On Micheal Jackson's Death

Bismillah

source: http://www.wharnsby.com/03_blog.html

"From the same source of life - we all come, and inevitably so we must all return."

"passing of artist and performer Michael Jackson yesterday was quite a shock to many. My thoughts and prayers are with the Jackson family during this difficult time - and especially with Micheal’s young children. May they be protected from the media machine that so tragically tore up much of Michael’s life, while ironically celebrating him as one of the world’s most incredible and dynamic performers.

Like many of my generation, the music and public persona of Michael Jackson were a great part of my youth. My serious interest in music began at age 10 when I first saw Michael perform on television, shortly after his “Thriller” album had swept the world. His charisma, uninhibited passion for his art and his unique style filled my head with dreams of one day being able to share my own music with the world.

Few can come close to claiming even a fraction of what Michael accomplished during his career - from child-star as lead singer of the Jackson 5, through his work in “The Whiz” and onward to a solo career as an artist in an absolutely unparalleled musical/performance domain. Michael’s work and music bridged the world and generations. His choreography, concert formats, music videos, album production, charity efforts (”We Are The World” in specific) all set a standard that few could rise above.

Over the years the media scrutiny, mockery and sensationalizing of his personal life always angered me. During the very difficult times of his career I always supported and defended Michael - admiring him for remaining artistically driven and gracious to his supporters.

Each day people with tremendous lives pass from this world - farmers, students, cab drivers, children, elderly retired teachers, soldiers and parents. Who are we to judge the degrees of their “success” or the levels to which their lives touched the lives of others? Each day we should morn the losses of the world’s valuable contributors, and each day we should celebrate the positive achievements of all our earth’s inhabitants.

With that in mind, I write these expressions not because “Michael Jackson the Super Star” has passed onward, but because a guy named Michael inspired me to sing, dance, smile, be gracious with those who shared my art with me and above all (as Michael would say whenever accepting an award) “Thank God” for all the wonderful adventures of life.

May Michael’s music carry on for many, many more generations - inspiring people to dance, dream and hope for a better world.

Lastly - many have been in touch with me over the past year to inquire about my personal relationship with Michael Jackson. A November 21, 2008 Sun (UK) article spread internationally stating that Michael had adopted the religion of Islam through friendship with both myself and my colleague Idris Phillips during recording sessions in Los Angeles.

For the record: Though our professional circles did cross-over slightly with various common professional acquaintances - I never had the honour or pleasure of meeting Micheal Jackson personally, nor did we ever correspond on matters of our professions, personal lives or faiths.

Peace,
dawud wharnsby"

A message from Heal the World Foundation’s President :

"The death of Michael Jackson is a great American tragedy. His heart has been battered on all fronts , but he believed in humanity and wanted to change the world.People are now remembering his music legacy , but behind the scenes unknown to all but a small handful of people ,during these last 7 years he authorized tens of thousands be spent on preserving his charity “Heal the World Foundation” ( HTWF) Jackson started HTWF in 1992 and was designed to leverage his name, adding to the many millions Michael Jackson had personally given to charity. With Michael Jackson not happy at turning 50 years old, he stepped up his efforts for a multifaceted comeback.

Following these final performances, it was believed that Mr. Jackson would live a long and full life, devoted to HTWF and serving his God and his fellow man, with his fans leading the way.

The staff at Heal the World Foundation express our deep sorrow for the loss the world has suffered. We are devastated by the loss of one of the world's great humanitarians and hope that in his absence we will be able to take the torch of his legacy and give back to his memory the same beauty he gave freely to so many.

We express our condolences to his family, to Michael's several spokespeople and representatives who made HTWF's expanded mission possible and more especially to his fans who saw him as a genuine inspiration and the lifeblood to our work. We love you as he loved you.

With profound sadness,

Mel Wilson
Vice President
Heal the World Foundation"

Imam Zaid Shakir's comments: http://www.newislamicdirections.com/nid/articles/upon_the_passing_of_michael_jackson/

Click on this to read AP report: Thread of Pain ran through Jackson

Michael Jackson - Heal The World
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Michael Jackson - Full Superbowl Halftime Show 1993
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PAKISTAN WINS ICC WORLD CUP :)

Celebrations in Indian Kashmir after Pakistan win

Bismillah.

"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth" (46:15).

"We have enjoined on man and woman (to be good) to his/her parents; show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is (thy final) Goal. If they (parents) strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love)" (31:14-15).

A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your father. (Bukhari, Muslim).

Prayers for Gaza

Bismillah.

"Ward off passing thoughts..."

Bismillah.

“Ward off passing thoughts, for if you do not, they will become ideas.
Ward off ideas, for if you do not, they will become desires.
Fight the desires, for if you do not, they will become intentions.
If you do not resist them, they will become actions.
If you do not repel them with their opposites, they will become habits,
and it will be difficult to get rid of them.”

~ Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah's "Al-Fawâ’id"

Bismillah.

fascinating penguins:


PLANET EARTH - Antarctic Penguins - The best bloopers are here

An Eid Gift: Amazing Gems of the Mutaqeen

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem.

"If anyone continually asks for (Allah's) forgiveness, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, relief from anxiety, and will provide for him from where he never realized."
~ Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (Abu Dawood, No. 599)

"Humility is to leave your home and not to meet any Muslim except that you believe him to be better than you."
~ Imam Hasan Al-Basri

"I love the pious, although I am not among them."
~ Imam Abu Hanifa

"Whoever does not draw near to him by the gentle graces of kindness, is led to Him (Allah) by the chains of tribulation."
~ Ibn Ata'llah

"Beautiful words to the wise...Be careful if you make a women cry because Allah the most high counts her tears. A women came out of the rib of man, not his feet to be walked on, nor his head to be superior over; she came from his side to be his companion, under his arm to be protected, and next to his heart to be be loved."
~ Ustadha Hedaya Hartford

'Those who mutually love each other for Allah's sake will be on altars of light on the Day of Judgement and they will be envied by the Prophets and the Shuhada (Martyrs). "And remember the blessing of Allah upon you: you were once enemies and Allah joined your hearts and you became
BY VIRTUE OF ALLAH'S NI'MA (GIFTS), BROTHERS"'
~ Habib Umar bin Hafiz ( & quoting from Sura Al'Imran, 103)

So forward this gift on this Eid to another Muslim in order to strengthen the bond of sisterhood & brotherhood.

Courtesy of:

"Thoughts of a Hijaabi"
http://www.byanymeansnecessary.wordpress.com/

"SHAFIALLAH ~ Seeking the Cure of Allah"
http://www.shafiallah.blogspot.com/

"SunniPath Academy Blog"
http://www.blog.sunnipath.com/

Allah (SWT) smiles favorably upon...

Bismillah.

In one of his sermons regarding marriage, Sheikh Zulifqar Ahmed states "It is recorded in a hadith that Allah (SWT) smiles favorably upon a husband and wife when they look and smile at each other."

Read the rest of Sheikh Zulifqar's beautiful Khutba "Islam and Marriage" by clicking this link .

Bismillah.

"SISTERHOOD AND BROTHERHOOD FOR ALLAH'S SAKE"

Bismillah.

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabrakatu.

The following is the English translation of an excerpt from lesson nine’s audio recording of “Attaining Good Character,” a SunniPath course offered by Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz and Sheikh Abdul Karim:

“Brotherhood for Allah’s sake and endeavoring to preserve it will lead to a vast arena of mercy from Allah. Brotherhood in Allah hastens wonderous types of blessings in this world prior to the hereafter. Those who mutually love each other for Allah’s sake will be on altars of light on the Day of Judgement and they will be envied by the Prophets and the Shuhada (Martyrs). And remember the blessing of Allah upon you: you were once enemies and Allah joined your hearts and you became BY VIRTUE OF ALLAH’S NI’MA (GIFTS), BROTHERS.”

Source: http://blog.sunnipath.com/2007/07/14/sisterhood-brotherhood-for-allahs-sake/

Remembering 9/11

Bismillah.

Ramadan Mubarak!!

Bismillah.

WELCOME RAMADAN 1429!!

May Allah help us increase our nearness to Him, purify and cleanse our hearts, and forgive our sins during this blessed month. Ameen.

Story of Sufyan al-Thawri and his father

Bismillah.

Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandl (d. 373) narrates in his Tanbih al-Ghafilln by way of Sa'id ibn 'Umayr al-Ansari who fought in the battle of Badr that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him), said: "Whoever invokes bless­ings upon me from my Community sincerely from his heart once Allah (The Exalted) sends ten blessings upon him and raises him ten degrees "

Abu al-Layth continues:

I heard my father narrate that it happened that, while Sufyan al-Thawri was circumambulating the Ka'ba, he saw a man who did not raise a foot nor lower a foot without making salat for the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him).

Sufyan said he told him: "O man! You have left saying subhan Allah, and la ilaha illallah and have proceeded with the salat on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)! Do you have any explanation regarding this?"

The young man asked: "Who are you, may Allah pardon you?" "I am Sufyan al-Thawri*."

The young man said: "Had it not been that you are one of the Strangers among the people of your own time (i.e. one of Ahl al-Sunna), I would not have told you of my condition, nor revealed to you my secret.

"I went out with my father on pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah, until I reached one of the resting-stations. My father became sick and I nursed him. One night, when I was at his bedside, he died and his face turned dark. So I said, 'We belong to Allah and to Him we return! ' Then I pulled the covers over his face, after which sleep over­came me and I slept.

"I saw a man next to me with a face such as I had never seen a more handsome one, nor clothes cleaner than his, nor a scent finer than his. He kept approaching until he came close to my father and removed the covers from his face, whereupon the face of my father became full of light.

"Then the man started to go back, so I held onto his clothes and said: 'O servant of Allah! Who are you, with whom Allah has graced us in this foreign land?' He said:

'Do you not you know me? I am Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah, who brought the Qur'an! Your father transgressed against himself, but he used to invoke salat on me frequently, and when he was affected with whatever affected him he called on me for help (isthaghatha bi), and I am prompt helper of one who makes much salat on me (wa-ana ghayyathun li-man akhthara al-salata 'alayy)'.

"Then I woke up and saw that the face of my father was bright."

Qabisa said that no one sat with Sufyan except they remembered death. Yusuf ibn Asbat narrates that he once handed Sufyan the ablution-pot in the evening and left him holding it pensively. At dawn, had not moved and said: "I am still thinking about the next life."

He would reach states of anxiety about the Day of Judgment in which urinated blood. He said: "I may see something against which I ought to speak out but I do not, then I urinate blood."

He also said: "I felt the fear of God to a point I wondered how I could still be alive, then I would say to myself: I have a fixed term of life, but I wish it were made lighter for me. My fear is such that I fear losing my mind." "I ask Allah to take away some of my fear of Him."

Ibn Mahdl said: "Night after night I would catch sight of Sufyan sitting up and calling out: "The Fire! The Fire! I cannot sleep nor feel pleasure anymore because i think of the Fire.'" Abu Nu'aym said that Sufyan would be useless for days whenever this state overtook him.

* Sufyan ibn sa'id ibn Masruq Abu 'Abd Allah al Thawri al-Mudari al-Kufi, may Allah have mercy on him (97-161), the Godfearing, wise, grief-stricken, Mujtahid Imam, was "Commander of the Believers in Hadith" - the highest level in hadith Mastership -, "Shaykh al-Islam, the Imam of hadith Masters, the leader of the practicing Ulema in his time, the author of the Jami'" (al-Dhahabi).

- Al-samarqandi, Tanbih al-Ghafilin, ed. Shaykh Ahmad Salam (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, c.1986) p.319-320.

Reminders on Salat

Bismillah.

Some cool videos from Islamic Tube (http://www.islamictube.net/), reminding us of the importance of prayer

description of the 1st video:

"A sheikh interviews a disabled Muslim who regrets what he did in the past and wishes he could do what he was able to do back then.....a heart squeezing interview....makes you be thankfull for what you have been given by Allah."



The second is entitled "Pray Before You Die"

"Live life as long..."

Bismillah.

"Live as long as you may, for verily you must die. Love whoever you wish, for one day you shall taste its separation. And do what you will, you will be rewarded accordingly."

~ Imam Ghazali

Jinn Possession Incident

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem.

Umm Reem's interesting conversation with a jinn who possessed a girl in Pakistan...a good lesson on why we should learn & recite the daily Adhkar:

"We read and we believe in every word of Noble Qu’ran and the ahadeeth of the Prophet, sallallahu alihi wasalam. We believe, without ever doubting, in all that Qur’an and ahadeeth talks about although we may never witness it. However, sometimes by Allah’s Mercy, we get to experience something further which affirms our faith and satisfies our hearts, and we thank Allah azzawjal for allowing us such an opportunity. It is for this reason that I want to share an incident, hoping that may this be a beneficial and Iman-boosting read for everyone.

During my visit to Pakistan last month, I had the opportunity to read over a ‘possessed’ girl. I will not discuss the details, but my conversation with the jinn, a creation of Allah that we have heard of but never seen, is definitely worth sharing. The conversation was a mixture of Urdu and Punjabi and I tried to be as precise as I can with the translation. This is not the complete conversation but bits and pieces.

I started of with the adhaan and some recitation from Qur’an until it, or she to be precise, agreed to talk to me. She was a female Jinnee named Seeta who had possessed a Muslim girl for almost 6-7 years. It wasn’t a voluntary possession rather a case of black magic. As advised, I tried to invite her to Islam first. Apparently it was the first time anyone had ever invited her to Islam so she was a little shocked:

Seeta: How can I become a Muslim?

Me: Why not, anyone can become a Muslim.

Seeta: But I am evil and I have done many evil actions.

Me: It’s okay you will be forgiven if you truly repent. My Rabb is the Most forgiving!

Seeta: But I’ve been a Hindu for centuries, I cannot change now.

Me: Sure you can if you truly believe that Islam is the true religion. Why don’t you go around and see. You can travel very fast. Go around and you will find Muslim Jinns of your kind. Talk to them and ask them, they will teach you about this religion.

Seeta: Yes, I know. Their caravans pass by us and we make fun of them.

SubhanAllah, I was truly amazed when she said this. It reminded me of the first ayah of Surah Jinn: “Say (O Muhammad): “It has been revealed to me that a group of jinns listened (to this Qur’an). They said: ‘Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Qur’an)!” And I pictured a “group” of Jinn and how they still travel in caravans!

Me: Haven’t you seen the angels when you go up on the heavens and tried to listen to their conversations?

Seeta: Yes. They throw stones at us. I’ve been hit by them many times. My right arm was broken because of that!!

My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t help but pause and just stare at the sky for few seconds. Up above those heavens, stern guards of Allah, the angels, are protecting the skies with meteor (‘stones’ as Seeta said), exactly how it is described in the Qur’an:

“And we have sought to reach the heaven; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush.” (Jinn: 8-9)

“Verily! We have adorned the near heaven with the stars (for beauty).And to guard against every rebellious devil. They cannot listen to the higher group (angels) for they are pelted from every side. Outcast, and theirs is a constant (or painful) torment. Except such as snatch away something by stealing and they are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness.” (Saffat: 6-10)

I swear by Allah, I don’t see a reason why anyone’s eyes will not over flow with tears at this—tears of joy, a feeling of contentment, and a blissful satisfaction. SubhanAllah, a matter of ‘unseen’ was being described by someone who had seen it yet not believed in it, and was describing without realizing the effects it was having on the listener, not only just me but the others around and the ones who will hear it for as long as I shall live.

During our conversation, I learned that she was a Sikh but got married to a Hindu jinn (who died) and she adopted her husband’s religion and she insisted that husband’s religion is wife’s religion (wow talk about obedience to husbands!). But, she tried to cause confusion by insisting that she was an evil dead-soul (‘bad ruh’ the concept of which still confuses many Pakistanis). Previously she had everyone believed that she was an evil dead-soul, but when I rebuked her a few times for lying and told her that she wasn’t dead yet, then finally she confessed.

In any case, she asked me to give her time to think. But when I reminded her of death and the Day of Judgment, she asked the same ‘legendary’ question that why will she get hurt in Hellfire when she is made of fire! At times she also said that she doesn’t want to change her religion. And finally she said what manifested her ‘nature’ and confirmed her reality:

“I know Allah is the Creator but I cannot bow down to him!”

La howla wala quwatta illa billah. Same arrogance, same pride. Didn’t Iblees refuse to make sajdah even though he was certain of Allah being the Creator:

“…Aba wastakbarah…”[And they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers. 2:34]

I told her that she was doing exactly what her ‘master’ Iblees had done, and she replied:

“We are all of the same nature!” iyyadhobillah.

I sat there staring at her thinking to myself that this creation is low in intellect and high in arrogance and so even after seeing the clear Miracles of Allah azzawjal refuses to believe. On the other hand, humans cannot see what these jinns can see, but are blessed with a higher intellect. And perhaps that’s why humanity has more ‘logical’ and ‘reasonable’ proofs with the addition of the living miracle of Qur’an to see the truthfulness of Islam, yet if humans refuse then what good is that intellect which still leads to arrogance and ignorance!

We seek Allah’s refuge from the evil characteristics of arrogance, a trait of shaytaan.

Of the things that she said about Ibless was that he has a throne above the water!

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alihi wasalm, said:

“Iblees placed his throne on water then he sends out his emissaries…” (Muslim, 5023)

She also said that he has told them that he will wear a crown on the Day of Judgment.

He has also promised them of unlimited ‘rewards’. She said,

“Your Rabb has promised you rewards and our Iblees has promised us rewards.”

Surely his promises are nothing but lies, as mentioned in Qur’an:

“And Shaitân (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).” (14:22)

And surely he will turn his backs on all those who obeyed him:

“Their allies deceived them) like Shaitân (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allah.” But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaitân (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!” (59:16)

She had a particular obsession with Iblees’s beauty and kept repeating how handsome he is, a’oodhobillahi minhu. She also uttered a lot of evil which can only be uttered by someone wicked, and I will not mention it here.

Let me mention that the spell was cast upon the girl out of sheer jealousy and sadly by a very close relative. That day, as I read Surah Falaq upon her and got to the last verse, wAllahi I felt like I was reading it for the first time. It was as if I could ‘understand’ the meanings of it: “And from the evil of the envier when he envies.”

I was able to see what jealousy can cause; I could see the dangers of the one who becomes jealous, iyyadhobillah. That day, I truly appreciated the du’as of protecting oneself from evil eye and jealousy, and the adhkar of day and night.

Let me also state a few things that I had previously learned about jinns, mainly from Bilal Philip’s book and from Sh. Yasir’s Aqeedah class, and were confirmed by talking to Seeta:

She mentioned that if she leaves that girl, then she would want to possess someone else, I asked her the reason and she said:

“Because it is fun and I enjoy bothering people!” a’oodhobiAllah!

She liked attention and perhaps that’s why she was so talkative. However, she was a liar who tried to cause as many confusion as she possibly could.

She had a strong hold on the girl while in the bathroom. To be honest, some of the incidents were quite scary and I won’t even mention them. My sincere advice is to never forget the du’a before entering the bathroom!

To conclude, I have some advice for myself and for everyone else. To have a strong faith in Allah azzawjal and placing one’s tawakkul in Allah alone is a strong weapon against shayateen. If I ever get the permission from this sister, I would like to write about how she was before when the Jinn possessed her and how improving her faith kept weakening the jinn in her.

The beautiful adhkaar and the du’as are indeed a fortress of a believer. To be quite honest, that is the only defense we have against them but it is the fortification if we read with certainty and belief.

Be punctual with the prayers and read Qur’an. Make sure you recite Qur’an, and if you cannot (for some reasonable reason) then have it recited in your house everyday. Read your dua’s before leaving and upon entering the house (so shayateen don’t enter with you), before eating, before entering the bathroom and especially before falling asleep. May Allah azzawjal protect us from the fitan and sharr of all the shayateen among men and jinn, protect our spouses, children, families and all the Muslims around the world."

Source URL: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/02/11/a-conversation-with-a-jinn-the-exorcism-experience/

The Hindu Poet who Loved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him

Bismillah

Amazing story...(Please zoom in to see it more clearly)

The Hindu Poet Who Loved Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: The Hindu Poet Who Loved Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him

Status of Wali in Grave & Hereafter ~ Sheikh Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri

Bismillah.

Videos regarding the status of a Wali (each is about 5 min..all of one lecture)...amazing:

Part 1: "Death is the gift for the believer"



Part2: After death, the soul of a Wali meets Allah Almighty!



Part 3: The sleep in the grave..excellent explanation:

The Importance of Tassawuf (or Islamic Spirituality) by Sheikh Dr. Tahir-Ul-Qadri

Bismillah.

Excellent videos on the topic of Tassawuf and its importance..must watch:

"...Me ab dunya me rahta hu, magar aqa, dunya muj me nahi rehti" or "I live in this world but the world does not live in me:"



The reason behind the weakness of our works (amal) is due to the ignorance of Tasawwuf:

Housewife I

Bismillah.

With regards to the controversy of the use of the term "housewife" at the SunniPath Blog, Sheikh Abdul Kareem Yahya, may Allah (SWT) reward and bless him, reminds us:

"...Namely, why is rearing a believing child, with a heart capable of knowing Allah like no other creature can, less valuable than participating in the work force in an industrial age that has ruined the environment? Even if she were not to have children, why is maintaining the space in which believers pray, recite Quran, make dhikr, take shelter, eat, drink and dress such that they can worship Allah in safety and good health unimportant? When we see the stations in the hereafter of ladies who have done this for Allah during these few days in this dunya, many of us with other occupations will envy them."

2008 ICNA-MAS Convention Notes

Bismillah.

"If Allah can give life to the dead earth, then surely he can give life to the dead hearts." ~ Br. Noman Ali Khan.

Sr. Radf, may Allah reward her, posted her notes from this year's ICNA-MAS Convention at http://byanymeansnecessary.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/icna-2008-the-aftermath/

Jazak Allah Khair

"The Muslim Marriage Guide" by Ruqayyah Waris Maqsood

Bismillah.

Click this link to access the complete text of Sr. Ruqayyah Waris Maqsood's "The Muslim Marriage Guide." You can also view a pdf version (which is downloadable) by clicking The Muslim Marriage Guide PDF format

Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention

Bismillah.

Reviving the Islamic Spirit

Presents

"A Spiritual Journey to Islam"

December 26-28, 2008

at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

For further details please visit http://www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com/

(The post made yesterday had somemistakes and so was corrected. Please forgive us for the wrong information, which was due to old info still posted at their website.)

The Preservation of Pharoah's body as one of Allah's Vast Signs

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

"Say: 'Believe in it (the Quran) or don't believe in it' Verily, those who were given knowledge before it (the Jews and Christians like Abdullah bin Salam and Salman Al-Farsi), when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration and they say: 'Glory to our Lord. Truly the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.' They fall down on their faces in tears, and it increases their earnest humility." Al-Israa' (Chapter 17, Verses 106-109)

The above is one of the verses of the Quran where one must prostrate to Allah (SWT) after its recitation.

Miracle of Allah with Shaykh Yusuf Estes

"Do not Give Up Invocation..." ~ Ibn Ata'llah

Bismillah.

Some lines from Ibn Ata'llah's Hikam:

Do not give up invocation of Allah
because you are not present with Allah in it.
It is worse to forget to invoke Him
than to be inattentive while invoking Him.

He might raise you up from invocation with heedlessness
to invocation with wakeful attention,
and from invocation with wakeful attention
to invocation with presence,
and from invocation with presence
to invocation with withdrawal from all that is other than the Invoked.
That is not difficult for Allah.

URL: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/abewley/hikam2.html

"Food Crises Ravages India's Poorest Children" ~ UNICEF

Bismillah.

As a result of the rise in food prices, India's poorest children are faced with food shortage. We would appreciate it if you please donate now to support UNICEF's nutrition programs.

The following is an excerpt on the food crises in India taken from UNICEF's webpage:

"GURAVAL VILLAGE, Madhya Pradesh, India (June 9, 2008) — In the pre-monsoon heat, the Akushwah family gathered under a Neem tree on their most important mission since a boy was born to the family a year ago.

As the group waited for an auto rickshaw at the side of the main road from Bhopal to Delhi, they talked excitedly about how they had saved for a full year to fill their large steel bucket with a feast of chapattis, lentil dahl and channa, or chick peas.

If not for the huge food price increases that have hit India's poorest families the hardest, it would have taken them half that time. Like more than 50 percent of all Indians, the Akushwahs live on around $1 a day. But that didn't stop the family from taking a taxi to a bright blue temple, where they offered a feast to the Gods in thanks for their baby boy. Even in a crisis, centuries-old traditions and beliefs die hard."

Continue to read at http://www.unicefusa.org/news/news-from-the-field/food-crisis-ravages-indias.html

Wasalam.

Sacred Knowledge Retreat in Makkah, Madinah, and Syria organized by the Imam Ghazali Institute

Bismillah.

"For brothers age 15 and above (younger may travel with parent) seeking an intensive retreat of Islamic Knowledge for the Summer Vacation. This Program will span the entire month of July and is for students from the United States, UK, Canada, and other European Countries. Students from other countries may call our office for more information.

July 3rd - July 19th 2008
'Quenching Your Thirst For Knowledge and Guidance'

with As Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad Al Yaqoubi

Imam Ghazali Institute along with Syria's esteemed Abu Nour Institute has collaborated on a rigorous and intensive summer study program. This program entails a comprehensive schedule, which includes intensive study, personal and collective Ibadah and tours to Islamic historical sites. Participants will have the opportunity to perform Umrah, visit our beloved Nabi (saws) and visit important sites pertaining to the Seerah (the Prophet’s (saws) life).

Subjects to be covered include:

Quran, Hadith, Seerah, Dawah Methodology, Aqidah, Tazkiyyah an Nafs, Fiqh Al Hanafi (Fiqh Al Ibaadaat and Khutbatul Jumah), biographies of prominent Islamic personalities, and Shamaa’il Tirmidhi."

For more information please visit their website at http://imamghazaliinstitute.org/institute/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=30

Courtesy: Imam Ghazali Institute
http://imamghazaliinstitute.org/

SunniPath's New Curriculum in Coordination with Islamic Institutions around the World.

Bismillah.

SunniPath has Masha'Allah announced its new curriculum which will be launched in the fall. According to their website, their "curriculum was developed under the review and approval of several institutions and scholars in the Muslim World, including the Grand Mufti of Jordan Shaykh Nuh Ali Salman, WISE International Institute in Jordan, Mahd al-Fath in Syria, and Al-Ahqaf University in Yemen"

For more information,please visit: http://www.sunnipath.com/Academy/Online/Information/curriculum.aspx and http://www.sunnipath.com/Outreach/2008-Summer/080612curriculum.html

Courtesy: SunniPath, The Online Islamic Academy.

http://www.sunnipath.com/

Live Performance of "Har Waqt Tassawur" by Jame'ah Group

Bismillah.

Nice naat by Jame'ah group...check it out..some very good lines:

"Har waqt tassawur me medine ke gali ho
Aur yaad Muhammed ki mere dil me base ho
Ai kaash me banjaoon medina ka musafir
....
Ai kaash medina me mujhe maut yoon aayae"

Today's Greatest Fitna.

Bismillah.

Aaj ka sab se bara fitnaa (today's greatest fitna)...regarding the harms of TV & internet