Backbiting (gheebah) and its expiation A.What is the ruling on accusing somebody of having a loose tongue? B.Do you have to tell them what they have said and to whom? This is a matter that has arose and instead of the person being told what they are supposed to have said and to whom. They are being told that the ones telling them they have a loose tongue, that they have it on good authority that they do not have to say anymore than "you have a loose Tongue" C.How can a person be accused of something they might not have said without telling them? The person could be innocent and their reputation is now in pieces. I ask you to please provide all the relevant islamic rulings on this matter to inshallah stop all the slandering and backbiting that is happening to the person accused of having a loose tongue. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The Muslim has to guard his tongue and avoid things that have been forbidden. Among these forbidden things which people take often lightly are gheebah (backbiting), buhtaan (slander) and nameemah (malicious gossip). Gheebah or backbiting means speaking about a Muslim in his absence and saying things that he would not like to have spread around or mentioned. Buhtaan or slander means saying things about a Muslim that are not true, or in other words telling lies about him. Nameemah or malicious gossip means telling one person what another said in order to cause trouble between them. There is a great deal of evidence to show that these actions are haraam. It will suffice for us to mention just a few of them in order to demonstrate that they are haraam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful” [al-Hujuraat 49:12] It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you know what gheebah (backbiting) is?” They said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “Saying something about your brother that he dislikes.” It was said, “What if what I say about my brother is true?” He said, “If what you say is true then you have backbitten about him, and if it is not true, then you have slandered him.” Narrated by Muslim, 2589 It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two graves and said, “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for anything that was difficult to avoid. One of them used to walk about spreading malicious gossip (nameemah), and the other used not to take precautions to avoid getting urine on himself when he urinated.” Then he called for a green branch, which he split in two and planted a piece on each grave, and said, “May their torment be reduced so long as these do not dry out.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 213; Muslim, 292 For a person to say of another, “He cannot control his tongue (or he has a loose tongue)” is undoubtedly one of those things that a person would dislike to have said about him. If it is true, then it is gheebah (backbiting), and if it is not true then it is buhtaan (slander). Everyone who does any kind of backbiting, slander or malicious gossip has to repent and pray for forgiveness, and that is between him and Allaah. If he knows that any of his words reached the person about whom he was speaking, then he should go to him and ask him to forgive him. But if he does not know, then he should not tell him; rather he should pray for forgiveness for him and make du’aa’ for him, and speak well of him in his absence just as he spoke against him. Similarly, if he knows that telling him will provoke more enmity, then it is sufficient to make du’aa’ for him, speak well of him and pray for forgiveness for him. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever has wronged his brother with regard to his honour or anything else, let him seek his forgiveness today, before there will be no dinar and no dirham, and if he has any good deeds to his credit they will be taken from him in a manner commensurate with the wrong he did, and if he has no good deeds, then some of his counterpart’s bad deeds will be taken and added to his burden.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2317. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: Whoever wrongs a person by slandering him, backbiting about him or insulting him, then repents, Allaah will accept his repentance, but if the one who was wronged finds out about that, he has the right to settle the score. But if he slandered him or backbit about him and the person did not hear of that, then there are two views according to the scholars, both of which were narrated from Ahmad, the more correct of which is that he should not tell him that he spoke against him in his absence. It was said that he should rather speak well of him in his absence just as he spoke badly of him in his absence, as al-Hasan al-Basri said: the expiation for gheebah is to pray for forgiveness for the person about whom you backbit. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 3/291 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A

Tongue and Teeth Inspired by The Young Muslims UK (YMUK) The Tongue The tongue: a mere piece of meat with no bones in it.but like a work-horse, it carries you forward–it speeds you to Paradise , or dumps you into Hell. Take control of it, or it takes control of you. So how do you steer this beast? Read on! Pick your teeth! Backbiting: one of the greatest sins, yet something we fall into, time after time, often without realizing. You chat away with your friends, you mention somebody else, and suddenly, the horse is out of control. Our societies revolve around shows like “Friends” and “Sienfeld”, shows based on lying, backbiting and cheating. But look to the best generation instead: when one of the companions spoke badly about someone who wasn't there, the Prophet, the Prophet said to him: "Pick your teeth!" The companion said "but I haven't eaten anything!" The Prophet said "You have eaten the flesh of your dead brother!" As Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala tells us in the Qur'aan: "Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?” [Hujuraat, verse 12]. The number three combo, a double McRotty, extra putrified, with a side order of squirmy white maggots? “No, you would hate it." But they deserve it! Ok, back up a second. Is it still backbiting if it's true? What if it's only half true?Or what if they deserved it? They're just mean, vicious little creatures who ruined your entire day with their attitude, their demands, or something else--and you just had to tell somebody! Well, the Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam made it clear for us: "backbiting is to say something about someone they wouldn't like said about them. [...] If what bad you said about them is true, then you have backbitten them, and if it is false, then you have slandered them!" [saheeh Muslim] ”So what,” you might say, “it's not a big deal. Everybody does it!” On the night of Miraaj (the Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam's ascension to heaven), he passed by some people with metal hooks in their hands who clawed at their faces and their necks with them. When he inquired about them, Jibreel said, 'These are the people who eat the flesh of human beings and disgrace them.'" [Aboo Dawood]. So don't worry about “everybody” yet. Worry about yourself first! Just teasing! Maybe we think it's funny to trash-talk someone to their face. Maybe their clothes smell like curry, or maybe their beard needs a weed-whacker, or maybe niqaab actually makes them look better! Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala warns us about this type of rudeness directly in the Qur'aan, when He says in soorah Hujuraat verse 11 (the interpretation of the meaning): "O you who believe, let not some a party of you laugh at others, it may be the (latter) are better than you (former). Nor abuse each other, nor be sarcastic to each other by using offensive nicknames ... And whosoever does not repent (from these things), then such are the wrong-doers." Besides, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala made us the way we are. Humans have no control over their height, their flappy ears, or their pug-noses. What's more, one of the characteristics of munafiquwn (hypocrites) is that they mocked the believers. So when your tongue insists on remembering other people's shortcomings, remember your own shortcomings to keep it in line. You know, it's cool to swear ... If you listen to some of your friends (or maybe yourself!) speak one day—you may notice, nearly every other sentence contains swear words. Maybe you think it's cool to swear, to copy the idols of TV and the cinema. Is it really “cool” to swear? The Hellfire is far from being cool--people will wish they were cool then, rather than being cool in this world! Remember: an angel writes down every single word you say, and one day, you will have to answer for all of it. Sometimes you're so angry with someone, the only way to express yourself is to swear at them or hit them. The solution? Be strong. Our Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam said: the strong man is not the one with the best Kung-Fu, but the one who controls himself in a fit of rage. [Muslim] It's ok to feel angry. But learn to channel it properly. If someone angers you or swears at you, step back. Take deep breaths. Walk away, if you have to. Make woodhu with icy-cold water and go pray. When you feel better, then respond in a better way, as Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says: "Repel evil with what is better. Then he who was your worst enemy will become your best friend!" [Fussilat verse 34] Moi? I never said that! How often do we say "I was only kidding" or “just joking”? We treat the biggest lies like the smallest flies, gnats to be waved away until we get caught out. By then, it won't matter, right? Wrong! The angel on your left shoulder is scribbling, scribbling, writing everything you say and do against yourself. Even if you're the only person on the Earth who knows, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala the All-Seeing and All-Knowing is watching you. One of the companions of the Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam asked, straight-up: “Can a Muslim be a liar?” He said “No! A Muslim can never be a liar!” [Malik's Muwatta] He also said: "Truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise [...] lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Hellfire. And a person may keep telling lies until he is recorded as a liar." [saheeh Bukhaari] One lie leads to ten. Ten lead to 100. More and more and more lies, until you're caught in a web that not even you can remember the truth about. Save yourself now! Don't be recorded a liar in your eternal biography! But it's only words! You're just flapping your gums, right? What -- you don't mean any of it! What does it matter? Remember: people enter into Islam through words (the shahadah), and leave Islam through words (of disbelief). The power of words seals marriage between two unrelated people, or shatters their relationship forever in. All through words. So if you think you won't be held accountable for your words, think again: the Messenger of Allaah sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam told us that people will be flung face-down into the Hellfire, only on account to what they said! [Tirmidhi] I must be doomed! "I lie, backbite, and swear all the time. I must be going to Hell!" A one-way ticket to a place where they serve you boiling water and devils-heads for sustainance. You're doomed, right? No! Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala tells us in the Qur'aan: "O my servants who have wronged themselves, never despair of the mercy of Allaah, for truly He forgives all sins. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful." [Az-Zumar, verse 53] If you repent and turn back to Allaah, and promise not to commit the sin again, never ever, for as long as you live, and mean it, then He will forgive you. And whose mercy is greater than Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala's? Make amends! If you've backbitten someone, go and tell the person, apologize sincerely, and ask them to forgive you. (If they say “no”, don't worry about it—you've done what you can.) But, if you think that might worsen the situation, then turn sincerely to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and beg for His forgiveness. Then to make up for what you said--go and speak good of the person behind their back. Key to Paradise If you control your tongue and speak good, Paradise can be yours, there to abide forever. The Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever can guarantee me two things I can guarantee them Paradise : what lies between his two jaw-bones (his tongue) and what lies between his two legs." [bukhaari] Even more amazing, he sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam said: whoever prevents sending gossip against his brother, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala puts down a right upon Himself to relieve that person from the Hellfire. So remember next time you feel like spouting at or about someone: if you remain patient, Paradise can be yours. All it takes is willpower and practice! A Shovelful of Good Deeds Your tongue can be a shovel. You now know all the ways to shovel the bad stuff, and get yourself in deep, deep doo. But how can you use it shovel up piles and mountains of good deeds for yourself? Dhikr: Keep your tongue soaked in the rememberence of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala. Whether a five-minute walk down the street or an hour-long drive, remember Allaah, and glorify Him (tasbeeh—SubhaanAlla ah, Alhamdulillaah, and Allaahu Akbar). Remember His Names and Attributes—the Most Merciful, the Just, the All-Knowing. Defend and Explain Islam: When Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala tests us, as He promised He will, be ready to step up to the challenge. Often, you can unlock people’s misconceptions with just a five-minute explaination on what Islam is really about. Naseehah: Give people you know sincere, heart-felt advice. (Make sure you do so in a gentle way--“yes, I really think your clothes smell like curry” won't work too well.) Think it through before you say it, and make sure it sounds soft, not harsh. That makes it easier for them to accept. One Tongue to Rule them All Finally, if you remember anything, remember this one statement. It will ensure the protection of your tongue, bi idhnillah! ARE YOU READY FOR IT ? Here it is: the Messenger of Allaah sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last day, let him either speak good or keep silent!" [agreed upon]

Aamin, Wa iyaaka sister. Though Ramadan and now the 10 blessed days have just passed, let's keep alive the spirit and continue fasting (particularly on Mondays/Thursdays, when deeds are presented to Allah, or both), finish the Qur'aan at least once a month (so a daily Jus is an absolute must), and of course the Salats in Jamaacah alongside the adkaars. The good news is that it rapidly becomes an habit, especially with pocket-sized annotated Qur'aans, "Hisnul Muslims" (adkaars) or even "Arbiciin An-Nawawi/40 Ahadiths An-nawawi" (great for one's arabic as well). Again, one must have certainty and visualise his Hasanats account in front of his eyes and the cleansing/replenishing effect of even a single tasbih "Subxaana rabiy-al cadiim wa bixamdihi"!

Tx akhyaarta.No more excuse to procrastinate...

Not long ago, It was the irregular phone calls; now, I'm overwhelmed by even the younger cousins connected from home... PS:Tx Ibti, Salma is indeed a good choice for our latest; Islamic names like Asma, Anas, Salma etc have lately been in vogue among relatives.

A timely one: By Al-`Asr (the time), (1) Verily, man is in loss, (2) Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommended one another to truth, and recommend one another to practice patience. Meaning=In the name of Allah, the Beneficial, the Merciful. Time is witness that, surely mankind suffers loss, except for those of faith. Who do good, and become a model of truthful living, and together practice patience and constancy Thus, as long as we try and keep our daily Adkaars/Salats/Qur'aan, I guess we are not losing much (learning is key too). Else, Ibti, what are the best female Islamic names, and what do you think between Salma or Safia? Just had a sister on Thursday from the new Bah...

Maad aragtay? memories of childhood or Hargeysa summers in the nineties and even earlier sound long ago, yet so close in mind, not mentioning even the babies/cousins now grown-ups or no longer so young parents. Now, both the power and relativity of time as expressed in the Qur'aan takes fuller meaning. PS: I'm learning to cherish each day and not an idealised past...

Actually, even in Afghanistan and, until recently South Somalia, were exporting fruits. Imagine how much could we gain if a trade channel, an air cargo line or anything was set-up to market our products...

Sovereign Wealth in Abu Dhabi Author: Rawi Abdelal a Affiliation: a Harvard Business School, Boston, MA, USA Abstract By the turn of the century, oil had already made the tiny emirate of Abu Dhabi rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams. A sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), has invested extra oil revenues abroad for more than thirty years and amassed a still-growing portfolio worth approximately $750-900 billion. ADIA is widely believed to be the world's largest sovereign wealth fund - indeed the world's largest institutional investor. But Abu Dhabi is not yet a “developed” economy. So, in 2002, the Mubadala Development Company was established as a government-owned investment vehicle. Unlike ADIA's mandate to build and manage a financial portfolio, Mubadala's charge was to develop Abu Dhabi. According to some observers, ADIA was a “sovereign savings fund,” while Mubadala was a government-owned investment firm. Mubadala is supposed to invest the wealth of the emirate in activities that would diversify the economy away from energy and into industry and services. Although each Mubadala investment is supposed to earn large returns, the strategy balances financial against “strategic” returns. ADIA and Mubadala are the institutional architecture to manage the wealth of the Abu Dhabi sovereign. Actually, all these losses do confirm that the shift from Western financial markets to tangible investments in more accessible emerging countries's infrastructure and agriculture is the way forward for Arab capital surplus; a welcome development for high-growth economies like Sudan, Egypt, Algeria all the way to Mauritania and Senegal (even Djibouti now experiences 6/7% growth largely thanks to these flows)...

This is a salutary lesson for all, as the main culprits are Nakheel and the property boom (though the Financial crisis started in the West). However, the real jewels in Dubai, like the now ring-fenced Dubai Ports or Emirates airlines, are quite healthy and litterally still taking over the world (almost exclusively Gulf-owned airlines are prospering nowadays). Whether or nor the default on payment is a pressure on Abu Dhabi to bail out (albeit with major restructurations), the debts are, at any rate, still negligible in the overall national picture of the Emirati Federation...

Taqaballaah mina wa minkum, Ciid mubaarik iyo cafis. I have a spring in my step today (like I'm 10 again). This is when I really appreciate being in a Muslim country. Driving to work and seeing all the lights and flag already up Indeed Norf; the last minute clothes picking and preparation, new toys, cambaabur best served with fermented milk, xaq'al ciid collect, famillial feasts and trips back home are among the best memories of life... NB:above all, let's not forget that ciid gift to our suffering people, especially the IDP and injuried children!

Nuune, you are missing the Northern/Djibs guys like Ibrahim kahin "Ibraahin Dheere" (property, bank shareholder I think etc), OOmaar, Baxsane etc. Even less known figures may have more than $2m in assets (mainly property) and savings, as well as prosperous businesses. One of them forgave around $40 000 on the spot during a settlement...though we are not that far clanwise etc lol Interesting how some of our Southern bros are heavy players in the East african trade... NB:Stoic, these people are employers and philanthropes who sustain many families from every corner of the Somali peninsula...it's not easy to make that much money both in a halal way and locally!

Dear Che, The anti-piracy training facility is both a regional centre and an international one of reference; thus, the only criterias in deciding the hosting country were local stability and geographical in nature (proximity, coast etc). That is altogether another issue, different from TFG security training, which is a purely Somali affair in first instance. Not too sophisticated a nuance indeed; hence the disappointment with Puntland's Faroole (though the dishonesty was expected from clanish cheerleaders)....

I think statemen should not take their clues solely from Somali Web medias and other syncophants from their inner circle; that is what it looked like when Faroole displayed publicly his irritation at the "Djibouti anti-piracy deal". Had he consulted at least the official Djiboutian portals, he would have realised that there is little for Puntland, or Somalia for that matter, to worry and interfere about international donors's decision to establish an anti-piracy training centre over there, as Ibbi just signed what other regional states did sign, namely their accord of principle to join these efforts (basically, to send their officers and trainees in the donors's chosen location). But then again, this was just a conveniently made-up issue, among many others, by some of those advocating for more federalism, which is neither a magic bullet nor something to be opposed at all cost...though one could only hope for more ethics from those having access to Somali officials!

dp

Why not just focus on his allegations of "agnosticism" with detailed evidence if any; he's just coming accross as envious with all these uncalled for details of someone's private life...

With all these display of flesh online, it's embarrassing to come accross yet another relative in flashy attires etc (especially with girls). Should we boycott Facebook but loose a convenient way of monitoring at the same time? However, I am getting more convinced that the cons outweigh the pros, as it's hard to resist wandering around old acquaintances and other parties's pictures... Some rulings on Online Networking & Da'wah? Of course, I'm thinking of alerting the parents so that more fundamentals decisions are taken before the next scandal...

In practice, how do you fuse a hotmail, yahoo and gmail so that you can get your mails into your gmail for ex? Tried but not that simple, so any quick method to check only one or two of those mail accounts would be greatly appreciated...

10 DAYS OF ZUL HIJJAH 1. Allah has taken oath of ten nights in Surah Al-Fajr. According to the majority of the commentators of Qur'ãn, the nights are those of the (first) ten days of Zul Hijjah. 2. Abdullah Ibn 'Abbãs radiyallahu anhu related that the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "Good deeds performed on other days are not superior to those performed on these (first ten days of Zul Hijjah)." The Companions radiyallahu anhum inquired, "Not even Jihãd?" He replied, "Not even jihãd, except for that person who goes out putting himself and his wealth in danger and does not return with anything." (Bukhãri) 3. Abdullah Ibn 'Abbãs radiyallahu anhu narrated that Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "On no other days are good deeds more liked by Allah than on these ten days (i.e. The first ten days of Zul Hijjah)." The Sahãbah radiyallahu anhum asked, " O Rasoolullah ! Not even Jihãd in the Way of Allah?" Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam replied, "Not even Jihãd in the Way of Allah, except for that person who goes out with his life and wealth and does not return with anything." (Abu Dãwood, Tirmizi, Ibn Mãjah) 4. Abu Hurayrah radiyallahu anhu related that Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "On no days is the worship of Allah desired more than in the (first) ten days of Zul Hijjah. The fast of each of these days is equal to the fast of a whole year, and the worship of each of these nights is equal to the worship of Laylatul Qadr." (Tirmizi, Ibn Mãjah) 5. The mother of the believers, Hafsah radiyallahu anhaa reports that Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam used to fast the (first) nine days of Zul Hijjah. (Nasã'ee, Ahmad, Abu Dãwood) 6. Abdullah Ibn 'Umar radiyallahu anhu related that Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "No days are as weighty with Allah and so liked by Him for good deeds than the first ten days of Zul Hijjah. So on these days increasingly read Subhãnallah, Lã ilãha illallãh, Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar." (Musnad Ahmad) Fasts in the First 10 Days: The Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said, "One fast during these days is equal to the fasting of one complete year, and the worship of one night during this period is equal to the worship in the "Lailatul-Qadr".(Tirmizi) The 9th day of Zulhijjah: The 9th day of Zulhijjah is called 'Youmul - "Arafah' (The Day of 'Arafah). This is the date when the Hujjaj ( pilgrims) assemble on the plain of 'Arafat, six miles away from Makkah al-Mukarramah, where they perform the most essential part of the prescribed duties of hajj, namely, the 'Wuqoof of'Arafat (the stay in 'Arafat)'. The Fast of Youmul 'Arafah: For those not performing hajj, it is mustahabb (desirable) to fast on this day according to their own lunar calendar dates of their own country . The fast of 'Youmul 'Arafah' has been emphasized by the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) as a mustahabb (desirable) act. According to a hadith, the fast of this day becomes a cause, hopefully so, of forgiveness for sins committed in one year. Abu Qataadah(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: " I have hope in Allah Ta'ala that the fast of Arafaat will be an atonement for the sins of the past and the forthcoming year." (Tirmizi) Takbir-ut-tashriq: Beginning from the Fajr of the 9th Zulhijjah up to the 'Asr prayer of the 13th, it is obligatory on each Muslim to recite the Takbir of Tashriq after every fard prayer in the following words. "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahilhamd." (There is no god but Allah and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.) According to authentic Islamic sources, it is obligatory on each Muslim, to recite this Takbir after every fard salah. For women also, it is commendable though not obligatory. Whether one is performing salah with Jama'ah (collectively) or on one's own (individually) makes no difference. One must recite the Takbir. However, male Muslims should recite it in a loud voice, while females should recite it in a low voice. the best 10 days in your life to begin... Yeah, the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah Do we frankly do so many good deeds, where do we stand with our book of deeds in front of Allah? Are we ready to face Him? worried Allah knows His servants so He gives us a booster chance... to gain multiples in reward... His Messenger SAW said "There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." They said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back with anything." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2/457 So what do we do to grab those rewards? Fasting It is Sunnah for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah Keep Reciting tahmeed, tahleel, Tasbeeh and takbeer Tahmeed - " Alhamdulilah" Tahleel - " La ilaaha Il-Allah" Takbeer - "Allah Hu Akbar" Tasbeeh - " SubhanAllah" Takbeer also goes like Allaah akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise). The first 10 days of Dhul' Hijjah start on Wed 18th Simple n easy and excellent opportunity for us Assalamualikum - peace be on u "Verily, we have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds [i.e. those who do good deeds in the most perfect manner, that means to do them (deeds) totally for Allaah's sake and in accordance to the legal ways of the Prophet]" [al-Kahf 18:7] Perfect days for perfect Ibaadah By Asma bint Shameem Alhamdulillaah......the blessed days are here one more time! The glorious days when rewards are multiplied many times, and sins are forgiven much more... the days in which Allaah gives us yet another chance to worship Him, to ask for forgiveness and correct our faults and make up for our shortcomings.... the blessed days that the Sahabah waited for and prayed for.... the beautiful days in which they strived long and hard in worship, until they could do no more.... What are these magnificent days? These blessed days are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Just like the last ten nights of Ramadaan are the best ten nights out of the whole year, the Ulama tell us that out of the 365 days of the year, these first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are the best days of the year and the most beloved to Allaah as they combine acts of worship in a way unlike any other times. The Prophet testified to that. He said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Bukhaari) Subhaan Allaah wal-Hamdulillaah! What a blessing! The question is.....what do I do on these magnificent days and how can I make the most of this perfect, golden, golden opportunity to earn rewards and Jannah? Obviously, Hajj is one of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days. However for those of us who were not invited to His House this year, there are still many, many good deeds that one can do and earn the Pleasure of Allaah. Some of these are: 1) Fast all nine days and especially fast the Day of 'Arafah The Prophet said: "Anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years." (Bukhari, Muslim) Just imagine.....if you fast these nine days (fasting on Eid is haraam), how far your distance will be from hell! The Prophet used to fast on the ninth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah and he said: "Fasting the Day of 'Arafah (ninth Dhul-hijjah) is an expiation for (all the sins of) the previous year and an expiation for (all the sins of) the coming year." (Muslim) 2) Do a LOT of Dhikr and Takbeer The Prophet said: "There are no days on which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allaah than on these ten days, so recite much Tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah), Takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar) and Tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillaah)." (Ahmad -Saheeh) Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayrah used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. (Bukhaari) Takbeer at this time is a Sunnah that has mostly been forgotten, especially during the first few days. So say it in the masjid, in your home, on the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allaah. Revive the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten and earn great rewards for doing so. The Prophet said: "Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward." (Tirmidhi- a hasan hadeeth) Obviously, men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly. 3)Stand in Night Prayers: Remember the virtues of spending the night in prayer, and its sweetness in Ramadan?! Why not revive this beautiful act of worship during these nights as well?! Remember, how in the last third of every night, Allah Almighty calls out to us, His servants: Is there anyone to invoke Me, so th at I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? (Bukhaari, Muslim) Why do we miss this golden opportunity? So, seize the chance NOW and expose yourself to His Divine Generosity and Mercy, ask Him to forgive you and guide you and set things aright. He will surely listen. 4)Make Sincere Repentance. One of the best and most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin right away because we do not know when we will die, and also because one evil deed leads to another. But what does 'repentance' exactly mean? It means that you come back to Allaah and give up all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes.... that you regret whatever you did in the past, giving it up immediately and be determined never ever, to return to it, and resolve to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing whatever Allaah loves. "But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful." [al-Qasas 28:67] 5) Come back to the Qur'aan It is time now to dust off your copy of the Qur'aan and return to its refuge.Make it a daily habit, using these 10 days the beginning of a strong and beautiful relationship with it. Read it=2 0with meaning, understand it, and then implement it and change your lives for the better, as much as you can. Remember that reading one letter of the Qur'aan earns you 10 rewards. In this way, reading Surat Al-Fatihah,which doesn't take more than two minutes will give you more than one thousand rewards! This is on ordinary days, so what about these magnificent days! Certainly the reward will be far greater, Insha Allaah. 6) Generally increase in doing ALL good deeds We should strive in doing more good deeds in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allaah and will bring us closer to Him. So if we are not able to go to Hajj this year, we should occupy ourselves during these blessed days by worshipping Allaah, praying extra prayers, reading Qur'aan, remembering Allaah, sending Salaams on the Prophet , making dua, giving charity, honoring our parents, upholding ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship. "So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it; And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it."[al-Zalzalah 99:7-8] 7) Get the reward of Hajj wherever you are: You may be unable to do Hajj this year, and you may feel sad because you are deprived of the great reward of Hajj. But you can achieve a similar reward in whatever place you may be. The Prophet said: "Whoever prays Fajr Prayer in congregation, and then sits and remembers Allah until the sun rises, then (after a while) prays two rak'as, he will gain a reward equal to that of making perfect Hajj and Umrah." [He repeated the word perfect thrice.] (At-Tirmidhi) Isn't that easy, Alhamdulillah? 8) Slaughter an animal and distribute the meat Ibn Umar said: The Prophet lived in Madeenah for 10 years and every year he slaughtered an animal." (Ahmad-Saheeh by al-Albaani) 9) Attend Eid prayers But remember that Eid prayer is a form of worship and we shouldn't be doing things that are unIslaamic (especially) during these times, such as listening to music, women going out for prayer without proper Hijaab, mixing of men and women, etc. 10) Thank Allaah One of the biggest forms of worshipping Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala is to thank Him, deeply, sincerely and continuously. After all, it is He who gave you every single thing that is in you, on you or around you. In fact, you wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for the Mercy of your Creator. So thank Him for ALL that He gave you, the Islaam that He gave you, the very life He gave you. And thank Him for the chance that He gives you in these ten days, to ask for forgiveness and guidance. Alhamdulillah, there is much to be gained in these coming days. So make the most of this perfect opportunity offered by these invaluable and irreplaceable ten days. Hasten to do good deeds and appreciate this blessing and make the most of it, striving hard in worship . "And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (death)." [al-Hijr 15:99]

Arabsiyo (just received): cute creatures these mini-turtles rumaan or pomegrenates, among those mentioned in the Qur'aan & rediscovered as "Functional Food" the way forward...

The co-accused was too scared as the Rabbi "sent around some heavies" to threaten him, as he said. Now, they are twisting this hard-drug dealing on an industrial scale into a "swap for sexual favors" scheme...

Rabbi Baruch Chalomish accused of swapping cocaine for sexual favours Russell Jenkins A rabbi set up in business as a drug dealer and lavished his supplies of cocaine on young prostitutes at parties, a jury was told yesterday. Rabbi Baruch Chalomish, 54, bearded and wearing a trilby hat, shared the dock at Manchester Crown Court with an interpreter who occasionally translated the barristers’ words into Hebrew. He was said by the prosecution to be a wealthy man who took up with Nasir Abbas, also 54, a convicted dealer, who had the “knowhow” and the contacts in the drug trade. The rabbi was the financier in the operation. They set up their “commercial cocaine-supply operation” in an hotel service flat in Shudehill, Manchester, where, it is alleged, Chalomish liked to dispense the drug in return for “sexual favours”. Chalomish, a part of Greater Manchester’s Orthodox Jewish community, denies two charges of supplying cocaine but admits two counts of possession. Mr Abbas, who did not turn up for the trial, faces charges of possessing the Class A controlled drug with intent to supply. When police raided the flat in January they found evidence of a substantial drug operation, including bottles and bags containing the drug and paraphernalia used to cut it for sale, cutting agents, rolled-up £20 notes, “snap bags” and credit cards. Michael Goldwater, opening for the prosecution, told the jury that police found a set of digital scales in a canvas bag in the kitchen that was used for weighing the drug. He suggested that the discovery of the drug in a highly pure state was important. Most cocaine is sold on the streets with a purity of about 28 per cent or less, he said. “What you might find significant is some of the recovered cocaine is between 65 and 82 per cent pure. That would normally be cut down with harmless powder to achieve the desired level of purity in which cocaine is normally sold.” Drugs and and quantities of cash were found in a search of the rabbi’s home in Salford. In total from both premises, police recovered more than 100g of cocaine, worth about £6,700 in street sales. Mr Abbas told police after his arrest that the rabbi gave him money to rent the flat, adding: “He wanted to relax and have a party in the flat.” He named one girl, Emma from Stockport, who stayed for seven days. Mr Goldwater told the jury that Mr Abbas insisted that the rabbi did not sell drugs but if anyone wanted to take them he or she could. When it was put to Chalomish that the amounts of cocaine found were not consistent with personal use he replied that when he buys cigarettes, he does not buy one or two packets but 20 at a time. He told officers that he had bought the cocaine in bulk so he could guarantee his access to the “good stuff”. Mr Goldwater said: “What was going on? The prosecution say these were two men engaged in essentially a commercial drug-supply operation. “We do not completely exclude the possibility there might have been some truth in what Mr Abbas told police, that some drugs were given to young women who visited the flat and one or more of these young women may have provided sexual services. “Mr Abbas had the knowhow in the drugs business and knew where to obtain the drugs, how much to pay for them and where to find customers. Rabbi Chalomish would not necessar-ily have the knowledge. We say he was the financier who put up the money.” The judge told the jury not to assume that Mr Abbas is guilty simply “because he isn’t here”. The trial continues today. Timesonline

Djibouti's booming Haramous (presidential residence): What a garden!

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