All praises and thanks to Allah (swt) for enabling us to witness this blessed month of Ramadhan in good health and safety so far.
This last ten days of Ramadhan are very important in the life of a Muslim, as we can see from the life of Prophet Muhammad (s). They holy Prophet (s) was seriously doing ibadah in the month of Ramadhan more than any other months. And even within the month of Ramadhan, when the last ten days would arrive, he was much more serious than other twenty days.
To get the most out of it, Muhammad (s) used to enter Itikaf for the last ten days. Where he used to stay in seclusion in the mosque and dedicate himself solely to worshipping Allah (swt) and drawing himself closer to Allah. Besides increasing his own Ibadah, Prophet (s) would also wake his wives and family members.
Alhamdulillah these ten days are with us. we need some serious planning so that we dont have to regret loosing these days after they are over. Rather, let us prepare ourselves so as to make best use of the special days lying ahead of us.
Another significance of these ten days is the presence of a very important and special night among the nights of this last ten days, the night of power, the night of blessing, the laylatul Qadr.
What is Layltul Qadr?
This is the night in which Allah has chosen to reveal the Holy Quran, His blessed words.
Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. On the other hand, those who catch the opportunity, their gift is that of past sins wiped away.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah reported "When Ramadan would come, the Messenger of Allah would say:
(Verily, the month of Ramadan has come to you all. It is a blessed month, which Allah has obligated you all to fast. During it the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are shackled. In it there is a night that is better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good, then he has truly been deprived.)
When is Laylatul Qadr ?
Narrated by 'Aisha: Allah's Apostle said,
"Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."
What should one do in Laylatul Qadr?
It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever stood in prayer on the night of Al-Qadr, in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, he will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
From the blessed Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (s), we find the following recommended action for the night of Laylatul Qadr:
1. Praying Long Qiyaam (night prayer):
2. Making doa:
It is recommended to make extensive doa on this night.
‘A’ishah reported that she asked Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) “O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul Qadr, what should I say during it?” And he instructed her to say:
“Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee – O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love to forgive. So forgive me.” [An authentic Hadith recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi.]
The scholars said: The meaning of ‘’alafow’’ is the clearance and it has the meaning of concealment and cover, it means Allah clear my crimes and sins, and forgive my faults and mistakes and conceal them, and let your punishment be away from me.
3. Abandoning Worldly Pleasures and devoting time solely for Ibadah.
What are the virtues of Layatul Qadr?
Sufyaan ath-Thawree reports, on the authority of Mujaahid, that the night of Al-Qadr being better than a thousand months means that the good deeds performed on it, fasting on it, and standing in prayer on it are better than a thousand months’ good deeds, prayers and fasting. (Narrated by Ibn Jareer)
The reward of sincere Ibadah which are accepted by Allah (swt) in this night is nothing less than having our past sins wiped away.
What makes this night so special?
The first Laylatul Qadr, …was the night that changed history. It was the night that Jibreel alayhis salaam brought the first revelation.
When we ponder over this fact, it is easy for us to realize why is this night so important, and why is it called the blessed night. Because it was on this night that the light of guidance and Truth replaced the darkness of ignorance and Falsehood.
So, to really make the best out of Laylatul Qadr, we need to read, understand, and live by the Quran in our everyday life. We will only truly benefit from Laylatul Qadr and our lives and surrounding will be filled with peace when we can change our lives to live by the Quran. InshaAllah.
Let us also take this opportunity and earn for ourselves and our families salvation from hellfire and a place in the eternal Jannah.
28.3.11
10 things to learn from Japan
1. THE CALMNESS: Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
2. THE DIGNITY: Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
3. THE ABILITY: The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
4. THE GRACE: People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
5. THE ORDER: No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
6. THE SACRIFICE: Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid ?
7. THE TENDERNESS: Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
8. THE TRAINING: The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9. THE MEDIA: They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
10. THE CONSCIENCE: When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.
2. THE DIGNITY: Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
3. THE ABILITY: The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
4. THE GRACE: People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something. 5. THE ORDER: No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
6. THE SACRIFICE: Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid ?
7. THE TENDERNESS: Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
8. THE TRAINING: The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9. THE MEDIA: They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
10. THE CONSCIENCE: When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.
15.2.11
Primary Guide
"And among His Signs is this: you see the earth humble [because of drought]; but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase. Truly, He who gives it life can surely give life to the dead, for He has power over all things."
Fussilat (Clearly Expounded) - Chapter 41: Verse 39
In the first years of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) life he developed a specific relationship with nature that remained constant throughout his mission. The universe is pregnant with signs that recall the presence of the Creator, and the desert, more than anything else, opens the human mind to observation, meditation, and initiation into meaning. Thus, many verses of the Quran mention the book of creation and its teachings. The desert, apparently devoid of life, repeatedly shows and proves the watchful consciousness the reality of the miracle of the return to life.
This relationship with nature was so present in the Prophet's life from his earliest childhood that one can easily come to the conclusion that living close to nature, observing, understanding, and respecting it, is an imperative of deep faith.
Nature is the primary guide and the intimate companion of faith. Thus, God decided to expose His Prophet, from his earliest childhood, to the natural lessons of creation, conceived as a school where the mind gradually apprehends signs and meaning. Far removed from the formalism of soulless religious rituals, this sort of education, in and through its closeness to nature, fosters a relationship to the divine based on contemplation and depth that will later make it possible, in a second phase of spiritual education, to understand the meaning, form, and objectives of religious ritual.
Cut off from nature in our towns and cities, we nowadays seem to have forgotten the meaning of this message to such an extent that we dangerously invert the order of requirements and believe that learning about the techniques and forms of religion (prayers, pilgrimages, etc.) is sufficient to grasp and understand their meaning and objectives. This delusion has serious consequences since it leads to draining religious teaching of its spiritual substance, which actually ought to be its heart.
Compiled From:
"In The Footsteps of The Prophet" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 12-14
[source]
Fussilat (Clearly Expounded) - Chapter 41: Verse 39
In the first years of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) life he developed a specific relationship with nature that remained constant throughout his mission. The universe is pregnant with signs that recall the presence of the Creator, and the desert, more than anything else, opens the human mind to observation, meditation, and initiation into meaning. Thus, many verses of the Quran mention the book of creation and its teachings. The desert, apparently devoid of life, repeatedly shows and proves the watchful consciousness the reality of the miracle of the return to life.
This relationship with nature was so present in the Prophet's life from his earliest childhood that one can easily come to the conclusion that living close to nature, observing, understanding, and respecting it, is an imperative of deep faith.
Nature is the primary guide and the intimate companion of faith. Thus, God decided to expose His Prophet, from his earliest childhood, to the natural lessons of creation, conceived as a school where the mind gradually apprehends signs and meaning. Far removed from the formalism of soulless religious rituals, this sort of education, in and through its closeness to nature, fosters a relationship to the divine based on contemplation and depth that will later make it possible, in a second phase of spiritual education, to understand the meaning, form, and objectives of religious ritual.
Cut off from nature in our towns and cities, we nowadays seem to have forgotten the meaning of this message to such an extent that we dangerously invert the order of requirements and believe that learning about the techniques and forms of religion (prayers, pilgrimages, etc.) is sufficient to grasp and understand their meaning and objectives. This delusion has serious consequences since it leads to draining religious teaching of its spiritual substance, which actually ought to be its heart.
Compiled From:
"In The Footsteps of The Prophet" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 12-14
[source]
5.2.11
Hilarry-leaks
Transcript of Hillary Clintons tele-conversation with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina:
Prime Minister Hasina (PM): Good Morning, Madame Secretary. I am very pleased to hear your voice.
Secretary Clinton: Good afternoon Madame Prime Minister. I hope I reached you at a good time.
PM: Yes, yes, you reached me at a good time. For you, any time is good time for me. Please feel free to call me anytime.
Secretary: Madame Prime Minister I have been updated by Ambassador-at-Large Stephen Rapp about his visit to Dhaka. Honestly, at the request of New Delhi, we sent him there and tried our best to help you better organize the trial. After listening from Amb. Rapp and our Ambassador Moriarty, I felt obligated to inform you that both I and President Obama take the issue of human rights in its proper spirit. It is on this context, I called you to inform you that United States does not support the trial in its form and content. Bangladesh has to reform the whole process in a way so that it doesn’t become a conduit of punishing opposition.
PM: Madame Secretary, I understand your concern and I already asked my Law Minister to take note of what Amb. Rapp suggested. This is a trial we undertook with active support and assistance of New Delhi. I am sure Indian Ambassador in Washington DC will brief you further on that.
Secretary: Prime Minister, United States stands for a certain values and policies which may or may not be the likes of New Delhi. Of course, we have been attentive to New Delhi’s most of the suggestions but this one I thought I should forewarn you.
PM: Madame Secretary we noted your concerns and can tell you this much that this was in our manifesto and our people would like to see the trial should go on.
Secretary: Absolutely, but that has to done in an way so that it is accepted internationally. I am sure, even people who voted for your party, may not accept the trial in its form and format which is, to our view, flawed and politically motivated. President Obama working hard to bring peace to your part of the world, Madame Prime Minister. Therefore, United States would not allow any action that may only help some legitimate political forces going underground to create more problem for you and thereby, for us as well.
PM: I understand. I understand. Don’t worry we will fix it. Don’t take it that seriously. We are doing it as we have to do and there are some culprits who we need to straighten up.
Secretary: Ambassador Rapp also informed me about your government’s influence on the Judiciary and I was told how Judiciary is giving verdict they way you want. This is not good at the end. You have to be watchful.
PM: Thank you, thank you. I always value suggestion from yourself and President Clinton.
Secretary: Madame Prime Minister, let me come to the core point for which I called you. As you have seen even Washington Post picked up your treatment to Dr.Yunus and Grameen Bank. I thought it is about time to tell you how upset we are in Washington DC. I am personally upset because Dr.Yunus has been a family friend to the Clintons long before his wining of Nobel Prize. President Clinton is equally upset. Hope you are aware how hard he worked to see Dr.Yunus gets this award. I know people may have personal issues, but when it comes to national icon like Dr.Yunus, I thought Bangladesh shouldn’t demonize country’s only Nobel Laureate.
PM: Madame Secretary, please listen, please listen----
Secretary: Madame Prime Minister, please let me finish first. I hope you are aware that President Obama is a big fan of micro-credit. He is a fan of microfinance since his mother had her thesis on this subject. So, I am making this call to let you know how upset both of us-President Obama and I-at your continued effort to demonize Dr.Yunus.
PM: Madame Secretary, I hope you are aware that it is not us who brought this issue. Norway is the first to complain about Dr.Yunus’s misplaced fund. After all, this is our domestic issue and Madame Secretary we will do it as per our own rules and regulations.
Secretary: Madame Prime Minister, I thought I would not have to go that far. But, unfortunately, I was wrong. I hope you know as much we know, how your government came to power. Don’t forget that we helped you congratulating you after the election terming it as a free and fair. You know Prime Minister, how this election result was pre-arranged at the behest of our good friends in New Delhi. We acted the way they suggested us. And please don’t forget that Gen. Moyeen, who brought you to power, now in the USA and perhaps, we now know, more than you could possibly imagine. Prime Minister, I am not saying that we will disown you so soon. I am just trying to place issues in the order of history demands it.
PM: Madame Secretary we are aware of your support and assistance. We will do all we can to keep you happy. Don’t worry. We noted your point. Now let me know when you are coming to visit my country.
Secretary: Thanks for the invitations, Madame Prime Minister. I thank you for your time.
PM: Madame Secretary, Please bring President Clinton and your daughter and son in law.
Hilary hangs up on the other side----
[Note: Could anyone in the USA makes a request under the freedom of information act to State Department and proof the source wrong.]
[original source]
[image source]
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