Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

When death approaches, the close family and friends try to support and comfort the dying person through supplication as well as remembrance of Allah and His will.  The loss of a loved one often has a devastating effect on the person who suffered the loss and the negative effects sometimes last for years making it very hard for life to go on for the affected person. To a parent the soul of a child is like a precious diamond in the rough entrusted by Allah as a trust.  Our beloved children are an awesome responsibility as well as a precious gift from Allah.  You can never even begin to understand the love your parent has for you until you have your own children.  Do not wait until a day arrives where you lose one or both of your loving parents to show goodness to them.  All parents must go and meet their end at sometime, so do not wait until after they have departed from the world to think of all the good that they have shown to you.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah and He has sent down out of these one part of mercy upon the jinn and human beings and the insects and it is because of this (one part) that they love one another, show kindness to one another and even the beast treats its young one with affection, and Allah has reserved ninetynine parts of mercy with which He would treat His servants on the Day of Resurrection.  
Shaih Muslim

There is so much reward to be gained by Allaah from showing goodness, thanks and patience with the parents.  Thus, kindness toward parents came between two of the most important religious duties that Islam lays on Muslims. The reward for being good and kind toward one's parents was mentioned on several occasions by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), emphasizing that those who are obedient to their parents and to God also will be in the highest places in Paradise.

Also, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) equated kindness toward parents with jihad (striving in the way or God) and often promised people that if they were kind, obedient, and close to their parents — particularly the mother (but this does not include showing animosity to those she is at odds with and aiding her in her disobedience to Allaah and her husband your father) — their reward would be similar to that of someone who strives in the way of God.

Abdullah ibn Umar, a leading scholar among the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) companions once saw a man from Yemen carrying his mother on his back and going around the Ka’abah in his tawaf. Rather than show any sign of complaint, the man was happy, repeating a line of poetry in which he likened himself to a camel his mother was mounting. The only difference is that a camel may be scared by something and go out of control. He would never go out of her control. He looked at Abdullah ibn Umar and asked him whether by so doing he discharged his debt to his mother. Ibn Umar said: “No. You have not even paid back one twinge of her labour pain when she gave birth to you.”

No one can deny the supreme sacrifice and care that a mother renders to her child. The mother carries him (in her womb) by enduring strain after strain. And subsequently, at the time of birth, she is suspended between life and death. All this she faces with determination as much as patience barring any regret or anger. 

Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) has described and explained a mother's feelings for her child in the following hadith (his sayings):

Truly, those feelings are a blessing (rahmah) from Allah, if it were not for these feelings, a mother would not be willing to breast-feed her child, nor would a farmer be willing to work in the fields (under the schorching heat of the sun).

A father’s sacrifice is just as big. It is the father who is the bread winner in the family; he provides money for food, clothing, shelter, education, health and other necessities for the family.

Every day, without wasting time, the father has to earn and provide----- be it by using his mental faculties, or thru physical labour such as working under the scorching heat of the sun , or endangering his life by going out in the stormy seas. He goes through all these with perseverance and determination, solely for the purpose of providing the needs of the family.  The father also harbors hopes for his children similar to that of the mother, which means that his children succeed in becoming useful individuals.

Prophet Muhammad said:

It was narrated by Abu Hurairah (R) that a man came to the Prophet and asked him, 'Who is to be close to my friendship?' The Prophet answered:

Your mother, your mother, your mother, then your father, then the one closest to your kinship, and the one after.

This hadith clearly shows mothers are given particular gratitude and respect in regards to the kind treatment to be shown to them.  Does this mean that they are to be obeyed in matters where they are ordering you to be disobedient?

"Indeed are you not all guardians? And each of you is responsible for your flock: So the leader who is in authority over the people is a guardian, and he is responsible for his flock, and a man is guardian over the members of his house, and he is responsible for his flock, and the woman is a guardian over the members her husband's household and his children, and she is responsible for them, and the man's servant is a guardian over the wealth of his master and he responsible for it. Indeed, you are all guardians, and all of you are responsible for your flocks."

Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim

As this hadith shows each parent is responsible for their flock.  And you must never forget the mother is to obey the husband and she is to carry out his halaal wishes in regards to the children.  Do not obey your mother in being disobedient to your father.  The father, the husband is the leader of his household and deserves to be treated with honor, respect and kindness.

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means."
Quran 4:34

"But men, have a degree (of responsibility) over them (women)."
Quran 2:228

"Your Lord had decreed, that you worship none save Him, and (that you show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with you, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both, as they did care for me when I was young."   [Quran 17:23-24]

The recognition and respect of parents is mentioned in the Quran eleven times; in every instance, Allah reminds children to recognize and to appreciate the care and love they have received from their parents. In the following verse, Allah demands that children recognize their parents:

"We have enjoined on humankind kindness to parents."  [Quran 29:8 and 46:15]

1.   The demand for recognizing parents is made more emphaticly when Allah says in the Quran:

"And (remember) when We made a covenant with the children of Israel, (saying): worship none save Allah (only), and be good to parents..." [Quran 2:83]

2.   In Surah Al-Nisaa' (The Women) Allah emphasizes again that children should be kind to their parents.

"And serve Allah. Ascribe nothing as partner unto Him. (Show) Kindness unto parents... " [Quran 4:36]

3.   The same directive is repeated again In Surah Al An'Am (The Cattle), where Allah says:

"Say: Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord has made a sacred duty for you; that you ascribe nothing as partner unto Him and that you do good to parents..." [Quran 6:151] 

When was the last time you thanked your parents for all the good they did for you out of their love for you?  When was the last last time you went out of your way to care for and please your parents? Have you apologised to your parents for the hardships you have afflicted on them?  It is not easy to be a good parent we all have our errors.  Forgive your parents for their mistakes.  Would you not like Allaah to forgive you of your errors?  Grant your parents seventy excuses or more, and if you cannot think of one excuse for them, then realize they may have an excuse that you are unaware of.

ACTION LIST:

-Forgive your parent their mistakes and ask them to forgive you for yours

-Thank your parents for the kindness they have shown and the hardships they have taken on to care for you

-Shower your parents with halaal presents they will love and enjoy

-Keep regular contact with your parents and ask if there is anything you can do for them\

-Respect your parents wishes even when they go against your own and argue with them in a way that is better by respectfully and humbly asking and pleading your case to them

-Pray for the forgiveness and guiding to the truth for your parents

-Send thank you cards, poetry, loving islamic reminders and admiration to your parents when they achive something they have worked hard for

And I pray that Allaah blesses you to reap benefit from this post and accept this advise.  I invite you to be good to your parents and to practise Islamic Monotheism as no one, thing or deity has the right to be worshipped but Allaah alone.  Allah (swt) deserves and holds all glory, honor and respect and Muhammad peace be upon him, is the last and final Messenger simply showing that which has been shown before (The Abrahamic faiths).

Thank You so much for your time. All the truth in here is from Allaah and mistakes are from satan the accursed and myself.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah (SWT) reward you.  This post has been brought to you by: SurvivorsAreUs.com, TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs Online Halaal Store!

Sincerely & Gratefully
Halimah bint David

• The parties to the agreement (the name, address and other details of the franchisor and the franchisee, and any other parties to the agreement)
• The business structure or format being licensed to the franchisee, which is usually referred to as the “System”. The System typically includes: trade names, trade-marks (e.g. logos and slogans), trade secrets, patents, copyright, designs, procedures, techniques, manuals and the products and/or services which are the subject of the franchise
• The length of the terms of the franchise and any renewals or options to renew the franchise at the end of the term
• The fees payable by the franchisee to the franchisor, some of which may be one-time fees (e.g., the initial franchise fee), and some of which may be ongoing fees (e.g., a royalty payment, which is generally a percentage of the franchisee’s gross sales)
• Territorial limitations on the franchise
• Any training and/or re-training requirements
• Obligations to abide by the franchisor’s System (and the consequences of failing to do so
• Obligations to modify the System at the request of the franchisor
• Obligations to introduce the franchisor’s new products and services, and any obligations to cease selling particular products and services
• Obligations to purchase products or services from the franchisor or from approved suppliers
• Obligations relating to the hours and days of operation of the franchise
• Obligations to advertise or promote the franchise locally or regionally, or to contribute to the franchisor’s advertising or promotional program
• Obligations to participate in special promotions (e.g., to redeem promotional coupons)
• Obligations regarding the maintenance of financial records, and any obligations to make these records available to the franchisor
• Obligations to insurance policies
• Restrictions on the sale of the franchise by the franchisee
• The methods by which a franchise may be terminated by the franchisor
• Continuing obligations on a franchisee after termination or expiration of the franchise agreement

The following may exhibit some philosophical inconsistencies, which will be a shame, since it's partly inconsistency that I'm irritated about. I plead having a sinus infection as my reason for being a little flakey.  Heaven only knows what the bedrock excuse the folks in Washington and Wall Street have for their choices....

One of the traditional questions rhetoricians get asked is about the status of Truth or Reality. Is it all just persuasion?  Why are bandwagon arguments considered fallacies if, in practice, that's how a lot of things get decided?  This week gave me two really great examples of where Reality [or "Nature"] intrudes on the best-made arguments of human beings: the milk-melamine scandal in China, and the apparent meltdown in the US financial markets.

In the first case, we have a variety of social agreements:  demand for milk products in China have gone up as parents decide breastfeeding is backward or inconvenient, and the profit motive leads some people to 'stretch' their supply of dairy material with water, and then boost the protein content back up with a substance that -- according to the currently accepted measures -- scans as protein.  However, that chemical analysis is not as sensitive -- or accurate -- as the biological analysis done by a human baby.  All the arguments in the world about how "This milk-like substance should be accepted as a genuine form of nutrition" fail in the face of actual metabolism.

In the second case, it seems to me that what failed was the social agreement: the sub-prime mortgage market always puzzled me [and yes, I have a relative who was in that business; he's been out of work for quite a while].  Person X is a bad credit risk. So we'll make him pay three times what someone with good credit would pay for a loan.  While I understand the punishment aspect of that higher rate, what I don't understand is how anyone thought this arrangement would magically make Person X into the sort of person who paid their bills in full and on time.

Oh, someone says, in that case, we'd just take the asset back, and everything would be fine.

No, that can't be right -- you were counting on principle and a whole mess of interest; just getting the worth of the house itself wouldn't be sufficiently profitable.

You're forgetting that by the time Person X defaults, that house is supposed to be worth, like, twice as much, so we do get our expected return on the deal.

Hmmn. How's that double-your-money plan working for you these days?

I do not wish to talk about it.

But, of course, the banks were behaving like the folks who want to cash out their lottery annuities -- rather than wait to get paid over the time period of the loan, they were selling the loans, and then bits of the loans to two friends, and they sold bits to two friends, and there's a whole 1970's shampoo commercial in here, isn't there?

Eventually, people realize that they can't tell whether they've got a bit of loan that has a reliable payback attached to it, or they've got a bit of loan that contains scrapple.  [Or haggis, for that matter.  An offal sitution, however you look at it].

So now everyone is scrambling to find where the Reality is underneath all the layers of lipstick.

Whatever happened to 'making money the old-fashioned way'?  When someone could be called a captain of industry because they had invested in a company that had a physical product, as opposed to IOUs?

Further, why is it economically wrong to help my brother out of a series of bad financial decisions, but it is 'okay' to buy up lots of worthless paper so that the wizards of Wall Street get their mojo back?

Maybe they forfeited their mojo when they even started thinking that the government should take over the means of [wealth] production.....

I don't feel especially obligated to give it back to them, just because they've decided that free markets really means freedom to do what they want, as opposed to a system they are willing to follow through the fire.

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My dad, who lives two towns over, keeps guilting me about never visiting and says I keep his granddaughter (my Aussie-Chow) away from him. So, here we are, in Galt — Herald, actually. I brought stuff to make a nice chicken salad, but he made himself a huge breakfast before I got here, so now I'm just waiting. I'm doing what I always do when I visit. I'm sitting outside, being patient with his dial-up that I pay $10 a month to keep just so I have something to do on these obligatory Sundays. I sit outside because he's started chain smoking inside. I do enjoy being in the country. So I sit out on the patio, blogging or painting or reading while he smokes and drinks and sleeps off his weekend hangover on the couch. In a couple of hours, he'll sit up, smoke some more and say he's hungry. He won't want my chicken salad, so I'll eat myself,  pack up my car and tell him that I'll stop by after work one day this week, which won't happen. In a couple of weeks, he'll guilt me again, and I'll think about sitting alone while he sleeps and wonder why he doesn't get it.

What a tangent. This post was supposed to be about the art of John Ramos. Oh well. I obviously have time for another.

Happy Sunday!

We are rational beings; and, as such, the desire of knowledge is natural to us. In early childhood, as each new object of interest comes under our notice, we ask, who made it; and as we advance in years, the same inquisitiveness attends us, and prompts us to investigate the sources of knowledge which are ever opening before us. Brutes may look with indifference on the works of God, and tread under foot the productions of human ingenuity, without inquiry into their origin; but rational men cannot act thus without violence to the first principles of their nature. Among the objects which have occupied a large space in human thought, and which claim our consideration, the BIBLE stands conspicuous. Its antiquity; the veneration in which it has been held, and continues to be held, by a large part of mankind; and the influence which it has manifestly exerted on their conduct and happiness, are sufficient, if not to awaken higher emotions, at least to attract our curiosity, and excite a desire to know its origin and true character.

We are moral beings. The Bible comes to us as a rule of conduct. The claim which is set up for it is, that it is the highest standard of morals, admitting no appeal from its decisions. We are, therefore, under the strongest obligations to examine the foundation of this claim.

We are, if the Bible is true, immortal beings. Heathen philosophers have conjectured that man may be immortal; and infidels have professed to believe it; but, if we exclude the Bible, we have no means of certain knowledge on this point. Yet it is a matter of the utmost importance. If we are immortal, we have interests beyond the grave which infinitely transcend all our interests in the present life. What folly, then, it is, to reject the only source of information on this momentous subject! Besides if we have such interests in a future world, we have no means of knowing how to secure them, except from the Bible. Shall we throw this book from us, and trust to vain conjecture, on questions in which our all is involved? it would be folly and madness.

Let us then inquire, whence came the Bible? Is it from heaven, or from men? If it is from men, is it the work of good men, or of bad men?

If bad men had been the authors of the Bible, they would have made it to their liking. If made to please them, it would please other men of like character. But it is not a book in which bad men delight. They hate it. Its precepts are too holy; its doctrines too pure; its denunciations against all manner of iniquity too terrible. It is not at all written according to the taste of such men. There are men who prize the Bible; who pore over its pages with delight; who have recourse to it in all their perplexities and sorrows; who seek its counsels to guide them, and its instructions to make them wise; who esteem its words more than gold, and feast on them as their sweetest food. But who are these men? They are those who detest all deceit and falsehood, and whom this very book has transformed, from men of iniquity and vice, to men of purity and holiness. It is impossible, therefore, that the Bible should be the work of bad men.

It remains that the Bible must be either from heaven or from good men. So pure a stream cannot proceed from a corrupt fountain. If it be from good men, they will not willfully deceive us. Let us, then, look to the account which they have given of its origin: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." 1. "The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." 2. "And so we have the prophetic word more firm, to which ye do well to take heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the morning star arise in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private invention. For never, at any time, was prophecy brought by the will of man, but the holy men of God spake, being moved by the Holy Ghost." 3.

It may, perhaps, be objected to the use of these quotations, that we permit the Bible to speak for itself; but this is no unprecedented procedure. If a stranger were passing through our neighborhood, and we were desirous to know whence he came, it would not be unnatural to propose the inquiry to the man himself. If there were about him marks of honesty and simplicity of character, and if, after our most careful investigations, it should appear that he has no evil design to accomplish, and no interest to promote by deceiving us, we should rely on the information we derive from him. Such a stranger is the Bible; and why may we not rely on its testimony concerning itself? Nay, it is not a stranger. Though claiming a heavenly origin, it has long dwelt on earth, and gone in and out among us, a familiar companion. We have been accustomed to hear its words; and have known them to be tried with every suspicion, and every scrutiny, and no falsehood has been detected. More, it has been among us as a teacher of truth and sincerity; and truth and sincerity have abounded just in proportion as its teachings have been heeded. Old men of deceit have shrunk from its probings, and trembled at its threatenings; and young men have been taught by it to put away all lying and hypocrisy. Can it be that the Bible itself is a deceiver and impostor? Impossible! It must be, what it claims to be, a book from heaven - the Book of God.

This Article Continued at:

http://www.particularbaptist.com/library/dagg_doctrine_004.html

NOTE: This article is part of John L. Dagg’s ‘A Treatise on Christian Doctrine.’ This book is available at:

http://www.particularbaptist.com/library/dagg_doctrine.html

“It’s time to be patriotic,” Mr. Biden said. “Time to jump in. Time to be part of the deal. Time to help get America out of the rut.”

...While campaigning in Sarasota, Fla., earlier this month, Mr. Biden also sought to make the case that asking wealthy Americans to bear a greater share of the tax burden was patriotic. On Wednesday he elaborated on his remarks on taxes throughout the day.

Well, that's just nonsense.  Requirement #1 asks you to "Discuss the rights, duties, and obligations of a responsible and active American citizen.  Paying taxes is your obligation as a citizen, but patriotism is voluntary.  It comes from the heart.  Patriotic actions are not forced on people or punishable as a crime for not being fulfilled.

Come on, Joe!  Wake Up!  This sounds like someone who's just desperate to win an election.

Maalik ibn Anas was once returning from the mosque, leaning on my arm, when a man called Abu Al-Juwayriyah who was accused of Al-Irjaa'* caught up with him. He said. “O Abu ‘Abdullaah, listen to something I have to say and debate with me and let me tell you my opinion.” [Imaam] Maalik said, “And what if you overcome me?” The man replied, “If I defeat you, you follow me.” Maalik asked, “And what if another man comes and defeats us?” He replied, “Then we follow him.” To this, Maalik – Allaah’s mecy be upon him – said, “O servant of Allaah, Allaah sent Muhammad - Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him – with a single religion, but I see you moving from religion to religion. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez said, ‘Whoever makes his religion the object of argumentation will frequently change it.’”

Al-’Aajurree, Kitaab Ash-Sharee’ah 1/128.

* Al-Irjaa': The deviant belief that Imaan lies only in the heart and that actions and statements have no bearing upon belief, even if the actions and statements are ones of Kufr.

JISC TechDis provide excellent advice for staff training and makes it clear that accessibility awareness needs to be increased in all companies and that it is everybody’s responsibility. Staff require different advice, depending on their role and responsibilities. Problems also arise in the cost and time for training and also sourcing a trainer who has expertise in the subject. W3.org’s work on WAI (web accessibility initiative) stress the importance of this being part of every organisation’s corporate social responsibility programme.

Issue 2: Technology can make accessibility worse

Kipar, 2005 (cited in Seale, 2006, p.1) discusses how screen reader users cannot take part in online discussion and so ‘instead of widening participation and enhancing accessibility – we are narrowing it’. The JISC TechDis presentation (undated) also states that a key issue around accessibility is that whilst technology can open up doors; it can also create new barriers.

Issue 3: Knowledge of ICT

Lack of knowledge of ICT is a hindrance in moving forward with improving accessibility. Web designers often fail on the most basic of requirements that can easily be implemented – for example, naming pictures, enabling the user to change the background colour and text size. There are so many tools readily available that people do not know about – for example, all vista users have voice recognition within the software and no longer require separate software, such as the well known Dragon. Does every user who reads a PDF document know that the document can be read-a-loud.

Issue 4: Those involved in improving accessibility are often too detached from the users

It is important to involve all stakeholders in improving accessibility. JISC TechDis discuss how support staff are often not working closely with users and may be unaware of problems being experienced.

Issue 5: Cost Implications

There can be a reluctance in organisations to spend money on the working environment to improve accessibility for the user – even the most basic of equipment, for example, screen glare filters; headsets; adjustable chairs; amplified telephones.

Issue 6: One single solution is not possible

What suits one disabled user, may not be suitable for another. There is no blanket solution that works for everyone and often improvements take time because we are all individual.

Issue 7: Legislation

In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in 1995, made it unlawful to discriminate against disabled people as employees, as students, and as consumers of goods and services. Under the act, employers, education establishments, and providers of goods and services need to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to avoid discriminating against disabled people. Many ask what exactly ‘reasonable’ means and are confused about their responsibilities by law.

Where ‘reasonable’, websites, software, buildings and other entities involved in employment, education or other services, need to be made accessible.

"It has reached me that an angel goes out, holding his flag, with the first person to go to the masjid and stays holding his flag with him until he returns and then enters his home with it. And Shaytaan goes out, holding his flag, with the first person to go to the market and stays holding his flag with him until he returns and puts it in his home."

Al-Mundhiree states in At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, "Reported by Ibn Abee 'Aasim amd Abu Nu'aym in Ma'rifatus-Sahaabah and other works." Graded saheeh by Al-Albaani in Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb 1/101.

And seeking closeness to Allaah by leaving off desires when fasting has benefits.

From them: That it breaks the soul, for feeling full and drinking and intercourse with women causes the soul to become used to arrogance and heedlessness and excessive cheerfulness.

And from them: The heart becomes free to think and remember Allaah, because consuming these desires can harden the heart and blind it, and they can come between the slave and between the remembrance of Allaah and thinking, and they cause heedlessness, while emptying the stomach of food and drink illuminates the hearts and mandates sensitivity and does away with the heart's harshness, and it frees the slave for remembering Allaah and thinking.

And from them: That the rich one will realize the magnitude of Allaah's bounty upon him, due to His granting him the food and drink and marriage that He prohibited from many of the poor, so when [the rich one] is prevented from this in a specific time, and he undergoes hardship because of it, he remembers those who were prevented from all of those things completely, so he becomes obligated to be grateful for Allaah's blessings upon him, and it becomes obligatory for him to supplicate for Allaah to relieve his brother who is in need, and he must comfort his brother with whatever he is able.

And from them: That fasting constricts the veins, which are the paths through which the Shaytaan flows within the son of Aadam, for the Shaytaan runs within the son of Aadam through the blood. So through fasting, the whispers of the Shaytaan are quieted and desires and anger are broken, and de to this, the Prophet, salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, made fasting a shield, due to the fact that it breaks the desire for intercourse.

And know: That closeness to Allaah Ta'aalaa through abandoning the permissible desires (like eating and fasting and intercourse with the spouse) cannot be achieved during fasting except after attaining closeness to Him through abandoning what He has prohibited in every instance, like lying and oppression and transgression against people's blood and wealth and honor. And due to this, the Prophet, salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Whoever does not abandon lying and evil actions, Allaah is not in need of him abandoning his food and his drink" [Narrated by Al-Bukhaari #1903, #6057].

And in another Hadeeth, "Fasting is not [abstaining] from food and drink, rather fasting is [abstaining from] vain talk and indecency" [Narrated by Al-Haakim and Al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibbaan, from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, and it is Saheeh].

And some of the Salaf said, "The easiest fast is abandoning food and drink"

And Jaabir said, "If you fast, then let your eyesight, your hearing, and your tongue fast from lying and the prohibited things, and leave [talking about] what has happened so that there may be peace and tranquility upon you on the day of your fast, and do not make the day you fast equal to the day you do not fast."

And the Messenger of Allaah said, ""Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing from his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness." [Narrated by Ibn Maajah #1690, from Abu Hurayrah, and it is Saheeh].

And the secret behind this is that seeking closeness to Allaah by abandoning the permissible things (like eating, drinking and sleeping) cannot be attained except after seeking closeness to Him through leaving the prohibited things. So whoever commits the forbidden things then seeks to attain closeness to Allaah by abandoning the permissible things is equal to the one who abandons the obligatory deeds and seeks to get close to Allaah with voluntary deeds."

::Download::

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=5fecf0cc43e51dc9d2db6fb9a8902bda

http://www.archive.org/download/benefit_ramadan1429/benefit_ramadan1429.pdf

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

A great way to find increase in rizq (sustenance) is to increase your charity and pay the zakat, that Allaah (swt) has made obligatory on all Muslims.  Giving zakat (Support of the Needy).  This is the third most important pillar in the five pillars of Islam.  Zakat means ‘purification’ and ‘growth’. Giving zakat means giving a certain percentage of your earnings to the poor.  The percentage of zakat is 2.5% of savings, gold and silver (note this is a percentage on savings and not earnings). As everything belongs to Allah money is given to humans in a trust and we are to help the poor and needy with our own share ourselves. This Zakat works the same as pruning a rose bush the cutting back encourages new growth for the roses and for your finances while purifying the possessions you currently have.  Paying zakat is worshipping Allah by paying the amount of charity obligated on the ones who have enough money or possessions saved to help the poor in the community.  Paying the required zakat leads to cleansing the heart from the evil of misery.  It also fulfills the needs of Islam and Muslims.

"By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it."

Soorah Al-Imran 3:92

The parable of those who spend
of their substance in the way of Allah
is that of a grain of corn:
It grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains.
Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases;
And Allah cares for all and He knows all things.
Qur'an (2:261)

Zakaah From Businesses:

First of all, the business should be Halal.

There are three opinions amongst the scholars:

1. If a businessman earns a certain amount from his business, whatever he saves after taking care of his family's needs and his business expenses, he pays Zakat of 2.5 percent on what he has saved.

2. A businessman has to pay Zakah on the commodities in his store. This would require evaluating the purchasing power of the commodity and then paying 2.5 percent on this amount.

3. Everything is from Allah and everything goes back to Allah. The more you give on your commodities, the better, and it does not have to be 2.5 percent.

And Allaah (swt) Knows Best.

Please visit the following links and financially support them, insha Allaah (Allaah willing):

Zakat Foundation
http://www.thezakat.org/

Zakat Foundation is dedicated to alleviating the immediate needs of the poorest communities by providing food, shelter, health care and by delivering relief in emergencies. Zakat Foundation also provides education and training in order to equip people with the skills to help themselves.

Hidaya Foundation
http://www.hidaya.org/

Hidaya Foundation implement educational, social welfare, and health care programs in economically depressed areas of South Asia, West Africa and North America, with focus on projects which promote self-employment.

Mercy USA
http://www.mercyusa.org/home.cfm

Founded in 1986, MercyUSA is a non-profit relief and development organization. Their projects focus on improving health and promoting economic and educational growth around the world.

IslamCare
http://www.islamcare.org/
Islam Care's vision is to continually evolve as a world class health and human services organization marked by its characteristics of effectiveness, impact, transparency and inclusion. Islamic Universal Care Inc. is working to become the model Islamically influenced service organization driven by great innovations and successful execution.

Islamic Relief USA
http://www.irw.org/
Islamic Relief UK
http://www.islamic-relief.com/uk/

Islamic Relief strives to alleviate the suffering, hunger, illiteracy and diseases worldwide without regard to color, race or creed and to provide aid in a compassionate and dignified manner. It aims to provide rapid relief in the event of man-made or natural disasters. In addition, it establishes development projects in needy areas to help tackle poverty, illiteracy and disease at a local level.

Muslim Hands
http://www.muslimhands.org/en/gb/
Established in 1993, Muslim Hands is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty.

Association of Islamic Charitable Projects
http://www.aicp.org/Site/
The A.I.C.P. is an organization objectively teaching the authentic knowledge of the Religion as taught by the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, and preserved and passed on through the trustworthy followers of each era.

Red Crescent
http://www.ifrc.org/
Red Cross Red Crescent promotes individual and community humanitarian values which encourage respect for other human beings and a willingness to work together to find solutions to problems. From the seven fundamental principles to the "power of humanity" slogan, the aim is to influence the behavior of the people we work with.

Half Date.Com

http://halfdate.com/

Approaching Jannah a half date at a time.  HalfDate is a Sadaqa (good cause) promotion site.

Thank You so much for your time.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah SWT reward you.  This post has been brought to you by: TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs.com

Sincerely & Gratefully

Halimah bint David

It is why Han Chinese treat each others as if the relationship between them is between the master and the slave. And their attitudes or behaviors are also one sided. You can't find their behavior conduct like " I should treat others that way because others are the citizens of the same country, or because others have some rights."

It can also be used to explain why Han Chinese engage in infighting all the time. How can they know who should be the upper or who should be the lower if they don't fight?

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