Saturday, January 31, 2009

Rape culture

To be an equal in society one needs to be able to go where one chooses, feel free to speak up when needed, be taken seriously by others and be free from the fear of violence. Rape and the fear of rape are effective at keeping women from sharing the public world equally with men, an effective means of controlling women's lives. When women are asked if they tend to avoid certain activities such as going for a walk at night, going on a solo camping trip, at the back of their minds is the awareness of the possibility and the danger of rape. the vast majority admit to shaping and adjusting their activities around the fear of rape, even though they may not acknowledge it at the time. when men are asked the same question, the vast majority admit to never thinking about rape. To make matters worse, women routinely look to men for protection, frequently feeling safe only in the company of men. Incest is on the rise, which means even relatives can be perpetrators...
the adjustment to a rape culture is reinforced by the myths about rape. the notion that men cant help themselves, "its just biology" and that women are really the source of the problem "she was dressed provocatively" or "she really wanted it" resign us to accepting lives limited by masculine violence. Working class women and women of color are viewed as promiscuous and therefore not worthy of concern, an attitude that is reflected in a lack of response when they are raped. it ensures that women will look inward for explanation, in the form of self-blame, rather than outward in the form of holding men accountable for their actions. this way of looking at the world is reflected and reinforced throughout all levels of the media, both classical and popular.
On a daily basis i come in contact with clients who have been sexually assaulted and although it would be quick to lecture them that if they had dressed differently, or not been alone with their male friend, or walking alone in the dark it never would have happened, is irrelevent. A man doesnt rape because he is unable to control his sexual urges. If that was the case, he wouldnt put a condom on when he rapes a woman nor would he be able to stop if a police officer approached him and asked him what he was doing. In islam women dress modestly to protect their bodies from being looked at as sex objects and yes rape is low in islamic countries however the point is men need to be held accountable for their actions and the blame needs to be put on them, not the woman. Contempt, hostility and outright violence toward females can be found throughout the media, cartoons, comic strips, soap operas, and television in general, movies, advertising, novels, romance novels, talk shows, computer games, and the internet. Pornography is one example, but violent images are equally pervasive in mainstream media. Women are the gender most often exploited, manipulated, raped and violated bymen, yet one gets the impression from the media that men are the victims and women are the ones in control.

Blind for a day...

Early this morning i went to the eye doctor for my annual check up... The receptionist asked me if i would like to add an even more thorough exam for $39... Supposidely the more thorough exam looks at the whole eye and can show the eye doctor if i have any health problems, etc. I casually asked if there were going to be any flashing lights or eye drops (my biggest nightmare!). She said yes and i quickly calmed myself down and told myself that a few eye drops wont kill me (i cant even wear contacts because i hate putting anything in my eye and it took the last eye doctor 30 minutes to get one eye drop in my eye, so you can imagine how tense i was feeling)... The exam went fine except i blinked too often and i had to retake the photos of my eyes about 20 times (the technitions were not pleased, especially when the eye doctor finally came over to see what was taking so long and said she would do it herself, and proceeded to order me not to blink my eye as the technition stood next to me pressing my head against the machine so that i couldnt back up!!!) Finally when i thought the eye exam was finished the doctor told me she now needed to dilate my eyes, that is when i saw the two bottles of eye drops in her hand.... she tried to reassure me that it wouldnt hurt (her accent was thick and all i heard was will hurt.......)thats when i saw the 2 technitions at the door walking toward my chair.... the doctor had each tech hold my arms down so that i wouldnt move and grabbed my eyelid to lift it up so that she could get the drops in my eyes.....talk about horror!!! I begged her to let me hold my eye open, she finally agreed, thankgod!
I was told that my eyes might stay dilated for 24 hours and will be sensitive to light..... whats the big deal i thought, i can handle some sensitivity to light..... she gave me a pair of glasses to wear outside and i headed home.
A few hours later, one of my eyes went back to normal, however the other eye was still dilated and made my vision blurry. I had to run some errands so i figured it would go away if i put the glasses on. I got in my car and put my glasses on and was fine...... when i got to the grocery store to do some shopping i figured id be fine without the glasses and took them off. BIG MISTAKE!!! 2 minutes later, the lights were glaring down at me and my right eye was blurry and i could barely make my way through the isles. I contemplated going back to the car to get my glasses but felt a bit shy wearing the huge glasses she had given me....
i quickly finished shopping and ran to my car and put my glasses back on, what a relief my eyes felt so much better. I then realized that if i want to see i need to keep the glasses on, especially since one eye was still dilated.
I then headed to the library to grab a few books i needed and this time i worked up enough courage to put the glasses on. I felt very awkward and wanted to tell people that my eyes were dilated and that is why i am wearing huge glasses (which by the way did not have arms on them, they just sat on my nose and the sides of the glasses attached to my cheeks (weird i know).
This experience taught me a lot. First, things such as vision, hearing, sense of smell, taste, are things i easily take advantage of. I should be thanking Allah daily that he gave me these things, especially since there are a lot of people who are blind, deaf or mute.

Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-barasi, wal-jununi, wal-judhami, wa sayyi'il-asqami'

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from leucoderma, insanity, leprosy and evil diseases
[abu Dawud, #8/1549]
Anas (ra) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to supplicate (the above)


La ilaha ilAllah al-‘Adheem al-Haleem, la ilaha ilAllah Rabb al-Arsh al-‘adheem, la ilaha ilAllah Rabb as-Samawat wa Rabb al-Ard wa Rabb al-Arsh al-Kareem

There is no god but Allah, the All-Powerful, the Forbearing; there is no god but Allah, Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no god but Allah, Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, and Lord of the noble Throne.

[Sahih al-Bukhari, 8/154, Muslim, 4/2092]
Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that when the Prophet (saws) felt distressed he would say (the above)

اللهم انى اسئلك فرجا قريبا وصبرا اجميلا ورزقا و اسعا و العافية من جميع البلآء و اسئلك تمام العافية و اسئلك دوام العافية واسئلك الشكر على العافية و اسئلك الغنى عن الناس و ا حول و لا قوة الا با لله العلى العضيم

Allahumma inni as'aluka farajan qariban, wa sabran jameelan, wa rizqan wasi'an, wal 'afiyata min jami'il-bala'i, wa as'aluka tammamal-'afiyati wa as'aluka dawamal-'afiyati, wa as'aluka-sh-shukha'alal 'afiyati, wa as'alukal-ghina 'anin-naasi, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil 'aliyyil-adhim.

O Allah, I ask You of immediate prosperity, and beautiful patience against misery and affliction, and abundance in sustenance, and peace from all misfortunes; and I also ask You for perfect and perpetual peace of mind, and I ask You to enable me to give thanks for granting me peace, and I ask You (to make me prosperous enough) to be needless of other people, and I cannot be saved (from sins) nor have I power (for good deeds), but by the help of Allah, the Sublime, the Great.

اللَّهُمَّ أذْهِبَ الْبَاسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، اشْفِ وَ أنْتَ الشَّافِى، لا شِفاَءَ إلّا شِفاَؤُكَ، شِفاَءً لَا يُغاَدِرُ سِقَماً

Allahumma adhhibal-bas, Rabb-annaas, ishfi wa Anatal Shaafi, la shifaa' 'illa Shiaa'uk, Shifa'al la youghadiru saqama

O Allah, Remove the Hardship, Oh Lord of Mankind, Grant cure, for You are the Healer, There is not Cure but from You, cure which leaves no illness behind
(while patting the sick person, recite)
[Sahih al-Bukhari]




Friday, January 30, 2009

Documentaries

I found a great website where you can watch hundreds of free documentaries.
"Peace propaganda and the promised land" is an excellent documentary on how the media shapes our mind in the palestine/israeli conflict. This documentary shows how the media is biased and gives the viewers false information and in the process viewers side with the israeli zionists.
www.freedocumentaries.org

Enjoy

Hot, hot, hot!!!


A few weeks ago i stumbled upon cayenne pepper while at the health store. I had seen it mentioned often in cookbooks, but had never used it. I enjoy spicy, hot dishes so i decided to pick some up. Later that night i decided to try out my new spice on some sauteed veggies. Right after i poured the spice into my dish my eyes began to itch. Without thinking i rubbed my eye with the same hand that had cayenne pepper on it. It took a few seconds before i felt a stinging sensation in my eye. I ran to the bathroom to wash my hands and rid myself of the cayenne that was left on my finger tips. I then begain to splash handful after handful of water into my eye. Panicking that i may have caused some eye damage i went to the internet to find out what to do when you get cayenne pepper in your eye. It was then that i came across pages on the miracles of cayenne pepper. After the burning went away i returned to the computer to read up on benefits of cayenne pepper. It was then that i realized that this spice is one of the miracle spices! It does everything from heal wounds, lower blood pressure, speed up the metabolism, eliminate colds, etc. Mixing 1/8 of a tsp of cayenne twice a day in 8 oz of orange juice will speed up your metabolism and give you instant energy. I was skeptical at first and a bit nervous to add that much spice to my orange juice but i tried it anyway. Another tip is add a pinch of salt under your tongue and it will get rid of the heat! After i finished my juice i felt very energized!!! Here are some links to find out more information about cayenne pepper. A few days ago i shared this information with my husband who is moroccan and he told me that in morocco everyone uses cayenne pepper, especially on wounds to heal them and prevent scaring. If you ever get a cut or are bleeding profusely, take cayenne pepper and sprinkle it over the cut and it will close the wound instantly. It is also given to heart attack patients to revive them.
check out these links, you wont be sorry!

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=140
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/cayenne.htm
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/cayenne.htm


Islam 101

You are at work when you and a co-worker pass a woman wearing a long dress and a scarf wrapped around her head. Curious, you watch her walk past you and turn to your co-worker and ask her why that woman is dressed that way? Your co-worker, a muslim herself explains that she is dressed that way to be modest and not be harassed and to be judged for her intellect and personality. Your co-worker than asks why you are not wearing a scarf and you look down ashamed and explain that you know you should but are not following islam properly and should not be looked at as an example.

I can't tell you how many times i have been asked by family members why i am wearing hijab and abayah (loose clothing to hide the shape of ones body) when there are other women who are muslim who are not wearing it, or wear it incorrectly. Just like there are christians who do not practice christianity properly, there are also muslims who do not practice islam properly.

Important notes for non-muslims is that as muslims we believe in ONE God (Allah), allah is an arabic word that cannot be made plural like the english word God. For those who claim that Allah does not mean God, why then does the arabic christrians in their bible use the word Allah?
Secondly, as muslims we love and respect Jesus (Isa in arabic),however we do not believe that he is God (trinity).

The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "submission to the will of God". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him.

"Calling the Qur'an amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing.

One thing which surprises non-Muslims who are examining the book very closely is that the Qur'an does not appear to them to be what they expected. What they assume is that they have an old book which came fourteen centuries ago from the Arabian desert; and they expect that the book should look something like that - an old book from the desert. And then they find out that it does not resemble what they expected at all. Additionally, one of the first things that some people assume is that because it is an old book which comes from the desert, it should talk about the desert. Well the Qur'an does talk about the desert - some of its imagery describes the desert; but it also talks about the sea - what it's like to be in a storm on the sea.

Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merchant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of the Qur'an to read. The merchant marine knew nothing about the history of Islam but was interested in reading the Qur'an. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This Muhammed, was he a sailor?" He was impressed at how accurately the Qur'an describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, "No as a matter of fact, Muhammed lived in the desert," that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot. He was so impressed with the Qur'an's description because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had written that description had also been in a storm on the sea. The description of "a wave, over it a wave, over it clouds" was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew what a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Qur'an is not tied to a certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago.

Many centuries before the onset of Muhammed's prophethood, there was a well-known theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus. He and the people who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, indivisible particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concept; in fact, the Arabic word dharrah commonly referred to the smallest particle known to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matter (i.e., the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element) can be split into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last century; yet, interestingly enough, this information had already been documented in the Qur'an which states:

" He [i.e., Allah] is aware of an atom's weight in the heavens and on the earth and even anything smaller than that..."

Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, this is proof, that the Qur'an is not outdated.

Another example of what one might expect to find in an "old book" that touches upon the subject of health or medicine is outdated remedies or cures. Various historical sources state that the Prophet gave some advice about health and hygiene, yet most of these pieces of advice are not contained in the Qur'an. At first glance, to the non-Muslims this appears to be a negligent omission. They cannot understand why Allah would not "include" such helpful information in the Qur'an. Some Muslims attempt to explain this absence with the following argument: "Although the Prophet's advice was sound and applicable to the time in which he lived, Allah, in His infinite wisdom, knew that there would come later medical and scientific advances which would make the Prophet's advice appear outdated. When later discoveries occurred, people might say that such information contradicted that which the Prophet had given. Thus, since Allah would never allow any opportunity for the non-Muslims to claim that the Qur'an contradicts itself or the teachings of the Prophet, He only included in the Qur'an information and examples which could stand the test of time."

However, when one examines the true realities of the Qur'an in terms of its existence as a divine revelation, the entire matter is quickly brought into its proper perspective, and the error in such argumentation becomes clear and understandable. It must be understood that the Qur'an is a divine revelation, and as such, all information in it is of divine origin. Allah revealed the Qur'an from Himself. It is the words of Allah, which existed before creation, and thus nothing can be added, subtracted or altered. In essence, the Qur'an existed and was complete before the creation of Prophet Muhammed, so it could not possibly contain any of the Prophet's own words or advice. An inclusion of such information would clearly contradict the purpose for which the Qur'an exists, compromise its authority and render it inauthentic as a divine revelation.

Consequently, there was no "home remedies" in the Qur'an which one could claim to be outdated; nor does it contain any man's view about what is beneficial to health, what food is best to eat, or what will cure this or that disease. In fact, the Qur'an only mentions one item dealing with medical treatment, and it is not in dispute by anyone. It states that in honey there is healing. And certainly, I do not think that there is anyone who will argue with that!

If one assumes that the Qur'an is the product of a man's mind, then one would expect it to reflect some of what was going on in the mind of the man who "composed" it. In fact, certain encyclopedias and various books clam that the Qur'an was the product of hallucinations that Muhammed underwent. If these claims are true - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammed's mind - then evidence of this would be apparent in the Qur'an. Is there such evidence? In order to determine whether or not there is, one must first identify what things would have been going on in his mind at that time and then search for these thoughts and reflections in the Qur'an.

It is common knowledge that Muhammed had a very difficult life. All of his daughters died before him except one, and he had a wife of several years who was dear and important to him, who not only proceeded him in death at a very critical period of his life. As a matter of fact, she must have been quite a woman because when the first revelation came to him, he ran home to her afraid. Certainly, even today one would have a hard time trying to find an Arab who would tell you, "I was so afraid that I ran home to my wife." They just aren't that way. Yet Muhammed felt comfortable enough with his wife to be able to do that. That's how influential and strong woman she was. Although these examples are only a few of the subjects that would have been on Muhammed's mind, they are sufficient in intensity to prove my point. The Qur'an does not mention any of these things - not the death of his children, not the death of his beloved companion and wife, not his fear of the initial revelations, which he so beautifully shared with his wife - nothing; yet, these topics must have hurt him, bothered him, and caused him pain and grief during periods of his psychological reflections, then these subjects, as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout.

A truly scientific approach to the Qur'an is possible because the Qur'an offers something that is not offered by other religious scriptures, in particular, and other religions, in general. It is what scientists demand. Today there are many people who have ideas and theories about how the universe works. These people are all over the place, but the scientific community does not even bother to listen to them. This is because within the last century the scientific community has demanded a test of falsification. They say, "If you have theory, do not bother us with it unless you bring with that theory a way for us to prove whether you are wrong or not."

Such a test was exactly why the scientific community listened to Einstein towards the beginning of the century. He came with a new theory and said, "I believe the universe works like this; and here are three ways to prove whether I am wrong!". So the scientific community subjected his theory to the tests, and within six years it passed all three. Of course, this does not prove that he was great, but it proves that he deserved to be listened to because he said, "This is my idea; and if you want to try to prove me wrong, do this or try that." This is exactly what the Qur'an has - falsification tests. Some are old (in that they have already been proven true), and some still exist today. Basically it states, "If this book is not what it claims to be, then all you have to do is this or this or this to prove that it is false." Of course, in 1400 years no one has been able to do "This or this or this, " and thus it is still considered true and authentic. I suggest to you that the next time you get into dispute with someone about Islam and he claims that he has the truth and that you are in darkness, you leave all other arguments at first and make this suggestion. Ask him, "Is there any falsification test in your religion? Is there anything in your religion that would prove you are wrong if I could prove to you that it exists - anything?" Well, I can promise right now that people will not have anything - no test, no proof, nothing! This is because they do not carry around the idea that they should not only present what they believe but should also offer others a chance to prove they're wrong. However, Islam does that. A perfect example of how Islam provides man with a chance to verify it authenticity and "prove it wrong" occurs in the 4th chapter. And quiet honestly, I was surprised when I first discovered this challenge. It states:

"Do they not consider the Qur'an? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy."

This is a clear challenge to the non-Muslim. Basically, it invites him to find a mistake. As a matter of fact, the seriousness and difficulty of the challenge aside, the actual presentation of such a challenge in the first place is not even in human nature and is inconsistent with man's personality. One doesn't take an exam in school after finishing the exam, write a note to the instructor at the end saying, "This exam is perfect. There are no mistakes in it. Find one if you can!". One just doesn't do that. The teacher would not sleep until he found a mistake! And yet this is the way the Qur'an approaches people. Another interesting attitude that exists in the Qur'an repeatedly deals with its advice to the reader. The Qur'an informs that reader about different facts and then gives the advice: "If you want to know more about this or that, or if you doubt what is said, then you should ask those who have knowledge." This too is a surprising attitude. It is not usual to have a book that comes from someone without training in geography, botany, biology, etc., who discusses these subjects and then advises the reader to ask men of knowledge if he doubts anything.

Yet in every age there have been Muslims who have followed the advice of the Qur'an and made surprising discoveries. If one looks to the works of Muslim scientists if many centuries ago, one will find them full of quotations from the Qur'an. These works state that they did research in such a place, looking for something. And they affirm that the reason they looked in such and such a place was that the Qur'an pointed them in that direction. For example, the Qur'an mentions man's origin and then tells the reader, "Research it!" It gives the reader a hint where to look and then states that one should find out more about it. This is the kind of thing that Muslims today largely seem to overlook - but not always, as illustrated in the following example. A few years ago, a group of men in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia collected all if the verses in the Qur'an which discuss embryology - the growth of the human being in the womb. They said, "Here is what the Qur'an says. Is it the truth?" In essence, they took the advice of the Qur'an: "Ask the men who know." They chose, as it happened, a non-Muslim who is a professor of embryology at the University of Toronto. His name is Keith Moore, and he is the author of textbooks on embryology - a world expert on the subject. They invited him to Riyadh and said, "This is what the Qur'an says about your subject. Is it true? What can you tell us?" While he was in Riyadh, they gave him all of the help that he needed in translation and all of the cooperation for which he asked. And he was so surprised at what he found that he changed his textbooks. In fact, in the second edition of one of his books, called Before we are born... in the second edition about the history of embryology, he included some material that was not in the first edition because of what he found in the Qur'an. Truly this illustrates that the Qur'an was ahead of its time and that those who believe in the Qur'an know what other people do not know."

I am going to copy some links that will go into more detail about islam for those of you who are interested in learning more....

http://discover.islamway.com/

www.islamway.com

http://discover.islamway.com/bindex.php?section=newmuslim



Your grab your keys, climb into your car, list is nicely packed in your purse and your off....You arrive at the supermarket, list in hand. You start at the vegetable and fruit section and as you go to grab a bag of apples
you stop... The sign in front of the apples reads
"conventionally grown" and "organically grown"
which one do you choose? The conventionally grown apples are cheaper than the organic apples so you shrug your shoulders and grab the cheaper bag. As you make your way to the dairy section you look over your list and notice that you need milk, cheese and eggs. As you approach the milk section you see the store brand milk, as well as organic milk. Not only that you see a picture of a goat and the label displays goat milk! The store brand is the cheapest, then the organic and then the goat milk. Since you are on a budget you grab the store brand and never look back.
What's the big deal you ask? Why not grab the cheaper product instead of paying more for organic? Once you learn about what these companies are putting into those products you buy, i promise you that you will only want to buy organic food from now on. I discovered organic food when i was 19 years old. Before that i would eat anything. I would look for low fat snacks, never realizing that when they advertise low fat what they really are doing is taking out the fat and replacing it with chemicals and sugar!!! I want to warn everyone to NEVER buy a product that has High Fructose Corn Syrup in it. It was banned in many countries, including the US in the early 1900's. A lot of countries still ban it but they US has started using it again. It has been linked with cancer and obesity to name a few. Rule of thumb, if you cant pronounce the ingredient that is listed do NOT buy it!!!
I am going to copy a few links that will go into detail about organic foods, genetically engineered foods, growth hormones and antibiotics that are added to our milks and cheeses and so on. It's time to wake up and look at what you are putting into your body. I would recommend a juice fast for everyone that is able to cleanse out those toxins that have been accumulating over the years. I will also copy some links that go into more detail about that. Remember everyone, the TRUTH is what sets you free....stop living in ignorance!!!! Set yourself free...

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=17
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/12-27/health-benefits-of-organic-food-article.htm
http://www.psrast.org/intro1.htm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/polyphenolics031203.cfm

The New & Improved YOU!!!

You wake up feeling sluggish, you slowly climb out of bed, stumble into the bathroom, eyes half open you squint at yourself in the mirror. The person standing in front of the mirror shocks you. bags under the eyes, wrinkles, weight that just wont come off no matter how much you exercise and diet... You cant help but think about those pills you need to take later to control your thyroid and diabetes, everything seems so depressing..
That's where i step in!!!! I am here to tell you that you no longer need to stress about diabetes, hypo/hyper thyroidism, sluggish metabolism, you name it!!!! No, i am not promoting a new diet pill! I have stumbled upon a miracle oil, Extra Virgin Coconut oil. You take 3 tablespoons daily and it corrects your thyriod, diabetes, speeds up your metabolism, gives you a boost of energy etc. Here are just a few things you can expect:
  • Reduces risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease
  • Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions
  • Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections
  • Supports immune system function
  • helps control diabetes
  • Provides an immediate source of energy
  • Supports healthy metabolic function
  • Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
  • Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health
  • Helps prevent osteoporosis
  • Has a mild delicate flavor
  • Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life)
  • Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking)
  • Helps keep skin soft and smooth
  • Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin
  • Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes
  • Functions as a protective antioxidant
Here are a few links to familiarize yourself with this wonderful oil and all the benefits it offers!!! You wont be disapointed! Make sure its Extra Virgin, not just coconut oil!

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/coconut_oil.html
http://www.ghchealth.com/natural-health/the-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

Palestine-Israel Conflict

I found out a few days ago that my university is having Dr. Ilan Troen (a zionist) come and give a speech on the israel-palestine conflict. This of course upset me for many reasons... 1. He's a zionist 2. A lot of non-muslims will be attending and only hear one side of the story 3. Why wasnt a muslim speaker invited to speak? or more importantly why arent more muslim professors going to universities to give lectures on the truth behind palestine and israel?
I did some research on Dr. Ilan Troen and one book of his which should be of concern to us is a book about the history of zionism. In this book he makes jewish zionists look like peaceful settlers. This book is 300+ pages!!!!
I sent out an email to the community to see if anyone would be interested in handing out fliers about palestine before or after the lecture so that students can hear another side of the story and shockingly no one responded!!!!
I will personally be there to challenge the speaker if he gives any false or misleading information about the history of palestine. As Muslims it is our duty to help our brothers and sisters in islam. Our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered in palestine because of Jewish Zionists. This in no way means all jews are bad. A lot of jews disagree with the jewish zionists in Israel who are not following the Torah, and have protested against them as well. I will be copying a link of a Jewish rabbi who describes what the zionists are doing is wrong and actually admits what they are doing to the palestinians. Muslims need to wake up, we have been alseep for too long. If palestines neighboring countries Jordan, Egypt and other islamic countries got together and fought with the palestinians the zionists would be removed and taken out of power. Slowly our ummah is starting to come together but we need to speed up the process!!! To understand why so-called muslim rulers are turning their backs to the palestinians and blaming hamas one really needs to study free masonary and the ties they have to the US. There are a lot of links on free masonry, and New World Order. I would advise everyone to do some research on these topics and remove the veiw from your eyes and see the truth!

I am copying some links to some great sites that discuss the history of palestine as well as some video clips (one is a documentary that took decades to create and has english subtitles).
Here is Al-Nakba documentary about palestine and israel, a must watch!!!!

http://www.palestineremembered.com/al-Ramla/Yibna/Story10714.html
http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/History%20of%20Palestine.pdf

Happy Jummah!

There is a special day in Islam which Allaah has singled out for blessings which are not to be found in any other days. This day is Friday, to which Allaah guided the Muslims and from which He led the Jews and Christians astray.

1 – It was the teaching of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to venerate this day, honour it and single it out for special acts of worship that belong exclusively to this day. In Fajr (early morning prayer) on Friday he used to recite the Soorahs ‘Alif-laam-meem tanzeel’ (al-Sajdah, no. 32) and ‘Hal ata ‘ala’l-insaan’ (al-Insaan, no. 76).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite these two soorahs in the Fajr prayer on Friday because they refer to what happened and will happen on that day, for they speak of the creation of Adam, the resurrection and the gathering of mankind, all of which happened or will happen on a Friday. So reciting them on this day is a reminder to his ummah (nation) of what has happened and what is yet to come. This is one of the special features of Friday.

2 – It is mustahabb (recommended) to send lots of blessings upon the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the ay of Friday and the night before, because he said: “Send lots of blessings upon me on Friday and the night before.” (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, 3/249; classed as saheeh (sound) by al-Arna’oot).

3 – Jumu’ah (Friday) prayers are held on this day; this is one of the most strongly-affirmed duties of Islam, and one of the greatest gatherings of the Muslims. It is the greatest and most obligatory gathering in which they come together, apart from ‘Arafah [a place near Makkah (Mecca) where the pilgrims stand and pray during the Hajj or pilgrimage]. Whoever neglects Jumu’ah prayers out of carelessness, Allaah will place a seal over his heart. The people of Paradise will be brought closer (to Allaah) on the Day of Resurrection and they will see Allaah sooner, commensurate with how close they were to the imam on the day of Jumu’ah and how early they came to Jumu’ah prayers.

4 – The command to do ghusl (take a bath for the purpose of purification) on Friday; this command is most emphatic.

5 – Wearing perfume on Friday; this is better than wearing perfume on any other day of the week.

6 – Cleaning the teeth with the siwaak (tooth stick); this is better than using the siwaak on any other day.

7 – Going to the prayers early.

8 – Keeping oneself busy with prayer, dhikr (remembering Allaah) and reading Qur’aan until the imaam comes out to give the khutbah (sermon).

9 – Listening attentively to the khutbah, because listening to it is obligatory according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. If a person fails to do that he is engaging in idle talk, and whoever does that has not prayed Jumu’ah. In al-Musnad a marfoo’ report [i.e., a report which is attributed to the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings be upon him)] states: “The one who says to his companion, ‘Be quiet and listen,’ has not prayed Jumu’ah.” (Narrated by Ahmad, 2034; classed as hasan by al-Arna’oot. See Haashiyat Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/377. Also narrated by al-Bukhaari (934) and Muslim (851), with the wording: “If you say to your companion, ‘Be quiet and listen,’ on a Friday when the imaam is delivering the khutbah, then you have engaged in idle talk.”)

10 – Reading Soorat al-Kahf (no. 18) during the day of Friday. It was narrated that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on a Friday, light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine on him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven from one Friday to the next.” (Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/368; classed as saheeh by al-Arna’oot).

11- Ibn Maajah narrated in his Sunan that Abu Lubaabah ibn ‘Abd al-Mundhir said: “The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Friday is the best and greatest of days before Allaah, and it is greater before Allaah than the day of al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) and the day of al-Fitr (the Feast of Breaking the Fast). It has five characteristics: on this day Allaah created Adam; on this day Adam came down to earth; on this day Allaah caused Adam to die; on this day there is an hour during which no one asks Allaah for something but He will grant it to him, so long as he does not ask for something haraam (forbidden); and on this day the Hour [i.e., the Day of Judgement] will begin, so there is no angel who is close to Allaah, no heaven, no earth, no wind, no mountain and no tree that does not feel some apprehension on Friday.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1084. Al-Busayri said: its isnaad is hasan, and it was classed as saheeh in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 888).

12 – It is mustahabb (recommended) to wear the best clothes one has on Friday. Imaam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad that Abu Ayyoob said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘Whoever takes a bath on Friday, puts on perfume if he has some, wears his best clothes then goes out , walking in a dignified manner until he reaches the mosque, then he prostrates in prayer if he wants and does not disturb anybody, then he remains quiet until the imaam comes out and he prays, that will be an expiation from one Friday to the next.’” (Narrated by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 23059; classed as hasan by al-Ana’oot).

14 – It is a day on which sins are expiated. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated that Salmaan al-Faarisi said: “The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘No man takes a bath on Friday and purifies himself as much as he can, and makes his hair tidy, and puts on perfume, then goes out, and does not come between two people, then prays as Allaah decrees for him and listens attentively when the imaam speaks, but he will be forgiven for his bad deeds between this Friday and the other.’” (al-Bukhaari, 843).



Thursday, January 29, 2009

Educating ourselves on Domestic Violence!!!


"I tripped, and fell into the wall...",
"He was drinking, he didnt mean to hit me..."

"He said he loves..."

I want everyone to take 10 seconds and look at this picture... This is NOT love!!!!
I repeat, this is NOT love..... He is NOT sorry..... He will NOT change.... it is NOT your fault...... it was NOT the alcohol that made him do it.....
A man abuses because he chooses to.... Domestic Violence is about Power and Control.... Have you ever asked yourself how when he claims he is "out of control" he only breaks your stuff, but not his?
At the end of this blog i will leave contact information for anyone who would like to learn more about domestic violence and hotlines to call.

I would like to start off by listing signs to look for in a Battering Personality...
1. Jealousy
2. Controlling Behavior
3. Unrealistic expectations--abusive people will expect their partner to meet all their needs he/she expects the woman to be the perfect wife, mother, lover, friend. He/she will say things like "if you love me", "Im all you need..."
4. Isolation
5. Blames others for problems
6. Blames others for feelings-He will tell the woman "you make me mad"
7. Cruelty to animals
8. Verbal abuse
9. threats of violence

**** Remember, even if he doesnt abuse you physically you can still be verbally/emotionally abused!!! I am copying some links to pages on emotional abuse and symptoms... It's time to stop Domestic violence!!!!

If you or anyone you know is in a abusive relationship please seek help!!! Homocide is on the rise and men are getting away with murder because women are afraid to leave.
Here is a national hotline to call for any state in the US
http://www.ndvh.org/
Here are some links to websites on Domestic violence
http://www.domesticviolence.org/
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm
http://www.lilaclane.com/relationships/emotional-abuse/

The light at the end of the tunnel!

Last night i had the most vivid dream! I know from an islamic point of view we should keep bad dreams to ourselves however this dream falls in between good and bad, so i will let you be the judge....

My dream started with me being told that the world would end tomorrow... Judgment day was about to begin.... I remember frantically running to my family and begging them to accept Islam (my family is christian, I am a revert). I was explaining to my sister and aunts Tawheed and asking them to take the shahadah because by morning a huge storm would come and take the lives of all of humanity. No one believed me except a few family members. When i woke up it took me a few minutes to digest that what had happened in my dream was just that....a dream....

Analyzing my dream i concluded that i am not doing enough to convert my family. I love my family and it should be on the top of my list to convert them. I have been a revert since 2001 and throughout the years my family and i have had heated debates about islam and christianity however I still feel more needs to be done.... No one knows how much time we have left on this earth... a day...... a week... a month?

In May I am moving to Spain (husband) and will be leaving my family behind..... I fear that when i leave any hope of them converting will vanish...
I want to encourage all muslims (reverts especially) to make lots and lots of dawah to our families and friends. If we love or care for someone we should want the best for them.... The thought of our loved ones burning in hell for eternity should be enough for us to correct our muslim friends of their cultural practices (mixing and mingling amongst the opposite sex, no hijab, etc) as well as telling our families about islam (non-muslims). That does not mean we discuss islam once in a blue moon, it means discussing islam daily!
In the end, Allah (Swt) guides who he wills and leads astray who he wills.... However, that does not mean we should be lazy in spreading the message of islam.
Often we feel shy to approach a muslim sister and inform her that what she is doing is wrong (listening to music, not wearing hijab, wearing pants instead of an abayah, etc)... There are tactful ways of approaching sisters.... No one wants to be approached and lectured about what not to do....

Here is my homework assignment to you.... I want you to talk to 3 strangers about islam..... It can be the bagger at the supermarket, telemarketer, classmate, etc.... The point is spreading the message.....
It is our responsibility as muslims to spread the message, and if you think about it 3 people a week is nothing!!! Make it your goal to talk to 3 people each week about islam!!!!