Topics

121

Health, Food, Nutrition / This article is about the human condition

« on: July 06, 2011, 07:08:34 AM »

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the human condition. For other uses, see Health (disambiguation).
The Star of Life.

Health is the level of functional and (or) metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person in mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to being free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”).[1] The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."[2][3] Although this definition has been subject to controversy, in particular as having a lack of operational value and the problem created by use of the word "complete", it remains the most enduring.[4][5] Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications, which is composed of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), are commonly used to define and measure the components of health.

The maintenance and promotion of health is achieved through different combination of physical, mental, and social well-being, together sometimes referred to as the “health triangle”.[6][7] The WHO's 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion furthered that health is not just a state, but also "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."[8]

Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are delivered by health care providers. Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences. The term "healthy" is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of healthy communities, healthy cities or healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a person's surroundings, a number of other factors are known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic and social conditions; these are referred to as "determinants of health".

122

Islam & Science / Isalam And Science.

« on: July 04, 2011, 10:57:42 AM »

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the relationship between Islam and science. For the historical development of science in the Islamic world, see Science in medieval Islam. For for the belief that the Quran scriptural foreknowledge prophesied scientific theories and discoveries - known as 'Ijaz al-Qur'an, see Scientific foreknowledge in sacred texts.


Islam and science describes the relationship between Muslim communities and science in general. From an Islamic standpoint, science, the study of nature, is considered to be linked to the concept of Tawhid (the Oneness of God), as are all other branches of knowledge.[1] In Islam, nature is not seen as a separate entity, but rather as an integral part of Islam’s holistic outlook on God, humanity, and the world. This link implies a sacred aspect to the pursuit of scientific knowledge by Muslims, as nature itself is viewed in the Qur’an as a compilation of signs pointing to the Divine.[2] It was with this understanding that the pursuit of science was tolerated in Islamic civilizations, specifically during the eighth to sixteenth centuries, prior to the colonization of the Muslim world.[3]

According to most historians, the modern scientific method was pioneered by Islamic scientist Ibn Al-Haytham (known to the west as “Alhazen”);[4] Alhazen helped shift the emphasis on abstract theorizing onto systematic and repeatable experimentation, followed by careful criticism of premises and inferences.[5] Robert Briffault, in The Making of Humanity, asserts that the very existence of science, as it is understood in the modern sense, is rooted in the scientific thought and knowledge that emerged in Islamic civilizations during this time.[6]

Muslim scientists and scholars have subsequently developed a spectrum of viewpoints on the place of scientific learning within the context of Islam, none of which are universally accepted.[7] However, most maintain the view that the acquisition of knowledge and scientific pursuit in general is not in disaccord with Islamic thought and religious belief.[1][7] Physicist Taner Edis argues this is because some Muslims are reading into the metaphorical language of the Holy books what is not there, including recent scientific discoveries.[8



Source: www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_science.

123

Internet / Internet for child

« on: July 02, 2011, 04:26:55 PM »

The Internet is creeping into how we live our lives, so your child is no exception to the winds of changes and can definitely benefit from the web. There are many cool websites out there and you could find a lot of resources for your child (and yourself as well). Educational games, coloring books, stories for you to read to him, info on this favorite cartoon character, its all there, just you have to be there with him to look for it ! Supervised usage of the Internet is strongly encouraged, keep explaining to him the concept of links, point out the interesting things for him and share his joy and excitement and joy at having covered something new!! .. let him also click on hyperlinks, don’t be restless when he takes all day to click, we know net usage is costly, but that smile, the glow of his face, and the glitter in his eyes on reaching somewhere is more precious than anything .. right?!!



www.dis.edu.bd

124

Articles, Poetry, Rhymes & Write up / African History, African Religion

« on: July 01, 2011, 09:56:52 PM »

Islam and Africa has made something of each other that is quite extraordinary,” – Rene A. Bravmann in ‘African Islam’.

“African Muslims have always maintained a quite close links with the Arab world, from which a numbers of reformers came. But Islamization was essentially carried out by Africans themselves, who shared the same life, spoke the same language, lived in the same cultural world entirely. There is no doubt that, for African Muslims, ‘Africanicity’ and Islam are in no way opposed. For them Islam is not an imported religion. For many, abandoning the Muslim religion is equivalent to the rejection of all their family and tribal traditions, so intermingled are the two socio-religious universes. One must conclude that, Islam in the traditional African form, is entirely a part of African cultural heritage and thus an Afican reality,” – Estella in book Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To many historians – African-Islamic connection goes back to the arrival of first humans, Adam and Eve, on Earth. Both began their life in African continent – and according to Holy Qur’an – both Adam and Eve – like Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Yusuf, Moses, David, Solomon, John the Baptist, and Jesus – were all Muslims (worshippers of One Allah).

Islam with no church, teaches that all humans, irrespective of their gender, skin color, and ethnic origin are capable of doing good – there is no ‘Original Sin’. The one Creator (Allah) is the Lord of all, not of some ‘chosen people’ or tribe.

According to report published by Washington-based Population Reference Bureau and USAID – the African population has reached one billion in 2008 – and at the current growth rate, it’s expected to double by 2050. Muslims make 48% of African population, followed by Christianity (37%).

Professor Dr. Mohamed Elmasry (University of Waterloo, Canada), an Egyptian-born African Canadian – wrote an excellent article titled What if European had not discovered Africa?, published in The Canadian Charger.

“Begining in 711, and for some 700 years, Africans were rulers, academics, scholars, army commanders and sailors in Muslim Spain. Mixed marriages led to more than 25 generations of African Europeans. There is increasing evidence that Africans came to America long before Columbus (see professor Ivan Van Sertima’s classic They Came Before columbus).

Before 1412, Africa was also heavily influenced by Asians, specially by the Arabs, before and after Islam, via Sinai, the Red Sea, and Indian Ocean. The relations were based on trade and culture exchange, rarely on wars. These marriages, which Islam accelerated, were a positive social integration factor in the advancement of both Africans and Arabs.

Before Islam, the most famous Queen of Arabia, the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis), was an African and her son sat on the throne of Ethiopia.

Islam teaches that a slave (Black or White) is a victim of circumstances who should be helped to be free and treated fairly in the meantime. Trading in slaves is a sin. This is in contrast to the teaching of the Bible, “Slaves obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling (Ephesians 5-6)”. (According to Talmud, every male Jew is required to recite in the daily prayer: “Thanks G-d for not making me a Gentile, a Woman, and a Slave”)……”
www.bangladesh.com

125

Articles, Poetry, Rhymes & Write up / Mary had a little lamb

« on: July 01, 2011, 09:55:01 PM »

Mary had a little lamb

Mary had a little lamb,

     Its fleece was white as snow;

And everywhere that Mary went

     The lamb was sure to go.


It followed her to school one day,

     Which was against the rules,

It made the children laugh and play,

     To see a lamb at school.

126

Story & Experience / Jack And The Beanstalk

« on: July 01, 2011, 09:49:26 PM »

Jack And The Beanstalk

 

Long ago in a far away land, a poor woman lived with her only son Jack.


One day the woman found that they had nothing left to eat and no money to buy food. The woman told Jack, who was already feeling hungry to take the cow to the market and sell her ."Make sure you get a good price for her" she said. Jack went to the field and tied a rope around the cow's neck and started walking down the road towards the town.


Suddenly, Jack found a small old man walking besides him. He was very surprised. "That's a nice cow", said the strange man. "yes she is", said Jack. "I am off to the market to sell her". "I'll buy her", said the old man. " No I must go to the market and get the price I can." I'll give you a good price for her", said the old man. "How much?" asked Jack. "Seven magic beans", said the old man. "No way said Jack. I'll give you the beans for the cow and life will be different for you, said the old man. "I am sorry my mother will be very unhappy, if I went home with a handful of beans. I must sell her at the market, "said Jack; "You will not be successful, said the old man "But go if you must" The market was very busy Jack stood in the middle calling out that his cow was for sale, but nobody spoke to him or even looked at the cow.


At the end of the day everyone started packing up "come on" he said to the cow, "let's go back home". "You still have the cow and I still have the magic beans", the old man appeared again. Jack stopped and thought if the beans were magic they may well change things. "I all take the beans", he said "Wise choice", said the old man, "and Good luck". "Thank you" said Jack and headed for home and as he looked back the old man was no where to be seen. "Beans...Beans !! ", shouted his mother. "How will the beans feeds us" "They are magic beans, "said Jack. "Magic, how stupid ! oh you silly boy", said his mother and threw the beans out of the window.


They went to bed hungry. When Jack woke up the next morning, he saw a very strange thing. A huge green trunk was growing past the window, with enormous leaves. Jack called his mother and shouted, "It's the beans you threw last night". They both looked up and the bean- stalk served to be growing right into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. "I am going to climb it, "said jack. "Oh! Jack don't "said his mother. "You don't know where it goes". "I 'll find out", said jack and he began climbing. Jack climbed so high that he went through the white clouds.


As, the bean- stalk finished a path stretched in front of Jack. In the distance he could see a castle. When he reached the castle he, stood in front of the huge gate and pulled the bell. A large woman came out of the door. "How did you get here?" she asked, "come in before my husband arrives". Jack was taken into the kitchen. The table and chair were like mountains to him. "Have some breakfast you must be hungry," said the woman. Jack ate a plate full of food. Loud steps, could be heard suddenly, "That's my husband", said the woman. You must hide or he will eat you". Jack went behind the overdoor. "Fee,Fo,Fi,Hum, I smell the blood of an English man. Be alive or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread", shouted the giant as he came into the kitchen. You are imagining things, "said his wife". "There is no English man here". Your breakfast is on the table. "Jack watched the giant as he ate his breakfast & very often he would stop and sniff and then carry on eating. When he was full he called out to his wife, bring my golden hen.


The hen was tiny and sat on the table in front of him. "Lay golden hen, said the giant. The hen began to lay eggs and they were golden eggs Jack was looking at this from his hiding place. The giant soon began to snore and was fast asleep. Jack jumped and climbed the table, crept past the giant, picked up the hen and ran. He ran fast out of the castle and then down the bean attack . His mother was relieved to see him and the hen that laid golden eggs. They would never go hungry again. Jack began to get bored after a while. They had plenty of money, plenty to eat and new clothes to wear


One day he said to his mother, " I am going to climb the beanstalk again, "But why?"' She asked "I want to see what else is up there, said Jack and climbed the bean stalk again. This time where he reached the castle, he hide in the draw. After a while he heard loud footsteps ""Fe, FO, if, fume, I smell the blood of an English man and this time I will find him." "I'll help you said his wife. The naughty boy took your favourite hen. They looked high and low but could not find Jack. Don't be upset, said the giant's wife, "eat your dinner and have rest". The giant finished his dinner and called his wife, "Bring my harp it can sing me to sleep. "His wife bought the harp and the giant stroked the string, the harp began to sing by itself. The giant smiled and yawned and soon went to sleep. As soon as the giant was fast asleep, Jack jumped out of the drawer and grabbed the harp as he had not seen such a beautiful thing before. "Master-Master", shouted the harp "Help me". Jack started running the giant got up and ran after jack. Jack ran as fast as he could and came to the bean- stalk, he climbed down as fast as he could.


"Mother" shouted Jack. "Mother bring me the axe". His mother took one look up and ran to fetch the axe. When Jack was on the ground, his mother took the harp and handed him the axe. "Whack-Whack" went the axe cutting the bean stalk "fe,fo,fi,fum", bellowed the giant, suddenly the whole thing began to fall over. The bean- stalk landed with the grant waking in huge hole. The giant tumbled down the hole never to be seen again. Jack and his mother lived happily ever after, with the golden hen and the singing harp.

www.dis.edu.bd

127

Story & Experience / Sleeping Beauty

« on: July 01, 2011, 09:45:58 PM »

Sleeping Beauty

 

Once there lived a king and Queen who held a great feast to celebrate the birth of their baby daughter, Briar Rose.

 

Invitations were sent to all the fairies to bless the princess except to one as it was presumed that she was dead. Each of them came to the king's feast bringing special gifts for the little princes the fairies began to give their gifts. "She shall be beautiful, "said the first". "She shall be wise "said the second". "She shall be kind , "said the third". Only one fairy was left to give the gift when suddenly the room went dark then after a great flash of light they same the fairy who was left out.


She was furious as no one had invited her at the feast. Then she said, "well heroes my blessing feast. Then she said, " well heroes my blessing that on her sixteenth birthday she will pick her finger on a spinning wheel and die." Another flash of light and the fairy was gone. Then another fairy who was there stepped forward. " My gift for the princess in still left." "My gift to her is life! When the spindle pricks her finger she will not die but will fall into a deep sleep. That will last for a hundred years. Only a kiss from her true love will wake her.


The following day the king issued a proclamation, ordering that all spinning wheels and spindles be destroyed. Over the years the princess grew into a lovely girl. On the sixteenth birthday everyone was preparing for the Party. She decided to go exploring the palace. "I wonder what is in the great south tower," she said and made her way to it.


She saw a small door and there was a key on it. She turned the key and the door opened she saw some stairs and started climbing them. Meanwhile the king and Queen started looking for the princes. Everyone had seen her but nobody knew where she had been going. The princess had reached the top of the tower, where she saw another door that was slightly open. Then she heard a strange whirring sound, which she had never heard before. She went into the room and saw an old woman working at a spinning label. "What are you doing? Asked Briar Rose, the princess. "I have never seen one of those before, what is it"? "Its a spinning wheel said the old woman who was the wicked fairy in disguise.


The Princes asked her if she could try and spin on the wheel, she sat on the stool in front of the wheel. As soon as she touched the spindle., she picked her finger and fell into a deep sleep. Suddenly everyone in the place fell asleep the cooks who were preparing for the party feel asleep over the stirring and tasting the laundry maids fell asleep over their washing. Year passed and from time to time a king's son would come to the famous Brior hedge to try and find the mysterious sleeping princess. But none got through.

One day a charming prince, asked some villagers. Where can I find this hedge? Just beyond the village young sir "said the villagers. The Prince went to strike at the hedge, but where his sword met the throns great roses bloomed instead. The curse was lifting and a path opened for him. The prince entered the palace went to the tower room and saw the princess fast asleep. He lent over and gently kissed her. Brior rose, the princess eyelids flickered and she woke up and fell in love with him. All round the palace people began to wake up from their sleep. The Prince and the princess got married. The royal wedding lasted for several days ending with a magnificent ball. The Prince and princess danced and danced all night.


www.dis.edu.bd

128

Story & Experience / Red Riding Hood

« on: July 01, 2011, 09:43:45 PM »

A sweet little girl named Red Riding Hood lived with her mother in a cottage on the edge of a forest. Everybody called her little Red Riding Hood because she always wore a pretty little redhood, with a cap attached to it.


All the forest folks knew her well. Particularly a wicked old wolf had often watched her and thought she looked good enough to eat. One day the girl`s mother decided to send her to her grandmother`s house. She gave the little girl a basket full of goodies and told her, "Do not talk to anyone on your way".


The wolf hiding in the bushes outside, heard everything and he planned to reach granny's cottage as early as possible. Little red Riding Hood started of feeling ever so grown up to be making the journey all alone. Meanwhile the wolf reached granny's cottage and managed to frighten the old lady.

www.dis.edu.bd

The old lady rushed out of the door to save her life. The wolf was curiously waiting for the little girl. He pulled the curtains making the room dark. He wrapped himself in one of granny`s shawls and put one of her lace caps on his head. He got into her bed and pulled the covers up, soon Red Riding Hood arrived, finding the door open, she walked in " where are you,granny?" she called out. "I am in here, my dear!" replied the wolf. She went into the bedroom she could not see very well as the curtains were pulled. She gave the wolf the basket of goodies that she had brought for her granny. The wolf thanked her.


On hearing the wolf's voice she was a bit confused but she thought the change of voice was due to granny's illness. The wolf asked her to come closer. As Red Riding Hood stepped forward, she could see the big ears of the wolf. "Grand Ma", she said, " what big ears you have got". "All the better to hear you with, my child" replied the wolf. "And what big eyes you have" "All the better to see you with, my dear." The girl was now frightened. "What big teeth you have got," she asked "All the better to eat you with," cried the wolf and jumped on the little girl. Red Riding Hood turned around and ran out of the cottage. Outside the cottage she meet a forester and told him about the wolf. In the meantime the wolf was busy in removing the clothes.


The forester entered the cottage and killed the wolf with his arrow. Thus the little girl enjoyed a few days with her granny and went back.

129

History, Heritage & Culture / Ekuse February

« on: July 01, 2011, 09:15:28 PM »

“Aamaar bhaai er roktey raangano
Ekushey February,
Aami ki bhooltey paari”

If young (below 30) Bangladeshis are quizzed today: “who composed the above lines (lyric)?” it is fair to assume that most of them shall fail the quiz. Well, the answer to the quiz is: Hon’ble Abdul Guffar Choudhuri, the celebrated composer of those immortal lines.

In the Bengali daily (newspaper) “Dainik Statesman” of 20th February 2011 (Sunday), published in the state of West Bengal, India, hon’ble Abdul Guffar Choudhuri wrote a thought provoking lead article (in Bengali) titled “Amor Ehushey – Secular Bangalir Aasha O Bhaasha”. I borrow heavily from the said article while writing this piece:

Quite pertinently, as one turns the pages of history back to the British reign of undivided India, one finds that: Muslims by and large existed backward in comparison to Hindus in terms of socio-economic parameters. Muslims lived with perennial apprehension and anxiety of being overwhelmed by Hindu rule and subjugation. It was in their utmost urge to project a distinct identity that Muslim community imbibed such socio-cultural symbols as: wearing “lungi”, sporting beard, learning to speak Urdu, Arabic, Pharshi languages etc – as a sharp contrast to real or imagined Hindu cultural symbols. Names of some Newspapers published by Bengali Muslims in (the then) East Pakistan (EP) were: Azad, Takbir, Mehammadi, Medina, Sougat, Ittehad, Miilat, Ittefak, Zindagi-Insaf etc. When in 1951, the daily “Sambad” was first published in Dhaka, the daily “Azad” castigated it saying the word sambad was associated with Hindu origin hence should have been avoided; instead the name “khobor” would have been appropriate, for, the word khobor had its origin in Urdu, hence was Islamic.

With the partition of India, Pakistan as a nation state came into being. The Bengali Muslim community, now constituting overwhelming majority in East Pakistan (EP), became free from earlier apprehension of Hindu rule; but soon they began to fathom the delusion of a religion-based nation state. The rising bengali middleclass Muslims of EP were then faced with a new dilemma: they had earlier (before 1947) dreamt, upon the partition of India, of a great leap from being repressed, exploited to being empowered sharing the fruits of socio-economic (material) progress; instead they found themselves (after 1947) under the juggernaut of non-bengali (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan etc) Muslim rule who were perceived as mere substitution for British rule. On the 21st March 1948, Mr. Jinnah, the ruler of Pakistan, proclaimed that Urdu would be the sole national language throughout the state of Pakistan. The dream of Bengali Muslim community in East Pakistan (EP) was shattered. Islam, their religion, could no longer offer them a political solution.

The Bengali Muslims of EP had perforce to search for a clarion call that should galvanize all Bengalis of EP – irrespective of which God one worships or does not worship – in their bid to fight the juggernaut of non-bengali rule of EP. Bengali intellectuals of EP supplied the slogan (spiritual armoury / weapon): Secular Bengali Nationalism and Bengali Language!

Having observed the socio-cultural-political evolution of Liberated Bangladesh (BD) since 1971 till this day (2011), one may infer that: it was much less for the love of secularism and bengali language than for political gain (political empowerment) that bengali Muslims of EP embarked on language movement while professing to embrace secularism as core value of the political struggle/ movement thus enabling them to galvanize all Bengalis – Muslims or non-Muslims – towards the great struggle. As a footnote one may add that: the ploy also worked in impressing upon India that it was to the interest of India that (the then) EP should be liberated into a secular democratic Bangladesh (BD) bordering India. The language movement did not really ingrain secularism into the gene (psyche) of Muslims in BD, few exceptions notwithstanding.

Soon after partition of India in 1947, Bengali Muslims of EP under the new dispensation began to perceive themselves as subjects of new colonialism thrust upon them by non-Bengali Muslims. As a part of the language movement, Bengalis of EP began to celebrate (as cultural praxis having connotation of secular political struggle): birthday of Rabidranath Thakur, Pahela baisakh (first day of Bengali calendar), sharad-utsov (autumn festival), nobanno (festival of fresh paddy-harvest) – each of which used to be deemed as Hindu cultural symbols before 1947. Upon the liberation of EP in 1971, the new nation was named: Bangladesh (an abode of all Bengalis, one’s religion notwithstanding). BD adopted its new constitution delineating secularism and democracy as the corner stones of its polity.

Alas, not for long! The political party, Awami League, with Shaikh Mugibur Rehaman (SBR) at its helm, had been the spearhead of liberation struggle. Thus, in 1971, Awami league became natural successor to rule the new republic of Bangladesh with SBR as its first President. Mukti Bahini, the liberation force, dumped its original `liberating’ spirit, changed its color and became armed cadres of Awami League. SBR sought for `President for Life’ and endeavored to turn BD as his personal fiefdom. Liberation having achieved, the only objective that each political person / group – from top leadership in Dhaka to the grass root armed cadres in towns and villages – aimed at was: UN-EARNED BENEFIT! When muscle power became the only argument, there would never be shortage of various gangs and groups – including communal forces – engaging in flexing muscles. Under such circumstance, the group having strongest muscle would naturally win. Thus in 1975, the army took over the reign of BD and SBR paid for his life. [I can’t resist quoting a dry humor here: Indians have their general election while their neighbors elect generals!]. Since the spirit of secularism and democracy was just skin-deep among BD’s citizens (lasting for a brief period of liberation struggle), Bangladesh quite naturally lapsed into becoming an Islamic State having dumped the original constitution of 1971, as if, posing to rest of the world, “Isn’t it natural for a Muslim majority state to become an Islamic State?”

Bengali Muslims have always been suffering from an identity crisis, confusion thus: Are “being a Bengali” and “being a Muslim” two mutually exclusive identities? Can Muslims and non-Muslims exist as equals within a socio-cultural-political fold / entity called “Bengali”? Taking advantage of this confusion, Islamic extremists, the communal forces, raised their heads through religious and political fora; every political party in BD today (2011) is beholden to these communal forces. No wonder these communal forces flex muscles every now and then – a natural corollary to being an Islamic state.

Thus there hangs the trillion dollar question: “Can Bangladeshis return to their true homeland / motherland? Will Bangladeshis reinvent the true spirit of Ekushey February and liberation struggle?”


[Those who prefer seeing the glass half-full to seeing the glass half-empty, raise your hands!
Meanwhile, I await with bated breath what kind of constitutional reforms Egyptians undertake!]

Surce: www.bangladesh.com

130

Namaj/Salah / Salat

« on: July 01, 2011, 11:22:07 AM »

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:  "For everything there is a face and the face of your religion is prayers. So see to it that none from amongst you damages and disfigures the face of his religion."  (Source: Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 209)  &  "If Your Salaat is accepted then all your other deeds /Aamal are accepted"
Salat or Namaz is the most important and a complete system of worship in Islam. Literal meaning of salat is DUA. Considering salat as insignificant or taking it lightly (Istekhfaf-e-Salat) is a major sin. Both Quran and Ahadeeth emphasize that the salat must be given top priority in our daily life and must never be taken as a lightly or secondary thing.

    (A) Holy Quran: Establish salat and do not be among mushrikeen (Surah Rum, 30:31)
    (B) Holy Quran: And woe to the worshippers (namazi), who are careless in their salat, (Surah Maun, 107:3-4)
    (C) Hadeeth Holy Prophet (saw) : If salat is accepted by Allah, all good deeds will be accepted, & if salat is rejected, all good deeds will be rejected.
    (D) Hadeeth 6th Imam (AS): One, who considers salat as insignificant, will not receive our shafaat.(Intercession)

A person, who offers salat, but does not care about the masail (rules and laws) of salat, is like one who considers salat as insignificant. For some persons, the lack of knowledge of some masail of salat, wudu and ghusl, may be an acceptable excuse, but for many other persons, the lack of knowledge is no excuse, and the Islamic sharia may require such persons, in some cases, even to repeat the salat of whole life with the correct method.  Hence it is necessary for every Muslim to know and understand the masail of salat carefully so that he gains full benefit of this act of worship and he is also not considered as one who is careless about salat.

The Holy Prophet (saw) said: "At the (appointed) time of every prayer (Salaat), I hear a caller who calls and says: 'O children of Adam! keep up prayers in order to extinguish the fire you have lit against yourselves (by committing sins)." Mustadrak-ul-Wasail, vol.3, p.102

Source: www.islam-laws.com

131

Story & Experience / Ambrose Bierce

« on: June 30, 2011, 08:34:41 PM »

   

A Diagnosis of Death

'I am not so superstitious as some of your physicians - men of science, as you are pleased to be called,' said Hawver, replying to an accusation that had not been made. 'Some of you - only a few, I confess - believe in the immortality of the soul, and in apparitions which you have not the honesty to call ghosts. I go no further than a conviction that the living are sometimes seen where they are not, but have been - where they have lived so long, perhaps so intensely, as to have left their impress on everything about them. I know, indeed, that one's environment may be so affected by one's personality as to yield, long afterward, an image of one's self to the eyes of another. Doubtless the impressing personality has to be the right kind of personality as the perceiving eyes have to be the right kind of eyes - mine, for example.'

     'Yes, the right kind of eyes, conveying sensations to the wrong kind of brains,' said Dr. Frayley, smiling.

     'Thank you; one likes to have an expectation gratified; that is about the reply that I supposed you would have the civility to make.'

     'Pardon me. But you say that you know. That is a good deal to say, don't you think? Perhaps you will not mind the trouble of saying how you learned.'

     'You will call it an hallucination,' Hawver said, 'but that does not matter.' And he told the story.

     'Last summer I went, as you know, to pass the hot weather term in the town of Meridian. The relative at whose house I had intended to stay was ill, so I sought other quarters. After some difficulty I succeeded in renting a vacant dwelling that had been occupied by an eccentric doctor of the name of Mannering, who had gone away years before, no one knew where, not even his agent. He had built the house himself and had lived in it with an old servant for about ten years. His practice, never very extensive, had after a few years been given up entirely. Not only so, but he had withdrawn himself almost altogether from social life and become a recluse. I was told by the village doctor, about the only person with whom he held any relations, that during his retirement he had devoted himself to a single line of study, the result of which he had expounded in a book that did not commend itself to the approval of his professional brethren, who, indeed, considered him not entirely sane. I have not seen the book and cannot now recall the title of it, but I am told that it expounded a rather startling theory. He held that it was possible in the case of many a person in good health to forecast his death with precision, several months in advance of the event. The limit, I think, was eighteen months. There were local tales of his having exerted his powers of prognosis, or perhaps you would say diagnosis; and it was said that in every instance the person whose friends he had warned had died suddenly at the appointed time, and from no assignable cause. All this, however, has nothing to do with what I have to tell; I thought it might amuse a physician.
<  2  >

     'The house was furnished, just as he had lived in it. It was a rather gloomy dwelling for one who was neither a recluse nor a student, and I think it gave something of its character to me - perhaps some of its former occupant's character; for always I felt in it a certain melancholy that was not in my natural disposition, nor, I think, due to loneliness. I had no servants that slept in the house, but I have always been, as you know, rather fond of my own society, being much addicted to reading, though little to study. Whatever was the cause, the effect was dejection and a sense of impending evil; this was especially so in Dr. Mannering's study, although that room was the lightest and most airy in the house. The doctor's life-size portrait in oil hung in that room, and seemed completely to dominate it. There was nothing unusual in the picture; the man was evidently rather good looking, about fifty years old, with iron-grey hair, a smooth-shaven face and dark, serious eyes. Something in the picture always drew and held my attention. The man's appearance became familiar to me, and rather "haunted" me.

     'One evening I was passing through this room to my bedroom, with a lamp - there is no gas in Meridian. I stopped as usual before the portrait, which seemed in the lamplight to have a new expression, not easily named, but distinctly uncanny. It interested but did not disturb me. I moved the lamp from one side to the other and observed the effects of the altered light. While so engaged I felt an impulse to turn round. As I did so I saw a man moving across the room directly toward me! As soon as he came near enough for the lamplight to illuminate the face I saw that it was Dr. Mannering himself; it was as if the portrait were walking!

     '"I beg your pardon," I said, somewhat coldly, "but if you knocked I did not hear."

     'He passed me, within an arm's length, lifted his right forefinger, as in warning, and without a word went on out of the room, though I observed his exit no more than I had observed his entrance.
<  3  >

     'Of course, I need not tell you that this was what you will call a hallucination and I call an apparition. That room had only two doors, of which one was locked; the other led into a bedroom, from which there was no exit. My feeling on realizing this is not an important part of the incident.

     'Doubtless this seems to you a very commonplace "ghost story" - one constructed on the regular lines laid down by the old masters of the art. If that were so I should not have related it, even if it were true. The man was not dead; I met him to-day in Union Street. He passed me in a crowd.'

     Hawver had finished his story and both men were silent. Dr. Frayley absently drummed on the table with his fingers.

     'Did he say anything to-day?' he asked - 'anything from which you inferred that he was not dead?'

     Hawver stared and did not reply.

     'Perhaps,' continued Frayley,' he made a sign, a gesture - lifted a finger, as in warning. It's a trick he had - a habit when saying something serious - announcing the result of a diagnosis, for example.'

     'Yes, he did - just as his apparition had done. But, good God! did you ever know him?'

     Hawver was apparently growing nervous.

     'I knew him. I have read his book, as will every physician some day. It is one of the most striking and important of the century's contributions to medical science. Yes, I knew him; I attended him in an illness three years ago. He died.'

     Hawver sprang from his chair, manifestly disturbed. He strode forward and back across the room; then approached his friend, and in a voice not altogether steady, said: 'Doctor, have you anything to say to me - as a physician? '
<  4  >

     'No, Hawver; you are the healthiest man I ever knew. As a friend I advise you to go to your room. You play the violin like an angel. Play it; play something light and lively. Get this cursed bad business off your mind.'

     The next day Hawver was found dead in his room, the violin at his neck, the bow upon the string, his music open before him at Chopin's Funeral March.


Ambrose Bierce   

132

Story & Experience / The Miser

« on: June 30, 2011, 08:25:22 PM »

Aesop

The Miser

A miser sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and decided to watch his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the hidden treasure, and digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and take a stone, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still lying there. It will do you quite the same service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you did not make the slightest use of it."


Resource: www.eastoftheweb.com

133

Story & Experience / The Selfish Giant

« on: June 30, 2011, 07:51:21 PM »

The Selfish Giant

    Note: Oscar Wilde intended this story to be read to children

 

Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden.

     It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. 'How happy we are here!' they cried to each other.

     One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle. When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden.

     'What are you doing here?' he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.

     'My own garden is my own garden,' said the Giant; 'any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.' So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board.

 

    TRESPASSERS
    WILL BE
    PROSECUTED

 

     He was a very selfish Giant.

     The poor children had now nowhere to play. They tried to play on the road, but the road was very dusty and full of hard stones, and they did not like it. They used to wander round the high wall when their lessons were over, and talk about the beautiful garden inside.

     'How happy we were there,' they said to each other.
<  2  >

     Then the Spring came, and all over the country there were little blossoms and little birds. Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant it was still Winter. The birds did not care to sing in it as there were no children, and the trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful flower put its head out from the grass, but when it saw the notice-board it was so sorry for the children that it slipped back into the ground again, and went off to sleep. The only people who were pleased were the Snow and the Frost. 'Spring has forgotten this garden,' they cried, 'so we will live here all the year round.' The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots down. 'This is a delightful spot,' he said, 'we must ask the Hail on a visit.' So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ran round and round the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.

     'I cannot understand why the Spring is so late in coming,' said the Selfish Giant, as he sat at the window and looked out at his cold white garden; 'I hope there will be a change in the weather.'

     But the Spring never came, nor the Summer. The Autumn gave golden fruit to every garden, but to the Giant's garden she gave none. 'He is too selfish,' she said. So it was always Winter there, and the North Wind, and the Hail, and the Frost, and the Snow danced about through the trees.

     One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music. It sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it must be the King's musicians passing by. It was really only a little linnet singing outside his window, but it was so long since he had heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed to him to be the most beautiful music in the world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring, and a delicious perfume came to him through the open casement. 'I believe the Spring has come at last,' said the Giant; and he jumped out of bed and looked out.
<  3  >

     What did he see?

     He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in, and they were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were so glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms, and were waving their arms gently above the children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was still Winter. It was the farthest corner of the garden, and in it was standing a little boy. He was so small that he could not reach up to the branches of the tree, and he was wandering all round it, crying bitterly. The poor tree was still quite covered with frost and snow, and the North Wind was blowing and roaring above it. 'Climb up! little boy,' said the Tree, and it bent its branches down as low as it could; but the little boy was too tiny.

     And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. 'How selfish I have been!' he said; 'now I know why the Spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever.' He was really very sorry for what he had done.

     So he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and went out into the garden. But when the children saw him they were so frightened that they all ran away, and the garden became Winter again. Only the little boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears that he died not see the Giant coming. And the Giant stole up behind him and took him gently in his hand, and put him up into the tree. And the tree broke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and the little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant's neck, and kissed him. And the other children, when they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them came the Spring. 'It is your garden now, little children,' said the Giant, and he took a great axe and knocked down the wall. And when the people were gong to market at twelve o'clock they found the Giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.
<  4  >

     All day long they played, and in the evening they came to the Giant to bid him good-bye.

     'But where is your little companion?' he said: 'the boy I put into the tree.' The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him.

     'We don't know,' answered the children; 'he has gone away.'

     'You must tell him to be sure and come here to-morrow,' said the Giant. But the children said that they did not know where he lived, and had never seen him before; and the Giant felt very sad.

     Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played with the Giant. But the little boy whom the Giant loved was never seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he longed for his first little friend, and often spoke of him. 'How I would like to see him!' he used to say.

     Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. 'I have many beautiful flowers,' he said; 'but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.'

     One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing. He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.

     Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked. It certainly was a marvellous sight. In the farthest corner of the garden was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches were all golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had loved.

     Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and out into the garden. He hastened across the grass, and came near to the child. And when he came quite close his face grew red with anger, and he said, 'Who hath dared to wound thee?' For on the palms of the child's hands were the prints of two nails, and the prints of two nails were on the little feet.
<  5  >

     'Who hath dared to wound thee?' cried the Giant; 'tell me, that I may take my big sword and slay him.'

     'Nay!' answered the child; 'but these are the wounds of Love.'

     'Who art thou?' said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before the little child.

     And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him, 'You let me play once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise.'

     And when the children ran in that afternoon, they found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.

Source: www.eastoftheweb.com

134

Story & Experience / Never tell a lie

« on: June 30, 2011, 07:32:45 PM »

A shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the villagers three or four times by crying out, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains.

     The Wolf, however, did truly come at last. The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is killing the sheep"; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance. The Wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure lacerated or destroyed the whole flock.

     There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth.

135

English Corner / Easy method for learning english.

« on: June 29, 2011, 07:12:26 AM »

Easy method for learning English, How?

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