^ Naasir, what is your intention bro?

Johnny B & Callypso, as Atheists, I would like to ask you if you could share with us, What is the Purpose of Life(creation)? Castro, enough with the fear tactics sxb. this forum has Rules and Regulations, you break them you pay the consequence. If you are wise enough to follow(tolerate) those simple rules, you will recieve tolerance.

ANGER MANAGEMENT Anger by itself is not unnatural. However, if one gets angry for reasons other than for the sake of Allaah, it can lead to problems. The Prophet (pbuh) described cures for this "disease" and ways to limit its effects, among which are the following: (1) ) Seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan: "And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytaan (Satan), then seek refuge with Allaah" [al-A'raaf 7:200] Sulayman ibn Sard said: "I was sitting with the Prophet (pbuh), and two men were slandering one another. One of them was red in the face, and the veins on his neck were standing out. The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'I know a word which, if he were to say it, what he feels would go away. If he said "I seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan," what he feels (i.e., his anger) would go away.'" (Bukhaari) (2) Keep Quite: The Prophet (pbuh) said: "If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent." (Ahmad). The angry person may lose self control and utter words of Kufr, curses, the word of divorce (talaaq),etc. So keeping quite would avoid all that. (3) Make Wudu: The Prophet (pbuh) said: Anger is from the Shaytaan and the Shaytaan is made from fire. Nothing can put out the fire except water, so when any of you gets angry, he should make Wudu.( Ahmad, Abu Dawood) (4) Get out of the situation you are in: The Prophet(pbuh) said: "If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so his anger will go away; if it does not go away, let him lie down."(Ahmad). Sitting down makes it less likely that he will become overexcited, and lying down makes it even less likely that he will do something crazy or harmful. (5) Remember the advice of the Prophet (pbuh): A man said to the Prophet (pbuh), "Advise me." He said, "Do not become angry." The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet (pbuh) told him, "Do not become angry." (Bukhaari) (6) Remember the rewards of controlling your anger: The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Do not become angry and Paradise will be yours." (Tabaraani-Saheeh) And he (pbuh) said, "Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allaah will fill his heart with contentment on the Day of Resurrection."(Tabarani) (7) Remember the reward for forgiving others: The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Allaah will not increase a person who forgives others except in honor." (Muslim). (8) Know the high status and advantages offered to those who control themselves: The Prophet (pbuh) said: "The strong man is not the one who can overpower others (in restling); rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when he gets angry." (Ahmad). The greater the anger, the higher the status of the one who controls himself. (9) Know that resisting anger is one of the signs of righteousness (taqwaa): One of the characteristics of the ones Allaah loves is that they…. "spend (in Allaah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, [they] repress anger, and [they] pardon men; verily, Allaah loves al-muhsinoon (the good-doers)." [Aal 'Imraan 3:134] ". . . when they are angry, they forgive." [al-Shooraa 42:37] (10) Listen to reminders: A person may get angry, but the true mo'min is the one, when reminded, will remember Allaah and suppress his anger. Ibn 'Abbaas reported that a man said: "O son of al-Khattaab, you are Not giving us much and you are not judging fairly between us." 'Umar was so angry that he was about to attack the man, but al-Hurr ibn Qays, who was one of those present, said: "O Ameer al-Mu'mineen, Allaah said to His Prophet (pbuh) 'Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish' [al-A'raaf 7:199]. This man is one of the foolish." By Allaah, 'Umar could go no further after al-Hurr had recited this aayah to him, and he was a man who was careful to adhere to the Book of Allaah. (Bukhaari). (11) Remember the bad effects of anger: Anger leads to regret and the need to apologize. The angry person may go out of control; he could strike out and injure someone, destroy possessions or even kill. He could utter divorce to his wife in a fit of rage and then regret it for the rest of his life. (12) Du'aa': One of the du'aa's of the Prophet (pbuh) was: "O Allaah, by Your knowledge of the Unseen and Your power over Your creation, keep me alive for as long as You know life is good for me, and cause me to die when You know death is good for me. O Allaah, I ask You to make me fear You in secret and in public, and I ask You to make me speak the truth in times of contentment and of anger. I ask You not to let me be extravagant in poverty or in prosperity. I ask You for continuous blessings,and for contentment that does not end. I ask You to let me accept Your decree, and for a good life after death. I ask You for the joy of seeing Your face and for the longing to meet You, without going through diseases and misguiding fitnah (trials). O Allaah, adorn us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who are guided. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds." "Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction." (Ar-Rad : Ayah-28)

The Blue Pill People by Hari Heath Dec - 2002 "Idaho Observer" -- There are none so blind as those who will not look. If you are one of those who will look, take a look around. You are surrounded -- surrounded by millions who will not look. These are the blue pill people. Who are these blue pill people and why won't they look? “The Matrix†may be only a movie, but it presents some scenarios with much relevance to our current situation. In the movie, Neo meets Morpheus and is offered an opportunity and a choice. Neo can take the red pill and see the truth for himself, or he can take the blue pill and return, comfortably unaware, to the illusion of the Matrix. There he can live out his life undisturbed by the truth. The truth depicted in The Matrix is an extreme version of modern socialism. In the futuristic scenario of the movie, a massive array of human beings are kept in self-contained pods that resemble artificial wombs. These “row-cropped†human entities are maintained in their pods, from their in vitro conception until they are no longer useful to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) entity. The AI entity needs certain things from these “humans†for its own sustenance, so it continuously breeds new human crops and extracts from them what it needs. In return, the AI entity supplies the humans' needs with several permanent intravenous connections and a neural link. The neural link provides the pod-bound humans with a complete illusion -- the Matrix. In the AI-created illusion the humans have a normal life in a real world. In reality, however, the civilized world was destroyed some time ago and humans have been harvested as crops for the benefit of the Al entity ever since. The Matrix is a complete digital holographic type “world†created by the AI entity to mentally contain its human crops while it extracts what it needs from their pod-bound bodies. In the movie, when Morpheus is about to offer Neo the choice between either the red pill or the blue pill, he explains: “You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain -- but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life; that there's something wrong with the world; you don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?†“The Matrix,†Neo asks? “Do you want to know what it is? The Matrix is everywhere, it is all around us. Even in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes; it is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.†And Neo asks, “What truth?†“That you are a slave Neo, like everyone else, you were born into bondage; born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch; a prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to experience it for yourself.†Those few humans who were either born into reality, or have successfully taken the red pill, become the focus of the movie's story -- their attempts to destroy the Matrix and liberate the mass of humanity that lives completely encapsulated in their pods and the illusions fed to them by the powers that be -- powers that will go to any length to maintain the illusion. Extreme, but not much different than our modern system of corporate government and capitalistic socialism. The governing powers need things from us, not the least of which is our consent. To obtain our consent we are fed all manner of benefits. We are programmed from an early age to believe that such benefits are necessary. To obtain these benefits, a number of conduits are attached to each of us. Adhesion contracts like Social Security, a driver's license; voter registration for a pretended choice of social masters, bank accounts where credit is manufactured for our use and other memberships, registrations, licenses, deeds and permits to insure the conduct of our affairs will be confined within the “matrix†of corporate governance. We are given our own numbered “pod,†a social net provided by the government. Educated according to mandates of the state, our belief system is further cultured by corporate media. There are various forms of “welfare†should we succumb to poverty or disease. If we are threatened or in danger we can call 911. Government's job of “securing†us is made easier by the massive database tracking our movements, our finances, the location of our homes and businesses and our tax records. When old age creeps up, we can rely on government to take care of us. The corporate/government/financial interface combines to create a massive illusion of benefits -- the American dream. For the price of a promise to indebt our future labors, pay our taxes and play within the system, there are seemingly limitless toys, castles, comforts and consumables for those who believe in this Matrix. For half our productivity taken in taxes (the other half in payments) and the deeds and title to whatever we think we own, government and its private affiliates will take care of us. To live in this Matrix, all we have to surrender is any genuine sense of independence, personal responsibility and our right to live freely and actually own the fruits of our labors. And, like in the movie, a contingent of agents are deployed to combat any renegade humans who have a will for freedom from the Matrix which surrounds us. As Morpheus expiained, “The Matrix is a system Neo, and that system is our enemy. When you are inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters, the very minds we are trying to save. Until we do, these people are part of that system and that makes them our enemies. You have to understand that most of these people are not ready to be unplugged and many are so hopelessly dependent on the system, they'll fight to protect it.†Why will blue pill people fight to protect a Matrix that enslaves them? It's all they know. And all their toys, castles, comforts and consumables will be gone without the Matrix. Their whole illusionary existence will evaporate, leaving them naked and alone. What won't the blue pill people in our current “real†world look at? They refuse to acknowledge they are they are funding their enslavement to a socialist homeland police state. Last month, a few “red pill†people traveled to D.C. for an eloquent conclusion to Freedom Drive 2002, exposing the fraud of the l6th Amendment, the IRS, and the federal income tax. But the blue pill people remained comfortably in their coma, ever willing to pay a tax they do not owe. They fund Congress and the Nazi/moron president's implementation of America's new Third Reich, so they can feel “secure.†And, so the blue pill people can finally understand what really happened the morning of September 11, 2001, Henry Kissinger, the angel of death and global tyranny, will investigate the facts and tell us the blue-pill truth. Will Americans really believe the Doctor of genocide? Hidden away on the 6th floor of the Department of Justice building is the secret FISA Court. U. S. attorneys have been going there for years to get secret search warrants from in-house, rubberstamp judges under the guise of “national security.†This parallel “legal†system can order clandestine searches of citizens' and non-citizens' homes. From the “evidence†gathered, we can be secretly declared “enemy combatants†and held indefinitely at U. S. military bases. Remember the detainment camps those paranoid conspiracy theorists told you about years ago? U.S. officials claim they can detain and interrogate enemy combatants until the executive branch declares an end to the war on terrorism. This includes no access to lawyers or family members; investigations, interrogations, trials and punishments can be held without the protections secured by the Constitution. The Nazi/moron president's administration says there is ample precedent for what it is doing. Are we following the “ample precedent†of a man named Hitler? Meanwile, the Congress has passed the American Gestapo Authorization (Homeland Security) Act which defines a terrorist as: “The term “terrorism' means any activity that -- involves an act that is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.†As a test for social compliance, 838 blue pillers recently passed blissfully through an unconstitutional random roadblock in Pittsburgh without “seeing†the real “terrorists†in Homeland Security's new America -- the police state (See page 22). Is our present police state “dangerous to human life†and “destructive of critical infrastructure†like the Bill of Rights? Is it “against the laws†(18 USC 241; 242) to deprive a citizen of their right to travel and be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects? Do random roadblocks, by design, “intimidate or coerce a civilian population?†What happens if you don't comply with the roadblock? The next test for blue pill compliance will be mass inoculations for smallpox. Will the blue pill population literally trample all over each other to get their shots as some officials predict? Has the vaccination “matrix†been so well entrenched in the blue pillers' minds that they will actually let mercury, monkey puss and aborted fetal tissue be injected under their skin based on an unproven theory that such things promote health and prevent disease? And what greater “matrix†is there, than our current “fiat;' financial system? We “believe†that a piece of paper with the picture of a dead president has the value of the number printed on it and that one dead president is more valuable than another. We don't even consider that the use of this dead president paper is the direct cause of our own enslavement. Have you ever seen your bank account? It's not there. Only the slight-of-hand practiced by the teller and the accountant behind the scenes makes this illusion look real to the blue pill people. How deep does the rabbit hole go? Near the end of the movie, the Matrix's agent Smith acclaims the virtues of the Matrix to the captive red pill people's leader Morpheus: “Have you ever stood and stared at it? Marveled at is beauty; its genius? Billions of people, just living out their lives -- oblivious.†Source: The Idaho Observer

sheherazade I know India likes to sell itself as a multi-faith cooperative society. My experience while there was different. The fact that I covered my head and so 'religiously' got on many nerves. Complete strangers said I should take it off!! Even on the morning of the visit to the Taj, the rickshaw guy said: Madam, this is India, you can take that off!! thanks to the BJP's legacy, the India of Ghandi is gone.

Shirwac - here are some Hadiths concerning this subject. It is very clear. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The part of an Izar which hangs below the ankles is in the Fire." [sahih Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 72, Number 678] Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: The Prophet said Allah will not look, on the Day of Resurrection at the person who drags his garment (behind him) out of conceit. On that Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Apostle! One side of my Izar hangs low if I do not take care of it." The Prophet said, 'You are not one of those who do that out of conceit." [sahih Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 72, Number 675] --------------------------- "Actions are according to intentions"

very interesting post Nur. in number 2: To understand the current issues as they reaaly are I would add that Peak Oil and the Rise of China, specialy its need for more and more imported oil, have much influence in the current events that are taking place. when we speak of Islam and Conspiracy, in this subject to be specific, i take it we are focusing on the Middle East(Iraq) and Central Asia(Afghanistan). If you study Peak Oil and the reserves that are left in the world, you will see a pattern that is unmistakable, starting long before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It looks like a chess game, what we are seeing now, is just a increase in speed of the moves, the end game. a site for those interested in Peak Oil, check out ASPO's website. http://www.peakoil.net/ The Founder, Colin Campbell is educated at Oxford and holding a Masters degree he has served as a geologist for Oxford University, Texaco, British Petroleum and Amoco (prior to the BP Amoco merger). He has served in executive positions with Shenandoah Oil, Amoco, Fina and was Chairman of the Nordic American Oil Company. He has served as a consultant on oil for the Bulgarian government as well as for Statoil, Mobil, Amerada, Total, Shell, Esso and for the firm Petroconsultants in Geneva. He is the Convener and Editor of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and a Trustee of the Oil Depletion Analysis Center in London. A member of The American Society of Petroleum Geologists, The Geological Society of London, and the Petroleum Institute of London he has delivered more than 35 lectures on oil depletion on three continents. His hosts have included universities, governments, and auto manufacturers. He has been published more than 150 times in the field including the 1997 book "The Coming Oil Crisis" (Multi-Science Publishing Co. & Petroconsultants).

Asalamu Alaykum when I accepting to become one of the Mods in the Islam Forum, I was expecting a MANUAL, a How-To Formula to be mailed to my PM, like the guidlines of this duty. well since i'm still waiting for that Manual, I opened my Qur'aan and started reading Surah Hujjraat(49). There are some great advices in this Surah, and I advice all to read, specially to the New Mods, Insha'Allah. here are some of Verses from this Chapter: LISTEN This Surah - Arabic/English 049.006 O ye who believe! If a evil-doer comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done. 049.009 If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other, then fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the command of Allah; but if it complies, then make peace between them with justice, and be fair: for Allah loves those who are fair (and just). 049.010 The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy. 049.011 O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong. 049.012 O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...But fear Allah: For Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. 049.013 O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/049.qmt.html ------------------------------------------------- PS: I read the following story while back, some say the man in the story is Socrotese, in another version a Baghdadi Scholar, but either way, the Story is worth mentioning, specialy at this Time; The Triple Filter Test During the golden Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?" "Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test." "Triple filter?" "That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" "No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and.." "All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?" "No, on the contrary..." "So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?" "No, not really." "Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?" -------------- Insha'Allah, before posting, we should all test ourselves and see if what we are trying to share with our fellow SOL nomads, is True, Good and Useful. Nabad

peace and blessings to all Hambalyo to all the new Mods. Garaad Baashi thanks for the great advice bro!

^ aamiin Nur, that is a very inspiring dream Walaahi. I like the Metaphor*; that we are all farmers, and as Muslims we have two, this Dunya and Aakhira, both require hard-work and balance, and the lucky ones are those of us who find a way to unite them into One. Your dream will give you this Insha'Allah. I look forward to Nur Inc. * I heard that metaphor from Sh. Muhammad Umal, in his Khutbah; Mada'daalada Islaamka

Originally posted by Jacaylbaro: Mustafa X ismaaciil is doing fine ,,, he is still giving his muxaadarooyin from here to there ,,, nice sheikh ,,,,, yes, I love the sheikh! Masha'Allah

"I love being in school," Kimani told reporters. "I always wanted to be a veterinary doctor, because I love animals. That is my goal." Kimani uses two hearing aids and a cane. On school days, he walks about a half-mile to join his 100 fellow students at the local elementary school. they say, at his age, people with goals tend to stay around a little longer. good for him.

How is Sh. Mustafa Xaaji Ismaaciil doing in Hargeisa?

Muslims most highly educated group in the U.S. U.S. Muslims tend to be "role models, both as Americans and as Muslims", states a commentary in the Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal took a close look at the situation of Muslims in the United States and found: • 59 percent of U.S. Muslims have at least an undergraduate degree, making them the most highly educated group in the United States. • U.S. Muslims form the richest Muslim community in the world, four out of five earn more than $25,000 per year and one in three makes at least $75,000. • 82 percent of American Muslims are registered to vote. • 64 percent of American Muslims were born outside the U.S., but the majority entered the country legally. Full Article: Click Here

Omar, Welcome Bro

hey, give Baashi a break, he was 2 seasons younger!

Castro, I was not 'jumping the man' sxb, i was merely feeling sorry for his son. If you think killing yourself, infront of your child, so that he remembers it and be able to stay and grow up in a 'hostile' country, without a father, is the 'ultimate sacrifice', i strongly disagree. I see it as the easy way out of the situation, not sacrifice. Either the man had few drinks, or he wasn't using his mind the right way. as for his fate in the next world, Allah knows best!

^ liibaan thats excatly what was going through my mind. one can only imagine the kind of pressure the kid will have to go through during the coming years. knowing that his father's death - was 'FOR' him. :confused: man o man, Allah has blessed us with Islaam and Qadr! It is believed he hanged himself while Antonio was present. It was an act that will no doubt haunt the rest of Antonio's life.

Hemmed in by Britain's asylum laws, Manuel Bravo took his own life on his 35th birthday out of a parental love to guarantee that his 13-year-old son Antonio would not be deported to homeland Angola, reported a leading British daily on Sunday, September 17. "Now that Mr Bravo is dead, Antonio at least will have a chance to achieve their joint dream of building a successful life in Britain," wrote The Independent. The Home Office said Antonio is now unlikely to be deported before his 18th birthday, so enabling him to complete his schooling in Britain. He will then be able to apply for asylum. The British daily said the tragedy highlights the desperation many feel as London pursues "an increasingly stringent" asylum policy. Click to read the story in full http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article313206.ece -----------

just returned from the meeting. It was very lively and emotional, with timely giggles. the Panel were great, specially the member of parliament, who belongs to this Ethnic group.

these countries all have a Muslim Majority Population, except for Guyana and Suriname, both in Latin America. for more information about these countries, please click here Islamic State of Afghanistan The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was founded in 1996. The capital is Kabul. The population is about 22 million and land area is 652 thousand square kilometres. Afghanistan is situated at the south-western part of Central Asia, and shares borders with Pakistan on the south and south-east, Iran on the west and Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the north. The climate is arid to semiarid with cold winters and hot summers. The terrain is mostly covered by rugged mountains, with the exception of plains in the north and the south-west. Although there are some oil and gas finds, they are not fully exploited. Coal extraction is the main mining activity. The economy of Afghanistan is based on animal husbandry and related light industries. The international dialing code for Afghanistan is 93. Republic of Albania The The Republic of Albania was founded in 1991. The capital is Tirana. The 1997 population is about 4 million and the land area is about 27 thousand square kilometres. Albania is situated on the shores of the Adriatic Sea in South-eastern Europe, and shares borders with Yugoslavia on the north, Macedonian on the east and Greece on the south-east. The Adriatic Sea lies to the west. The climate is mild-temperate with cool, cloudy and rainy winters and hot, dry and clear summers. The interior is generally cooler and more humid. The terrain is covered by mountains and hills with small plains along the coast. The earth is shaky and this causes high tidal waves (tsunami) along the south-western coast. Natural resources include crude oil, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber and nickel. Almost two-fifths of the land area is covered with forests and woodlands and the rest by arable land, meadows and pastures, including permanent crops. The economy of Albania is heavily dependent upon agriculture. The international dialing code for Albania is 355. People's Democratic Republic of Algeria The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria was founded in 1962. The capital is Algiers. The 1997 population is 29 million and land area is almost 2.4 million square kilometres. Algeria is situated on the the Mediterranean shores of Northern Africa, and shares borders with Tunisia and Libya on the east, Niger, Mali and Mauritania on the south and Morocco on the west. She has an almost 1 thousand kilometre Mediterranean coastline to the north. The climate is arid to semiarid with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers along the coast and drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau regions. Hot dust/sand-laden winds are a discomforting element especially during the summers. The terrain is such that almost 90% of the land area is covered by the Sahara Desert which is gradually spreading. There are some mountains, along the coast and also to the south, that lead to small plains. To the north, down to the south of the coastal mountain range there is a large depression which is rich in oil deposits. Other resources include natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead and zinc. Only 3% of the land area is arable and even a smaller 2% is wooded. Meadows and pastures take up 13% of the area. The economy of Algeria is based on the petroleum and hydrocarbon industry. Algeria has rich deposits of iron ore, phosphate, lead, zinc and antimony. Agriculture and wine production contribute to the GDP as well. The international dialling code for Algeria is 213. Republic of Azerbaijan The Republic of Azerbaijan was founded in 1992. The capital is Baku. The 1997 population is around 8 million and the land area is 86.6 thousand square kilometers. Azerbaijan is situated on the western shores of the Caspian Sea in Western Asia, and shares borders with Armenia to the west and south-west, Iran to the south and and Russia and Georgia to the north. The climate is dry. The steppe is semiarid and subject to drought. The Kura Lowland which has a hot, dry, temperate climate lies below sea level. The terrain is mostly mountainous. The Great Caucasus Mountains lie to the north; the Karabakh Upland is in the west. The Capital Baku is in the Aspheson Peninsula that juts into the Caspian Sea. Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, non-ferrous metals and aluminum are the main natural resources. The land is not arable. More than half of its cultivated land is irrigated. The economy of Azerbaijan is based mainly on petroleum resources. Agriculture accounts for about 30% of the GDP. The Baku oilfields constitute one of the oldest centres of heavy industry. The international dialing code for Azerbaijan is 994. The Kingdom of Bahrain The State of Bahrain was founded in 1971. The capital is Manama. The 1997 population is 0.6 million and land area is 0.69 thousand square kilometres. The country is made up of a group of about 35 islands situated midway along the Arabian Gulf. In 2001 the state of Bahrain Became a Kingdom of Bahrain. The climate is arid characterised with pleasant winters and very hot and humid summers. The terrain consists mostly of low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment. The islands are linked by causeways and in some cases roads. Main natural resources are oil, associated and non-associated, natural gas, and fish. A very small part of the land is arable and it has a low number of permanent crops. Meadows and pastures take up a very limited part of Bahrain’s land. There are no forests and woodlands. The economy of Bahrain is heavily dependent on its hydrocarbon resources. Traditionally the economy was based upon agriculture, pearling and trade but these activities lost their significance once exploitable petroleum deposits were discovered. Economic diversification is based upon industrialization as well as encouraging private sector investment in such areas as tourism. Banking, finance and trade sectors have also developed. The international dialing code for Bahrain is 1973 People's Republic of Bangladesh The People’s Republic of Bangladesh was founded in 1972. The capital is Dhaka. The 1997 population is 122 million and land area is 130.2 thousand square kilometres. Bangladesh is situated at the eastern end of the Indian Peninsula in Southern Asia, and shares borders with India all around, with the exception of a short south-eastern frontier with Myanmar. The Bay of Bengal lies to the south. The climate is tropical and is dominated by the seasonally-reversing monsoons. The winter is cool and dry; the summer is hot and humid. June to October is the season for the rainy monsoon. The terrain is mostly flat alluvial plain with some hills in the south-east. For the most part the country is deltaic. The soil is relatively fertile. Flooding of the land is a major problem. The main natural resources are natural gas, uranium, arable land and timber. Two-thirds of the land is arable and 16% is woodland. The economy of Bangladesh is mainly agricultural and the main crop is rice. There is also a diversified light industrial base. Jute has traditionally occupied a pivotal position in the Bangladesh economy since it links agriculture to industry. The international dialing code for Bangladesh is 880. Republic of Benin The Republic of Benin was founded in 1960. The capital is Porto-Novo. The 1997 population is around 6 million and land area is 110.6 thousand square kilometres. Benin is situated on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea in Western Africa, and shares borders with Burkina Faso and Niger on the north, Nigeria on the east and Togo to the west. The coast is a straight sand-bar to the south (Atlantic Ocean). The coastline is 121 kilometres. The climate is tropical and hot. It is humid in the south and semiarid in the north. The terrain is mostly flat to undulating plain including some hills and low mountains. Small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble and timber are Benin’s main natural resources. There is a small area of arable land. More than one third of the land is made up of forests and woodlands. The economy of Benin is dependent upon cross border trade with Nigeria. Agricultural products, cotton and petroleum are the major products. Natural gas has also been exploited. The international dialing code for Benin is 229. Sultanate of Brunei Dar-us-Salam The Sultanate of Brunei Dar-us-Salam was founded in 1984. The capital is Bandar Seri Begawan. The 1997 population is 0.3 million and land area is 5.27 thousand square kilometres. Brunei is situated on the northern shores of the Island of Borneo in South-eastern Asia, and with the exception of the north coastline, shares borders with Malaysia all around where it faces the South China Sea. The climate is tropical, hot, humid and rainy. Most of the country is covered by dense equatorial forest. The terrain is made up of flat coastal plain rising to mountains in the east. A hilly lowland lies to the west. Brunei has a very small area of arable land. There are few permanent crops, meadows and pastures. Forests and woodlands make up more than half the land. Crude oil, natural gas and timber are among Brunei’s natural resources. The economy of Brunei is Based on oil revenues and the population of Brunei enjoys one of the world’s highest levels of national income per head. Petroleum and natural gas are assets to the economy. The need for diversification has been emphasised for the future. The international dialling code for Brunei is 673. Burkina Faso The Republic of Burkina Faso was founded in 1960. The capital is Ouagadougou. The 1997 population is around 11 million million and land area is 274 thousand square kilometres. Burkina Faso is situated at the hinterland of Western Africa as a land-locked country, and shares borders with Benin and Togo on the south-east, Ghana and Ivory Coast on the south, Mali on the north and Niger on the north-east. The climate is warm with dry winters and hot, wet summers. There is minimum annual rainfall. Water percolates deeply within the rocky expanses. The terrain is mostly flat. There are primary sandstones towards the south-western border with Mali. The Banfora escarpment is formed to the east. The residual soil of these rocky areas is poor. Manganese, limestone, marble, small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc and silver constitute the natural resources of Burkina Faso. There are no permanent crops and only a small area of the land is arable. The economy of Burkina Faso is agricultural and pastoral. Traditional farming methods are used. The mineral resources are beginning to be exploited. The international dialing code for Burkina Faso is 226. Republic of Cameroon The Republic of Cameroon was founded in 1960. The capital is Yaounde. The 1997 population is around 14 million and the land area is 465.4 thousand square kilometres. Cameroon is situated at the eastern shores of the Gulf of Guinea in Africa, and shares borders with Chad and Central African Republic on the east, Nigeria on the north-east, Congo Equatorial Guinea and Gabon on the south and has a 200 kilometre coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is tropical along the coast and semiarid and hot in the north. It varies according to the terrain. Meadows and pastures take up a limited land area while forests and woodlands cover over half the country. There exists a marked south-north gradation of climates from seasonal equatorial climate in the south to southern savannah and savannah climates to a hotter dry climate of the Sahel type in the far north. The terrain is diverse with coastal plains in the south-west, dissected plateau in the central region, mountains in the west and plains in the north. Cameroon’s main natural resources are crude oil, bauxite, iron ore, timber and hydropower potential. The economy of Cameroon is based on petroleum, agriculture, livestock, timber and hydropower potential. Rubber, palm oil and cotton are produced. The international dialing code for Cameroon is 237. Republic of Chad The Republic of Chad was founded in 1960. The capital is N’djamena. The 1997 population is about 7 million and land area is 1,259 thousand square kilometres. Chad is situated in Central Africa, and shares borders with Cameroon on the south-west, Niger and Nigeria on the west, The Central African Republic on the south, Jamahiriya on the north and Sudan on the east. The climate is different in three distinct zones: the south has a savannah woodland vegetation with ample rainfall. The rainfall to the north is 250-500mm per year. This is the marginal Sahel region. The northern third of the country has negligible rainfall and is covered by sparse vegetation which grades north to the desert area. The terrain is mostly desert, except for Lake Chad midway on the western border of the country. There are significant reserves of Uranium and various other minerals in the Aozou strip located in the extreme northern desert area. The economy of Chad is dominated by the agricultural sector. Cotton and groundnuts are the two major cash crops. The cash crops grow in the south. Manufacturing is devoted to the processing of agricultural products. The international dialing code for Chad is 235. Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros The Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros was founded in 1975. The capital is Moroni. The 1997 population is 0.65 million and the land area is 2.2 thousand square kilometres. The archipelago lies between the east African coast and the north-western coast of Madagascar. The climate is tropical marine with a rainy season between the months of November and May. The terrain is variable as one moves from the coasts to the interiors; from steep mountains to low hills. There are four major islands scattered along a north-west-south-east axis. The islands are volcanic in structure and Mount.Njazidja is still active. The main resource of the country is the sea which supports fishing. The economy of Comoros is mainly agricultural and the main export crops are vanilla, ylang-ylang, and cloves. Comoros has a developing tourism industry. The international dialing code for Comoros is 269. Republic of Djibouti The Republic of Djibouti was founded in 1977. The capital is Djibouti. The 1997 population is 0.63 million and land area is 23.2 thousand square kilometres. Djibouti is situated at the eastern shores of the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa, and shares borders with Eritrea, on the north-west, Ethiopia on the south-west and Somalia on the south-east. There is a 300 kilometre coastline to the east at the south end of the Red Sea. The climate is torrid, dry desert climate. The terrain is such that the mountains in the central regions of the country separate the coastal plains and the plateau. Geothermal areas are the main natural resources in Djibouti. The economy of Djibouti is based on the international port and the activities surrounding it. There is a developing service sector as well. The international dialing code for Djibouti is 253. Arab Republic of Egypt The Arab Republic of Egypt was founded in 1922. The capital is Cairo. The 1997 population is 62 million and the land area is 995.5 thousand square kilometres. Egypt is situated at the the north-eastern tip of Africa, and shares borders with Israel on the north-east, Sudan on the south and Jamahiriya on the west. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the north and the Red Sea is in the east. The climate is uniformly arid. The summers are hot and dry while the winters are moderate. The terrain is mostly desert, taking up 96% of the land area. The River Nile is the main resource of the country serving as a waterway and source of irrigation. Other natural resources include crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead and zinc. The economy of Egypt is Diversified and the development of Egypt’s hydrocarbon industry has had a major impact on the economy. Transport and tourism also play a major role. The cotton and textile industry have developed and account for about a quarter of total export revenue. The international dialing code for Egypt is 20. Republic of Gabon The Republic of Gabon was founded in 1960. The capital is Libreville. The 1997 population is around 1.2 million and land area is 257.7 thousand square kilometres. Gabon is situated at the eastern shores of the Gulf of Guinea in Africa, and shares borders with Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea on the north and Congo on the east. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. Gabon has a 890 kilometre coastline. The climate is tropical. The terrain is made up of a narrow coastal plain, a hilly interior and savannah to the east and south. A very small area is arable and there are few crops. Meadows and pastures take up about one fifth of the land. Natural resources include crude oil, manganese, uranium, gold, timber and iron ore. The economy of Gabon is based on mining and forestry Exploitation of mineral wealth has been the source of economic growth. Prior to the commencement of mineral exploitation the economy was dependent on the timber industry. The international dialing code for Gabon is 241. Republic of the Gambia The Republic of the Gambia was founded in 1965. The capital is Banjul. The 1997 population is over 1.2 million and land area is 10 thousand square kilometres. Gambia is situated on the the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Western Africa, and shares borders with Senegal only, as it is surrounded on all three sides by her. The Atlantic shore lies to the west. The climate is tropical with hot and rainy summers; cool, dry winters and annual rainfall averages 1,150 mm. The terrain is essentially the valley of the navigable Gambia River. Reserves of petroleum have been identified but not exploited. About 16% of the land is arable and 20% is rain forest. The economy of Gambia is based on agriculture (mainly rice and groundnuts) and related light processing industries along with fishing. The international dialing code for Gambia is 220. Republic of Guinea The Republic of Guinea was founded in 1958. The capital is Conakry. The 1997 population is around 8 million and the land area is 245.7 thousand square kilometres. Guinea is situated on the the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Western Africa, and shares borders with Guinea-Bissau on the north-west, the Ivory Coast on the east, Liberia and Sierra Leone on the south, Mali on the north and north-east and Senegal on the north. It has a coastline of 320 kilometres on the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is generally hot and humid and there is a monsoon-type rainy season from June to November with south-westerly winds. The dry season lasts from December to May with north-easterly Harmattan Winds. The terrain is flat coastal plain with hilly to mountainous towards the interior parts of the country. Forests and woodlands take up close to half the land area while meadows and pastures take up about one fifth. Main natural resources are bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower and fish. The economy of Guinea is based on the rich mineral deposits available. The mining sector accounts for 90% of the revenue. Agriculture is the second most important sector. The international dialing code for Guinea is 224. Republic of Guinea-Bissau The Republic of Guinea-Bissau was founded in 1974. The capital is Bissau. The 1997 population is 1.1 million and the land area is 28.1 thousand square kilometres. Guinea-Bissau is situated on the the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Western Africa, and shares borders with Guinea on the east and Senegal on the north. Guinea-Bissau has a 350 kilometre coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is tropical. There is a monsoon-type of rainy season with south-westerly winds from June to November. The dry season lasts from December to May with north-eastern Harmattan Winds. The terrain is made up of low coastal plains rising to savannah in the east. Meadows and pastures take up close to half the land. Forests and woodlands are spread over one-third of the area. Main natural resources are unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite and phosphates along with fish and timber. The economy of Guinea-Bissau is based on agriculture and fishing. Groundnuts are the traditional export commodity. There is some food-processing activity. The international dialing code for Guinea-Bissau is 245. Co-operative Republic of Guyana The Co-operative Republic of Guyana was founded in 1970. The capital is Georgetown. The 1997 population is 0.85 million and land area is 19.7 thousand square kilometres. Guyana is situated on the the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in northern part of South America, and shares borders with Suriname on the east, Brazil on the south and Venezuela on the west. The Atlantic coast lies to the north. The climate is tropical (hot and humid), moderated only by north-east winds. The rainy seasons are from May to mid-August and Mid-November to mid-January. The terrain is covered mostly with rolling highlands. Low coastal plains and savannah lie to the south. 83% of the area is covered by forests and woodlands. Its natural resources include bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp and fish. The economy of Guyana is based upon the industry-services sector, followed by agriculture and mining. The international dialing code for Guyana is 592. Republic of Indonesia The Republic of Indonesia was founded in 1945. The capital is Jakarta. The 1997 population is 201 million and land area is 1,812 thousand square kilometres. The country is made up of thousands of islands situated in the area where the Pacific and Indian Oceans meet. The only borders are in the islands of Borneo with Malaysia on the north and New Guinea with Papua New Guinea on the east. The climate is tropical, hot humid and more moderate in the highlands. This can be described as maritime equatorial. The terrain is mostly coastal lowlands with mountains on the larger islands. Indonesia is very rich in natural resources and the main ones include crude oil, tin, natural gas liquids, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal gold and silver. The economy of Indonesia is predominantly based on exploitation of petroleum and there are considerable sectors of manufacturing and agriculture also. The international dialing code for Indonesia is 62. Islamic Republic of Iran The Islamic Republic of Iran was founded in 1979. The capital is Tehran. The 1997 population is around 61 million and land area is 1,622 thousand square kilometres. Iran is located in Western Asia, and shares borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the east, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey on the north-west, Turkmenistan on the north and Iraq on the west. Iran also has a 2.5 thousand kilometre border on the Caspian sea. The Persian Gulf as well as the Gulf of Oman lie to the south. The climate is mostly arid or semiarid and subtropical along the Caspian coast. It is a climate of extremes. The terrain is rugged in mountainous rim, high in the central basin with deserts and mountains and there are small discontinuous plains along both coasts. It has a small area of arable land and no permanent crops. Meadows and pastures take up about a quarter of the country’s land. Forests and woodlands exist only in limited numbers. Iran’s main natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc and sulphur. The economy of Iran is based on the petroleum industry. Iran is the world’s second richest country in natural gas resources after Russia. Mining is another important source of wealth. The international dialing code for Iran is 98. Republic of Iraq The Republic of Iraq was founded in 1932. The capital is Baghdad. The 1997 population is 21 million and land area is 437.4 thousand square kilometres. Iraq is situated in Western Asia, and shares borders with Iran on the east, Jordan on the south-west, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on the south, Syria on the west and Turkey on the north-west. The Gulf lies to the south-west with a brief coastline of 58 kilometres. The climate is mostly desert with mild to cool winters and dry, hot and cloudless summers. The northernmost regions along the mountainous Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasional heavy snows. The terrain is made up mostly of broad plains and reedy marshes in the south-eastern parts of the country. About one fifth of the land is arable and there are few permanent crops. Iraq’s main natural resources are crude oil, natural gas, phosphates and sulphur. The economy of Iraq is based upon crude oil sales as well as river control and irrigation. Iraq had become the world’s second largest exporter of hydrocarbons prior to the Gulf War. At present there exists an embargo limiting exports. The international dialing code for Iraq is 964. Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was founded in 1946. The capital is Amman. The population is 5.8 million and the land area is 89 thousand square kilometres. Jordan is situated in Western Asia, and shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the east, Palestine and Israel on the west and Syria on the north. She also has a short coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba at the southern tip. The climate is mostly arid desert and the rainy season in the west lasts from November to April. The terrain is such that the eastern part of the country is covered by desert plateau and there is a highland area to the west. Jordan’s main natural resources are made up of phosphates, potash and shale oil. A small part of the land is arable and this is put to maximum use. The economy of Jordan is based upon agriculture (vegetable production in particular), industry and mining. Banking and related services make up a lucrative sector as well. The international dialing code for Jordan is 962. Republic of Kazakhstan The Republic of Kazakhstan was founded in 1991. The capital is Almaty. The population is 16 million and land area is 2,670 thousand square kilometres. Kazakhstan is situated in Central Asia, and shares borders with China on the south-east, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on the south and Russia on the north. The climate is dry continental due to the desert which takes up about half the country’s area. The terrain is made up of vast plains extending from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from Western Siberia to the deserts and oasis of Central Asia. The main natural resources are petroleum, coal, iron, manganese and other ores. The economy of Kazakhstan is relatively diversified. Agriculture and heavy industry make up the main sectors. Mining is also a developing sector. The international dialing code for Kazakhstan is 7. The State of Kuwait The State of Kuwait was founded in 1961. The capital is Kuwait City. The population is 1.8 million and the land area is 18 thousand square kilometres. Kuwait is situated at the northern tip of the Persian Gulf, and shares borders with Iraq on the north and Saudi Arabia on the south. The Persian Gulf lies to the east. The climate is dry desert climate with intensely hot summers and short cool winters. The terrain is flat to slightly undulating desert plains. Only 8% of the area is covered by meadows and pastures, the rest being barren. The natural resources are petroleum, fish, shrimp and natural gas. The economy of Kuwait is based on oil and offshore banking services. The international dialing code for Kuwait is 965. Republic of Kyrghyzstan The Kyrgyz Republic was founded in 1991. The capital is Bishkek. The population is around 4.7 million and land area is 192 thousand square kilometres. Kyrghyzstan is situated in Central Asia, and shares borders with China on the east, Kazakhstan on the north, Tajikistan on the south and Uzbekistan on the west. The climate is dry continental to polar in high areas such as Tian Shan and subtropical in the south where the Fergana Valley is located. The terrain is barren and the country has no arable land, permanent crops, meadows, pastures, forests or woodlands. The main natural resources are small amounts of coal, natural gas and oil. There are also some deposits of rare metals. The economy of Kyrghyzstan is diversified and has considerable activity in the sectors of mining, agriculture and manufacturing. The international dialing code for Kyrghyzstan is 7. Republic of Lebanon The Republic of Lebanon was founded in 1943. The capital is Beirut. The population is around 3 million and the land area is 10 thousand square kilometres. Lebanon is situated on the the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and shares borders with Israel on the south and Syria to the east. The 225 kilometres coastline stretches along the west. The climate is Mediterranean which ranges from mild to cool with wet winters and hot dry summers. The terrain is narrow coastal plain. The Al Biqa (Bekaa Valley) divides the Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. One fifth of Lebanon’s land is arable. There are few permanent crops, forests, woodlands, meadows and pastures. The natural resources of Lebanon are limestone, iron ore and salt. It is a water-surplus state in a water-deficit region. The economy of Lebanon is Based on banking and tourism. The international dialing code for Lebanon is 961. Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya The Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya was founded in 1951. The capital is Tripoli. The population is around 6 million and the land area is 1,760 thousand square kilometres. Jamahiriya is situated on the the Mediterranean shores of Northern Africa, and shares borders with Algeria and Tunisia on the west, Chad on the south, Egypt on the east, Niger on the south-west and Sudan on the south-east. Libya has a 1.8 thousand kilometre Mediterranean coastline. The climate is Mediterranean along the coast with dry and extreme desert conditions in the interior regions. The terrain is mostly barren and flat with undulating plains, plateaux and depressions. The main natural resources are crude oil, natural gas and gypsum. There is very little arable land and no permanent crops, forests or woodlands. Meadows and forests make up a small area of the land. The economy of Jamahiriya is based on the production of crude petroleum. The cultivation of barley, wheat and fruit has started. The agricultural sector has gained importance. Manufacturing is geared towards food processing and agriculture. The international dialing code for Jamahiriya is 218. Malaysia Malaysia was founded in 1957. The capital is Kuala Lumpur. The population is around 22 million and land area is 329 thousand square kilometres. Malaysia is situated in South-East Asia. Malaysia is made up of the mainland and the Borneo Island and shares borders with Thailand on the north in the mainland and with Indonesia on the south in the Island of Borneo. It has a 4.7 thousand kilometre coastline. The climate is tropical. Annual monsoons take place in the south-west from April to October and in the north-east from October to February. The terrain is such that the coastal plains rise and give way to hills and mountains. The natural resources include tin, crude oil, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas and bauxite. The economy of Malaysia is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing economies of the world. The reason behind this spectacular growth is the existence of rich natural resources. The main motor of growth was the manufacturing sector. The international dialing code for Malaysia is 60. Republic of Maldives The Republic of Maldives was founded in 1965. The capital is Male. The population is around 0.3 million and land area is 0.3 thousand square kilometres. It is made up of a chain of coral islands located in the Indian Ocean. The climate is hot, humid and dry tropical. The north-east monsoon takes place between June and August. The terrain is flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters. There is very little arable land available and there are few forests, pastures and woodlands. There are no permanent crops. Fish is Maldives’ main natural resource. The economy of Maldives is based on fishing, shipping and finance. The international dialing code for Maldives is 960. Republic of Mali The Republic of Mali was founded in 1960. The capital is Bamako. The population is around 11.5 million and land area is 1220 thousand square kilometres. Mali is situated in Western Africa, and shares borders with Algeria on the north, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast on the south, Guinea on the south-west, Mauritania and Senegal on the west and Niger on the east. Thus, it is a land-locked country. The climate is varied between subtropical and arid. It is hot and dry from February to June; rainy, humid and mild from June to November and cool and dry from November to February. The terrain is such that there are flat to rolling sand covered plains in the north, savannah in the south, and rugged hills in the north-east. The River Niger flows across the north. Mali has a small area of arable land, few forests and woodlands. Mali’s main natural resources are gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, bauxite, iron ore, and manganese. Tin and copper deposits are known but not exploited. The economy of Mali is based on mining and agriculture. The international dialing code for Mali is 223. Islamic Republic of Mauritania The Islamic Republic of Mauritania was founded in 1960. The capital is Nouakchott. The population is 2.5 million and land area is 1025 thousand square kilometres. Mauritania is situated on the the Atlantic Ocean shores of Western Africa, and shares borders with Algeria on the north-east, Mali on the east and Senegal on the south. The Atlantic coastline is 754 kilometres. The climate is hot, dry and dusty. The terrain is made up of barren, flat plains of the Sahara with some central hills. There is a very limited amount of arable land, forests and woodlands. Meadows and pastures take up close to half of the country. The natural resources are iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper and phosphate. The economy of Mauritania is in transition. It was almost entirely traditional and rural based on livestock and agriculture. Now the major impetus for the economy comes from its mineral resources. The international dialing code for Mauritania is 222. Kingdom of Morocco The Kingdom of Morocco was founded in 1956. The capital is Rabat. The population is 27.3 million and the land area is 446 thousand square kilometres. Morocco is situated in the the north-eastern corner of Africa, and shares borders with Algeria in the east and Mauritania in the south. The Atlantic ocean lies to the west and the Mediterranean makes up the north. The climate is Mediterranean which becomes more extreme towards the interior regions where it is mountainous. The terrain is such that the coastal plains are rich and accordingly, they comprise the backbone for agriculture. Forests cover about 12% of the land while arable land accounts for 18%. 5% is irrigated. The major natural resources are phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish and salt. The economy of Morocco is based on agriculture, livestock-raising and fishing. The mining industry comes second. The major activity is phosphate mining. The tourist industry is an increasingly important area of activity. The international dialing code for Morocco is 212. Mozambique The Republic of Mozambique was founded in 1975. The capital is Maputo. The population is around 18 million and land area is 784 thousand square kilometres. Mozambique is situated on the the eastern shores of Southern Africa, and shares borders with Malawi and Tanzania on the north, South Africa on the south-west, Swaziland on the south, Zambia and Zimbabwe on the west. There is a long coastline on the Indian Ocean stretching 2.4 thousand kilometres. The climate is varied between tropical and subtropical. The terrain is mostly coastal lowlands and uplands in the central regions. Forests and woodlands take up about one fifth of the land. Meadows and pastures take up more than half the land. There are high plateaus in the north-west and mountains in the west. Mozambique’s main natural resources are coal and titanium. The economy is based on agriculture and mining. Manufacturing and industry is geared towards South African products. The international dialing code for Mozambique is 258. Republic of Niger The Republic of Niger was founded in 1960. The capital is Niamey. The population is 9.8 million and land area is 1267 thousand square kilometres. Niger is situated in Central Africa and is a land-locked country. Niger shares borders with Algeria and Libya on the north, Benin and Nigeria on the south with Burkina Faso on the south-west, Chad on the east and Mali on the west. The climate is desert climate which is mostly hot, dry, dusty and tropical in the extreme south. The terrain is made up of desert plains and sand dunes, flat to rolling plains in the south and hills in the north. The major natural resources are uranium, coal, iron ore, tin and phosphates. There are no permanent crops. Arable land is limited. The economy of Niger is based on mining and the export of uranium. Traditional agriculture for home consumption is important. Maize, sorghum, cow-peas and cassava is grown mostly for home consumption. The international dialing code for Niger is 227. Federal Republic of Nigeria The Federal Republic of Nigeria was founded in 1960. The capital is Abuja. The population is around 118 million and land area is 911 thousand square kilometres. Nigeria is situated at the the north-eastern end of the Gulf of Guniea in Central Africa, and shares borders with Benin on the west, Cameroon on the south-east, Chad on the east and Niger on the north. The Atlantic coastline stretches 853 kilometres. The climate is varied according to the region. It is equatorial in the south, tropical in the central regions and arid in the north. The temperatures are relatively high. The terrain is made up of southern lowlands merging into central hills and a plateau. There are mountains in the south-east and plains in the north. Niger is the main river. The major natural resources include crude oil, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc and natural gas. The economy of Nigeria is in transition. The agricultural sector has been reduced in importance due to the development of the petroleum sector. The petroleum sector along with natural gas deposits account for the major economic assets of the country. The international dialing code for Nigeria is 234. The Sultanate of Oman The Sultanate of Oman was founded in 1650. The capital is Muscat. The population is 2.3 million and land area is 309 thousand square kilometres. Oman is situated at the south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia, and shares borders with Saudi Arabia on the west, the United Arab Emirates on the north-west and Yemen on the south-west. Its coastline on the Arabian Sea is 2 thousand kilometres. The climate is dry desert climate which is hot and humid along the coast; hot and dry in the interior. Strong summer monsoons occur in the south-west between May and September. The terrain is taken up by vast desert plains, and rugged mountains are found in the north and to the south. Oman’s main natural resources are crude oil, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum and natural gas. Oman has no arable land or permanent crops. There are few meadows and pastures. The economy of Oman is based largely on revenue from the petroleum sector. The construction industry has been developing as well. The international dialing code for Oman is 968. Islamic Republic of Pakistan The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was founded in 1947. The capital is Islamabad. The population is 138 million and the land area is 771 thousand square kilometres. Pakistan is situated South Asia, and shares borders with Iran on the west, Afghanistan on the north-west and north and India on the east. The Arabian Sea lies to the south. The climate is mostly hot dry desert climate. It is temperate in the north-west and arctic in the north. The terrain is such that the eastern part is covered by the flat Indus Plain and there are mountains in the north and north-west. The Balochistan Plateau lies to the west. Much of Pakistan is highland. The western Himalayas cover the north. The natural resources include land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited crude oil, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt and limestone. 26% of the land is arable. 6% is covered with meadows and pastures and only 4% is forested. The economy of Pakistan is diversified with a significant industrial sector and developed agriculture. The international dialing code for Pakistan is 92. Palestine The Palestine was founded in 1993. The capital is Jerusalem. The population is almost 3 million and the land area is 6 thousand square kilometres. Palestine is situated in West Asia. The country is separated into two parts with Israel lying in between. She shares borders with Egypt on the west and Jordan on the east. The climate is veried; in the west bank it is temperate with temperature and precipitation varying with altitude. The summers are warm to hot and the winters are cool to mild. The Gaza Strip has a more temperate climate with mild winters and dry and warm to hot summers. The terrain is mostly rugged and dissected upland. There is some vegetation in the west but the east is barren. About one third of the land area is arable and under grazing. The other one fourth is desert while the remaining portion is woodland and forest. The terrain in the Gaza Strip is flat to rolling with sand and dune-covered coastal plains. Natural resources include minerals and marine products. The economy of Palestine is on agriculture and related industries. The country enjoys considerable transfers from abroad from both expatriates and overseas business enterprises. The international dialing code for Palestine is 972. The State of Qatar The State of Qatar was founded in 1971. The capital is Doha. The population is 0.55 million and land area is 11 thousand square kilometres. Qatar is situated at the northern shores of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia, and shares borders with Saudi Arabia on its western coastline and Oman and the United Arab Emirates lie on the east. It has a 563 kilometre coastline on the Gulf. The climate is desert climate which is hot, dry, humid and sultry in summer. The terrain is mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel. There is no arable land. The main natural resources are crude oil, natural gas and fish. The economy of Qatar is based on petroleum and natural gas. Qatar’s hydrocarbon based industrialisation has centred on the "downstream" processing facilities for oil and gas, along with diversification into heavy industry. Umm Said is the industrial centre. The international dialing code for Qatar is 974. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932. The capital is Riyadh. The population is 19.5 million and land area is 2149 thousand square kilometres. Saudi Arabia is located in West Asia, and shares borders with Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait on the north and Yemen on the south. The Gulf of Persia lies to the east and the Red Sea is on the west. The climate is dry and hot. The highest degrees of temperatures in the world are recorded here during the summer. The winters are mild with little rainfall. The terrain is mainly desert with elevation towards the north. The whole of the peninsula is a vast platform of ancient rock. The main natural resource is petroleum. There are some other resources such as marble, clay, and gold. The economy of Saudi Arabia is based on the petrochemical industry. Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of petroleum within the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The international dialing code for Saudi Arabia is 966. Republic of Senegal The Republic of Senegal was founded in 1960. The capital is Dakar. The population is around 9 million and the land area is 193 thousand square kilometres. Senegal is situated at the the shores of the Atlantic Ocean of West Africa, and shares borders with Guinea and Guinea-Bissau on the south, Mali on the east and Mauritania on the north. It has a coastline of 531 kilometres. The climate is tropical. The rainy season is between December and April also includes strong south-east winds. The dry season from May to November is dominated by hot and dry Harmattan winds. The terrain is made up of low, rolling plains rising to foothills in the south-east. A quarter of the land is arable, while meadows, pastures, forests and woodland take up half of the land. Main natural resources are fish, phosphates and iron ore. The economy of Senegal is basically agricultural. The major crops are millet, sorghum, rice and maize. Groundnut production provides the leading cash crop. The Tourism sector has grown in importance and has become one of the leading source of foreign earnings. The mining sector provides the fourth largest source of export earnings. Senegal has a developed manufacturing sector as well. The international dialing code for Senegal is 221. Republic of Sierra Leone The Republic of Sierra Leone was founded in 1961. The capital is Freetown. The population is around 5 million and the land area is 72 thousand square kilometres. Sierra Leone is situated on the the shores of the Atlantic Ocean of West Africa, and shares borders with Guinea on the north and Liberia on the south-east. The Atlantic coastline is 402 kilometres. The climate is tropical and humid. The summer season lasts from May to December and is rainy. The winter season is dry. The terrain is made up of a coastal belt of mangrove swamps, upland plateaux, wooded hill country, and mountains to the east. A quarter of Sierra Leone’s land is arable. One third of the land is taken up by meadows and pastures. A quarter of the land consists of forests and woodlands. The main natural resources are diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold and chromium. The economy of Sierra Leone is predominantly agricultural. Some 70 different crops are cultivated. Coffee, cocoa, palm kernels and piassava are among the major crops. Mining is the second most important sector. The international dialing code for Sierra Leone is 232. Democratic Republic of Somalia The Democratic Republic of Somalia was founded in 1960. The capital is Mogadishu. The population is around 10 million and land area is 627 thousand square kilometres. Somalia is situated at the the "Horn of Africa", and shares borders with Djibouti on the north, Ethiopia on the west and Kenya on the south-west. Somalia’s coastline along the Indian Ocean is 3 thousand kilometres. This coastline forms the so-called Horn of Africa. The climate is desert with monsoons in the north-east between December and February. The cooler south-west monsoon takes place between May and October. Rainfall is irregular and there are hot and humid periods between the monsoons. The terrain is made up mostly of flat to undulating plateaux rising to hills in the north. A very small part of the land is arable and there are no permanent crops. Forests and woodlands are very limited. Somalia’s main natural resources are uranium and reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper and salt that are largely not exploited. The economy of Somalia is traditionally based, principally on the herding of camels, sheep, goats and cattle. Exports of livestock products accounted for 80% of Somalia’s total earnings. The international dialing code for Somalia is 252. Republic of the Sudan The Republic of the Sudan was founded in 1956. The capital is Khartoum. The population is around 28 million and land area is 2376 thousand square kilometres. Sudan is located in North-East Africa, and shares borders with the Central African Republic on the south-west, Chad on the west, Egypt on the north, Ethiopia on the east, Kenya, Uganda and Zaire on the south with Libya on the north-west. It has a short coastline of 53 kilometres on the Red Sea. The climate is tropical in the south and arid desert in the north. The rainy season lasts from April to October. The terrain is flat, featureless plain and the mountains are located in the eastern and western parts of the country. The arable land area is limited and there are no permanent crops. Meadows and pastures take up a quarter and forests and woodlands about one fifth of the country’s land. Sudan’s main natural resources are small reserves of crude oil, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica and silver. The economy of Sudan is primarily an agricultural and pastoral with a majority of the population engaged in the agricultural sector. Cotton production and the mineral exploration have gained in importance. The international dialing code for Sudan is 249. Suriname The Republic of Suriname was founded in 1975. The capital is Paramaribo. The population is around 0.45 million and the land area is 156 thousand square kilometres. Suriname is situated on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in the northern part of South America, and shares borders with Brazil on the south, French Guiana on the east and Guyana on the west. The coastline on the Atlantic Ocean is 386 kilometres. The climate is tropical but moderated by winds. The terrain is made up of rolling hills and narrow coastal plain with swamps. Forests and woodlands take up a large portion of the country. There is no arable land and no permanent crops. Suriname’s main natural resources are timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite and iron ore. The economy of Suriname is relatively diversified in range, but the dominant sector is the bauxite industry. Forestry and manufacturing constitute the two other important sectors. The international dialing code for Suriname is 597. Syrian Arab Republic The Syrian Arab Republic was founded in 1946. The capital is Damascus. The population is around 15 million and the land area is 184 thousand square kilometres. Syria is situated in West Asia, and shares borders with Iraq on the east, Israel and Jordan on the south, Lebanon on the west and Turkey on the north. Syria has a 193 kilometre coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. The climate is mostly desert with hot, dry, sunny summers from June to August and mild, rainy winters from December to February along the coast. The terrain is made up of semiarid and desert plateau with narrow coastal plain and mountains in the west. There are few permanent crops but more than a quarter of the land is arable. Meadows and pastures take up close to half of the land area. The major natural resources are crude oil, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble and gypsum. The economy of Syria is still predominantly agricultural. The iron, steel and textile industries play a significant role in the economy. Syria’s leading exports are petroleum, cotton and phosphates. The international dialing code for Syria is 963. Republic of Tajikistan The Republic of Tajikistan was founded in 1991. The capital is Dushanbe. The population is around 6 million and land area is 140 thousand square kilometres. Tajikistan is located in Central Asia, and shares borders with Afghanistan on the south, China on the east, Kyrgyz Republic on the north and Uzbekistan on the west. It is a land-locked country. The climate is varied from mid-latitude semiarid to polar in the Pamir mountains. The terrain is dominated by the Pamir and Altay Mountains. The Western Fergana valley is in the north and the Kafirnigan and Vakhsh Valleys are located in the south-east. A limited land area is arable and there are no permanent crops, meadows, pastures forests or woodlands. The major natural resources can be listed as significant hydropower potential, petroleum uranium, mercury brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony and tungsten. The economy of Tajikistan is basically based on agriculture and mining. The international dialing code for Tajikistan is 7. Republic of Togo The Republic of Togo was founded in 1960. The capital is Lome. The population is 4.5 million and land area is 54 thousand square kilometres. Togo is situated on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea in Western Africa, and shares borders with Benin on the east and Burkina Faso on the north. Ghana lies on the west and there is a coastline of 56 kilometres to the south. The climate is tropical. It is hot and humid in the south and semiarid in the north. The terrain is mostly rolling savannah in the north and plains in the south separated by some hills running from south-west to north-east. The coastal region is covered with extensive marshes and lagoons. Roughly a quarter of the land is arable and forested with the remaining half unused. The natural resources are phosphate, limestone and marble. The economy of Togo is based on phosphate mining and agriculture. The international dialing code for Togo is 228. Republic of Tunisia The Republic of Tunisia was founded in 1956. The capital is Tunis. The population is 9 million and the land area is 155 thousand square kilometres. Tunisia is situated on the the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in North Africa, and shares borders with Algeria on the west and Libya on the south-east. The coastline on the Mediterranean sea is 1100 kilometres. The climate is temperate in the north with mild and rainy winters and hot and dry summers. It is desert and semiarid in the south and hot and dry in the central plain. The terrain is such that the meadows and pastures take up about one fifth of the land and about two thirds of the land is arable while there are few forests and woodlands. The mountains are located in the north. The natural resources are crude oil, phosphates iron ore, lead, zinc and salt. The economy of Tunisia is based on textile industry, agriculture and mining. The tourism sector is also an asset. The international dialing code for Tunisia is 216. Republic of Turkey The Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923. The capital is Ankara. The population is about 65 million and the land area is 769 thousand square kilometres. Turkey is situated in West Asia, and shares borders with Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran in the east, Iraq and Syria on the south, Greece and Bulgaria on the north-west. It is surrounded by the Black Sea to the north, Aegean Sea to the west and Mediterranean Sea to the south. The climate is temperate with hot and dry summers and mild and wet winters. The winters grow harsher towards the east and the interior. The terrain is mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains. The Anatolian Plateau is a high, central Plateau. 30 % of the land is arable and 26% is made up of forests. Another 12% is meadows and pastures. Its main natural resources are antimony, coal, chromium, bauxite, mercury, copper, borate, sulphur and iron ore. The economy of Turkey is diversified with a strong industrial base in textiles and food processing and main crops of wheat, barley and sugar beet in agriculture. The international dialing code for Turkey is 90. Republic of Turkmenistan The Republic of Turkmenistan was founded in 1991. The capital is Ashgabat. The population is about 4.5 million and land area is 470 thousand square kilometres. Turkmenistan is located in Central Asia, and shares borders with Afghanistan on the south-east, Iran on the south, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on the north. The Caspian Sea lies to the west. The climate is subtropical desert. The terrain is made up of flat to rolling sandy desert with dunes. The major natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulphur, salt and magnesium. The economy of Turkmenistan is based upon its rich natural resources. The international dialing code for Turkmenistan is 993. Republic of Uganda The Republic of Uganda was founded in 1962. The capital is Kampala. The population is 20.5 million and the land area is 200 thousand square kilometres. Uganda is situated in Central Africa and is a land-locked country. Uganda shares borders with Kenya on the east, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zaire on the south and Sudan on the north. The climate is tropical and generally rainy with two dry seasons which take place between December and February and between June and August. It is semiarid in the north-east. The terrain is made up mostly of plateau with rim mountains. About a quarter of the land is arable. There are few crops. Meadows and pastures take up a quarter of the land and forests and woodlands take up about one third of the land area. The main natural resources are copper, cobalt, limestone and salt. The economy of Uganda is based on agriculture. Coffee, tea, cotton processing as well as other industries are in the process of rehabilitation. Mining is also an important sector. The international dialing code for Uganda is 256. The State of United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates was founded in 1971. The capital is Abu Dhabi. The population is about 2.6 million and the land area is 84 thousand square kilometres. United Arab Emirates is situated on the the eastern shores of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia, and shares borders with Qatar on the west, Saudi Arabia on the south and Oman on the east. The Persian Gulf lies to the north. The climate is desert climate where the eastern mountains are somewhat cooler. The terrain is flat and barren coastal plain that merges into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland with mountains to the east. Only 2% of the land is open to agriculture. The natural resources are pearls, fish and petroleum. The economy of United Arab Emirates is dominated by petroleum. The international dialing code for United Arab Emirates is 971. Uzbekistan The Republic of Uzbekistan was founded in 1991. The capital is Tashkent. The population is around 23.5 million and the land area is 414 thousand square kilometres. Uzbekistan is located in Central Asia, and shares borders with Afghanistan on the south, Kazakhstan on the north, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan on the east and Turkmenistan on the west. The climate is mostly mid-latitude desert and semiarid grassland in the east. The terrain is made up of flat to rolling sandy desert with dunes. The Fargana Valley to the east is surrounded by mountains and the shrinking Aral Sea to the west. The main natural resources are petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten and molybdenum. The economy of Uzbekistan is based on agriculture and mining. The development of natural resources has become a priority. The international dialing code for Uzbekistan is 7. Republic of Yemen The Republic of Yemen was founded in 1990. The capital is Sana’a. The population is 16.5 million and the land area is 528 thousand square kilometres. Yemen is located at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia, and shares borders with Oman on the east and Saudi Arabia on the north. It has a coastline of 1.9 thousand kilometres along the Red Sea. The climate is mostly desert which is hot and humid along the west coast and temperate in the western mountains as a result of seasonal monsoons. The climate is extraordinarily hot, dry and harsh desert climate to the east. The terrain is made up of narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains. Dissected upland plains in the central areas slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula. The main natural resources are crude oil, fish, rock salt, marble and some fertile soil to the west. The economy of Yemen is based on agriculture, fishing and mining. The international dialing code for Yemen is 967.

oh so the fundementalist religious extremists are to blame for global warming? how interesting

Islam captures the hearts and minds of people. this reminds me of Dr. Joseph A. Pearson's saying, “People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, “it fell the day Muhammad was bornâ€. (Pbuh) Jazakallah khair for the great trill ride Nur, you have some of the qualities of Ibn Taymiyah(ra), your writings capture the 'minds eye'.

Islamic Activism Khutbah at ISOC- Sha’ban 2, 1422/October 19, 2001 By Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi ÙˆÙŽÙ‚Ùل٠اعْمَلÙوا Ùَسَيَرَى اللَّه٠عَمَلَكÙمْ وَرَسÙولÙه٠وَالْمÙؤْمÙÙ†Ùونَ وَسَتÙرَدّÙونَ Ø¥ÙÙ„ÙŽÙ‰ عَالÙم٠الْغَيْب٠وَالشَّهَادَة٠ÙÙŽÙŠÙنَبّÙئÙÙƒÙمْ بÙمَا ÙƒÙنْتÙمْ تَعْمَلÙونَ (التوبة 105) And say: "Work (righteousness): soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the Believers: soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden and what is open: then will He show you the truth of all that you did." (al-Tawbah 9:105) يَاأَيّÙهَا الرّÙسÙÙ„Ù ÙƒÙÙ„Ùوا Ù…ÙÙ†ÙŽ الطَّيّÙبَات٠وَاعْمَلÙوا صَالÙحًا Ø¥ÙنّÙÙŠ بÙمَا تَعْمَلÙونَ عَلÙيمٌ(51)ÙˆÙŽØ¥Ùنَّ Ù‡ÙŽØ°Ùه٠أÙمَّتÙÙƒÙمْ Ø£Ùمَّةً وَاحÙدَةً وَأَنَا رَبّÙÙƒÙمْ ÙَاتَّقÙون٠(المؤمنون 51-52) O Messengers! Enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work righteousness: for I am well acquainted with (all) that you do. 52- And verily this Community of yours is a single Community. And I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore be conscious of Me. (al-Mu’minun 23:51-52) Islam emphasizes action. Believers are those who work, work hard and continue to work until the end. The work must be good, it should be done with the consciousness of Allah and with the conviction that everything will be shown on the Day of Judgement. There is no dichotomy or sharp division between the secular work and religious work. All work is religious if it is done with the awareness of Allah and is done according to the rules of Allah. The Prophet -peace be upon him- said: حَدَّثَنَا Ù‡Ùشَام٠بْن٠زَيْد٠قَالَ سَمÙعْت٠أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالÙك٠قَالَ قَالَ رَسÙول٠اللَّه٠صَلَّى اللَّه٠عَلَيْه٠وَسَلَّمَ Ø¥Ùنْ قَامَتْ السَّاعَة٠وَبÙيَد٠أَحَدÙÙƒÙمْ ÙَسÙيلَةٌ ÙÙŽØ¥Ùنْ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لَا ÙŠÙŽÙ‚Ùومَ حَتَّى يَغْرÙسَهَا ÙَلْيَÙْعَلْ (مسند أحمد 12512) The Prophet -peace be upon him- said, “If the end of the world approaches and one of you has a seedling (or plant) in his hand, if he can plant it before the end comes let him do it.†(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith no. 12512) Let us reflect on this Hadith. What do you expect from a religious teacher? An ordinary religious teacher or preacher would have said, “If the end approaches, give up everything, go to the mosque and just pray.†However, the Messenger of Allah wanted to emphasize something else. These words contain another wisdom and a very important message of Islam. First thing that is emphasized here is activism, the value of action. Action is important and it should be done under all circumstances. Second, there is no need to make a very sharp division between the worldly actions and religious actions. All actions should be done. But keep in mind the priorities and also keep in mind what is Fard, what is Mustahabb and what is Mubah. Do not neglect a Fard for the sake of a Mustahabb or Mubah. Do not despair or become pessimistic. Every good action is valuable whether you are able to see its fruits or not. Muslims do not work only to see the results here in this world; our ultimate goal is the success and salvation in the Hereafter. Another important point that is given here is that no one knows when the end of the world will come. One may think that end is near, but it may not be. Only Allah knows when the end will be. So one should keep working and doing the good things. About activism we must keep in mind the following principles of Islam: · Deeds must be righteous. For Muslims the righteous means that which is according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Righteous actions are actions whereby a person implements Allah’s rules: a) between a person and Allah, b) between a person and other people, c) between a person and other things. · Righteous actions include: religious actions, moral actions, social actions, economic actions, political actions, judicial actions, etc. · Righteous actions are those that are good, and righteous actions are also those that remove evil, injustice and oppression. · Righteous actions should be done with sincerity (ikhlas) and in an excellent manner (itqan) · The actions should be with knowledge, wisdom, planning, and persistence. Allah has promised those who work with faith and righteousness that He will grant them success in this world and in the Hereafter. وَعَدَ اللَّه٠الَّذÙينَ ءَامَنÙوا Ù…ÙنْكÙمْ وَعَمÙÙ„Ùوا الصَّالÙحَات٠لَيَسْتَخْلÙÙَنَّهÙمْ ÙÙÙŠ الْأَرْض٠كَمَا اسْتَخْلَÙÙŽ الَّذÙينَ Ù…Ùنْ قَبْلÙÙ‡Ùمْ ÙˆÙŽÙ„ÙŽÙŠÙمَكّÙنَنَّ Ù„ÙŽÙ‡Ùمْ دÙينَهÙم٠الَّذÙÙŠ ارْتَضَى Ù„ÙŽÙ‡Ùمْ ÙˆÙŽÙ„ÙŽÙŠÙبَدّÙلَنَّهÙمْ Ù…Ùنْ بَعْد٠خَوْÙÙÙ‡Ùمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبÙدÙونَنÙÙŠ لَا ÙŠÙشْرÙÙƒÙونَ بÙÙŠ شَيْئًا وَمَنْ ÙƒÙŽÙَرَ بَعْدَ Ø°ÙŽÙ„ÙÙƒÙŽ ÙÙŽØ£ÙولَئÙÙƒÙŽ Ù‡Ùم٠الْÙَاسÙÙ‚Ùونَ(النور 55) Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, make them succeed in the land, as He caused those who were before them to succeed others. He will establish for them their religion, the one that He has chosen for them. He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me.' If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. (al-Nur 24:55) http://www.isna.net/services/library/khutbahs/IslamicActivism.html

Download the HPN Adobe Acrobat document below: Cash relief in a contested area: Lessons from Somalia by Degan Ali, Fanta Toure and Tilleke Kiewied (219 Kb - Adobe Acrobat format) This Network paper was written by Horn Relief's Deputy Director Degan Ali, former Program Assistant Fanta Toure, and Tilleke Kiewied of Novib. The Network Paper describes an emergency cash relief programme carried out by Horn Relief and Norwegian People’s Aid in the Sool Plateau in Somalia in 2003-2004. The programme distributed $691,500 to 13,830 drought-affected households, making it the largest cash response ever mounted in Somalia. This document is published by the Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN) , an independent forum where aid workers, managers and policy-makers in the humanitarian sector share information, analysis and experience. HORN RELIEF