The Story of France with Firown (Pharaoh)

Is it possible that this mummy in front of me is the one who was chasing Moses?:Professor Maurice Bucaille

THOUGHTS ON FORGIVENESS

One of the best gifts that we can offer ourselves is forgiveness

Miracles Of The Quran

The unprecedented style and the superior wisdom inherent in the Qur'an is conclusive evidence confirming that it is the Word of God.

The Truth About Jesus Christ

Tells the truth about Christianity-How the gospels are unreliable- Audience member shouts at him a few times.

Parent-Child Relationship in Islam

Islam recognises family as a basic social unit. Along with the husband-wife relationship the Parent-child relationship is the most important one

Editor's Picks

30 June 2011

Why do women cry?




A little boy asked his mother, “Why are you crying?

Because I need to” she said.

I don’t understand,” he said.

His mother just hugged him and said, “And you never will.”

Later the little boy asked his father, “Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?

All women cry for no reason,” his dad answered carelessly.

The little boy, still wondering why women cry, finally asked the old wise shaikh (scholar). “He surely knows the answer”, he thought.

Ya Shaikh! Why do women cry so easily?

The Shaikh answered:

“When Allah made the woman she had to be special.

He made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

He gave an inner strength to endure both childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

He gave her a toughness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

He gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child hurts her badly.

He gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

He gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfaltering.

And lastly, He gave her a tear. This is hers and only hers exclusively to use whenever she needs it. She needs no reason, no explanation, it’s hers.

You see my son, the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the beauty of her face, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart – the place where love resides.”

29 June 2011

Picture Perfect : Regret & Sorrow

28 June 2011

Story of Al-Isra' wal-Mi'raj (The Night Journey)


In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful.
 Ø§Ù„إسراء والمعراج‎

On 27th Rajab, all the Muslim believers celebrate this as a grand day of Mi'raj as "Grand Eid" and all the Muslims should be proud to have such a prophet like Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny (Ahlul Bayt), to whom Almighty Allah (swt) was also proud and had invited him to visit and talked with very nearer distance as mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an 53:9.

Also note that, the Mi'raj of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny has taken place more than once. However, it should be mentioned that Mi'raj in which the daily Salat was made incumbent, without doubt, occurred before the death of Hazrat Abu Talib, who passed away in the 10th year of Besat. Unmistakably, from the Ahadith and books of history, it is mentioned that on the night of Mi'raj, Allah (swt) gave the order of the five daily Salat as being mandatory upon the Islamic Nation.

The darkness of the night had spread across the horizon and silence reigned over the face of nature. The time had arrived when the living creatures take rest and sleep so that they might recuperate from their activities of the previous day. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), was also not an exception to this law of nature and he wished to take rest after offering his prayers (Salat) in the house of "Umm-e-Hani", the daughter of his uncle and sister of Amir al-Mominin Ali (pbuh) in the blessed city of Makkah. However, suddenly he heard a voice; it was the voice of the Archangel Jibreel/Gabriel  (pbuh) who said to him:

"This night you have to perform a very unique journey and I have been ordered to remain with you. You will have to traverse different parts of the world mounted on an animal named al-Buraq (a name derived from ‘Barq’, meaning lightning). Where he found an animal smaller than a mule but slightly bigger than a donkey. The animal, which was a quadruped, also had two wings and floated easily as he moved with unimaginable speed.

Journey of Al-Isra

Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny began his historical night journey, along with the trusted protector of the revelation, the Angel Jibreel (pbuh) from the house of "Umm-e-Hani", with the aide of his steed al-Buraq.

"After some time, Angel Jibreel (pbuh) stopped Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and said to perform the Salat. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) dismounted from al-Buraq and performed Salat. Jibreel (pbuh) said, 'Do you know where you just prayed?' Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied to him in negative. Jibreel (pbuh) said, 'In Taibah (Madinah), that place where your travelers will go.' After this, Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) got back onto al-Buraq and continued the journey."

"Once again, Angel Jibreel (pbuh) stopped Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and said, 'Perform the Salat.' Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny once again dismounted al-Buraq, and performed Salat there. Jibreel (pbuh) asked Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), 'Do you know where you just prayed?' It is the Mountain of Sinai - the place where Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) spoke to Allah (swt)."

"Once again, Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny ascended al-Buraq and continued. Shortly afterwards, Angel Jibreel (pbuh) said, 'Get down and perform the Salat.' Then again Jibreel (pbuh) questioned, 'Do you know where you just prayed?' Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied in negative, to which he answered, In Bait al-Laham (Bethlehem) - the place which is near to Baitul Maqdis and this is the place where Prophet Isa (Jesus) al-Masih (pbuh) was born."

Then they reached Baitul Maqdis, which is located in today's Zionist occupied Jerusalem and is also known as Masjid al-Aqsa (the Furthest Mosque) and Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), proceeded to tie the reins of al-Buraq to the same ring that the great Prophets (before him) used to tie their animal to. After this Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny entered the Masjid and it was here that he met Ibrahim/Abraham, Musa/Moses, Isa/Jesus and the rest of the Prophets (pbut). They all gathered around him and they all proceeded to get ready for Salat. Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny had no doubt that the Salat would be lead by Angel Jibreel (pbuh), however when the lines for the Salat were being formed, Angel Jibreel (pbuh) placed his hand on the shoulder of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and pushed forward. Angel Jibreel (pbuh) also took part in the Salat behind him along with the various Prophets (pbut).

Journey of Al-Mi'raj

On the second part of his journey, he proceeded from this spot to the skies (heavens). Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), then observed the stars and the systems of the world and conversed with the souls of the previous prophets, and also with the angels of the heavens, peace and blessing be upon them all. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) saw the centre of the tortures and the blessings (hell and heaven) and became fully aware of the secrets of creation, the extent of the universe and the signs of the Omnipotent Allah (swt).

Then Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny, continued his journey and reached Sidrat ul Muntaha (Beyond this point nobody has access including Angel Jibreel (pbuh)). There he found it fully covered with splendor, magnificence and grandeur, and then he returned back by the way he had traveled. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), first came to Baitul Maqdis and then to Makkah. It was daybreak when he dismounted at the house of Umm-e-Hani from al-Buraq which had taken him into space. Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny related this matter to Umm-e-Hani and the following night, he made it known to the assemblies of Quraysh as well. The word of his travels spread from mouth to mouth amongst all the groups, and now more than ever, the Quraysh were upset (with him).

According to an old tradition, the Quraysh asked the account of its structure, and Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny, not only described the physical particularities of Baitul Maqdis, rather, he even informed them of the event that took place between Baitul Maqdis and Makkah. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said to them that he met the caravan of such and such tribe who lost their camel and he asked them to give him water and Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) drank water from their container. So they asked about the Quraysh caravan and he replied to them that he saw them at Taim. So Quraysh became very excited and it was not long after that the travelers (of that caravan) reported the exact events (as had occurred).

Proof of Isra and Miraj (Shab-e-Mi'raj, Lailat-ul-Miraj) in the Glorious Qur'an:

The Heavenly Journey of Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny has been straight forwardly explained in two Surahs of the Glorious Qur'an.

In the Surah al-Isra (Surah 17 - also known as Bani Isra'il), it is mentioned: 

"Glory be to Him Who made His servant (Prophet Muhammad) to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) to the Farthest Mosque (Masjid al-Aqsa) of which We have blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing." (Qur'an, 17:1)

From this verse, we come to the conclusion that Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny traveled with his physical body (servant) through the worlds of Ascension. Further, by the greatness of the Hidden Power, Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was able to complete this journey in a very short span of time.

Allah (swt) starts His speech with the phrase (Subhan) which denotes the fact that Allah (swt) is free from all deficiencies - but He does not stop here. Rather, He makes the ascension the reason for His greatness by saying 'made to travel' (Isra) so that others do not imagine that the means of this journey was through causes of the natural world and with normal, ordinary means of transportation. This would have made his journey something that could have been denied. Rather, this journey was accomplished by relying upon the power of Allah (swt) and His specific and special blessings.

Although this verse states that the start of the journey was from Masjid al-Haram and ended at Masjid al-Aqsa, this does not contradict the fact that Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny in addition to this trip, also had other trips towards the higher world, since another part of the journey of Ascension of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) is explained in verses of Surah an-Najm.

From the time Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny told the Quraysh, 'I saw the angel of revelation (when he received the first revelation) in his original and pure state,' all the Quraysh raised up to mock him. Glorious Qur'an, in response to the thoughts of the ignorant people replies:

"Will you then argue with him about what he saw? He certainly saw him (Jibreel) during his other ascent to the Lote-tree (in the seven heavens) near which is Paradise. When the tree was covered with a covering, (Muhammad's) eyes did not deceive him, nor did they lead him to falsehood. He certainly saw the greatest (signs) of the existence of his Lord." (Glorious Qur'an, 53:12-18)

The object of this grand journey was to make known to Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny the various aspects of the existence of the great universe.

A person asked our 4th Imam, Imam Ali bin Hussain (as): "Is there a particular place for Allah (swt)?"

Imam Ali bin Hussain (as) replied: "no."

The man said: "Then why did He make his Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny, journey through the skies?"

Imam Ali bin Hussain (as), replied: "He made him ascend so that he might become aware of the expanse of the universe and see and hear wonderful things, the like of which had not been seen and heard by the eyes and ears before."

Mi'raj (Night Ascension) or Miraj-un-Nabi and Modern Science:


It has been an on going discussion and debate for hundreds of years concerning the method of travel of Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny during the Mi'raj. Many things have been said regarding this journey and its being physical or only spiritual even though from the Glorious Qur'an and the Ahadith there is no doubt that it was a physical ascension.

However, one problem from the point of view of science prevented some people in believing the reality and thus, the Mi'raj of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was recorded as being simply spiritual. Another group went a step further and believed that this complete event was simply a dream and that Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) experienced the Mi'raj during his sleep!

The heavenly journey went against the scientific and natural laws of today such as: the law of gravity of the earth; its speed of travel of 25,000 miles per hour; the weightlessness of an object that is outside of the airspace of earth; the fact that it is not possible to breathe the air that is outside our atmosphere; the various cosmic rays; meteorites and air pressure; and the speed of light that goes at the speed of approximately 300,000 kilometers a second; and other such examples.

Fortunately however, it must be known that through scientific research and investigation, the space scientists of the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a basketball, weighed only 183 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path, on October 4, 1957. They were able to demonstrate to mankind with ease, that they could overcome such problems as the gravitational pull, cosmic rays, problems with breathing in space, and others, through various technologically designed and built equipment and instruments.

Even today, the space science research is ever increasing and the scientists and researchers are confident that in a matter of time, they will be able to place life on one of the planets in our solar system; just as today, they have opened up the exploration to the moon and the planet Mars.

These scientific progresses and advancements in technology and industry are a clear proof that such a celestial travel (that of Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny on the night of Mi'raj) is possible and can not be classified as something that was impossible. 

27 June 2011

30 Little Known Facts About Israel



1. Did you know that non-Jewish Israelis cannot buy or lease land in Israel? A Jew from any country in the world is guaranteed citizenship in Israel, while the Palestinians who have been there for centuries are oppressed and persecuted.

2. Did you know that instead of sewing an insignia on clothing to distinguish race (like the Germans did to the Jews before WW2), Palestinian license plates in Israel are color coded to distinguish Jews from non-Jews?

3. Did you know that East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan Heights are all considered by the entire world community, including the United States and the United Nations, to be occupied territory and NOT part of the State of Israel?

4. Did you know that Israel allots 85% of the water resources for Jews, and the remaining 15% is divided among all Palestinians in the territories? For example in Hebron, 85% of the water is set aside for about 400 Jewish settlers, while the remaining 15% is distributed among Hebron's 120, 000 Palestinians?

5. Did you know that the United States awards Israel $5 billion in aid each year from American tax dollars?

6. Did you know that US aid to Israel ($1.8 billion annually in military aid alone) exceeds the aid the US grants to the entire African continent? This aid is used both to buy American weaponry and to buy arms made in Israel.

7. Did you know that Israel is awaiting an additional $4 billion worth of American military hardware, including new F-16s and Apache and Blackhawk helicopters. As Israel's main ally and supporter internationally, the United States is committed to maintaining the Jewish state's "qualitative edge" in weapons over its neighbours.

8. Did you know that the U.S. administration has notified Congress on numerous occasions that Israel has violated the rules on how US-supplied weapons are used? (In 1978, 1979 and 1982 during fighting in Lebanon, and once after Israel's bombing of an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.)

9. Did you know that Israel is the only country in the Middle East that refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars international inspections from its sites?

10. Did you know that high-ranking military officers in the Israeli Defence Forces have admitted publicly that unarmed prisoners of war have been summarily executed by the Israeli forces?

11. Did you know that Israel blew up an American diplomatic facility in Egypt and attacked a US warship in international waters (the USS Liberty), killing 33 and wounding 177 American sailors and the US did nothing about it? (Imagine if an Islamic country like Iraq did this!)

12. Did you know that Israel stands in defiance of 69 United Nations Security Council Resolutions?

13. Did you know that Israel is explicitly dedicated to the policy of maintaining a distinct Jewish character?

14. Did you know that Israel's current Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, was found by an Israeli court to be "personally and directly responsible" for the Sabra and Shatilla massacre in Lebanon where more than a thousand innocent Palestinian men, women, and children were axed to death or lined up and shot in cold blood?

15. Did you know that on May 20, 1990, a group of unarmed Palestinian labourers were lined up and murdered by an Israeli solider as they sat waiting for transportation back to Gaza? The terrified labourers who gathered in an area of southern Israel known as Rishon Lezion (known to Palestinians by its Arabic name Oyon Qara) handed their ID cards to the Israeli soldier. The soldiers ordered the distressed labourers to kneel down and face the ground and unexpectedly showered them with a barrage of bullets, killing seven and wounding many others. Needless to say, the soldier was not charged with any crime.

16. Did you know that until as recently as 1988, Israelis were permitted to run "Jews Only" job ads?

17. Did you know that the Israeli Foreign Ministry pays six US public relations firms to promote a "positive image" of Israel to the American public?

18. Did you know that Sharon's coalition government includes a party--Molodet--which advocates ethnic cleansing by openly calling for the forced expulsion of all Palestinians from the occupied territories?

19. Did you know that recently-declassified documents indicate that David Ben-Gurion approved of the forced expulsion of Arabs from all Palestinian territory in 1948?

20. Did you know that the former chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Ovadia Yossef, who is also a founder and spiritual leader of the religious Shas party (Israel's third largest political party) openly advocates a 'Final Solution' to annihilate the Palestinians? Speaking at the widely broadcast sermon marking the last Passover, he declared of the Palestinians: "The Lord shall return their deeds on their own heads, waste their seed and exterminate them, devastate them and vanish them from this world. It is forbidden to be merciful to them. You must send missiles to them and annihilate them. They are evil and damnable."

21. Did you know that Palestinian refugees make up the largest portion of the refugee population in the world?

22. Did you know that Palestinian Christians are considered the "living stones" of Christianity because they are the direct descendants of the disciples of Jesus Christ? And the Palestinian Christians stand united with their Muslim brethren in the struggle against the Israeli occupation.

23. Did you know that despite a ban on torture by Israel's High Court of Justice, torture has continued unabated by Shin Bet interrogators on Palestinian prisoners?

24. Did you know that despite every Israeli attempt to disrupt Palestinian education, Palestinians have the highest ratio of PhDs per capita in the world?

25. Did you know that the right of self-determination is guaranteed to every human being under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [December, 1948], yet Palestinians were/are expected to negotiate for this right under the Oslo Accords?

26. Did you know that despite what is widely perpetuated and written in the history books that the Arabs attacked Israel in the 1967 war, it was Israel who attacked the Arab countries first, capturing Jerusalem and the West Bank, and called the attack a pre-emptive strike?

27. Did you know that, as an occupying power, Israel has a particular responsibility under the Geneva Conventions to protect Palestinian civilians?

28. Did you know that, despite Ariel Sharon's public call for a unilateral ceasefire, Israeli soldiers have not stopped shooting, killing or bulldozing Palestinian homes? The most recent example of this is the murder of three innocent women who were shot by an Israeli tank as they sat in their tent!

29. Did you know that the Zionists have been trying to destroy Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock for the last 50 years by digging underground tunnels beneath the sites to weaken its foundation causing it to collapse?

30. Nelson Mandela called the Israeli government an apartheid regime, just like South Africa used to be.

26 June 2011

10 sicknesses in heart


In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most compassionate



Ten sicknesses of the heart:

1.you believe in the existence of Allah Ta’ala, but you dont fulfill His commands.
2.you say you love the Holy Prophet Muhammed(p.b.u.h), but you don not follow his sunnah.
3.you read the Quran but you don not put it into practice.
4.You enjoy the benefits from Allah Ta’ala, but you are not grateful to him.
5.You acknowledge Shaytan as your enemy but you do not go against HIm.
6.You want to enter paradise but you dont work for it
7.You dont want to be thrown into hell-fire, but you do not try to get away(i.e. do good deeds).
8.You believe that every living-thing will face death, but you do not prepare for it.
9.You gossip and find faults in others, but you forget your own faults and mistakes.
10.You bury the dead, but you don not take a lesson from it.

Say, “Allah knows whatever lies in your hearts, whether you hide it or make it known (to others). He knows everything in the heavens and on earth. Allah has power (and complete control) over all things!” [Quran 3:29]


More about Heart : The Types of Heart

24 June 2011

The Language of Science || BBC documentary

THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE
By Physicist Jim Al-Khalili


A BBC documentary examining the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries.

Isaac Newton is, as most will agree, the greatest physicist of all time. At the very least, he is the undisputed father of modern optics, or so we are told at school where our textbooks abound with his famous experiments with lenses and prisms, his study of the nature of light and its reflection, and the refraction and decomposition of light into the colours of the rainbow.

Yet, the truth is rather greyer; and I feel it important to point out that, certainly in the field of optics, Newton himself stood on the shoulders of a giant who lived 700 years earlier. For, without doubt, another great physicist, who is worthy of ranking up alongside Newton, is a scientist born in AD 965 in what is now Iraq who went by the name of al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham. Most people in the West will never have even heard of him. As a physicist myself, I am quite in awe of this man's contribution to my field, but I was fortunate enough to have recently been given the opportunity to dig a little into his life and work through my recent filming of a three-part BBC Four series on medieval Islamic scientists.

Modern methods: Popular accounts of the history of science typically suggest that no major scientific advances took place in between the ancient Greeks and the European Renaissance. But just because Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages, does not mean there was stagnation elsewhere. Indeed, the period between the 9th and 13th Centuries marked the Golden Age of Arabic science. Great advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, physics, chemistry and philosophy. Among the many geniuses of that period Ibn al-Haytham stands taller than all the others.




I’m an Individual in HIJAB



You look at me and call me oppressed,
Simply because of the way I’m dressed,

You know me not for what’s inside,
You judge the clothing I wear with pride,

My body is not for your eyes to hold,
You must speak to my mind, not my feminine mould,

I’m an individual, I’m no mans slave,
It’s Allah’s pleasure that I only crave,

I have a voice so I will be heard,
For in my heart I carry His word,

“O ye women, wrap close your cloak,
so you won’t be bothered by ignorant folk”,

Man doesn’t tell me to dress this way,
It’s a law from God that I obey,

Oppressed is something I’m truly NOT,
For liberation is what I’ve got,

It was given to me many years ago,
With the right to prosper, the right to grow,

I can climb mountains or cross the seas,
Expand my mind in all degrees,

For God Himself gave us LIB-ER-TY,
When He sent Islam,
To You and Me!

23 June 2011

Non-Muslims Quotes: James A. Michener

James Albert Michener ( February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997)

“At Muhammad’s own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: “If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you worshipped, He lives for ever” 

- James A. Michener -

Ref:Reader’s Digest, American Edition, May 1955 

22 June 2011

The spider is a magnificent engineer


"There are signs for the believing nation in the creation of their (own) selves, and the creation of the animals He has scattered (across the world)." [Quran 45:4]

Spiders are a specific class of animals called arachnids that range in size from the small jumping spiders commonly seen ….

Spiders are a specific class of animals called arachnids that range in size from the small jumping spiders commonly seen in residential areas to the Goliath Bird eater tarantula of South America (the largest spider in the world). They differ from insects because they have two body parts and eight legs.

Formal categorizations of spiders often start by placing them in families, based on specific criteria.



A less formal way to think about different types of spiders starts by considering their eating habits. Spiders are carnivores that catch their food in one of two ways. They either use a web or actively hunt on the land or water.

A photo of a giant spider eating a finch
  
A photograph of a giant spider eating a bird in an Australian garden

Size of spiders
Spiders occur in a large range of sizes. The smallest Patu digua are less than 0.37 mm in body length. The largest and heaviest spiders occur among tarantulas, which can have body lengths up to 90 mm (about 3.5 inches) and leg spans up to 250 mm (about 10 inches).

Spider Feet
many spiders have special adaptations that allow them to walk easily along relatively smooth or vertical surfaces.


Spiders have thick brushes of hair, each ending in tiny microscopic feet that let it walk up vertical surfaces.

The end of each leg is covered with thick brushes of hair, and the end of each hair is covered in tiny microscopic "feet." All the tiny feet grip the small bumps on whatever the spider is walking on, allowing the spider to move easily over most terrain.

Spider Vision
while most spiders have multiple pairs of eyes, vision is a secondary sense in the vast majority of species. Most spiders primarily interact with the world through tactile sensation.


Electron microscope image of one of a spider's sensitive hairs

They are covered in highly sensitive hairs that pick up even low-level vibrations in whatever the spider is standing on (the ground, floor, leaf or web, for example). Many spiders have additional hairs which pick up vibrations in the air (sound). Most spiders also have a sense of taste and smell, which play a role in feeding and reproduction. 

Spider Brain
one of the most amazing things about spiders is how much they can accomplish with such a small brain. The spider's central nervous system is made up of two relatively simple ganglia, or nerve cell clusters, connected to nerves leading to the spider's various muscles and sensory systems.



Who programmed the brain of this little animal with such sophisticated programs?

The simple instructions encoded in these nerve cells give spiders all the information they need to undertake complex tasks, such as building webs and attacking prey. Some species even exhibit learning behavior. If something isn't working -- a web in a particular spot, for example -- the spider will give up the activity and try something new.

Hence, scientists say that spiders have programs in brain to enable them to design their webs and these program couldn't be developed or created by itself as  claiming that nature or coincidence are the creator of these programs is equal to a man says that nature or coincidence had developed windows 7 or Xp.

Indeed it isn't a rational way of thinking!!!!!

Allah almighty is the creator who taught and programmed all of His creatures who says in Qur'an: 

"That is God, your Lord! there is no god but He, the Creator of all things:  then worship ye Him: and He hath power to dispose of all affairs.No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension yet is acquainted with all things." (Quran 6:102-103).


By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel

References:
  1. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3354097/Bird-eating-spiders-new-pictures.html
  2. http://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/spider1.htm   

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Read more : Amazing Facts: Spider web silk is 5 times stronger than steel

21 June 2011

The Atheist Teacher


A young woman teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small children that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they're atheists too. Not really knowing what atheism is but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like fleshy fireworks. There is, however, one exception. A beautiful girl named Zainab has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. "Because I'm not an atheist."


Then, asks the teacher, "What are you?" "I'm a Muslim." The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Zainab why she is a Muslim. "Well, I was brought up knowing and loving God. My mom is a Muslim, and my dad is a Muslim, so I am a Muslim.

The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason," she says loudly, "what if your mom was a moron,and your dad was a moron, - what would you be then?" She paused, and smiled. "Then," says Zainab, "I'd be an atheist."

[A moron is a dum, stupid person] 

19 June 2011

Who Created the Universe and Why ?




Contents:
  • Can it Be that the Universe Created Itself?
  • The Scientific Proof
  • Some Unmistakable Signs of the Creator
  • Signs for the Aware
  • The Creation of Heaven and Earth
  • The Creation of Mankind
  • Signs in the Other Creatures
  • Allah, The Creator Subjected the Universe to Human Control
  • The Purpose of the Creation of Human Beings?
  • A Question for the Atheist

Can it Be that the Universe Created Itself?

Virtually every human being has pondered this question. Some answered by saying that the formation of the universe was merely a coincidence. Others felt there must be an unseen Creator. In what will follow, we will try to assist you in answering this question. Our approach will depend primarily on the text of the Qur'an (the Word of Allah (i.e. God), inspired to Prophet Muhammad (saws)). We request only that you open your mind and read.

Allah asks in the Qur'an:

35. Were they created out of nothing? Or were they themselves the creators?

36. Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they are sure of nothing!

(Qur'an 52:35-36)

Most deny or ignore the existence of The Creator because they cannot see Him. However, there are many things which we do not see, but yet we believe in their existence. Further, most of us believe in creatures which exist yet undiscovered and undocumented.

Many reject the existence of The Creator, believing only in science and data gathered and confirmed by its canonical methods. But, on any given day, the same person might find himself in love, deep remorse or sadness. And while contriving the most complex and personal thoughts, he does not, at the time, suppose that his feelings are a random product of firing neurons. How can he then believe that the only distinction between a corpse and a living person is the absence of organ functionality. That we need only revive his physical body to restore him to normality.

The Scientific Proof

Let us imagine ourselves standing in a laboratory stocked with beakers and test tubes containing all sorts of chemical compounds. Then suppose an earthquake has just occurred upsetting the shelved vessels, sending their contents spilling onto the laboratory floor. It would be a very strange coincidence indeed to find new life forms generating themselves where none had existed before.

You might say, 'Your analogy didn't account for time - these organisms need time to evolve.' We ask, 'How much time should we have allowed? Was there enough time since the beginning of the universe to allow for their self-induced formation?'

Let's hear from Swiss mathematician Charles Eugene Jai. In an experiment aimed at answering this very question, Jai set out to calculate the probability of the random formation of a single protein molecule. Jai 'helped' the situation by assuming the existence of formative elements, and by selecting a protein consisting of only 2,000 atoms (An average protein might consist of 32,000 atoms or more). Jai also assumed that the protein would consist of only 2 unique formative atoms.

He determined the value of probability by considering the size of the material and the time necessary for the random formation to occur. He calculated that the probability of forming even a simplified protein molecule was approximately 1 in 5 x 10 e+320 !

The size of the material necessary to produce that almost zero probability would have been a sphere with a diameter of approximately 6 x 10 e+176 miles - about 10 e+63 times bigger than the imagined size of the universe. Finally, the time necessary for the molecule to form was 10 e+243 billion years. This was far greater than the supposed age of the universe - only about 2 billion years.

He concluded that the universe was neither old enough, nor big enough to allow for the random formation of even a simple protein molecule. It was impossible for the universe to have created itself, and for life to randomly form. We must then consider another course. There is a Creator who created the universe.

Some Unmistakable Signs of the Creator

Allah said in the Qur'an:

53. We* (Allah) shall show them Our Signs on the horizons and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that it is the Truth. Is it not sufficient that the Lord is Witness over all things?

(Qur'an 41:53)

* One of the usages of 'we' in Arabic is for glorifying and indicating the greatness of a person. Here it indicates greatness and not plurality.

We live in an amazing universe. It is a universe peculiarly balanced, and purposefully tempered as if to provide a safe host for living creatures.

According to modern astronomers, the universe is expanding. They hold that if gravity had been only slightly stronger, it would have overtaken expansion very early and caused the universe to collapse. Had gravity been slightly weaker, universe expansion would have become a runaway process, not allowing time for the formation of galaxies and stars.

If either of these had occurred, there would never have been an Earth on which creatures could live. This universe seems designed, even meticulously tailored to provide suitable conditions for living. If other basic ratios and constants had been just slightly different, the universe would not have been favourable to our existence.

If, for instance, the strong and weak nuclear forces were slightly stronger relative to the electromagnetic forces, hydrogen would not exist in its ordinary form. This would mean that heavier elements, such as carbon and oxygen - two of the essential building blocks of life - would never have existed.

The strength of gravity is crucial to the existence of life in the universe in another way. If it were weaker, then it could not crush the material in a star the size of the Sun with enough force to ignite its thermonuclear reactions. Only very massive stars would shine, and such stars would probably have too short lifespan to allow for the development of life.

These indications that the universe has been arranged to favour the appearance and survival of life has been taken very seriously by certain scientists. Prominent among them is astronomer Brandon Carter. Modern science estimates that it has taken 4 billion years for human beings to evolve from unicellular life forms. Carter has calculated that the average period for any evolution of this magnitude should take much longer - about 10 billion years. That is longer than the lifespan of a Sun-sized star, and much longer than the period of life-favourable conditions on Earth.

It would seem that intelligent life appeared on Earth despite its high improbability. We are again pulled towards recognizing the Creator.

Signs for the Aware

164. Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the sailing of ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind, and the water which Allah sends down from the skies, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and dispersing therein all kinds of beasts, and (in) the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds subjugated between heaven and earth: are signs for people who have sense.

(Qur'an 2:164)

The Creation of Heaven and Earth

60. Who has created the heavens and the earth, and Who sends down for you water from the sky? Yea, with it We cause to grow well-planted orchards full of beauty and delight: it never has been yours to cause to grow. Could there be another god besides Allah? Nay, but they are people who swerve from justice.

61. Or, Who has made the earth firm to live in, and placed rivers in its folds, and set upon it immovable mountains, and made a barrier between the two seas (fresh and salt waters)? Could there be another god besides Allah? Nay, most of them know not.

62. Or, Who answers the one distressed when he calls unto Him, and Who relieves the harm, and makes you (mankind) inheritors of the earth? Could there be another god besides Allah? Little do they reflect!

63. Or, Who guides you through the depths of darkness in the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of His Mercy? Could there be another god besides Allah? High is Allah above what they ascribe to Him!

64. Or, Who originates creation, then repeats it, and Who gives you sustenance from heaven and earth? Could there be another god besides Allah? Say, " Bring your proof, if you are truthful!"

65. Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden. Nor are they able to perceive when they shall be resurrected (for Judgment).

(Qur'an 27:60-65)

9. Allah is He Who sends the winds which push up the clouds. Then He leads them unto a dead land and revive therewith the earth after its death. Such is the Resurrection!

(Qur'an 35:9)

27. Have they not seen that Allah causes water to fall from the sky? Then with it We produce fruit of various colours; and among the hills are streaks white and red, and of various colours, and (others) of raven-black.

28. And so amongst men and beasts and cattle, in like manner, various colours. Verily those who truly fear Allah, among His Servants, are those endued with knowledge, and Allah is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.

(Qur'an 35:27-28)

65. Allah sends down water from the sky and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily in this is a sign for those who listen.

(Qur'an 16:65)

6. Have they not then observed the sky above them, how We have constructed it and beautified it, and how there are no rifts in it?

7. And We have spread out the earth, and have flung firm hills therein, and have caused every lovely thing to grow thereon (in pairs).

8. A vision and a reminder for every repentant servant.

9. And We send down from the sky blessed water whereby We give growth unto gardens and the grain of crops,

10. And lofty date-palms with ranged clusters.

11. Provision (made) for (Allah's) Servants; and therewith We quicken a dead land. Like so will be the resurrection of the dead.

(Qur'an 50:6-11)

2. Allah is He Who raised the heavens without pillars that you can see, then mounted the Throne, and compelled the sun and the moon to be of service (to his Law)! Each runs (its course) unto an appointed term. He regulates all affairs, explaining the revelations, that you may be certain of the meeting with your Lord.

3. And Allah is He who spread out the earth and placed therein firm hills and flowing streams, and of all fruits He placed therein two spouses (male and female). He covered the night with day. Behold! Herein verily are signs for people who take thought.

4. And in the Earth are neighbouring tracts, vineyard and ploughed lands, and palm trees, like and unlike, watered with one water (the same water). And We have made some of them to excel others in fruit. Behold! Herein verily are signs for people who have sense.

(Qur'an 13:2-4)

The Creation of Mankind

12. Verily We created man from a product of wet earth (clay).

13. Then placed him as a drop (of sperm) in a safe lodging.

14. Then We fashioned the drop into a clot, then We fashioned the clot into a little lump, then We fashioned the little lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!

15. Then Behold! After that you surely will die.

16. Then, on the Day of Resurrection you will be raised (again).

(Qur'an 23:12-16)

78. And Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers knowing nothing, and gave you hearing and sight and hearts that you might give thanks.

(Qur'an 16:78)

19. He brings forth the living from the dead, and He brings forth the dead from the living, and He revives the earth after its death. And like so you will be brought forth (from death).

20. And of His Signs is this: He created you from dust, and then, behold you are human beings, ranging widely!

21. And of His Signs is this: He created for you mates from yourselves that you might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Behold! Herein indeed are Signs for those who reflect.

22. And of His Signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations of your languages and colours. Behold! Herein indeed are signs for those who know.

23. And of His Signs is your sleep by night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Behold! Herein indeed are signs for those who heed.

24. And of His Signs is this: He shows you the lightning for fear and for hope, and sends down water from the sky, and thereby revives the earth after its death. Behold! Herein indeed are signs for those who understand.

(Qur'an 30:19-24)

Signs in the Other Creatures

66. Behold! In the cattle there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between the refuse and the blood, pure milk palatable to the drinkers.

67. And of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, you derive strong drink and (also) good food. Behold! Therein is indeed a sign for people who have sense.

68. And the Lord inspired the (female) bee: "Choose your habitations in the hills and in the trees and in that which they (humans) dwell."

69. "Then eat of all fruits, and follow the paths of your Lord (which were) made smooth". There comes forth from their bellies a drink of diverse hues (honey), and wherein is healing for mankind. Behold! Herein is indeed a sign for people who give thought.

(Qur'an 16:66-69)

34. And We have placed therein gardens of the date-palm and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein.

35. That they may eat of the fruit thereof, which their hands did not make. Will they not, then, give thanks?

36. Glory be to Him Who created all the pairs of that which the earth grows, and of themselves, and of that which they know not!

37. And a reminder for them is night. We strip it of the day, and behold! They are in darkness.

38. And the sun runs on unto a resting-place (orbit) for it. That is the measuring of the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

39. And for the moon We have appointed mansions until it returns like an old shriveled palm-leaf.

40. It is not permitted that the sun catch up to the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day: All float in an orbit.

41. And a reminder for them is that We bear their offspring in laden ship,

42. And We have created for them similar on which they ride.

43. And if We will, We drown them, and there is no help for them, neither can they be saved.

44. Unless by mercy from Us and as comfort for a while.

45. When they are told: Fear that which is before you and that which is behind you, that you may find mercy (they are heedless).

46. Never did a sign come to them (the unbelievers) of the signs of their Lord, but they did turn away from it!

(Qur'an 36:33-46)

Allah, The Creator Subjected the Universe to Human Control

5. And the cattle He has created for you. From them you have warm clothing and uses, and whereof you eat.

6. And wherein is beauty for you, when you bring them home, and when you take them out to pasture.

7. And they carry your loads unto a land you could not reach except with souls distressed. Behold! Your Lord is indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful.

8. And (He has created) horses and mules and donkeys that you may ride them, and for ornament. And He creates that which you know not.

9. And depend on Allah for direction to the Straight Path, but some (paths) go not straight: And had He willed He would have led you all aright (by His Guidance).

10. Allah is He Who sends down water from the sky, from it you have drink, and out of it (grows) the vegetation with which you feed your cattle.

11. Therewith He causes crops to grow for you, and the olive and the date-palm and grapes and fruits of all kinds. Behold! Herein is indeed a sign for people who reflect.

12. And He has constrained the night and the day and the sun and the moon to be of service unto you, and the stars are made subservient by His command. Behold! Herein indeed are signs for people who have sense.

13. And whatsoever He has created for you in the earth of diverse hues, Behold! Therein is indeed a sign for people who take heed.

14. And Allah is He Who has constrained the sea to be of service that you eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender, and bring forth from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships plowing therein, that you (mankind) may seek of His bounty and that you may be grateful.

15. And He has cast into the earth firm hills that it quakes not with you, and streams and roads that you may find your way.

16. And landmarks (too), and by the stars they find their ways.

17. Is He then Who creates like one who does not create? Will you not then remember?

18. And if you try to count the favours of Allah you cannot number them. Behold! Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

(Qur'an 16:5-18)

80. Allah has given you in your houses and abode, and has given you (also), of the hides of cattle, houses which you find light (to carry) on the day of migration and on the day of pitching camp; and of their wool and their fur and their hair, caparison and comfort (to serve you) for a time.

81. And Allah has given you, of that which He has created, shelter from the sun; and has given you places of refuge in the mountains, and has given you coats with which to ward off the heat, and coats (of armour) to save you from your own foolhardiness. Thus He perfects His favour unto you, in order that you may surrender (unto Him).

82. But if they turn away, your duty is only to preach the Clear Message.

83. They (the unbelievers) know the favour of Allah but then deny it. Most of them are ingrates.

(Qur'an 16:80-83)

5. Allah is He Who appointed the sun a splendour and the moon a light, and measured for it stages, that you might know the number of the years, and the count (of time). Allah did not create (all) that but in Truth. He details the revelations for people who have knowledge.

6. Behold! In the difference of day and night and all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are portents, for those who fear Him.

(Qur'an 10:5-6)

17. Will they not look at the camels, how they are created?

18. And the heavens, how it is raised?

19. And the hills, how they are fixed firms?

20. And the earth, how it is spread out?

21. Remind them, for you are not but a reminder.

(Qur'an 88:17-21)

The Purpose of the Creation of Human Beings?

16. We did not create the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play.

17. If We had wished to find pastime, We could have found it in Our Presence - if ever We did.

(Qur'an 21:16-17)

56. I have not created jinn nor men except to worship Me.

57. I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask them to feed Me.

58. Behold! Allah is He Who gives livelihood, the Lord of Unbreakable Might.

(Qur'an 51:56-58)

A Question for the Atheist

Suppose that your belief is right (i.e. there is no God), then what are we (who believe in Allah) going to lose after death? But on the other hand what will happen to you if we are right? Nothing but hell. So make your choice wisely either believe in Allah, or stay hopeless in this life without knowing where you came from, where are you going to or why are you in this life.

Perhaps you may live another fifty or sixty years ignoring Allah, then you will return to Him and His Severe Punishment because of your disbelief.

On the contrary, if you believe in Allah and do good, you will return to Him and dwell in Paradise having whatsoever you wish. Whatever be your decision, we have given you the message but it is as Allah has said:

80. Behold! You can not make the dead to hear, nor can you make the deaf to hear the call, when they have turned to flee.

81. Nor can you guide the blind out of their straying. You can make none to hear, except those who believe in Our Revelations, and who have surrendered.

(Qur'an 27:80-81)

Note: All English verses are translations of the meanings of the Qur'an which was revealed in Arabic.

18 June 2011

Better to Give

A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day taking a walk with a Professor, who was commonly called the student's friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.

As they went along,they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by,and who had nearly finished his day's work.

The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them."

"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this affects him."

The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.

While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at it again and again.

He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.

His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to the heavens and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his wife who was sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty, from some unknown hand,would save from perishing.

The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the professor, are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"

The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of these words, which I never understood before: "It's more blessed to give than to receive."

Abdullah bin Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that encouraging good, prohibiting evil, lifting the burden of the weak person and removing an offensive thing from a path are all acceptable prayers to Allah. [ibn Majah]

16 June 2011

The Levels of Prayer - What Level are You At?


Ibnul-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (rahimahullaah) said:

And mankind, with regard to their performance of prayer are in five levels:



The First: The level of the one who is negligent and wrongs his soul: He is the one who falls short in performing wudhoo (ablution) properly, performing the prayer upon its time and within its specified limits, and in fulfilling its essential pillars.

The Second: The one who guards his prayers upon their proper times and within their specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and performs his wudhoo with care. However, his striving (in achieving the above) is wasted due whisperings in his prayer so he is taken away by thoughts and ideas.

The Third: The one who guards his prayers within the specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and strives with himself to repel the whisperings, thoughts and ideas. He is busy struggling against his enemy (Shaytaanor Satan) so that he does not steal from the prayer. On account of this he is engaged in (both) prayer and jihaad.

The Fourth: The one who stands for the prayer, completes and perfects its due rights, its essential pillars, performs it within its specified limits and his heart becomes engrossed in safeguarding its rights and specified limits, so that nothing is wasted from it. His whole concern is directed towards its establishment, its completion and its perfection, as it should be. His heart is immersed in the prayer and in enslavement to his Lord the Exalted.

The Fifth: The one who stands for the prayer like the one mentioned above. However, on top of this, he has taken and placed his heart in front of his Lord Azzawajall, looking towards Him with his heart with anticipation, (his heart) filled with His love and His might, as if he sees and witnesses Allaah. The whisperings, thoughts and ideas have vanished and the coverings which are between him and his Lord are raised. What is between this person and others with respect to the prayer, is superior and greater than what is between the heavens and the earth. This person is busy with his Lord Azzawajall, delighted with Him.

The First type will be punished, the second type will be held to account, the third will have his sins and shortcomings expiated, the fourth will be rewarded and the fifth will be close to his Lord, because he will receive the portion of the one who makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye. Whoever makes his prayer, the delight and pleasure of his eye, will have the nearness to his Lord Azzawajall made the delight and pleasure of his eye in the hereafter. He will also be made a pleasure to the eye in this world since whoever makes Allaah the pleasure of his eye in this world, every other eye will become delighted and pleased with him.

(Source: Al-Waabil us-Sayyib)


Now think about this, what level do you think you are in?

Are you sure?

Could be better, right?

This is kinda scary.

A true fight to the finish.

15 June 2011

Picture Perfect : Earn & Live


Narrated Anas ibn Malik: A man of the Ansar came to the Prophet (PBUH) and begged from him. He (the Prophet) asked: Have you nothing in your house? He replied: Yes, a piece of cloth, a part of which we wear and a part of which we spread (on the ground), and a wooden bowl from which we drink water. He said: Bring them to me. He then brought these articles to him and he (the Prophet) took them in his hands and asked: Who will buy these? A man said: I shall buy them for one dirham. He said twice or thrice: Who will offer more than one dirham? A man said: I shall buy them for two dirhams. He gave these to him and took the two dirhams and, giving them to the Ansari, he said: Buy food with one of them and hand it to your family, and buy an axe and bring it to me. He then brought it to him. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) fixed a handle on it with his own hands and said: Go, gather firewood and sell it, and do not let me see you for a fortnight. The man went away and gathered firewood and sold it. When he had earned ten dirhams, he came to him and bought a garment with some of them and food with the others. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then said: This is better for you than that begging should come as a spot on your face on the Day of Judgment. Begging is right only for three people: one who is in grinding poverty, one who is seriously in debt, or one who is responsible for compensation and finds it difficult to pay.

(Sunan Abudawud Book #9, Hadith #1637)