http://news.ibn.net/newsframe.asp?url=http...gen.asp?url=rch


ROME Rome's chief rabbi is drawing praise from both Jewish and Muslim leaders for his plans to visit the main mosque in the Italian capital today.


His office says Riccardo Di Segni will be the first chief rabbi in Rome to pay a visit to a mosque, and his action is meant to promote inter-religious dialogue.


An Italian newspaper (Corriere della Sera) has reported that the rabbi would meet with the secretary-general of the Islamic Cultural Center of Italy, and the president of the Muslim World League in Italy.


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Assalamu'Alaikum


Dear Brothers and Sisters,


Islamic Relief are doing some research in to those of us who have ever considered donating to a Muslim charity. There is a questionnaire on their site, please take a few minutes to fill it in and help them out, insha'Allah.


http://www.islamic-relief.com/eng


Jazakallah khairun wa salaam


Najm


P.S. an after thought - I'm not involved with this research I'm just trying to get as many Brs and Srs as I can to fill it in, insha'Allah

Why does Ramadan seem to move from year to year? I would guess it would be to do with differences between calendars, but I wouldn't have thought that would allow for more than a few weeks variation.


What brings this up is that I'm sure it was in November one year (I was working with a Muslim at the time. Which was a little wierd, feeling guilty having my dinner when he didn't), but now I see its in September.


One thing that I would also like to know is how strict this is? The lad I was working with, an apprentice electrician, told me that a fellow sparky, who was also a muslim, wouldn't drink water, and would also spit out his own saliva rather than swallow it. Thing is, I work in the building trade, so theres plenty of physical labour, and you sweat a lot, and I imagine this would be worse in somewhere a bit hotter than North Yorkshire, such as Egypt :) Isn't there a danger of dehydration, or was the other muslim taking an extreme view?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/therightpath/messages


by Yasir Qadhi


The topic of du'â and its relationship with destiny (qadr) is a very important one, and one around which much confusion exists. Many people ask: "If everything has already been destined to occur, then of what use is du'â, as, if Allah has written what I want, I will get it without making du'â, and if it is not written for me, then I will never get it no matter how much du'â I make?"


The response to this question lies in understanding the outcome of anything is dependant on the performance of the efforts that are necessary to procure it. In other words, it has already been decreed, for example, that a seed will give fruit if planted, but this will not occur unless the farmer takes the appropriate efforts in irrigating the crop, maintaining it, protecting the seedling as it grows, and ensuring as much as he can that the factors are amenable for the plant to give fruit.


So even though a person believes in the Divine Decree, he must at the same time strive all he can to ensure that the desired goal occurs. So du'â is the means that one uses to achieve the desired goal that one has, and this means in no way contradicts the destiny that has been written for that person.


This stance is clarified by the Prophet's hadîth reported by Thawban, that he said:


"Nothing increases one's life-span except good deeds, and nothing repels Divine Decree except du'â. And very, a person may be deprived for sustenance due to a sin that he does!" [Narrated by Ibn Maajah #90 and confirmed authentic by Shaykh al-Albaanee in as-Sahîhah #154]


In other words, the performance of good deeds is a cause of increasing one's life span, so if a person puts in the necessary effort, the results will be achieved, and this is also destined. So both the means to achieve a goal, and the fulfilment of the goal itself, are already decreed.


If someone were to ask: "How can du'â repel Divine Decree?" we would respond, "The fact that you may be ill has already been decreed by Allah for you, as has the fact that you will ask Allah to cure you of this illness (i.e. both the illness and your asking to cure the illness has been decreed). In a similar manner, a person may be deprived of his sustenance that was decreed for him since Allah's eternal knowledge encompassed the fact that this person would perform a sinful deed that would cause deprivation of his sustenance. All of this, then, is from the decree of Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him."


There are a number of ahadîth that clarify this point. For example, Mu'aadh ibn Jabal reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:


"Caution will be of no benefit against Divine Decree, but du'â benefits all things, whether they come down or not. I therefore advise you to make du'â, O servants of Allah!" [This hadîth is weak. It was narrated by Ahmad, Abu Ya'la and at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabîr, as has been mentioned in Da'îf al-Jâmi' #4785]


So no matter how cautious a person is, he cannot escape what is written for him, simply because Allah controls everything, and nothing escapes His Knowledge or Power. However, by turning to Allah through du'â, it is possible to avert something that might have been decreed. Salmaan al-Faarsee narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:


"Nothing repels Divine Decree except du'â, and nothing increases one's life-span except good deeds." [Authentic, reported by at-Tirmidhee and al-Haakim from Salmaan, and is in Sahîh al-Jâmi' #7687]


This hadîth informs us in no uncertain terms that the only way that we can repel some Divine Decree is through the means of du'â. So it is possible that some unpleasant matter has been preordained for us, but only if we do not make du'â to avert it from us. So if a du'â is made, then this matter will not occur or be fulfilled, whereas if du'â is left, the misfortune will occur.


Another narration by at-Tirmidhee also supports this. The Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:


"There is no Muslim on the face of the earth that asks Allah for anything except that Allah gives it to him, or averts from him a similar evil, as long as he does not ask for something evil or for breaking the ties of kinship." [Authentic, narrated by at-Tirmidhee from 'Ubaadah ibn Saamit, as is mentioned in Sahîh al-Jâmi' #5637]


From this narration, the benefits of du'â are made clear, and its value is understood. For not only is a person rewarded for a making a du'â, but it is also a cause of repelling an evil that was destined for him, and in obtaining the good that he was expecting.


Ibn Hajr, commenting on the benefits of du'â, said:


"And the benefit of performing du'â is the attainment of reward by obeying the command (of Allah to make du'â), and also by the attainment of what is asked for, for there is a possibility that the request is dependant on the du'â, since Allah is the Creator of both the effort and result of the effort!" [Fath al-Bârî 11/95]


Therefore, the proper response to the question posed at the beginning of the chapter is, in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim, as follows:


"The logical consequences of such a reasoning leads to a rejection of all efforts. It can, therefore, be said to a person who holds this view, 'If the satisfaction of your hunger and thirst has already been destined for you, then it will be fulfilled, whether you eat or not. On the other hand, if it has not been destined for you, it will never occur, whether you eat or not. And if a son has been destined for you, then you will be granted one, whether you have intercourse with your wife or not. On the other hand, if a son has not been destined for you, then you will never be granted one. In this case, there is no point in getting married!' Now will any sane person agree with all of these conclusions?" [Al-Jawâb al-Kâfi p.13]


To summarise, then, Divine Decree (qadr) cannot be used as an excuse not to make du'â. For, just as one strives to ensure that one attains worldly needs, of food, drink and family, so too must one strive in one's religious deeds to attain the desired goal. Du'â is intrinsically related to qadr; in fact, it is part of one's qadr. Allah has already decreed that a certain matter will be granted to a servant, or an evil averted from him, if he make du'â, so if he were to leave du'â, then the desired goal would not be reached.


Hence why it was the sunnah of the Prophet, upon whom be peace, to make the following du'â during the witr prayer:


" ... Bless me in what You have given me. And avert and turn away from me the evil that has been decreed for me, for verily You Decree (all things), and none can decree against You ... " [Reported by at-Tirmidhee #464, an-Nasaa'ee #1725 and others, with an authentic chain]


So the Muslim turns to Allah and prays to Him so that any and all evil can be averted from him.


Additionally, it should be remembered that the concept of Divine Decree is one that a human can never fully understand, due to his limited intellect and finite capabilities. The true Muslim does not delve too deeply into the philosophical ramifications of Divine Decree. Rather, he accepts all that has occurred to him in the past as having been destined for him, and he strives to obtain what he desires in the future (as long as it is permissible for him). Since he does not know what has been written for him in the future, he expects the best from Allah, and does everything in his power to ensure that what he wants is granted to him. Just like going to work everyday will ensure, if Allah wills, that he gets his pay-cheque at the end of the month, so too does making du'aa ensure, if Allah wills, that he achieves his desired goal.


__________________________


"By Al-`Asr (the time). Verily! Man is in loss, Except those who believe (in Islaamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma`roof ÇáãÚÑæÝ) which Allaah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar ÇáãäßÑ) which Allaah has forbidden], and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allaah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islaamic Monotheism or Jihaad, etc.)." [Al-Qur'aan, Al-`Asr (103): 1-3]

Salam Aleikum


You may have heard about the fish seen in the UK with the markings of Allah (swt) upon it.


I was lucky enough to see the fish in my local town, and I was so excited I took my whole family to see it.


The fish has now been sold, and so I decided to setup a website to share the pictures across the Mulsim Ummah. The site also has a video of the fish, and lots of interesting Islamic news and Articles.


Go to www.allahfish,com to see the pictures and the video.


Let me know your thoughts. If you like the site, please tell other Muslims


Wasalam


Umar

i have heard some non-Muslims say that nudity is somehow "natural" or "artistic".how can i convince them that it's wrong,and that no one should ever show their private parts?

Salaam





WOMEN ONLY!!


Please show your support for the Muslims around the world, and attend for the sake of Allah.


Jzk

rumour has it that a young girl was turned into a fish for kicking a Quran out of her mothers hand in refusal to turn down the t.v


see the video for yourself by clicking the following image





hoax or real? Allah knows best ... this is not a proof for the truth of Islam but an insresting video for sure.....


wasalams

http://news.ibn.net/newsframe.asp?url=http...en.asp?url=cinh


By PAUL BURKHARDT


The Associated Press


Tuesday, March 7, 2006; 1:59 AM


NEW YORK -- Cindy Sheehan, who drew international attention when she camped outside President Bush's ranch to protest the Iraq war, was arrested Monday along with three other women during a demonstration demanding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.


The march to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations by about a dozen U.S. and Iraqi anti-war activists followed a news conference at U.N. headquarters, where Iraqi women described daily killings and ambulance bombings as part of the escalating violence that keeps women in their homes.


Cindy Sheehan, who became a peace activist after her son was killed in Iraq, is arrested in front the building which houses the American Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Monday, March 6, 2006 in New York. Sheehan and three other anti war activist were arrested after trying to deliver a letter to the American mission. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Mary Altaffer - AP)


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Women Say No to War, which helped organize the march, claimed Sheehan was physically assaulted by security officers during the arrests. Photos show officers dragging Sheehan, with her shirt yanked up. Police said the four women were arrested for criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.


The women were trying to deliver a petition to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations with more than 60,000 signatures urging the "withdrawal of all troops and all foreign fighters from Iraq." When they arrived at the mission, they found the doors locked.


Ann Wright, a former U.S. Army colonel and U.S. diplomat, said in a statement issued by the group that the U.S. Mission refused to send someone to meet with the women "whose lives and families have been shattered by this destructive and immoral war." The protesters refused to leave without delivering the petition, she said. At one point, witnesses said they sat down in front of the doors and interlocked their legs.


Richard Grenell, the spokesman for the U.S. Mission, said in response to Sheehan's arrest: "We invited her in to discuss her concerns with a U.S. Mission employee. She chose not to come in but to lay down in front of the building and block the entrance. It was clearly designed to be a media stunt, not aimed at rational discussion," Grenell said.


At the news conference, Sheehan said when her 24-year-old son _ a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq _ died in April 2004, "the morgues were filled with innocent men, women and children."


Entessa Mohammed, a pharmacist who works at a hospital in Baghdad, became tearful when recalling the deaths and injuries she said she has witnessed daily.


She estimated that 1,600 Iraqis are killed in Baghdad every month, with a greater number injured. "Thanks for the liberation from Saddam" Hussein, Mohammed said, addressing the Bush administration, "now please go out."


U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice planned to meet with delegations of Iraqi and Afghan women in Washington on Wednesday, which is International Women's Day, to honor their achievements in politics.


The Women Say No to War activists, who plan to be in Washington on Wednesday to meet with members of Congress, said they were denied requests to meet with Rice or other "relevant" State Department officials.

http://news.ibn.net/newsframe.asp?url=http...en.asp?url=cinh


ASSOCIATED PRESS


March 6, 2006


A Muslim woman who claims she was denied employment after she refused to remove a head scarf worn for religious reasons is accusing a Des Moines convenience store chain of violating her religious rights.


In the lawsuit, Aaliyah Withers-Johnson claims officials at Git-N-Go Convenience Stores Inc. told her she could not work for the company if she insisted on wearing the head scarf, known as a hijib, worn as part of her Islamic faith.


The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Des Moines, accuses the company of racial and religious discrimination.


Withers-Johnson, who also is black, claims she wore the scarf to her initial job interview for a position as a store clerk on March 11, 2005, was offered a position and told to report six days later for training.


But at the training session, Withers-Johnson claims she was immediately pulled aside by a company official and told she would not be able to start ‘‘because of the thing you are wearing on your head,’’ the lawsuit said.


Officials say company policy prohibits employees from wearing caps, scarves or anything on their head.


Withers-Johnson told the official the scarf was required as part of her faith then asked if she was not being hired because of it, the lawsuit said.


The officials responded by saying: ‘‘If I let you wear it then everyone else is going to want to,’’ according to the lawsuit.


‘‘It shows that not everyone is always as sensitive as they need to be to people’s religious beliefs,’’ said Jill Zwagerman, the woman’s attorney. ‘‘Her general reaction was pretty obvious when her religious attire was compared to a baseball cap or a scarf.’’


Withers-Johnson, who is a U.S. citizen and student at Drake University, is seeking an unidentified amount for lost wages and benefits and punitive damages.


She also wants a judge to bar the company from future discrimination of race-based stereotypes, require sensitivity training throughout the company and impose mandatory race bias testing on upper management officials.


A telephone message left Monday for attorneys for Git-N-Go wasn’t immediately returned.


The company operates as many as 38 stores in the Des Moines area