslim, a new look at the life of Muhammad.

Blog: http://accidentaltheologist.com/

Categories: Facts of Life, Food for Thought, inspiration, Islam, Religion, Thought Provoking Articles

Islam's Sects

December 28, 2010 4 comments
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQkcvMjAxMC8xMi8yNCNBcjAxNzAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Many faces of ISLAM The different ways in which Sunnis and Shias observe the current month of Muharram, point to the factions in the Muslim world. Despite Quranic injunctions that Muslims should not create divisions among themselves, the community split. TOI looks at some of the contemporary sects and sub-sects in Islam

Mohammed Wajihuddin | TNN


SUNNI ISLAM

Sunni Muslims are the largest sect of Islam. Derived from the word Sunnah, which means the examples or actions of the Prophet, Sunnis are those who follow the Sunnah. They believe in the legitimacy of the four caliphs — Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Hazrat Ali. The caliphate is collectively called Khulfaul-Rashidun (the rightly guided caliphs). The four caliphs were democratically elected. But after the death of Hazrat Ali, the caliphate degenerated into dynastic rule. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the 1920s, the caliphate formally ended. Sunni Islam is divided into four schools of law or fiqh (religious jurisprudence): Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki and Hanbali. There are minor differences among these schools of law. Hanafi: Followers of Imam Abu Hanifa, the Hanafis see Quran, the Sunnah, the ijma (consensus) and qiyas (deduction from analogy) as the sources of law. Hanafis are based mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Iraq, Turkey and the western world. Maliki: Followers of Imam Malik, the Malikis lay great emphasis on istadlal — juristic deduction. It is practised mostly in North and West Africa. Shafi: The Shafis are the followers of Imam Shafi and give emphasis on ijma (consensus). Hanbali: The Hanbalis are followers of Imam Hanbal.

THE SHIAS

The Shias are the second largest sect of Islam. Followers of Hazrat Ali, the fourth Caliph and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, the Shias oppose the institution of the caliphate and follow imamate (divine appointment as imams among the descendants of Hazrat Ali). The Shias believe that the Prophet’s family (Ahl al-Bayt), including his descendants known as Imams, have a divine right to rule over the community. Though a minority in the Muslim world, the Shias are in a majority in Iran (70 million). Over 90 per cent of the population in Iran is Shia while the minorities comprise Sunnis, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians. The differences between the Shias and the Sunnis were accentuated by the murder of Ali in 661 AD. His chief opponent, Muawiah, became caliph. Caliph Muawiah was later succeeded by his son Yazid, but Ali’s son Hussain refused to accept his legitimacy and differences between the two erupted. Hussain and his followers were massacred in battle near Karbala and this gave rise to the Shia cult of martyrdom. To this day, the Shias and Sunnis have a schism. Shia and Sunni militias have fought pitched battles in Iraq. The Shia militia led by Muqtada al-Sadr has tried to gain control over several areas in Iraq. The Shias of Iraq and Lebanon are believed to receive support from Iran.

Shia Islam has several branches. The Twelvers (Ashna Asari): Named after their adherence to twelve imams, is the largest group of Shias. These imams are: Hazrat Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Hussain, Imam Zainul Abideen, Imam Al-Baqir, Imam Jafar-us-Sadiq, Imam Musa Al-Kazim, Imam Ar-Riza, Imam Al-Jawwad, Imam Al-Naqi, Imam Al-Askari and Imam Al Mahdi who mysteriously disappeared. The Shias believe that the last Imam is alive and in hiding and and will reappear to establish true law.

The Akhbaris: A sub-sect of Twelvers or Ashna Asari, the Akhbaris believe that the learned divines are to be regarded as representatives of imams.

The Usulis: Also a sub-sect of Ashna Asari, the Usulis hold that the believers can themselves follow law in the light of reason without the intervention of the learned divines. The Zaidis: Followers of Zaid, son of Imam Zain-ul-Abdin, the Zaidis, unlike other Shia sects Shias, believe that people can choose their imams from among the descendants of Hazrat Ali.

The Ismailis: Followers of Imam Ismail, son of Imam Jafar-us-Sadiq, the Ismailis believe that the imamate fell on Ismail’s son Al-Maktum, and not on Jafar’s son Musa Al-Kazim as held by other Shias.

Nizaris: An important sub-sect among the Ismailis, the Nizaris are the only Shia group to have a temporal leader in imamate. After the death of Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir in 1094, his eldest son Nizar was dethroned by his brother Al-Mustali. It led to the birth of the Nizari sub-sect which believes that the imamate descended differ to Nizar and his descendants.

Khojas: Primarily Ismaili Shias, the Khojas are concentrated in South Asia. Derived from the word Khwaja, most Khojas in India live in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajsathan. They are sub-divided as Ismaili Khojas, twelver Khojas and Sunni Khojas. Pakistan’s founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima were twelver Khojas.

Mustalians: They believe that after the death of Fatimid Caliph Al-Mustansir, the imamate vested in Al-Mustali and his descendants. Dawoodi Bohras: A Mustali sub-sect of Ismaili Shias, the Dawoodi Bohras are based mostly in India. The spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community is called Al-Daial-Mutlaq (summoner with comprehensive authority). Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, 98, is the 52nd Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq. The Dawoodi Bohras believe that the 20th imam, Mansur Al-Amir, instructed his grand emissary Syeda Arwa Binte Ahmad to establish the office of the Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq. The Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq enjoys full authority to govern the Dawoodi Bohra community. He chooses his successor. It’s said that the word Bohra is derived from Gujarati vehwhar, meaning trade. Small wonder that most Bohras are successful traders and entrepreneurs. Dawoodi Bohra men wear a traditional white three-piece outfit, and a white gold cap and the women wear the rida, a distinctive form of burqa. It’s different from the common veil in that it can be coloured and with patterns. A closely-knit community, the Dawoodi Bohras seek advice from the Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq in all matters spiritual and temporal.

AHMADIYAS

This religious group is called Heterodox as it is not recognised as a part of Islam by mainstream Islamic faith. Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadiyan (1835-1908) who claimed to be the awaited messiah, the Ahmadiyas believe that their form of Islam is purest. Headquartered in Qadiyan (Indian Punjab), the sect has adherents spread across the world. But they don’t proclaim it openly for fear of persecution. The majority of mainstream Muslims consider them to be non-Muslims and in many parts of the world, especially Pakistan, the Ahmadiyas are persecuted. Many Muslim clerics in Pakistan have declared Ahmadiyas wajibul qatl (to be killed justifiably). But some scholars denounce killing of

Ahmadiyas.
Publication: The Times Of India Bangalore; Date: Dec 24, 2010; Section: International; Page: 17
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQkcvMjAxMC8xMi8yNCNBcjAxNzAx&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Mixing politics and Islam Contemporary Islam as practised and propagated by the radicals — the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, al-Qaida and Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI),an erstwhile wing of Jamat-e-Islami (Hind) — is part of political Islam. Political organisations whose aim is to establish an Islamic state operate under the garb of missionary and reformist outfits. The adherents of political Islam believe that Muslims must strive for an Islamic state. Scholars say that political Islam, to give religious legitimacy to violent activities, has misused the Quranic injunctions about jihad. The word jihad appears 44 times in the Quran. Nowhere has it been used in the sense of war. For war, the Quran has words like qatal and harb. The founding fathers of political Islam are: Hasan al-Banna (1906-49) who founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt; Syed Qutb(1906-66) who succeeded him after al-Bannah’s assassination in 1949; and Maulana Abul-Ala Maududi (1903-70) who founded the Jamaat-e-Islami in Lahore in 1941.

WAHABISM

Founded by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab (1703-1792), the movement flourished in the Arabian Peninsula and was later exported to other parts of the world. Wahab made a pact with the House of Saud and received patronage from the Saudi kings. Also called Salafism, Wahabism also uses works of Ibn Taymiyyah, a 14th century Syrian scholar, as guidance.

AHLE HADEES

The Ahle Hadees are ardent practioners of Wahabism. In India, Salafi scholars attended an annual function of Madrassa Ahmedia in Arrah (Bihar), and founded Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees on December 22, 1906. Headquartered near Jama Masjid in Delhi, Ahle Hadees practises pristine Islam.

DEOBANDIS

Deobandis are one of the major divisions of the Hanafi school. After the British brutally crushed the 1857 rising, some clerics saw the Raj as an extension of the Christian missionaries. They established the Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom, at Deoband in UP in 1867. The products of the Deoband madrassa were called Deobandis. The Deobandis advocate a return to the early days of Islam. However, many prominent Deobandi ulema, including Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madni, opposed the two nation theory of the Muslim League and preferred a multicultural India to a monotheistic Pakistan.

TABLIGHI JAMAAT

Founded by Maulana Mohammed Ilyas, in the 1920s, the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) aims to popularise the teachings of Islamic reforms among poor Muslims. Ilyas began his teachings first among the poor Meos (Muslims in Mewat of Haryana). The Tablighis leave home and hearth in groups for three days, a month and chillah (40 days) and tour hamlets of Muslims. It is headquartered at Nizamuddin in New Delhi,

BARELVIS

Another division of the Hanafi school, the Barelvis are mostly based in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Founded by Ahmed Raza Khan of Bareilly in UP (hence the name), the

Barelvis believe in seeking Allah’s blessings through the medium of sacred souls (pirs). While the Ahle Hadees and Deobandis consider visiting the graves of saints innovations, Barelvis see it as part of faith.

Categories: Facts of Life, Islam

Neglect of Namaaz

December 28, 2010 1 comment

The one who neglect the prayers will receive Fifteen punishments from Allah.

Six punishments in this lifetime 

Three while dying
Three in the grave &
Three on the Day of Judgment.

 

THE SIX PUNISHMENTS OF LIFE:

1. Allah takes away blessings from his age (makes his life misfortunate)
2.Allah does not accept his plea (Dua’s)
3.Allah erases the features of good people from his face.
4.He will be detested by all creatures on earth.
5.Allah does not award him for his good deeds. (No thawab)
6.He will not be included in the Dua’s of good people.
 

THE THREE PUNISHMENTS WHILE DYING:

1. He dies humiliated.
2. He dies hungry.
3. He dies thirsty. Even if he drinks the water of all seas he will still be thirsty. 

THE THREE PUNISHMENTS IN THE GRAVE:

1. Allah tightens his grave until his chest ribs come over each other.
2. Allah pours on him fire with embers.
3. Allah sets on him a snake called “the brave”, “the bold” which hits Him
from morning until afternoon for leaving Fajr prayer, from the afternoon until Asr for
leaving Dhuhr prayer and so on. With each strike he sinks 70 yards under the ground. 

THE THREE PUNISHMENTS ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT:


1. Allah sends who would accompany him to hell pulling him on the face.
2. Allah gives him an angry look that makes the flesh of his face fall down.
3. Allah judges him strictly and orders him to be thrown in hell.

Categories: Islam, Thought Provoking Articles