For those of us who have made, are in the process of making, or contemplating the great Exodus from chemical hair straighteners…
I – Thou shalt be thankful for the hair that adorns thy head. Your hair is your ‘crown of glory’ treat it as such.
II – Thou shalt not idolize the hair that adorns another’s head. The hair on your head is unique, it’s what makes you you.
III – Thou shalt not take the hair that adorns thy head in vain. Be aware of the damage that chemicals and heat can cause, some of the damage is irreversible.
IV – Remember to take the necessary time to pamper thy hair. Create a routine, set aside specific days for sealing your ends, massaging, trimming, washing, conditioning and styling your hair. A healthy head of hair will be your reward.
V – Honor thy mother, father and ancestors for the beautiful traits that they have bestowed upon thee, one of which is your natural crown of glory. Wear your natural hair with pride.
VI – Thou shalt not attempt to use a fine-tooth comb to detangle thy hair. Even before using a wide-tooth comb, use your fingers to detangle, and when detangling always start from the ends and work your way up towards your scalp.
VII – Thou shalt not be ashamed to wear your natural hair in public. Wigs, weaves, braid extensions etc. are all wonderful temporary ‘protective’ and ‘transition’ styles, but they don’t compare to the beauty of your natural hair.
VIII – Thou shalt not kill the hair follicles on thy head – with high heat, harsh chemicals or tight styles. Stay away from pore clogging, dry scalp causing petroleum based products; use natural essential oil based ones instead. Be gentle with your hair, seek out professional stylists who have experience in styling your hair type.
IX – Thou shalt not bad mouth thy neighbor’s hair. Be respectful and encouraging to those who have not yet chosen to wear their hair natural. Negative comments will only turn them away from the natural hair community.
X – Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s hair; thou shalt not covet it’s texture, nor it’s curl pattern, nor it’s length etc. Appreciate the hair that you were blessed with. Try different styles and accessories that accentuate your very own personality and style.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Ayshah bint Abu Bakr ( Great Woman Of Islam )
Ayshah bint Abu Bakr ( Great Woman Of Islam )
Ayshah was born in 614 CE, she had claims to noble birth from both sides of the family. Her mother was Umm Roman and her father was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.
She said that there were nine blessings of Allah which distinguished her from all other women in the world except Maryam bint 'Imran, the mother of 'Issa.
The Angel Jibril had presented her portrait wrapped in green silk to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him that this was the picture of the lady chosen by Allah, to be his consort both in this world and the next.
She was the only virgin to have become the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
When the Prophet passed away, he was resting in her lap and was buried in her apartment.
Many times angels encircled her apartment with love and respect.
Very often divine revelation would come to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) when they were lying together resting in peace and tranquility.
She was the daughter of a true friend of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.
Ayat had descended from the heavens from Allah proving her innocence.
She was born a Muslim and had been brought up in a pure environment, and spent her formative years with the best of creatures, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Allah, the Lord, the Sustainer of the Universe promised her Divine Forgiveness and abundant bounties.
As a girl she used to play with dolls, Once Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) visited her father, he saw her playing with a winged horse; she was barely five years old at the time. When he inquired she said it's a horse. He smiled and answered that horses didn't have wings! She promptly retorted that the Prophet Sulaiman had winged horses, which showed even at this tender age she was intelligent on religious and historical matters. At the age of 8 years, she experienced an historic move, when the first Islamic state was on rise, she was able to recall all the minor details. Next year she joined the household of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Small rooms were constructed around the Prophet's Mosque, and Ayshah occupied one of these, on the eastern side of the Mosque it had earthen walls with a roof made of leaves and twigs. It was covered with a blanket to prevent rainwater from seeping through and the roof was so low that a person standing upright could touch it. The door never closed and a blanket hung as curtain. Close to the room, on a slightly higher level was another small room. A mat, a thin mattress, a pillow filled with the bark of trees, a water bag, a small plate for dates and a glass for drinking water were all the things in the room. This sparse little room was filled with spiritual treasures.
When the whole of Arabia was under authority of Islam, huge quantities of grain and cash flowed into the central treasury. But on the day that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, there was not even food for a single day in his household. Ayshah maintained this tradition up to her last days.
Ayshah was very charitable, all money that came her way was given away as soon as possible One day a beggar came to her and asked for food. She told her maid to give the lady the piece of bread they had. The maid answered that there was nothing else with which she could break her fast. 'Ayshah said help the hungry woman and the evening would take care of itself. By the blessings of Allah in the evening someone sent her a dish of cooked meat; She also sold the house she owned to give the price in charity.
She loved her sister's son, 'Abdullah bin Zubayr, very deeply. He loved her and always looked after her needs. Once he remarked that her generosity needed to be restrained. 'A'ishah was upset when she heard this; she swore she would never to talk to him. Finally, when she calmed down and made up with him, she freed several slaves as penance for breaking her oath.
'Ayshah was soft-hearted. On one occasion when a beggar carrying two children came to her door; Ayshah had only three dates in the house. These she gave her; the woman gave one each to the children and started eating one herself. One of the children ate his share quickly and started looking at his mother eating her date. The woman could not bear her child's hunger and took the date from her mouth, broke it into two halves, and gave a piece to each of the children. When 'Ayshah saw this heart-rending scene she could not control her tears.
In the month of Sha'ban, Ayshah accompanied Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who led the Muslim army towards Qadid, where a minor battle started with tribe of Banu Mustalaq. Several hypocrites were also part of the army during this particular battle. She had borrowed a necklace from her sister Asma'. On the way back the army camped in the desert, and Ayshah went far into desert to relieve herself. Suddenly she realized that the necklace dropped along the way. She found it after a long search. When she reached the site, the caravan had left, the normal procedure was that the ladies, who were segregated from the men folk, would get into their litter and draw the curtains. Then the camel drivers would place the litter on the camel's back. Since 'Ayshah was very light no one realized her absence. She lay down, waiting for her companions to return.
Safwan bin Mu'attil had the responsibility of checking the camp site for things which might have been left behind, at daybreak he arrived to find someone lying down in a Jilbab. When 'Ayshah heard him she woke up, and got on to the camel. He then walked leading the camel by the bridle.
At noon when the caravan had just reached the next camp site to rest, they saw 'Ayshah arriving with Safwan. Madinah was flooded by loose talk that 'Ayshah was a loose woman and her character was suspect, led by 'Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Hasan bin Thabit, Hamnah bint Jahash, and Mastah bin Athathah who joined the hypocrites. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was extremely disturbed when he heard this talk, but 'Ayshah was blissfully ignorant of all this.
One night when she went out with the mother of Mastah bin Athathah. The lady tripped and started cursing her son. 'Ayshah said that he was a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who fought in the Battle of Badr and deserved respect. The old lady retorted that 'Ayshah was ignorant of the fact that he was involved in an awful plot; she revealed what had been taking place behind her back. On returning home, she took the permission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and went to visit her parents. She was heartbroken, her sympathetic and loving parents advised her to be patient and everything would be cleared up. But she could not accept the fact that people could descend to such cruel depths. After two days and nights of continuous weeping she fell ill.
On the third morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to see her. He told her very gently that if she erred she should ask Allah for His forgiveness. She said to her husband that if she denied she was guilty, nobody would believe her; but she was innocent and only Allah knew it. The best answer to these accusations was to quote the answer of the father of Yusuf,
"So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is Allah Whose help can be sought against that (lie) which you describe." [Noble Quran 12:18]
At precisely this moment, the Ayat announcing her innocence were revealed. When the revelation ended he then turned to 'Ayshah with a smile and started reciting the Ayat,
"Verily, those who brought forth the slander are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment. Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander), think good of their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?" Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. And why did you not, when you heard it, say: "It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great lie." Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, if you are believers. And Allah makes the Ayat plain to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, (Allah Would have hastened the punishment upon you). And that Allah is full of kindness, Most Merciful. O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytan. And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytan, then, verily, he commands Al-Fahsha' (illegal sexual intercourse), and Al-Munkar (evil and wicked deeds). And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower." [Noble Quran 24:11-21]
Her parents were proud and relieved; pride that their daughter had been honored with a Quranic revelation, and relief that she was acquitted of any wrongdoing. They asked their daughter to rise and thank her husband, 'Ayshah promptly replied that she was grateful to her Allah for He had revealed Quranic Ayat in her honor. This episode is known in Islamic History as the Event of Al-Ifk.
After this incident the Prophet's respect for 'Ayshah increased even more. 'Amr bin 'Aas once asked Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who he loved most in this world, and he replied that he loved 'Ayshah more than anyone else. Then he asked him about the men folk. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered that he loved Ayshah's father the most. On one occasion 'Umar told his daughter Hafsah not to try and compete with 'Ayshah as Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) valued her very highly.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved to listen to 'Ayshah talking and always smiled when she spoke. On one 'Eid day there were some Africans displaying their skill with spears; 'Ayshah wanted to watch, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood in front of her so she could enjoy and not be seen. And he did not move until she tired of it.
But all this pleasant entertainment could not distract Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) from his duty to Allah. When the Mu'adthin's call to prayer would be heard, he immediately would rise and prepare to go the mosque, the love for Allah had priority over all other affections and interests.
Once they camped at a place in the desert and again 'Ayshah's necklace fell off. Some of the companions were sent to find it. When the call for morning prayers was given, there was no water for ablution. The Companions were worried about the morning prayers, and held Ayshah responsible. Her father rebuked his daughter for creating a situation, which might lead to the prayers being missed. Exactly at this moment this Ayat was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him),
"And if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (by sexual relations) and you find no water, perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your face and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving." [Noble Quran 4:43]
The people expressed their thanks for such a great favor Allah granted because of her. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq had not realized until that moment how pleased Allah was with her.
By the ninth year after Hijrah, Islam had spread over most of Arabia. Madinah became a flourishing state. Some wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) requested a increase in allowances. This disturbed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he declared that for one month he would separate himself from his wives, and he went into seclusion.
After 29 days he came to 'Ayshah's apartment, and told her to make a choice after consulting her parents; choose him and a life of hardship, or leave him and lead a life of ease. 'Ayshah had no doubt in her mind; she immediately answered that she and her parents would sacrifice their lives for him if need arose, there was no need to consult her parents and she would prefer life with him to the world and its attractions. A beautiful smile lit his face. And then Allah revealed the following,
"O Prophet Say to your wives: 'If you desire the life of this world, and its glitter, them come! I will make a provision for you and set you free in a handsome manner (divorce). But if you desire Allah And His Messenger, and the Home of the hereafter, then verily, Allah has prepared for the good-doers among you an enormous reward." [Noble Quran 33:28-29]
All the wives took the same decision as 'Ayshah.
In two recorded incidents Ayshah saw Jibril personally.
On one occasion, 'Ayshah saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) talking to a rider of a horse. When she inquired about the stranger, he was surprised that she saw him and told her it was the Angel Jibril as human and sent greetings to you. She prayed that Allah give reward to the honored guest and to noble host.
Anas narrates: Once Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying in 'Ayshah's apartment, she saw someone standing outside the door. When he finished his prayers she informed him. It was angel Jibril. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) invited him inside but he replied that they don't enter where there were dogs or pictures. When Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked around he saw a puppy in a corner of the room; when he was chased out then the angel entered.
'Ayshah attained a lofty status because of her knowledge. Everyone consulted her on the finer points of religion. Many Hadiths originated from her 2210 in number.. She was among the top seven companions who narrated thousands of Hadiths.
Imam Dthahabi wrote that she was a theologian of the highest order. She imbibed divinely inspired knowledge and wisdom from the very fountainhead of Prophethood and an eyewitness to problems and their answers by divine revelations. Her apartment was the centre where Ayat were revealed by the divine Mercy of Allah. Thus she was given the title of 'Horizon of the Ladies of Islam'.
During the time of Khulafa-u-Rashidin, her Fatwas were accepted. Once someone asked Masruq if 'Ayshah had mastery over Shari'ah laws regarding inheritance. He swore that he had seen Companions asking her questions about the finer points of the laws of inheritance. 'Urwah bin Zubayr, her sister Asma's son often visited her to discuss religious issues with her. Other Companions envied him as he could freely approach her at any time.
Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and 'Ayshah were not feeling well. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that if she died before him he would bathe her and shroud her and lower her into her grave and pray for her. She light heartedly replied that it seemed as if he would celebrate her death; and she told him that in case she died before him, he should bring a new wife into her apartment. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled at this.
Her brother, 'Abdur-Rahman came in during his last moments with a Siwak in his hand; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked longingly at it. 'Ayshah understood and asked him if she could offer one to him. When he nodded, she took it and softened it with her teeth and offered it to him. He cleaned his teeth; and dipping his hand frequently in water, he kept wiping his face again and again, repeating the words,
"There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Verily, death has pains." Then he pointed upward with his hand and said, "Toward the best friend"
Ayshah once had a dream that three moons descended into her apartment. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away he was buried in her apartment. Her father told her that part of her dream came true that day - the first moon irradiated her apartment. Later, her father and then Umar Al-Khattab was buried next to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which fulfilled the prophesy of her dream.
Imam Dthahabi quoted a saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that a Prophet's soul leaves its body in the place that it likes the best. Thus it is proven he died in his favorite place, the apartment of 'Ayshah.
She left this earthly existence for Paradise in the year 58 Hijrah on the 17th of Ramadhan at the age of 66.
She was buried in Jannatul Baqi'. with Abu Hurairah leading the funeral prayers.
Ayshah was born in 614 CE, she had claims to noble birth from both sides of the family. Her mother was Umm Roman and her father was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.
She said that there were nine blessings of Allah which distinguished her from all other women in the world except Maryam bint 'Imran, the mother of 'Issa.
The Angel Jibril had presented her portrait wrapped in green silk to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him that this was the picture of the lady chosen by Allah, to be his consort both in this world and the next.
She was the only virgin to have become the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
When the Prophet passed away, he was resting in her lap and was buried in her apartment.
Many times angels encircled her apartment with love and respect.
Very often divine revelation would come to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) when they were lying together resting in peace and tranquility.
She was the daughter of a true friend of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.
Ayat had descended from the heavens from Allah proving her innocence.
She was born a Muslim and had been brought up in a pure environment, and spent her formative years with the best of creatures, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Allah, the Lord, the Sustainer of the Universe promised her Divine Forgiveness and abundant bounties.
As a girl she used to play with dolls, Once Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) visited her father, he saw her playing with a winged horse; she was barely five years old at the time. When he inquired she said it's a horse. He smiled and answered that horses didn't have wings! She promptly retorted that the Prophet Sulaiman had winged horses, which showed even at this tender age she was intelligent on religious and historical matters. At the age of 8 years, she experienced an historic move, when the first Islamic state was on rise, she was able to recall all the minor details. Next year she joined the household of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Small rooms were constructed around the Prophet's Mosque, and Ayshah occupied one of these, on the eastern side of the Mosque it had earthen walls with a roof made of leaves and twigs. It was covered with a blanket to prevent rainwater from seeping through and the roof was so low that a person standing upright could touch it. The door never closed and a blanket hung as curtain. Close to the room, on a slightly higher level was another small room. A mat, a thin mattress, a pillow filled with the bark of trees, a water bag, a small plate for dates and a glass for drinking water were all the things in the room. This sparse little room was filled with spiritual treasures.
When the whole of Arabia was under authority of Islam, huge quantities of grain and cash flowed into the central treasury. But on the day that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, there was not even food for a single day in his household. Ayshah maintained this tradition up to her last days.
Ayshah was very charitable, all money that came her way was given away as soon as possible One day a beggar came to her and asked for food. She told her maid to give the lady the piece of bread they had. The maid answered that there was nothing else with which she could break her fast. 'Ayshah said help the hungry woman and the evening would take care of itself. By the blessings of Allah in the evening someone sent her a dish of cooked meat; She also sold the house she owned to give the price in charity.
She loved her sister's son, 'Abdullah bin Zubayr, very deeply. He loved her and always looked after her needs. Once he remarked that her generosity needed to be restrained. 'A'ishah was upset when she heard this; she swore she would never to talk to him. Finally, when she calmed down and made up with him, she freed several slaves as penance for breaking her oath.
'Ayshah was soft-hearted. On one occasion when a beggar carrying two children came to her door; Ayshah had only three dates in the house. These she gave her; the woman gave one each to the children and started eating one herself. One of the children ate his share quickly and started looking at his mother eating her date. The woman could not bear her child's hunger and took the date from her mouth, broke it into two halves, and gave a piece to each of the children. When 'Ayshah saw this heart-rending scene she could not control her tears.
In the month of Sha'ban, Ayshah accompanied Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who led the Muslim army towards Qadid, where a minor battle started with tribe of Banu Mustalaq. Several hypocrites were also part of the army during this particular battle. She had borrowed a necklace from her sister Asma'. On the way back the army camped in the desert, and Ayshah went far into desert to relieve herself. Suddenly she realized that the necklace dropped along the way. She found it after a long search. When she reached the site, the caravan had left, the normal procedure was that the ladies, who were segregated from the men folk, would get into their litter and draw the curtains. Then the camel drivers would place the litter on the camel's back. Since 'Ayshah was very light no one realized her absence. She lay down, waiting for her companions to return.
Safwan bin Mu'attil had the responsibility of checking the camp site for things which might have been left behind, at daybreak he arrived to find someone lying down in a Jilbab. When 'Ayshah heard him she woke up, and got on to the camel. He then walked leading the camel by the bridle.
At noon when the caravan had just reached the next camp site to rest, they saw 'Ayshah arriving with Safwan. Madinah was flooded by loose talk that 'Ayshah was a loose woman and her character was suspect, led by 'Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Hasan bin Thabit, Hamnah bint Jahash, and Mastah bin Athathah who joined the hypocrites. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was extremely disturbed when he heard this talk, but 'Ayshah was blissfully ignorant of all this.
One night when she went out with the mother of Mastah bin Athathah. The lady tripped and started cursing her son. 'Ayshah said that he was a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who fought in the Battle of Badr and deserved respect. The old lady retorted that 'Ayshah was ignorant of the fact that he was involved in an awful plot; she revealed what had been taking place behind her back. On returning home, she took the permission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and went to visit her parents. She was heartbroken, her sympathetic and loving parents advised her to be patient and everything would be cleared up. But she could not accept the fact that people could descend to such cruel depths. After two days and nights of continuous weeping she fell ill.
On the third morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to see her. He told her very gently that if she erred she should ask Allah for His forgiveness. She said to her husband that if she denied she was guilty, nobody would believe her; but she was innocent and only Allah knew it. The best answer to these accusations was to quote the answer of the father of Yusuf,
"So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is Allah Whose help can be sought against that (lie) which you describe." [Noble Quran 12:18]
At precisely this moment, the Ayat announcing her innocence were revealed. When the revelation ended he then turned to 'Ayshah with a smile and started reciting the Ayat,
"Verily, those who brought forth the slander are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment. Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander), think good of their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?" Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. And why did you not, when you heard it, say: "It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great lie." Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, if you are believers. And Allah makes the Ayat plain to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, (Allah Would have hastened the punishment upon you). And that Allah is full of kindness, Most Merciful. O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytan. And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytan, then, verily, he commands Al-Fahsha' (illegal sexual intercourse), and Al-Munkar (evil and wicked deeds). And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower." [Noble Quran 24:11-21]
Her parents were proud and relieved; pride that their daughter had been honored with a Quranic revelation, and relief that she was acquitted of any wrongdoing. They asked their daughter to rise and thank her husband, 'Ayshah promptly replied that she was grateful to her Allah for He had revealed Quranic Ayat in her honor. This episode is known in Islamic History as the Event of Al-Ifk.
After this incident the Prophet's respect for 'Ayshah increased even more. 'Amr bin 'Aas once asked Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who he loved most in this world, and he replied that he loved 'Ayshah more than anyone else. Then he asked him about the men folk. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered that he loved Ayshah's father the most. On one occasion 'Umar told his daughter Hafsah not to try and compete with 'Ayshah as Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) valued her very highly.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved to listen to 'Ayshah talking and always smiled when she spoke. On one 'Eid day there were some Africans displaying their skill with spears; 'Ayshah wanted to watch, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood in front of her so she could enjoy and not be seen. And he did not move until she tired of it.
But all this pleasant entertainment could not distract Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) from his duty to Allah. When the Mu'adthin's call to prayer would be heard, he immediately would rise and prepare to go the mosque, the love for Allah had priority over all other affections and interests.
Once they camped at a place in the desert and again 'Ayshah's necklace fell off. Some of the companions were sent to find it. When the call for morning prayers was given, there was no water for ablution. The Companions were worried about the morning prayers, and held Ayshah responsible. Her father rebuked his daughter for creating a situation, which might lead to the prayers being missed. Exactly at this moment this Ayat was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him),
"And if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (by sexual relations) and you find no water, perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your face and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving." [Noble Quran 4:43]
The people expressed their thanks for such a great favor Allah granted because of her. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq had not realized until that moment how pleased Allah was with her.
By the ninth year after Hijrah, Islam had spread over most of Arabia. Madinah became a flourishing state. Some wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) requested a increase in allowances. This disturbed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he declared that for one month he would separate himself from his wives, and he went into seclusion.
After 29 days he came to 'Ayshah's apartment, and told her to make a choice after consulting her parents; choose him and a life of hardship, or leave him and lead a life of ease. 'Ayshah had no doubt in her mind; she immediately answered that she and her parents would sacrifice their lives for him if need arose, there was no need to consult her parents and she would prefer life with him to the world and its attractions. A beautiful smile lit his face. And then Allah revealed the following,
"O Prophet Say to your wives: 'If you desire the life of this world, and its glitter, them come! I will make a provision for you and set you free in a handsome manner (divorce). But if you desire Allah And His Messenger, and the Home of the hereafter, then verily, Allah has prepared for the good-doers among you an enormous reward." [Noble Quran 33:28-29]
All the wives took the same decision as 'Ayshah.
In two recorded incidents Ayshah saw Jibril personally.
On one occasion, 'Ayshah saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) talking to a rider of a horse. When she inquired about the stranger, he was surprised that she saw him and told her it was the Angel Jibril as human and sent greetings to you. She prayed that Allah give reward to the honored guest and to noble host.
Anas narrates: Once Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying in 'Ayshah's apartment, she saw someone standing outside the door. When he finished his prayers she informed him. It was angel Jibril. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) invited him inside but he replied that they don't enter where there were dogs or pictures. When Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked around he saw a puppy in a corner of the room; when he was chased out then the angel entered.
'Ayshah attained a lofty status because of her knowledge. Everyone consulted her on the finer points of religion. Many Hadiths originated from her 2210 in number.. She was among the top seven companions who narrated thousands of Hadiths.
Imam Dthahabi wrote that she was a theologian of the highest order. She imbibed divinely inspired knowledge and wisdom from the very fountainhead of Prophethood and an eyewitness to problems and their answers by divine revelations. Her apartment was the centre where Ayat were revealed by the divine Mercy of Allah. Thus she was given the title of 'Horizon of the Ladies of Islam'.
During the time of Khulafa-u-Rashidin, her Fatwas were accepted. Once someone asked Masruq if 'Ayshah had mastery over Shari'ah laws regarding inheritance. He swore that he had seen Companions asking her questions about the finer points of the laws of inheritance. 'Urwah bin Zubayr, her sister Asma's son often visited her to discuss religious issues with her. Other Companions envied him as he could freely approach her at any time.
Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and 'Ayshah were not feeling well. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that if she died before him he would bathe her and shroud her and lower her into her grave and pray for her. She light heartedly replied that it seemed as if he would celebrate her death; and she told him that in case she died before him, he should bring a new wife into her apartment. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled at this.
Her brother, 'Abdur-Rahman came in during his last moments with a Siwak in his hand; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked longingly at it. 'Ayshah understood and asked him if she could offer one to him. When he nodded, she took it and softened it with her teeth and offered it to him. He cleaned his teeth; and dipping his hand frequently in water, he kept wiping his face again and again, repeating the words,
"There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Verily, death has pains." Then he pointed upward with his hand and said, "Toward the best friend"
Ayshah once had a dream that three moons descended into her apartment. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away he was buried in her apartment. Her father told her that part of her dream came true that day - the first moon irradiated her apartment. Later, her father and then Umar Al-Khattab was buried next to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which fulfilled the prophesy of her dream.
Imam Dthahabi quoted a saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that a Prophet's soul leaves its body in the place that it likes the best. Thus it is proven he died in his favorite place, the apartment of 'Ayshah.
She left this earthly existence for Paradise in the year 58 Hijrah on the 17th of Ramadhan at the age of 66.
She was buried in Jannatul Baqi'. with Abu Hurairah leading the funeral prayers.
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ( Great Woman Of Islam
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ( Great Woman Of Islam )
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Allah's Messenger! This is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil, (fatigue, trouble, etc.)." [Al-Bukhari]
'Abdullah bin 'Abbas narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drew four lines on the earth and asked his Companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully replied that he knew better. He then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of the Prophet Issa and 'Asia bint Muzahim (the wife of the Pharaoh).
She was the first person to have an abiding faith in the utterances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to accept Islam as her religion and her way of life. She was blessed with the distinction of having been greeted with Salam (greetings) by Allah and the Angel Jibril.
Khadijah was born in Makkah in the year 556 CE. Her mother's name was Fatimah bint Zayd, and her father's name was Khuwaylid bin Asad. He was a very popular leader among the tribe of Quraysh, and a very prosperous businessman who died while fighting in the famous battle of Fujjar. Khadijah thus grew up in the lap of luxury. She married Abu Halah Malak bin Nabash bin Zarrarah bin At-Tamimi and bore him two children, Halah and Hind. She wanted to see her husband prosper and financed him in setting up a big business. But unfortunately he passed away. Some time later the young widow married 'Atique bin 'Aith bin 'Abdullah Al-Makhzumi, and she had a daughter by him as well named Hindah, but the marriage soon broke up on grounds of incompatibility. After this all her attention was devoted to the upbringing of her children, and building up the business she inherited from her father. Her astuteness and business ability made her business one of the most widespread businesses among the Quraysh.
Her policy was to employ hard working, honest and distinguished managers to deal on her behalf as a lot depended on the integrity of the employees who traveled far and wide on her behalf. She exported her goods to far away markets like Syria, and her managers bought goods from those markets to be sold at home.
Khadijah had heard of the integrity, honesty and principled behavior of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sent a job offer to him to head her trading caravans. He gladly accepted the offer and started working for her. Khadijah sent him on a business trip; her old and trusted slave Maysarah being delegated to accompany and serve him.
Maysarah was impressed by the Prophet's integrity, strength of character, adherence to principles, his amicable dealings and his business abilities. On the way back from Syria, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lay down under a tree to rest for a while. Nestora, a Jewish monk, noted for his knowledge of religion and for his insight saw him and asked Maysarah who he was. Maysarah told him all about Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his reputation for honesty and intelligence. Nestora then told him that this man would be elevated to Prophet hood in the future, as no man had ever rested under that particular tree but Prophets.
Tradition has it that Maysarah also saw two angels bearing a cloud over Prophet's head to protect him from the glare and heat of the sun.
When he returned home Maysarah reported to Khadijah all that had taken place on the trip to Syria. She was deeply moved and impressed, and started thinking of proposing marriage to Muhammad. But how could she express her thoughts to him? She already rejected several proposals of marriage from men belonging to some of the noblest families of the Quraysh. How would her tribe react? What would her family say? And what was more, would her proposal be acceptable to this young, yet unmarried man of the tribe of Quraysh?
As she pondered over these questions and debated within herself, one night she dreamt that the shining sun had descended from the heavens into her courtyard, radiating her home. When she woke up she went for the interpretation of this wonderful dream to her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal, a blind man noted for his skill in interpreting dreams, and for his depth of knowledge, particularly of the Torah and the Injil. When he heard her dream, he gave a serene smile, and told her not to worry, as this was a very promising dream. The glorious sun she saw descending into her courtyard indicated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) whose advent had been predicted in the Torah and the Injil was to grace her home and she would gain from his presence in her life.
After this meeting with Waraqah she became stronger in her desire to marry Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). One of her very close friends, Nafisah bint Manbah knew of her inclination and she went to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and requested his permission to ask him a very personal question. When he said he had no objection, she asked why he had not yet got married. He said he did not have the financial resources. Then she asked him if he would be willing to marry a beautiful lady from a noble and wealthy family, who was inclined towards marriage with him. He asked whom she was referring to; when he learnt her identity he said that he was willing, provided she was willing to marry him. Khadijah' was overjoyed.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was then twenty-five years of age and Khadijah was forty years old. (According to one tradition, she was twenty-eight). The two uncles of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Hamzah and Abu Talib approached her uncle, 'Umar bin Asad, with the formal proposal. It was accepted and the two families began preparing for the wedding. Halimah As-Sa'diyyah who nursed the Prophet in his infancy was specially invited for the wedding and traveled to Makkah from her village. When she left after the festivities, Khadijah presented her with household goods, a camel and forty goats as an expression of gratitude to the lady who had taken such good care of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his infancy.
Khadijah was very blessed in the marriage, and had six children. First two sons, Qasim and 'Abdullah; then followed the daughters, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah. It was a very happy, peaceful and content household, but Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt something was missing, and he was extremely restless. He would retire for a month once a year to the cave of Hira to dedicate himself entirely to prayer and meditation. One day he felt the presence of another being who held him in his arms in a tight embrace. Then he loosened his hold and asked him to read; Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) answered that he was illiterate. But the person repeated the same act and the phrase again and again. Then finally he read these Ayat which are the first revelation of the Quran. They are from Surah Iqra or Al-'Alaq.
"Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not." [Noble Quran 96:1-5]
Then the being disappeared. This was such an awesome experience that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned home sweating and shaking. He called out to Khadijah asking her to cover him with a sheet or a blanket. When he had calmed down to some extent, he told his wife that he feared for his life, and narrated the whole incident to her. Khadijah, a picture of loyalty and serenity consoled him saying that Allah would surely protect him from any danger, and would never allow anyone to revile him as he was a of man of peace and reconciliation and always extended the hand of friendship to all. He never lied, always hospitable, carried the burdens of others and helped those who were in trouble. These soothing and encouraging words of sympathy and understanding from Khadijah gave him immeasurable strength and confidence. She then took him to meet her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal, who immediately guessed the identity of the being in the Cave of Hira as the Angel Jibril the Messenger of Allah who had visited Moses as well. Waraqah who was very old wished that he could live to see the time when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would be forced into exile by his people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very surprised and asked if his people would really do this to him. Waraqah assured him that it was typical of human beings that they would never appreciate or follow a Prophet who rose among them. Waraqah added that he wished he were alive at that time and be able to help him. He added that if what he had been told were true then surely it meant that her husband was the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) whose advent had been mentioned in the scriptures.
The four daughters grew up to be faithful and courageous daughters of Islam. They all migrated to Al-Madinah, with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Zaynab was married to Abu 'Aas bin Rabi'ah, Ruqayyah was married to 'Uthman. When she passed away he married her sister Umm Kulthum; Fatimah was married to 'Ali bin Abi Talib. The first three daughters died during the lifetime of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his beloved daughter Fatimah lived just six months after he passed away.
When the disbelievers saw that Islam was attracting more and more followers in spite of all their tactics, they decided to declare an open and total political and economic boycott of the tribe of Banu Hashim. This took place in the seventh year after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared himself the Messenger of Allah. This is also known in Islamic history as the Shi'ab Abi Talib.
It was so severe that innocent children faced starvation and hunger, and adults survived eating the leaves of trees. Yet the firm followers of Muhammad did not turn away from their true religion and they came out of the ordeal stronger and purer than before.
Khadijah who had been brought up in luxury in her wealthy father's home now faced the economic hardships with patience and courage, which are a necessary part of any siege. Khadijah's nobility of character and conduct pleased Allah, so much that He sent special greetings for her.
Khadijah was the ideal wife and mother. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lived in her house which became a blessed place due to his presence and the fact that Jibril (peace and blessings be upon him) came often to visit him there with Quranic revelations. It became the centre of Islam, where all the Companions male and female visited often to partake of the hospitality of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his wife.
After the Hijrah (migration) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Al-Madinah, the house was occupied by the brother of 'Ali. Later Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan who transcribed some of the Divine Revelations purchased this house and built a mosque. Thus the site of the house of Khadijah became a place of prayer and worship for all time. She had been used to praying two Rak'as of Salat (prayer), mornings and evenings with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even before prayers were made compulsory by Allah. After accepting Islam she became more contemplative and inclined towards worship; she found a blessed feeling of peace in prayer.
Afif Kindi relates that 'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib was a great friend of his and he used to visit him often in Yemen in connection with his business in perfumes. On one occasion when they were standing and chatting in Mina, they saw a handsome young man approach. He carefully washed his hands and feet and then stood respectfully with his arms crossed on his breast. Soon a dignified lady of noble bearing and a young handsome young lad joined him. 'Afif asked 'Abbas what they were doing and whether this was a new form of exercise. 'Abbas replied that the youth was his brother 'Abdullah's son, and the lady was his wife. She was a woman of great wealth and virtue, and an ideal wife and mother. The lad was his brother Abu Talib's son. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had announced that he was a Messenger of Allah and had started preaching a new religion called Islam. In due course 'Afif accepted Islam, but he always regretted the fact that he had not joined the Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions in their prayers and supplication on that memorable day in Mina, when he had first heard of Islam.
Khadijah passed away just three years before the Hijrah, or the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) migration to Al-Madinah. She died at the age of sixty-five, having given almost twenty-five years to Muhammad and the cause of Islam. When Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saw her in the throes of death he consoled her saying Allah had so ordained it, and that the thing she was dreading, would prove favorable for her. Her eyes lit up and as she gazed at her beloved husband, her soul left its earthly body.
Her grave was prepared at a place called Hujjun, near Makkah. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) stepped into it to see that everything was as it should be, and with his own hands lowered her gently into it. Thus passed away the 'Mother' of all Muslims, the one who had sacrificed her all for Islam, the lady who was the greatest supporter of Islam in its earliest days. She who was the mother of Fatimah, the First Lady of Paradise, the grandmother of the beloved grandchildren of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Hasan and Hussein who are to be the foremost of the youths in Paradise.
When she passed away, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was heartbroken at the loss of a dedicated companion who stood by him during the most difficult period of his life.
One of the ladies of the Quraysh, Khawlah bint Hakim, visited the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to console him, and saw his state of depression and grief and remarked on it. He replied it was only natural that he should be touched by her absence, as she had been a loving mother to his now neglected children; she had been a loyal and sympathetic wife who shared his secrets. It was only human and natural that he should feel her loss as she was there for him during his most difficult times. Whenever he was abused by the disbelievers she had provided moral support and unflagging faith.
A Companion of the Prophet narrates that whenever any gift was brought to him he would immediately send it to some lady who had been a friend of Khadijah. Ayshah, a favorite wife of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) says that whenever a goat was slaughtered the Prophet it would send some meat to Khadijah's friends; when she remarked about this on one occasion he told her, 'I have great regard for her friends, as she has a special place in my heart.' Ayshah said she never experienced such a feeling of natural feminine jealousy for any other wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as she did for Khadijah. She also narrates that whenever Muhammad spoke of her he would talk at great length and praise her qualities, and pray for her forgiveness.
Ayshah narrates that whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) talked about Khadijah, it was in terms of the highest praise. One day her innate feminine envy overtook her sense of decorum and she spoke in disparaging terms of her, wondering why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) missed her when he was blessed with a better, younger wife by Allah. This displeased him, but forbearing as he was, he just sighed and answered,
"I have not yet found a better wife than her. She had faith in me when everyone, even members of my own family and tribe did not believe me, and accepted that I was truly a Prophet and a Messenger of Allah. She converted to Islam, spent all her wealth and worldly goods to help me spread this faith, and this too at a time when the entire world seemed to have turned against me and persecuted me. And it is through her that Allah blessed me with children."
As Allah says in Surah Al-Fajr in the Noble Quran that it will be said to the pious believers:
"O the one in complete rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord — well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! Enter you then among My (honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise." [Noble Quran 89:27-30]
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Allah's Messenger! This is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil, (fatigue, trouble, etc.)." [Al-Bukhari]
'Abdullah bin 'Abbas narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drew four lines on the earth and asked his Companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully replied that he knew better. He then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of the Prophet Issa and 'Asia bint Muzahim (the wife of the Pharaoh).
She was the first person to have an abiding faith in the utterances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to accept Islam as her religion and her way of life. She was blessed with the distinction of having been greeted with Salam (greetings) by Allah and the Angel Jibril.
Khadijah was born in Makkah in the year 556 CE. Her mother's name was Fatimah bint Zayd, and her father's name was Khuwaylid bin Asad. He was a very popular leader among the tribe of Quraysh, and a very prosperous businessman who died while fighting in the famous battle of Fujjar. Khadijah thus grew up in the lap of luxury. She married Abu Halah Malak bin Nabash bin Zarrarah bin At-Tamimi and bore him two children, Halah and Hind. She wanted to see her husband prosper and financed him in setting up a big business. But unfortunately he passed away. Some time later the young widow married 'Atique bin 'Aith bin 'Abdullah Al-Makhzumi, and she had a daughter by him as well named Hindah, but the marriage soon broke up on grounds of incompatibility. After this all her attention was devoted to the upbringing of her children, and building up the business she inherited from her father. Her astuteness and business ability made her business one of the most widespread businesses among the Quraysh.
Her policy was to employ hard working, honest and distinguished managers to deal on her behalf as a lot depended on the integrity of the employees who traveled far and wide on her behalf. She exported her goods to far away markets like Syria, and her managers bought goods from those markets to be sold at home.
Khadijah had heard of the integrity, honesty and principled behavior of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sent a job offer to him to head her trading caravans. He gladly accepted the offer and started working for her. Khadijah sent him on a business trip; her old and trusted slave Maysarah being delegated to accompany and serve him.
Maysarah was impressed by the Prophet's integrity, strength of character, adherence to principles, his amicable dealings and his business abilities. On the way back from Syria, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lay down under a tree to rest for a while. Nestora, a Jewish monk, noted for his knowledge of religion and for his insight saw him and asked Maysarah who he was. Maysarah told him all about Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his reputation for honesty and intelligence. Nestora then told him that this man would be elevated to Prophet hood in the future, as no man had ever rested under that particular tree but Prophets.
Tradition has it that Maysarah also saw two angels bearing a cloud over Prophet's head to protect him from the glare and heat of the sun.
When he returned home Maysarah reported to Khadijah all that had taken place on the trip to Syria. She was deeply moved and impressed, and started thinking of proposing marriage to Muhammad. But how could she express her thoughts to him? She already rejected several proposals of marriage from men belonging to some of the noblest families of the Quraysh. How would her tribe react? What would her family say? And what was more, would her proposal be acceptable to this young, yet unmarried man of the tribe of Quraysh?
As she pondered over these questions and debated within herself, one night she dreamt that the shining sun had descended from the heavens into her courtyard, radiating her home. When she woke up she went for the interpretation of this wonderful dream to her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal, a blind man noted for his skill in interpreting dreams, and for his depth of knowledge, particularly of the Torah and the Injil. When he heard her dream, he gave a serene smile, and told her not to worry, as this was a very promising dream. The glorious sun she saw descending into her courtyard indicated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) whose advent had been predicted in the Torah and the Injil was to grace her home and she would gain from his presence in her life.
After this meeting with Waraqah she became stronger in her desire to marry Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). One of her very close friends, Nafisah bint Manbah knew of her inclination and she went to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and requested his permission to ask him a very personal question. When he said he had no objection, she asked why he had not yet got married. He said he did not have the financial resources. Then she asked him if he would be willing to marry a beautiful lady from a noble and wealthy family, who was inclined towards marriage with him. He asked whom she was referring to; when he learnt her identity he said that he was willing, provided she was willing to marry him. Khadijah' was overjoyed.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was then twenty-five years of age and Khadijah was forty years old. (According to one tradition, she was twenty-eight). The two uncles of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Hamzah and Abu Talib approached her uncle, 'Umar bin Asad, with the formal proposal. It was accepted and the two families began preparing for the wedding. Halimah As-Sa'diyyah who nursed the Prophet in his infancy was specially invited for the wedding and traveled to Makkah from her village. When she left after the festivities, Khadijah presented her with household goods, a camel and forty goats as an expression of gratitude to the lady who had taken such good care of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his infancy.
Khadijah was very blessed in the marriage, and had six children. First two sons, Qasim and 'Abdullah; then followed the daughters, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah. It was a very happy, peaceful and content household, but Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt something was missing, and he was extremely restless. He would retire for a month once a year to the cave of Hira to dedicate himself entirely to prayer and meditation. One day he felt the presence of another being who held him in his arms in a tight embrace. Then he loosened his hold and asked him to read; Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) answered that he was illiterate. But the person repeated the same act and the phrase again and again. Then finally he read these Ayat which are the first revelation of the Quran. They are from Surah Iqra or Al-'Alaq.
"Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not." [Noble Quran 96:1-5]
Then the being disappeared. This was such an awesome experience that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned home sweating and shaking. He called out to Khadijah asking her to cover him with a sheet or a blanket. When he had calmed down to some extent, he told his wife that he feared for his life, and narrated the whole incident to her. Khadijah, a picture of loyalty and serenity consoled him saying that Allah would surely protect him from any danger, and would never allow anyone to revile him as he was a of man of peace and reconciliation and always extended the hand of friendship to all. He never lied, always hospitable, carried the burdens of others and helped those who were in trouble. These soothing and encouraging words of sympathy and understanding from Khadijah gave him immeasurable strength and confidence. She then took him to meet her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal, who immediately guessed the identity of the being in the Cave of Hira as the Angel Jibril the Messenger of Allah who had visited Moses as well. Waraqah who was very old wished that he could live to see the time when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would be forced into exile by his people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very surprised and asked if his people would really do this to him. Waraqah assured him that it was typical of human beings that they would never appreciate or follow a Prophet who rose among them. Waraqah added that he wished he were alive at that time and be able to help him. He added that if what he had been told were true then surely it meant that her husband was the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) whose advent had been mentioned in the scriptures.
The four daughters grew up to be faithful and courageous daughters of Islam. They all migrated to Al-Madinah, with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Zaynab was married to Abu 'Aas bin Rabi'ah, Ruqayyah was married to 'Uthman. When she passed away he married her sister Umm Kulthum; Fatimah was married to 'Ali bin Abi Talib. The first three daughters died during the lifetime of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his beloved daughter Fatimah lived just six months after he passed away.
When the disbelievers saw that Islam was attracting more and more followers in spite of all their tactics, they decided to declare an open and total political and economic boycott of the tribe of Banu Hashim. This took place in the seventh year after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared himself the Messenger of Allah. This is also known in Islamic history as the Shi'ab Abi Talib.
It was so severe that innocent children faced starvation and hunger, and adults survived eating the leaves of trees. Yet the firm followers of Muhammad did not turn away from their true religion and they came out of the ordeal stronger and purer than before.
Khadijah who had been brought up in luxury in her wealthy father's home now faced the economic hardships with patience and courage, which are a necessary part of any siege. Khadijah's nobility of character and conduct pleased Allah, so much that He sent special greetings for her.
Khadijah was the ideal wife and mother. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lived in her house which became a blessed place due to his presence and the fact that Jibril (peace and blessings be upon him) came often to visit him there with Quranic revelations. It became the centre of Islam, where all the Companions male and female visited often to partake of the hospitality of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his wife.
After the Hijrah (migration) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Al-Madinah, the house was occupied by the brother of 'Ali. Later Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan who transcribed some of the Divine Revelations purchased this house and built a mosque. Thus the site of the house of Khadijah became a place of prayer and worship for all time. She had been used to praying two Rak'as of Salat (prayer), mornings and evenings with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even before prayers were made compulsory by Allah. After accepting Islam she became more contemplative and inclined towards worship; she found a blessed feeling of peace in prayer.
Afif Kindi relates that 'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib was a great friend of his and he used to visit him often in Yemen in connection with his business in perfumes. On one occasion when they were standing and chatting in Mina, they saw a handsome young man approach. He carefully washed his hands and feet and then stood respectfully with his arms crossed on his breast. Soon a dignified lady of noble bearing and a young handsome young lad joined him. 'Afif asked 'Abbas what they were doing and whether this was a new form of exercise. 'Abbas replied that the youth was his brother 'Abdullah's son, and the lady was his wife. She was a woman of great wealth and virtue, and an ideal wife and mother. The lad was his brother Abu Talib's son. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had announced that he was a Messenger of Allah and had started preaching a new religion called Islam. In due course 'Afif accepted Islam, but he always regretted the fact that he had not joined the Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions in their prayers and supplication on that memorable day in Mina, when he had first heard of Islam.
Khadijah passed away just three years before the Hijrah, or the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) migration to Al-Madinah. She died at the age of sixty-five, having given almost twenty-five years to Muhammad and the cause of Islam. When Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saw her in the throes of death he consoled her saying Allah had so ordained it, and that the thing she was dreading, would prove favorable for her. Her eyes lit up and as she gazed at her beloved husband, her soul left its earthly body.
Her grave was prepared at a place called Hujjun, near Makkah. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) stepped into it to see that everything was as it should be, and with his own hands lowered her gently into it. Thus passed away the 'Mother' of all Muslims, the one who had sacrificed her all for Islam, the lady who was the greatest supporter of Islam in its earliest days. She who was the mother of Fatimah, the First Lady of Paradise, the grandmother of the beloved grandchildren of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Hasan and Hussein who are to be the foremost of the youths in Paradise.
When she passed away, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was heartbroken at the loss of a dedicated companion who stood by him during the most difficult period of his life.
One of the ladies of the Quraysh, Khawlah bint Hakim, visited the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to console him, and saw his state of depression and grief and remarked on it. He replied it was only natural that he should be touched by her absence, as she had been a loving mother to his now neglected children; she had been a loyal and sympathetic wife who shared his secrets. It was only human and natural that he should feel her loss as she was there for him during his most difficult times. Whenever he was abused by the disbelievers she had provided moral support and unflagging faith.
A Companion of the Prophet narrates that whenever any gift was brought to him he would immediately send it to some lady who had been a friend of Khadijah. Ayshah, a favorite wife of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) says that whenever a goat was slaughtered the Prophet it would send some meat to Khadijah's friends; when she remarked about this on one occasion he told her, 'I have great regard for her friends, as she has a special place in my heart.' Ayshah said she never experienced such a feeling of natural feminine jealousy for any other wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as she did for Khadijah. She also narrates that whenever Muhammad spoke of her he would talk at great length and praise her qualities, and pray for her forgiveness.
Ayshah narrates that whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) talked about Khadijah, it was in terms of the highest praise. One day her innate feminine envy overtook her sense of decorum and she spoke in disparaging terms of her, wondering why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) missed her when he was blessed with a better, younger wife by Allah. This displeased him, but forbearing as he was, he just sighed and answered,
"I have not yet found a better wife than her. She had faith in me when everyone, even members of my own family and tribe did not believe me, and accepted that I was truly a Prophet and a Messenger of Allah. She converted to Islam, spent all her wealth and worldly goods to help me spread this faith, and this too at a time when the entire world seemed to have turned against me and persecuted me. And it is through her that Allah blessed me with children."
As Allah says in Surah Al-Fajr in the Noble Quran that it will be said to the pious believers:
"O the one in complete rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord — well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! Enter you then among My (honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise." [Noble Quran 89:27-30]
Questions to ask a prospective husband
Questions to ask a prospective husband
When choosing a partner, there are numerous issues which may lead to friction and conflict. Following the principle that prevention is better than cure, it seems wise to air these issues before a match is finalized. Some of the issues may appear trivial or mundane, but the stuff of everyday life is also the stuff of arguments! Other issues are more serious, and may be indicative of the potential for a stormy and abusive marriage. Each marriage will have its ups and downs, but settling some of these matters may avoid the emergence of major, insoluble problems and consequent heartbreak.
These are all questions that may be asked directly or else "researched" by observation, asking his relatives, members of the community, etc. The prospective bride may ask some of these questions when the couple meet, but many women may feel too shy to ask outright. Family or friends can also help with the research - in many Muslim countries, relatives of prospective partners often visit to check the person out!
Asking/answering such questions is not gheebah or backbiting, and people should not hesitate to tell the truth when it concerns a possible marriage; the intent is to establish whether these two people are compatible. Avoiding a poor match will save all concerned from much heartache. At the same time, whether the marriage proceeds or not, any information thus gathered should be kept confidential - any "faults" uncovered should not be generally broadcast in the community!
These suggested questions are derived from two sources: an article entititled "Spousal Abuse and its Prevention" by Br. Abdul Rehman in Islamic Sisters International, and the feedback I received during a workshop I led on "Choosing a Marriage Partner" at the ISSRA Conference on Health and Social Issues, Toronto, May 25, 1996.
The Big Issues:
(1) What makes him angry and how does he deal with his anger?
Does he blame everybody but himself?
Does he stop talking to the person involved?
Does he bear grudges ("I'll get him back one day!")
Has he ever physically or mentally abused anyone with whom he was angry?
Does he get angry when those who may be wiser disagree or suggest an alternative point of view?
Does he ever forgive those with whom he was angry?
(2) How does he behave during a crisis?
Does he blame everyone except himself?
Does he become hostile towards an uninvolved member of an ethnic group which is known to abuse followers of Islam?
What steps does he take to face and deal with pressure?
Does he remain optimistic that things will get better, and that after every difficulty comes ease?
(3) How does he feel about women's rights in a Muslim home?
Did he ever observe abuse from his father towards his mother?
Did he ever act to prevent abuse at home? How?
Did he believe that his father was always right?
Does he believe that all women deserve abuse?
How does he make decisions? Does he rely on his own wisdom? Does he consult with close friends?
Will he be willing to consult with his spouse on any decision?
Does he stick firmly to his decisions?
(4) How does he deal with money matters?
Does he save his money for the future?
Does he give money to charities?
When he decides to buy something, will he consult his spouse in making the decision?
How does he describe his own spending and attitude towards money?
(5) What does he expect from his wife and children?
How would he react if his expectations are not met?
What is his vision of family life?
Would he pitch in and co-operate in family chores and the upbringing of children?
Would he be willing to change to accommodate your views?
(6) What are his family like?
Are his family religious, or will you be the only one in hijab?
Does their approach to Islam differ from yours - will you be the only "fundamentalists" in a family whose Islam is more "traditional"?
If this is a mixed match, are his folks open to outsiders, or will you face clannishness and exclusion?
(7) What is his medical background?
(Many Imams in the US are now refusing to conduct Nikah until they see proof that the couple have undergone blood tests and been given a clean bill of health)
Has he ever had an AIDS test, and what was the result?
Is there any history of major illness in his family?
(8) What are his views on education of women and children?
Will he allow you to continue and/or return to education?
What are his views on education and schooling of children? If you have strong views on Islamic schools, home schooling, etc., find out if his views coincide with yours.
Will he take part in the children's upbringing and education? Will he teach them Qur'an?
(9) Where does he want to live?
Does he want to settle in the country where you now live?
Does he want to return to his homeland? Does he want to move to a new country altogether?
Will the family have to move frequently because of his profession?
Will he take your feelings into account when deciding where to live?
Does he aspire to a large and luxurious home, or will he settle for less? Does he want to live in the heart of the city, in the suburbs, or in an isolated rural setting?
Day-to-day matters
Some of these are individual preferences - what may deeply concern some may not even be an issue to others, but if you have some strong feelings on a matter, it is better to get it out into the open before you make a commitment:
(1) Food:
Do you agree on the "halal meat" issue - some people will only eat halal-slaughtered meat, whilst others will eat any "meat of the Jews and Christians" as long as it's not pork.
Does he insist on only eating the food of his own ethnic group, or are his tastes more eclectic?
Will he insist on having every meal cooked from scratch, or will you be able to have convenience food or take-away on busy days?
Does he have some strong preferences for meat, or will you "go vegetarian" some days?
(2) Smoking:
Does he smoke? Do any of his family or friends smoke? Will he let people smoke in your non-smoking home?
(3) Going Out:
How does he feel about women going outside the home? studying outside? working outside?
Will he want to "check out" your friends and only let you visit those of whom he approves?
How does he feel about women driving?
(4) Pets:
Are either of you very keen to keep pets at home?
Do either of you have any allergies, dislikes, or phobias when it comes to animals?
Taken from Bent Rib: A Journey through women's issues in Islam by Huda al-Khattab
-------------------------------------------------------------
100 Premarital Questions
1. What is your concept of marriage?
2. Have you been married before?
3. Are you married now?
4. What are you expectations of marriage?
5. What are your goals in life? (long and short term)
6. Identify three things that you want to accomplish in the near
future.
7. Identify three things that you want to accomplish, long term.
8. Why have you chosen me/other person as a potential spouse?
9. What is the role of religion in your life now?
10. Are you a spiritual person?
11. What is your understanding of an Islamic marriage?
12. What are you expecting of your spouse, religiously?
13. What is your relationship between yourself and the Muslims
community in your area?
14. Are you volunteering in any Islamic activities?
15. What can you offer your zawj (spouse), spiritually?
16. What is the role of the husband?
17. What is the role of the wife?
18. Do you want to practice polygamy?
19. What is your relationship with your family?
20. What do you expect your relationship with the family of your
spouse to be?
21. What do you expect your spouses relationship with your family to
be?
22. Is there anyone in your family living with you now?
23. Are you planning to have anyone in your family live with you in
the future?
24. If, for any reason, my relationship with your family turns sour,
what should be done?
25. Who are your friends? (Identify at least three.)
26. How did you get to know them?
27. Why are they your friends?
28. What do you like most about them?
29. What will your relationship with them after marriage be?
30. Do you have friends of the opposite sex?
31. What is the level of your relationship with them now?
32. What will be the level of your relationship with them after
marriage?
33. What type of relationship do you want your spouse to have with
your friends?
34. What are the things that you do in your free time?
35. Do you love to have guests in your home for entertainment?
36. What are you expecting from your spouse when your friends come to
the house?
37. What is your opinion of speaking other languages in home that I do
not understand? (with friends or family)
38. Do you travel?
39. How do you spend your vacations?
40. How do you think your spouse should spend vacations?
41. Do you read?
42. What do you read?
43. After marriage, do you think that you are one to express romantic
feelings verbally?
44. After marriage, do you think that you want to express affection in
public?
45. How do you express your admiration for someone that you know now?
46. How do you express your feelings to someone who has done a favor
for you?
47. Do you like to write your feelings?
48. If you wrong someone, how do you apologize?
49. If someone has wronged you, how do you want (s)he to apologize to
you?
50. How much time passes before you can forgive someone?
51. How do you make important and less important decisions in your
life?
52. Do you use foul language at home? In public? With family?
53. Do your friends use foul language?
54. Does your family use foul language?
55. How do you express anger?
56. How do you expect your spouse to express anger?
57. What do you do when you are angry?
58. When do you think it is appropriate to initiate mediation in
marriage?
59. When there is a dispute in your marriage, religious or otherwise,
how should the conflict get resolved?
60. Define mental, verbal, emotional and physical abuse.
61. What would you do if you felt that you had been abused?
62. Who would you call for assistance if you were being abused?
63. Do you suffer from any chronic disease or condition?
64. Are you willing to take a physical exam by a physician before
marriage?
65. What is your understanding of proper health and nutrition?
66. How do you support your own health and nutrition?
67. What is you definition of wealth?
68. How do you spend money?
69. How do you save money?
70. How do you think that your use of money will change after
marriage?
71. Do you have any debts now? If so, how are you making progress to
eliminate them?
72. Do you use credit cards?
73. Do you support the idea of taking loans to buy a new home?
74. What are you expecting from your spouse financially?
75. What is your financial responsibility in the marriage?
76. Do you support the idea of a working wife?
77. If so, how do you think a dual-income family should manage funds?
78. Do you currently use a budget to manage your finances?
79. Who are the people to whom you are financially responsible?
80. Do you support the idea of utilizing baby sitters and/or maids?
81. Do you want to have children? If not, how come?
82. To the best of your understanding, are you able to have children?
83. Do you want to have children in the first two years of marriage?
If not, when?
84. Do you believe in abortion?
85. Do you have children now?
86. What is your relationship with your children now?
87. What is your relationship with their other parent?
88. What relationship do you expect your spouse to have with your
children and their parent?
89. What is the best method(s) of raising children?
90. What is the best method(s) of disciplining children?
91. How were you raised?
92. How were you disciplined?
93. Do you believe in spanking children? Under what circumstances?
94. Do you believe in public school for your children?
95. Do you believe in Islamic school for your children?
96. Do you believe in home schooling for your children?
97. What type of relationship should your children have with
non-Muslim classmates/friends?
98. Would you send your children to visit their extended family if
they lived in another state or country?
99. What type of relationship do you want your children to have with
all their grandparents?
100. If there are members of my family that are not Muslim, that are
of different race or culture, what type of relationship do you
want to have with them?
Shyness of the ptophet Musa alayhi salaam
Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 55, Number 616:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "(The Prophet) Moses was a shy person and used to cover his body completely because of his extensive shyness. One of the children of Israel hurt him by saying, 'He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.' Allah wished to clear Moses of what they said about him, so one day while Moses was in seclusion, he took off his clothes and put them on a stone and started taking a bath. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes so as to take them, but the stone took his clothes and fled; Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying, 'O stone! Give me my garment!' Till he reached a group of Bani Israel who saw him naked then, and found him the best of what Allah had created, and Allah cleared him of what they had accused him of. The stone stopped there and Moses took and put his garment on and started hitting the stone with his stick. By Allah, the stone still has some traces of the hitting, three, four or five marks. This was what Allah refers to in His Saying:-- "O you who believe! Be you not like those Who annoyed Moses, But Allah proved his innocence of that which they alleged, And he was honorable In Allah's Sight." (33.69)
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "(The Prophet) Moses was a shy person and used to cover his body completely because of his extensive shyness. One of the children of Israel hurt him by saying, 'He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.' Allah wished to clear Moses of what they said about him, so one day while Moses was in seclusion, he took off his clothes and put them on a stone and started taking a bath. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes so as to take them, but the stone took his clothes and fled; Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying, 'O stone! Give me my garment!' Till he reached a group of Bani Israel who saw him naked then, and found him the best of what Allah had created, and Allah cleared him of what they had accused him of. The stone stopped there and Moses took and put his garment on and started hitting the stone with his stick. By Allah, the stone still has some traces of the hitting, three, four or five marks. This was what Allah refers to in His Saying:-- "O you who believe! Be you not like those Who annoyed Moses, But Allah proved his innocence of that which they alleged, And he was honorable In Allah's Sight." (33.69)
Deodorant And Anti-Perspirant Dangers
Deodorant And Anti-Perspirant Dangers - Do You Know What You're Putting Under Your Armpits?
Filed under: Body
Wednesday, October 22 2008 - by HealthyMuslim
Key topics: Aluminium • Anti-perspirant • Deodorant • Parabens • Propylene Glycol • Alzheimer's
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail to a Friend • Printer friendly
Deodorant and anti-perspirants are used to prevent embarrassing social situations. Naturally, smelling nice is part of good personal hygiene.
Most deodorants and anti-perspirants contain aluminium, parabens and propylene glycol. There are growing links between the chemicals found in such products and chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's and breast cancer.
aluminium is widely used and you may not be aware of the level of contact with aluminium. It is in anti-perspirants and deodorants. It is in soft drink cans (made of aluminium). It can also be found in medicine such as "buffered aspirins" and is used for many cooking utensils.
In deodorants and anti-perspirants it comes in the form of aluminium chloride or aluminium sulphate, it helps to stop you from sweating. However, sweating is an extremely important function of the body and it serves the purpose of maintaining the body temperature as well as eliminating toxins.
So the idea of stopping perspiration is in opposition to the body's natural health maintaining system. It makes no sense to "stop" perspiration since perspiration is a vital function.
Dr Chris Exley from Keele University, a researcher into the toxicity of aluminium, and awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in the field "The Bioinorganic Chemistry of aluminium and Silicon" said:
Aluminium is a metalloestrogen, it is genotoxic, is bound by DNA and has been shown to be carcinogenic. The confirmed presence of aluminium in breast tissue biopsies highlights its potential as a possible factor in the aetiology of breast cancer
The World health Organization has linked exposure to aluminum to Alzheimer's disease, with higher frequencies of deodorant use corresponding to higher risks of developing Alzheimer's. Unusually high levels of aluminium accumulation has been found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. Further, when aluminium is injected into the brains of laboratory animals, the animals develop a neurological disease similar to Alzheimer's.
Then we have parabens which are used as preservatives. The problem with them is that they are similar to oestrogens in their activity and may disrupt the proper functioning or hormones in the body. There are studies showing that parabens have been found in the tumours from breast cancer sufferers. They are mostly found in the area nearest to the underarm in the outer parts of the breast.
Another addition to these cosmetics is mineral oil which is used to block pores, thereby subduing perspiration and preventing the detoxification process.
Then we have propylene glycol which is an agent that prevents substances from drying out. Propylene glycol was (and still is) used as an anti-freeze and it has found its way into deodorant. So what is propylene glycol? It is a neurotoxin that has been known to cause contact dermatitis, kidney and liver damage.
The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for propylene glycol by the National Institute for Occupational health and Safety warns workers to avoid skin contact with the toxic chemical. However, millions of people use it under their arms every single day. From the MSDS:
May cause eye irritation, skin irritation. Chronic exposure can cause gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache, vomiting, and central nervous depression.
In addition when using spray-based deodorants and anti-perspirants, you inevitably inhale the toxic elements in these products.
So if you shouldn't prevent perspiration, how can you control the smell. Well it comes down largely to what you eat. Is that a surprise? It shouldn't be. Without being overly polite here, if your stool smells differently depending on what type of foods you eat, it should make sense that the smell of your sweat, to some degree or other, will be influenced likewise by what you eat. Lots of caffeine, for example, leads to a pungent type of body odour.
If you adhere to the optimum diet, which consists of mainly vegetables and fruit (80%) and limit the meat and unhealthy (oxidized, pro-inflammatory, polyunsaturated) fat intake, your body odour will not smell as bad.
This mean's that you will not have to take such drastic measures as sticking anti-freeze under your armpits, blocking your pores and preventing normal and essential bodily functions such as perspiration. This just makes your body retain the toxins that it is trying to excrete for your own protection and well-being.
As everybody is different, for some people even a change in diet may not be enough and they may find that they need "extra protection" against those embarrassing social situations.
If that is you, then you should try and search for aluminium-free,anti-freeze free, paraben-free cosmetics. There are many natural deodorants available now, so you have to experiment and find out which one works well for you.
Crystal deodorants can be very effective and there are plenty available on the market. You have to experiment and see which one works well for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link to this article: Show: HTML Link • Full Link • Short Link
Filed under: Body
Wednesday, October 22 2008 - by HealthyMuslim
Key topics: Aluminium • Anti-perspirant • Deodorant • Parabens • Propylene Glycol • Alzheimer's
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail to a Friend • Printer friendly
Deodorant and anti-perspirants are used to prevent embarrassing social situations. Naturally, smelling nice is part of good personal hygiene.
Most deodorants and anti-perspirants contain aluminium, parabens and propylene glycol. There are growing links between the chemicals found in such products and chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's and breast cancer.
aluminium is widely used and you may not be aware of the level of contact with aluminium. It is in anti-perspirants and deodorants. It is in soft drink cans (made of aluminium). It can also be found in medicine such as "buffered aspirins" and is used for many cooking utensils.
In deodorants and anti-perspirants it comes in the form of aluminium chloride or aluminium sulphate, it helps to stop you from sweating. However, sweating is an extremely important function of the body and it serves the purpose of maintaining the body temperature as well as eliminating toxins.
So the idea of stopping perspiration is in opposition to the body's natural health maintaining system. It makes no sense to "stop" perspiration since perspiration is a vital function.
Dr Chris Exley from Keele University, a researcher into the toxicity of aluminium, and awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in the field "The Bioinorganic Chemistry of aluminium and Silicon" said:
Aluminium is a metalloestrogen, it is genotoxic, is bound by DNA and has been shown to be carcinogenic. The confirmed presence of aluminium in breast tissue biopsies highlights its potential as a possible factor in the aetiology of breast cancer
The World health Organization has linked exposure to aluminum to Alzheimer's disease, with higher frequencies of deodorant use corresponding to higher risks of developing Alzheimer's. Unusually high levels of aluminium accumulation has been found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. Further, when aluminium is injected into the brains of laboratory animals, the animals develop a neurological disease similar to Alzheimer's.
Then we have parabens which are used as preservatives. The problem with them is that they are similar to oestrogens in their activity and may disrupt the proper functioning or hormones in the body. There are studies showing that parabens have been found in the tumours from breast cancer sufferers. They are mostly found in the area nearest to the underarm in the outer parts of the breast.
Another addition to these cosmetics is mineral oil which is used to block pores, thereby subduing perspiration and preventing the detoxification process.
Then we have propylene glycol which is an agent that prevents substances from drying out. Propylene glycol was (and still is) used as an anti-freeze and it has found its way into deodorant. So what is propylene glycol? It is a neurotoxin that has been known to cause contact dermatitis, kidney and liver damage.
The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for propylene glycol by the National Institute for Occupational health and Safety warns workers to avoid skin contact with the toxic chemical. However, millions of people use it under their arms every single day. From the MSDS:
May cause eye irritation, skin irritation. Chronic exposure can cause gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache, vomiting, and central nervous depression.
In addition when using spray-based deodorants and anti-perspirants, you inevitably inhale the toxic elements in these products.
So if you shouldn't prevent perspiration, how can you control the smell. Well it comes down largely to what you eat. Is that a surprise? It shouldn't be. Without being overly polite here, if your stool smells differently depending on what type of foods you eat, it should make sense that the smell of your sweat, to some degree or other, will be influenced likewise by what you eat. Lots of caffeine, for example, leads to a pungent type of body odour.
If you adhere to the optimum diet, which consists of mainly vegetables and fruit (80%) and limit the meat and unhealthy (oxidized, pro-inflammatory, polyunsaturated) fat intake, your body odour will not smell as bad.
This mean's that you will not have to take such drastic measures as sticking anti-freeze under your armpits, blocking your pores and preventing normal and essential bodily functions such as perspiration. This just makes your body retain the toxins that it is trying to excrete for your own protection and well-being.
As everybody is different, for some people even a change in diet may not be enough and they may find that they need "extra protection" against those embarrassing social situations.
If that is you, then you should try and search for aluminium-free,anti-freeze free, paraben-free cosmetics. There are many natural deodorants available now, so you have to experiment and find out which one works well for you.
Crystal deodorants can be very effective and there are plenty available on the market. You have to experiment and see which one works well for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link to this article: Show: HTML Link • Full Link • Short Link
10 Days – Quick Weight Loss Diet*
10 Days – Quick Weight Loss Diet*
By strictly following this high protein diet you will lose 10 lbs in 10 days, while allowing for normal output of energy. DO NOT MAINTAIN THIS DIET FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AT A TIME.
IMPORTANT:
Drink 6 or more glasses of water daily.
Use a salt substitute.
Take a multi-vitamin daily.
Coffee & tea – no cream or sugar.
Artificial sweetener may be used.
Vegetables boiled & drained – without butter – vinegar or lemon juice may be used.
Salads without dressing – vinegar, lemon juice or artificial sweetener may be added to taste.
All meats and fish boiled or broiled – lean meat only (beef, veal, lamb, fowl and fish). Eat your normal portion.
NO PORK OR SHELL FISH
When broiling meats or fish – pat dry with paper towel after broiling.
No eating between meals. Try to eat meals at the same time each day.
NO, DO NOT SKIP ANY MEAL!
ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF ANY KIND... SORRY!
Where eggs are indicated. 1 egg –small framed women, 2 eggs – medium to large framed women.
1st WEEK:
EVERY DAY BREAKFAST: ½ Grapefruit, 1 or 2 boiled or poached eggs, coffee or tea.
(ALL EGGS IN DIET EITHER BOILED OR POACHED)
MONDAY: - Lunch: Same as breakfast.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce salad, 1 slice dry toast, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
TUESDAY: - Lunch: Same as breakfast.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce & tomato salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
WEDNESDAY: - Lunch: 1 or 2 eggs, spinach, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce, tomato & carrot salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
THURSDAY: - Lunch: 1 or 2 eggs, ½ cup carrots, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
FRIDAY: - Lunch: 1 or 2 eggs, cabbage, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Broiled fish (NO BREADING), lettuce, tomato & carrot salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
SATURDAY: - Lunch: FRESH fruit salad (NOT CANNED) EAT ALL YOU WANT!
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce & tomato, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
SUNDAY: - Lunch: Diced chicken (NO SKIN) with chopped celery and green pepper, lemon juice or vinegar, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Broiled chicken (NO SKIN), lettuce salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
SUBSTITUTIONS: The following may be substituted for "2 eggs" anywhere in the diet.
Choose only ONE when you substitute:
3 oz. lean beef, ½ cup salmon (water packed)
2 Frankfurters, 8 oz. Sardines (well drained and pat dry with paper towel)
1 small can tuna (water packed)
½ cup cottage cheese (Light n' Lively preferred)
During 2nd
week ONLY
2nd WEEK: REPEAT 1ST WEEK ...............................GOOD LUCK!!!
*We recommend as usual, that you check with your doctor before you start on this or any other diet and DO NOT continue this for
By strictly following this high protein diet you will lose 10 lbs in 10 days, while allowing for normal output of energy. DO NOT MAINTAIN THIS DIET FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AT A TIME.
IMPORTANT:
Drink 6 or more glasses of water daily.
Use a salt substitute.
Take a multi-vitamin daily.
Coffee & tea – no cream or sugar.
Artificial sweetener may be used.
Vegetables boiled & drained – without butter – vinegar or lemon juice may be used.
Salads without dressing – vinegar, lemon juice or artificial sweetener may be added to taste.
All meats and fish boiled or broiled – lean meat only (beef, veal, lamb, fowl and fish). Eat your normal portion.
NO PORK OR SHELL FISH
When broiling meats or fish – pat dry with paper towel after broiling.
No eating between meals. Try to eat meals at the same time each day.
NO, DO NOT SKIP ANY MEAL!
ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF ANY KIND... SORRY!
Where eggs are indicated. 1 egg –small framed women, 2 eggs – medium to large framed women.
1st WEEK:
EVERY DAY BREAKFAST: ½ Grapefruit, 1 or 2 boiled or poached eggs, coffee or tea.
(ALL EGGS IN DIET EITHER BOILED OR POACHED)
MONDAY: - Lunch: Same as breakfast.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce salad, 1 slice dry toast, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
TUESDAY: - Lunch: Same as breakfast.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce & tomato salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
WEDNESDAY: - Lunch: 1 or 2 eggs, spinach, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce, tomato & carrot salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
THURSDAY: - Lunch: 1 or 2 eggs, ½ cup carrots, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
FRIDAY: - Lunch: 1 or 2 eggs, cabbage, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Broiled fish (NO BREADING), lettuce, tomato & carrot salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
SATURDAY: - Lunch: FRESH fruit salad (NOT CANNED) EAT ALL YOU WANT!
- Dinner: Lean meat or fish, lettuce & tomato, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
SUNDAY: - Lunch: Diced chicken (NO SKIN) with chopped celery and green pepper, lemon juice or vinegar, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
- Dinner: Broiled chicken (NO SKIN), lettuce salad, ½ grapefruit, coffee or tea.
SUBSTITUTIONS: The following may be substituted for "2 eggs" anywhere in the diet.
Choose only ONE when you substitute:
3 oz. lean beef, ½ cup salmon (water packed)
2 Frankfurters, 8 oz. Sardines (well drained and pat dry with paper towel)
1 small can tuna (water packed)
½ cup cottage cheese (Light n' Lively preferred)
During 2nd
week ONLY
2nd WEEK: REPEAT 1ST WEEK ...............................GOOD LUCK!!!
*We recommend as usual, that you check with your doctor before you start on this or any other diet and DO NOT continue this for
Weight-Loss Case Study: Male Loses 13kg (29lb) in Period of Nine (9) Weeks.
Weight-Loss Case Study: Male Loses 13kg (29lb) in Period of Nine (9) Weeks.
Filed under: Weight Loss
Thursday, October 15 2009 - by HealthyMuslim
Key topics: Weight Loss
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail to a Friend • Printer friendly
We are pleased to present a case study sent to us by one of our readers who has documented how he lost 13kg (29lb) in a period of nine weeks. This is from a male, past his mid-30s:
Following is a detailed account of what i did to lose 13kg in 9 weeks:
1. I would start the morning with a glass of juice or some fruit.
2. Breakfast consisted of Weetabix with Stevia sugar, maximum 1 and half biscuits but normally 1 and a quarter. I almost cut out sugar completely from my diet with a few exceptions where it was contained in some prepared foods. Normal milk was used (not fat-reduced).
3. I increased my fruit and vegetable intake in general. I would eat at least 5 pieces of fruit or vegetables during the period 9am until 1pm everyday except Fridays. The fruits, vegetables would normally consist of 2 small size cucumbers, 1 carrot, small nectarine or peach and apple or banana.
4. My afternoon lunch for most part was a brown wholemeal bread with chicken (from Subway). Normally I would eat the 6 inch sandwich however, but on some odd occasions, I confess to having the large, 12 inch sandwich.
5. After work I would go home and do some walking on the machine for about 45min to 1 hour. I would do this minimum 5 days a week for the first month at a pace of 5km and the last 30 seconds of 5 minutes I would do some sprinting at about 9-10 km/hr up to 12km/hr - which was the max I could get from a running machine! Then it got a bit boring so I replaced it with doing dumb-bells and some routine exercises each evening:
Dumb bells (weight less than 10 kg on each arm)
chest press (15-20) three times
dumb bell straight lift (10-15) three times
arm raises (8-10) three times
pull ups (8-10) three times
I would normally do a combination of the above for at least 30 mins. I would finish off with doing some routine exercise for about 15 mins:
Normal press ups for 50 seconds break for 20 seconds max
Plank for 50 seconds break for 20 seconds max
Lunges 25 seconds on first leg then switch to other for 25 seconds, break for 20 seconds
Hold some light weights and do the squats for about 50 seconds.
I would do the above routine about 3 times daily separated by about 2mins break in between on the evening.
The two weeks before the last, I combined the walking with the dumb-bells exercise.
6. My evening meal was always very light and I made sure that I would not eat late. I would indulge in some more fruit and occasionally have a small (kebab) roll.
7. On odd occasions I would have some junk like pizza, al-Baik chicken etc. You normally feel very guilty after it and feel like you have to burn it off so beware, if you sneak this stuff in at night time, you may end up doing exercises at midnight, out of the guilt.
8. Initially in the first 3 weeks i didnt feel that i burned much, however after this period i noticed that my weight starting dropping significantly so it seems you have to work hard for first 3-4 weeks and will not see much results so have patience. Once you start seeing results after that it actually motivates you and you feel like exercising more and more.
There were occasions when i went to the supermarket and I would slip in a snicker bar but alhamdulillah at the checkout I took it out of the basket. Someone like me who was used to having a bar of chocolate after a big lunch almost everyday it was challenging to resist the temptation of eating a snicker bar, but I did it.
It has been about 6 weeks since I have stopped this routine. I followed this routine for the 9 weeks prior to ramadan. When Ramadhan came, I have to admit I did manage to eat lots of fruit but I ate loads of junk (like donner kebab, chips, pakoras, samosas etc, but that was because of the environment I was in. I have been back in Saudi for 3 weeks and managed to eat moderately and have lots of fruit, had a few al-baiks and pizzas occasionally and had lots of Thorntons toffee that i brought back from UK. It has now been 7 weeks since I lost the 13kg (29lb) of weight, and I have managed to maintain my weight.
In summary:
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
Remove excess carbohydrates from your diet
Do regular exercise
Eat moderately but with food that is nutritious and keeps you full
Cut out your deep fried foods, sugar and white bread and rice as much as possible, if not almost completely (and that's recommended)
Eat small meals more frequently rather than large meals less frequently.
Make lots of dua!
Filed under: Weight Loss
Thursday, October 15 2009 - by HealthyMuslim
Key topics: Weight Loss
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail to a Friend • Printer friendly
We are pleased to present a case study sent to us by one of our readers who has documented how he lost 13kg (29lb) in a period of nine weeks. This is from a male, past his mid-30s:
Following is a detailed account of what i did to lose 13kg in 9 weeks:
1. I would start the morning with a glass of juice or some fruit.
2. Breakfast consisted of Weetabix with Stevia sugar, maximum 1 and half biscuits but normally 1 and a quarter. I almost cut out sugar completely from my diet with a few exceptions where it was contained in some prepared foods. Normal milk was used (not fat-reduced).
3. I increased my fruit and vegetable intake in general. I would eat at least 5 pieces of fruit or vegetables during the period 9am until 1pm everyday except Fridays. The fruits, vegetables would normally consist of 2 small size cucumbers, 1 carrot, small nectarine or peach and apple or banana.
4. My afternoon lunch for most part was a brown wholemeal bread with chicken (from Subway). Normally I would eat the 6 inch sandwich however, but on some odd occasions, I confess to having the large, 12 inch sandwich.
5. After work I would go home and do some walking on the machine for about 45min to 1 hour. I would do this minimum 5 days a week for the first month at a pace of 5km and the last 30 seconds of 5 minutes I would do some sprinting at about 9-10 km/hr up to 12km/hr - which was the max I could get from a running machine! Then it got a bit boring so I replaced it with doing dumb-bells and some routine exercises each evening:
Dumb bells (weight less than 10 kg on each arm)
chest press (15-20) three times
dumb bell straight lift (10-15) three times
arm raises (8-10) three times
pull ups (8-10) three times
I would normally do a combination of the above for at least 30 mins. I would finish off with doing some routine exercise for about 15 mins:
Normal press ups for 50 seconds break for 20 seconds max
Plank for 50 seconds break for 20 seconds max
Lunges 25 seconds on first leg then switch to other for 25 seconds, break for 20 seconds
Hold some light weights and do the squats for about 50 seconds.
I would do the above routine about 3 times daily separated by about 2mins break in between on the evening.
The two weeks before the last, I combined the walking with the dumb-bells exercise.
6. My evening meal was always very light and I made sure that I would not eat late. I would indulge in some more fruit and occasionally have a small (kebab) roll.
7. On odd occasions I would have some junk like pizza, al-Baik chicken etc. You normally feel very guilty after it and feel like you have to burn it off so beware, if you sneak this stuff in at night time, you may end up doing exercises at midnight, out of the guilt.
8. Initially in the first 3 weeks i didnt feel that i burned much, however after this period i noticed that my weight starting dropping significantly so it seems you have to work hard for first 3-4 weeks and will not see much results so have patience. Once you start seeing results after that it actually motivates you and you feel like exercising more and more.
There were occasions when i went to the supermarket and I would slip in a snicker bar but alhamdulillah at the checkout I took it out of the basket. Someone like me who was used to having a bar of chocolate after a big lunch almost everyday it was challenging to resist the temptation of eating a snicker bar, but I did it.
It has been about 6 weeks since I have stopped this routine. I followed this routine for the 9 weeks prior to ramadan. When Ramadhan came, I have to admit I did manage to eat lots of fruit but I ate loads of junk (like donner kebab, chips, pakoras, samosas etc, but that was because of the environment I was in. I have been back in Saudi for 3 weeks and managed to eat moderately and have lots of fruit, had a few al-baiks and pizzas occasionally and had lots of Thorntons toffee that i brought back from UK. It has now been 7 weeks since I lost the 13kg (29lb) of weight, and I have managed to maintain my weight.
In summary:
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
Remove excess carbohydrates from your diet
Do regular exercise
Eat moderately but with food that is nutritious and keeps you full
Cut out your deep fried foods, sugar and white bread and rice as much as possible, if not almost completely (and that's recommended)
Eat small meals more frequently rather than large meals less frequently.
Make lots of dua!
A Woman's Strong Determination to Repent!!!
A Woman's Strong Determination to Repent!!!
Read it and Weep (Literally!!!)
It was reported on the authority of Hassan Al Basree (Rahimahullah), who was one of the scholars from the Ta'bieen:
There was a prostitute who had a third of the beauty of Adam (Alaihis salam). She would not allow anyone to have sexual relations with her unless it
was for 100 dinars. There was a slave boy who saw her one day and her beauty amazed him so much that he went and worked and toiled with his
own two hands until he collected 100 dinars. So he went to her and said: "Your beauty amazed me so much that I went and worked and
toiled with my own two hands and immediately collected 100 dinars!" So she said to him: "Enter!" So he entered and to his amazement she
had a bed made of gold. He said: "So I sat on her bed and she said to me: "Come on!" So when he sat between her legs he remembered his
standing in front of Allah!! His heart began to tremble and quiver and he said to her: "Let me leave and you can keep the money!!" She said to
him: "What is wrong with you?! You were the one who said that you saw me and my beauty amazed you so you worked and toiled hard
and quickly with your bare hands until you collected 100 dinars and now that you have the ability to take what is rightfully yours this
is what you do?!!! "
So he said: "I am afraid of Allah and my standing in front of Him! I was once the most hated person to you (because he was a poor slave)
and now you are the most hated person to me!" (because he now realizes the sin she is allowing him to commit) So she said: "If you are
honest in what you say, then you are the only husband for me!" So he said: "Let me leave!" So she said: "No! Not until you marry me?!"
So he said: "No! Not until you allow me to leave!" So she said: "If you leave and I go out in search of you, do you promise that if I find
you, you will marry me?" So he said: "Perhaps!" So she let his garment go, he left and returned to his city. She set out in search of him
remorseful and repentant for what she had done until she found the city where he resided. She asked around town about his whereabouts and she
was directed towards where he lived. So someone said to him in passing:
إن الملكة قد جاء!
"The queen has come!" (He said this because her clothing and demeanor spoke that of a queen)
So when he saw her he cried so profusely and began to gag and gasp for air (as he never expected to see her again and now to his amazement,
believed that she was a queen!) and he died while falling into her arms! So she said:
أما هذا فقد فاتني فهل له من قريب؟
"As for him, I have lost this one! Does he have any relatives?
So it was said to her:
له أخ فقير!
"He has a brother but he is poor!"
So she said with all candor and sincerity:
فأتزوجه حبا لأخيه!
"Thus I will marry him because of my love for his brother!!" (keep in mind they still believe that she is the queen!)
So she married him.
Translator's Note: This narration is taken from a book called Hilyat ul Awliyaa by Abu Nu'aim Al Asbahani (Rahimahullah) and it is a book filled with
narrations about amazing events during the time of the Salaf. Some of these narrations may not be authentic or we may not know the authenticity of
them, however the scholars use them in the realm of what is called At Targheeb wat Tarheeb (i.e. encouragement (to be obedient to Allah) and
discouragement (from disobedience to Allah) and they have stipulated 4 conditions for using these narrations and I will provide them below for the
reader's clarification:
The First: The narration can not be used to establish and/or substantiate a legislative Islamic ruling. As the Islamic rulings in Islam are established
and/or supported by authentic unequivocal and concrete texts from the Qur'an, Authentic Sunnah and the Ijma'a (i.e. Consensus) of the Sahabah
and the Salaf us Salih (i.e. Righteous Predecessors)
The Second: The narration can not be attributed to the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) or the narrator unless the Isnad (i.e. chain of narrators)
is affirmed by those scholars who are proficient in that respective field. So thats why the scholars will say when narrating these types of narrations
"It was reported…." Or "it was mentioned about…" but they will never say such and such said.
The Third: The class of the narration has to be clarified when quoted so as not to mislead the reader and/or listener to believe that it is authentic if
it is not authentic.
The Fourth: It can only be used in the realm of what the scholars call At Targheeb wat Tarheeb, as it was mentioned before.
Translated by Abu Az Zubayr Shadeed Muhammad on the 1431H./1/4 corresponding to Dec. 19 2009 in the city of Riyadh, the Capital of Saudi
Arabia
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Had 2 share masha allah =)
'Urwah Ibn Mas'ood said to the Quraysh: "O my people! I have seen kings. I have seen Caeser, Chosroes and Negus. But by Allaah! I have never seen a king whose companions respect and honor him in the way that the Companions of Muhammad honour Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam. By Allaah! When he spits, the spittle would fall into the hands of one of them, who would then rub his face and skin with it; when he orders them with something, they promptly fulfill it; when he performs wudhoo' (ablution), they vie with each other for the remains of the water; and when they speak in his presence, they lower their voices and do not look directly at his face, due to their respect and honour for him."
Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.2731) and Ahmad (3/324), from the lengthy narration of Miswar Ibn Makhramah radi-Allaahu 'anhu.
Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.2731) and Ahmad (3/324), from the lengthy narration of Miswar Ibn Makhramah radi-Allaahu 'anhu.
Dawah week 1, Who is Allah
Allah (Arabic: الله, Allāh) is the standard Arabic word for God While the term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews, in reference to "God The term was also used by pagan Meccans as a reference to the creator-god. (hence all arab speaking christian, jews and muslims, use the term when referring to the one supreme God i.e Allah)
Below is a list of the name of God, as used world wide in dieffernt languages
Language.............. Name of God
Aeolian.....................Ilos
Arabic....................Allah
Armorian.................Teuti
Assyrian.................. Eleah
Celtic......................Diu
Chaldaic............. Eilah
Cretan...................Thios
Chinese..................Prussa
Coromandel..............Brama
Danish.....................Gut
Dutch.....................Godt
Egyptian (old).............Teut
Egyptian (modern).........Teun
English....................God
Finch...................Jumala
Flemish...................Goed
French.....................Dieu
German....................Gott
German (old)...............Diet
Greek...................Theos
Gallic.......................Diu
Hebrew...........Elohim, Eloha
Hindoostanee..............Rain
Japanese................Goezur
Irish........................Dia
Italian......................Dio
God named used in other religious scriptures
Jehova = God to jehovah witnesses a branch of Christianity
The name by which God revealed himself to the ancient Hebrews (Ex. 6:2, 3). This name was spelled "hwhy" (the Hebrew equivalent of "YHWH") and is known as the Tetragrammaton (meaning "four letters"). Since it was considered too sacred to pronounce, the Jews would substitute the Sacred Name (Ha-Shem) with the word "Adonai."
To indicate this substitution in the Masoretic Text, the Masoretes added the vowel points from the word "Adonai" to the Sacred Name. Early Christian translators mistakenly combined the vowels of Adonai with the consonants of YHWH, producing the word "YaHoWaH." When the Scriptures were translated into German during the Reformation (16th century), the word was transliterated into the German way of pronouncing it: the "Y" as the English "J", and the "W" as the English "V" -- or "Jahovah." In the early 17th century, the Scriptures were translated into English and the word was again transliterated, as "Jehovah."
*This error has carried over into many modern (English) translations, but is now recognized as a translation error that was never used by the Jews.
Hebrew faiths Elah i.e God (Aramic term)
Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures, or Tanach):
EL: God ("mighty, strong, prominent") used 250 times in the OT See Gen. 7:1, 28:3, 35:11; Nu. 23:22; Josh. 3:10; 2 Sam. 22:31, 32; Neh. 1:5, 9:32; Isa. 9:6; Ezek. 10:5. El is linguistically equivalent to the Moslem "Allah," but the attributes of Allah in Islam are entirely different from those of the God of the Hebrews. ELAH is Aramaic, "god." Elah appears in the Hebrew Bible in Jer. 10:11 (which is in Aramaic, and is plural, "gods"). In Daniel (the Aramaic sections) Elah is used both of pagan gods, and of the true God, also plural. Elah is equivalent to the Hebrew Eloah which some think is dual; Elohim is three or more. The gods of the nations are called "elohim." The origin of Eloah is obscure.
*Although God inspired most of the Old Testament books to be written in Hebrew, Daniel and Ezra wrote portions of their books in Aramaic or Syriac, the language spoken throughout the Persian Empire during their time. It had also replaced Hebrew as the language of common speech of the Jews.
Nowhere in the Aramaic passages do we find the names YHWH or Elohim. Examining the manuscripts reveals that in dozens of places the writers rendered the Hebrew names for God into the Aramaic word Elah. It is just as proper for the Hebrew El and Elohim to be translated into the English word God, as it was for Daniel and Ezra to use the Aramaic word Elah.
God's name in different cultures
Rastafarian Culture Jah i.e God
Jah the word for God in the Rastafarian culture. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Yah," but it is also believed to be a shortened version of the Biblical name "Jehovah." The word "Jah" appears approximately 50 times in both the Hebrew and emphasized Christian Bibles. Jah can also be found within the term "Hallelujah" which translates to "Praise God" in Judaism and Christianity
In Islam God is referred to as Allah as it was revealed in the arabic revalation i.e religious text. However along with Allah i.e God has 99 other names in arabic, which can be found in the religious text, below are the names and their meanings.
*It is not possible to perfectly translate the names and attributes of Allah from their original Arabic into English. However, here are some fairly close explanations.
* Many Muslims take on all the names below (except for # 1) without the 'Al' prefix. For example, Rahman, Rahim, Malik, etc. are common names of male Muslims.
1. Allah: He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.
2. Ar-Rahman: The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter.
3. Ar-Rahim: The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers.
4. Al-Malik: The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.
5. Al-Quddus: The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries.
6. As-Salam: The One who is free from every imperfection.
7. Al-Mu'min: The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him.
8. Al-Muhaymin: The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures.
9. Al-Aziz: The Defeater who is not defeated.
10. Al-Jabbar: The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed.
11. Al-Mutakabbir: The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them.
12. Al-Khaliq: The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence.
13. Al-Bari': The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities.
14. Al-Musawwir: The One who forms His creatures in different pictures.
15. Al-Ghaffar: The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again.
16. Al-Qahhar: The Subduer who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything.
17. Al-Wahhab: The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return.
18. Ar-Razzaq: The One who gives everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram.
19. Al-Fattah: The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldy and religious matters.
20. Al-Alim: The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge.
21. Al-Qabid and 22. Al-Basit: The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
23. Al-Khafid and 24. Ar-Rafi^: The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
25. Al-Muiz and 26. Al-Muthil: He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degradeswhoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.
27. As-Sami: The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ.
28. Al-Basir: The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any otherinstrument.
29. Al-Hakam: He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word.
30. Al-Adl: The One who is entitled to do what He does.
31. Al-Latif: The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them.
32. Al-Khabir: The One who knows the truth of things.
33. Al-Halim: The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.
34. Al-Azim: The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement,and Purity from all imperfection.
35. Al-Ghafur: The One who forgives a lot.
36. Ash-Shakur: The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience.
37. Al-Aliyy: The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures.
38. Al-Kabir: The One who is greater than everything in status.
39. Al-Hafiz: The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect.
40. Al-Muqit: The One who has the Power.
41. Al-Hasib: The One who gives the satisfaction.
42. Aj-Jalil: The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
43. Al-Karim: The One who is clear from abjectness.
44. Ar-Raqib: The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it's meaning is related to the attribute ofKnowledge.
45. Al-Mujib: The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him.
46. Al-Wasi: The Knowledgeable.
47. Al-Hakim: The One who is correct in His doings.
48. Al-Wadud: The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slavesis His Will to be merciful to them and praise them:Hence it's meaning is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam (His attribute with which He orders and forbids and spoke to Muhammad and Mu sa -peace be upon them- . It is not a sound nor a language nor a letter).
49. Al-Majid: The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.
50. Al-Baith: The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.
51. Ash-Shahid: The One who nothing is absent from Him.
52. Al-Haqq: The One who truly exists.
53. Al-Wakil: The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.
54. Al-Qawiyy: The One with the complete Power.
55. Al-Matin: The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired.
56. Al-Waliyy: The Supporter.
57. Al-Hamid: The praised One who deserves to be praised.
58. Al-Muhsi: The One who the count of things are known to him.
59. Al-Mubdi': The One who started the human being. That is, He created him.
60. Al-Muid: The One who brings back the creatures after death.
61. Al-Muhyi: The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life bygiving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge.
62. Al-Mumit: The One who renders the living dead.
63. Al-Hayy: The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, fleshor blood.
64. Al-Qayyum: The One who remains and does not end.
65. Al-Wajid: The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness.
66. Al-Majid: The One who is Majid.
67. Al-Wahid: The One without a partner.
68. As-Samad: The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs.
69. Al-Qadir: The One attributed with Power.
70. Al-Muqtadir: The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him.
71. Al-Muqaddim and 72. Al-Mu'akhkhir: The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
73. Al-'Awwal: The One whose Existence is without a beginning.
74. Al-'Akhir: The One whose Existence is without an end.
75. Az-Zahir 76. Al-Batin: The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without aplace. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributesof bodies.
77. Al-Wali: The One who owns things and manages them.
78. Al-Mutaali: The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.
79. Al-Barr: The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified however He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy.
80. At-Tawwab: The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance.
81. Al-Muntaqim: The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It maymean the One who destroys them.
82. Al-Afuww: The One with wide forgiveness.
83. Ar-Ra'uf: The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willedamong His creatures.
84. Malik Al-Mulk: The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed.
85. Thul-Jalal wal-Ikram: The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied.
86. Al-Muqsit: The One who is Just in His judgment.
87. Aj-Jami: The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.
88. Al-Ghaniyy: The One who does not need the creation.
89. Al-Mughni: The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.
90. Al-Mani: The Supporter who protects and gives victory to His pious believers. Al-Mu'tiy The Withholder
91. Ad-Darr and 92. An-Nafi^: The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
93. An-Nur: The One who guides.
94. Al-Hadi: The One whom with His Guidance His belivers were guided, and with His Guidance the living: beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them.
95. Al-Badi: The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example.
96. Al-Baqi: The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him.
97. Al-Warith: The One whose Existence remains.
98. Ar-Rashid: The One who guides.
99. As-Sabur: The One who does not quickly punish the sinners.
Passages from the Religious i.e Quran
"He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, The Fashioner, to Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, do declare His praises and glory. And He is the Exalted in Might, The Wise. (Quran 59:24)
"The most beautiful names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180)
"...There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11]
* I shared with you all 99 names of Allah as mentioned in the quran and sunnah however Allah's names are not limited to just this 99. Allah has many names these are just a few mentioned to us in some of the religious text, Allah knows best Whatever mistakes I made is from myself, not the religion of Islam. I hope this provides for you all an explanation why Muslims use the term Allah when referring to God. I beleive that any religious person should study hard the language that their religious text was revealed in hence, you will realize that the english term God isn't mentioned in any of the religious text yet it is and translation for the english speaking Christians.
Monday, January 18, 2010
The full Mlk's I have a dream speech!
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
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