We have in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) many good examples to study and follow in many aspects of our lives. The longer we study the various aspects of his life, the more we will reap the benefits.


We will learn what will benefit ourselves today as well as those who will come after us in the future. Allah says: “Indeed, you have in Allah’s Messenger the best example of conduct for those who place their hopes in Allah and the Last Day.”


We can benefit from the Prophet’s example when it comes to raising our children. If we emulate our Prophet (peace be upon him) in the way he cared for children, we will, by Allah’s grace, be successful in raising our own.


We must respect children as people. Children need respect. Unfortunately, parents often fail to show it to them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) always showed the upcoming generation that he respected them and held them in high esteem. Sa`d b. Mâlik was a small child when the Battle of Uhud took place. His father died in that battle. The Prophet (peace be upon him) approached him and said: “Sa`d b. Mâlik?” When the boy acknowledged who he was, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “May Allah bestow His blessings upon you on the death of your father.”


We can see how the Prophet (peace be upon him) treated him as he would treat an adult. He offered him the condolences that would be given to a full grown man. He did not patronize him. He informed him of what happened immediately.


We need to give more credit to the minds of our children. We should not underestimate their intelligence. We must hold them in esteem and respect their feelings and teach them in turn to have respect for others. This allows the children to develop intellectually and socially.


It is critical that we make our children accustomed to handling responsibility. Too many of us today, adults as well as children, have a tendency to shirk our responsibilities and place our burdens on others.


To prevent this, those of us who raise children must first of all help them to think positively about themselves. This will make it easier for them to handle responsibility as they get older. The Prophet (peace be upon him) took great pains to develop the character of the young people around him. Once, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was seated, he was offered something to drink. He took it and drank from it. Seated to his right was a young boy and to his left were a number of elderly men. Since service was traditionally to the right, he turned to the boy and said: “Will you permit me to offer the drink to them first?” [sahîh Muslim]


This is how a child learns manners. It is also how he develops strength of personality and a keener intellect instead of a negative outlook and poor self opinion.


We must be just in our dealings with our children. Justice is of utmost importance to provide the child with a sense of stability. It prevents children from being jealous of one another and prevents undesirable competition between them for favor. Injustice can occur in such minor matters as kissing one child more than another or smiling at him more or giving him preference in food and clothing.


Once Bashîr gave his son al-Nu`mân a gift. He went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) so that the Prophet (peace be upon him) could be a witness to it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him: “O Bashîr, do you have any other children besides him?” When Bashîr answered that he had, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “Did you give each of them a similar gift?” To this Bashîr answered in the negative. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Then do not ask me to be a witness for you. I will not bear witness to an injustice.” [sahîh Muslim]


We must be cordial and sometimes even playful with our children. They need merriment and play in their life within the confines of what is Islamically lawful. We should not go overboard with our play and affection so that the children become dependent upon coddling. However, we must not be so reserved as to deny the children their very natural need for affection and play. Denial of this need makes children introverted and fearful of others.


`Â’ishah relates that when she was with the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a child, she used to play with other girls who came to her. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered, they used to withdraw. However, he would send them back to me to play with me some more.”


Children should not be denied the right to play and have fun. Play invigorates and enlivens children as long as it is allowed within reasonable limits. It allows their personalities to form properly and encourages their emotional development.


We must strive to bring up our children for the pleasure of Allah and not just so our child can be better than others. We must encourage good behavior in our children whenever they exhibit it. Merely lecturing them is not the most effective approach. What is required is to speak to them a good word and then to be a living example for them.


This fact was fully understood by the Prophet’s Companions. One Companion relates that another Companion Wâ’il b. Mas`ûd, used to preach to them once every Thursday. A man said to him that they wish he would speak to them every day. Wâ’il replied: “I only refrain from doing so because I would hate to bore you. I give you reminders the way that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to do so with us in moderation so that we would not grow weary.” [sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]


I will conclude with the following advice given to the caliph Mu`âwiyah by one of his advisors: Once Mu`âwiyah became angry with his son Yazîd, so he shunned him. Al-Ahnaf observed, so he said to him: “O Commander of the Faithful, our children are the fruits of our hearts and the pillars who support us. We are to them as the sky overhead and the ground below their feet. If they grow angry, placate them and if they ask of you, give them. Do not be an obstacle in their lives so they loathe your existence and wish for your demise.


<i>islamway.com</i>

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.


This information is new to me and I just would like to share it with all of you, especially Christians.


Of course all of us know the Christians stand point regarding Muhammad pbuh and his marriage from Aishah RA at very young age, and so they accuse him pbuh of being <b>pedophile</b>. But subhan a Allah, <b>new information has come to light while reading the Catholic Encyclopedia </b> regarding the age of St Joseph whom they consider to be "<b>Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster-father of Our Lord Jesus Christ</b>"


While reading chapter St Joseph in the Catholic Encyclopedia, I found the following:

Quote:"When forty years of age, Joseph married a woman called Melcha or Escha by some, Salome by others; they lived forty-nine years together and had six children, two daughters and four sons, the youngest of whom was James (the Less, "the Lord's brother"). A year after his wife's death, as the priests announced through Judea that they wished to find in the tribe of Juda <b>a respectable man to espouse Mary, then twelve to fourteen years of age, Joseph, who was at the time ninety years old</b>,
went up to Jerusalem among the candidates; a miracle manifested the choice God had made of Joseph, and two years later the Annunciation took place."

Quote:"...<b>retained the belief that St. Joseph was an old man at the time of marriage with the Mother of God." </b>

MAS Freedom Newsletter


In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful


September 14, 2007


Only 1 Day!


Until the Sept. 15 March on Washington


to End the War in Iraq


CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! WE NEED YOU!


MAS Freedom will be holding a Peace Iftar in Lafayette Park (in front of the White House)


after the Sept. 15 Rally.


Sign up to join us in distributing food or sponsor


the homeless at home and abroad


by making a contribution today!


Details Below!


Anyone Can Be A Part of the September 15 March on Washington to End the War in Iraq!


From Washington, D.C. or Your Own Home!


Here's How You Can Help!


· Make a generous donation today made payable to "MAS Freedom" in support of the September 15 March on Washington and Peace Iftar.


Mail Your Contribution Today!


MAS Freedom


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The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said (in part),


"One who helps a fellow Muslim in removing his (or her) difficulty in this world,


Allah will remove the formers distress on the Day of Judgment.


He who helps to remove the hardship of another,


will have his difficulties removed by Allah in this world and in the Hereafter.


Allah continues to help a servant so long as he goes on helping his own brother (or sister)."


(Muslim)


· Download, print and distribute posters!


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· Check out the logistical and transportation information can be found here:


Logistics - Transportation


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RELATED:


Ramadan Reflections on Islam and World Hunger


MAS Freedom and Antiwar Leaders Hold Press Conference to Announce Plans for Sept. 15 Mass March and Die-In


Flash Message on MAS Website


Partial List of Sponsors


Rally to Conclude with Ramadan Iftar (Breaking of the Fast)


Sept. 15 Also Anniversary of Sabra and Shatila Massacre


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Recruiting Volunteers and Interns - Join MAS Freedom Today!


MAS Freedom National, MAS Freedom-NC, and MAS Freedom Iowa are actively recruiting volunteers and interns in the following areas:


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Salam all


this is a ramadhan checklist


Its good to use, especially children as they can tick of their good deeds they done on each day of ramadhan.


Well people of all ages can use it,




<a class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/post-78-1189692089.jpg">[img]<fileStore.core_Attachment>/post-78-1189692089_thumb.jpg[/img]</a>

Attached Files

  ramadhan_checklist.JPG (Size: 170.7 KB / Downloads: 204)

Salam


This is really good to read.

Ramadhaan_Course_Pack.pdf

Attached Files

  Ramadhaan_Course_Pack.pdf (Size: 459.88 KB / Downloads: 250)

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.


***********************


August 26, 2007 12:05am


Book of Mother Teresa's letters out soon


Felt "longing for God, repulsed, no faith"


Yet to be canonised by the Vatican


MOTHER Teresa experienced "emptiness" like any human, and the revealing letters she shared with her colleagues portrayed her humility, said the Archbishop of Kolkata, where the nun lived most of her life.


A book of letters written by Mother Teresa of Calcutta - now Kolkata - has revealed that she was deeply tormented about her faith and suffered periods of doubt about God.


“Despite facing the negative side of life, she remained steadfast on her way to holiness, such was her greatness,” Reverend Lucas Sircar, who knew her for decades, told Reuters.


Due out on September 4, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, is a collection of letters written to colleagues and superiors over 66 years and complied by an advocate for her sainthood.


In 1956, in one of her letters, she wrote: “Such deep longing for God - and ... repulsed - empty - no faith - no love - no zeal.”


Those in Kolkata who were close to the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner said she had overcome “emptiness” and “doubts”, and continued to spread the message of God and love to the poor and ailing until her death in 1997, aged 87.


“Every person at one point in life feels some sort of emptiness, darkness or hollowness, which is the darker side of that person,” Rev Sircar said.


“In spite of all temptations, she overcame them, and it was her humility that she shared her weaker side with others in her letters.”


The ethnic Albanian Roman Catholic nun dedicated her life to serving the sick, poor and dying in India, particularly in Kolkata, headquarters of the global Missionaries of Charity order she founded in 1950.


Mother Teresa was beatified in 2003 but not yet been canonised by the Vatican.


The archbishop said saints like Saint Paul of the Cross or Saint Augustine had experienced “similar trials” and “hollowness” in their lives like Mother Teresa.


The Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata declined to comment on the letters or on Mother Teresa's faith.


Recalling the nun's last days, her physician Tarun Kumar Praharaj said she told him that she saw God everywhere.


“She would always ask me to help the poor and said she was fine, when she was not, and wanted to help a sick child even from her hospital bed,” Dr Praharaj, a cardiologist, said.


Sunita Kumar, a social activist who knew Mother Teresa for many years, said the nun had tremendous faith in God and that her letters revealed only her “natural self.”


“After all, Mother Teresa was like any other human who in crisis wishes to see God,” Dr Praharaj said.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,223...om=mostpop

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.


Please follow this link and see for yourself about this painful deception called 9-11.


Painful deception


<b>Blame the Muslims no more because 9/11 was an INSIDE JOB.
</b>


Salam


Wael.

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.


Before I dwell into the subject, I would like to apologize in advance if this article might hurt any Christian friend, this is my observation of the Christian Bible, and so you may take it and come to Islam in which you will find peace and comfort insh a Allah, or you may ignore it and be our friends as you are now. But for those who could easily get emotional when talking about religions, <b>then you may not read it at all</b> to avoid any tension.


The topic is about the only prophecy that was given to the Jews by Jesus pbuh himself to prove that he was the Messiah, I am not talking about the one thousands+ prophecies of the Old Testaments that Christians are always talking about, I am only examining <b>the only claim that was made by Jesus pbuh himself to prove to the Jews that he was the appointed Christ pbuh</b>, but let us see if that prophecy was fulfilled or not.


We are told in the Gospel of Mathew, that some learned Jewish people approached Jesus pbuh asking him <b>"Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."
</b> Matthew 12:38 and then he answered them very strongly saying: <b>"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
</b> Matthew 12:39-40


Please note that the <b>ONLY SIGN </b> he gave to the Jews was the sign of the prophet Jonah, he didn't mention about any other miracle that he performed in front of their very eyes, <b>NO SIGN BUT ONE</b>, and that is the sign of Jonah, he is actually claiming to be the Messiah, <b>and the only sign that would prove him right and true, is the sign of Jonah.</b>


Now there are two questions to be asked:


<b>1- Did Jesus really fulfill that prophecy? </b>


2- What was exactly that sign of Jonah pbuh that Jesus pbuh is talking about?


To answer the first question, we have to know exactly what was that sign or miracle of prophet Jonah, and to get the correct answer <b>you have to open the Bible and read the book of Jonah</b> ( <i>the book of Jonah in the Bible is only one page</i>)… after reading, we can summarize the story of Jonah as follows:


1- God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and warn their people to repent from their evil ways.


2- Jonah, instead of going to Nineveh he goes to Joppa, and took a boat to escape from God's command.


3- When he was in his boat, the boat was affected by terrible storm, and back then, they believed that anyone who runs away from his master's command, causes turbulence at the sea.


4- They started to cast lots to see who was responsible for causing this evil upon them, so the lot fell on Jonah.


5- After that, Jonah <b>voluntarily</b>, asked them to throw him in the sea because he was the person that disobeyed God's command, and so they throw him into the sea.


6- A huge whale in the middle of the ocean came and swallows Jonah.


7- <b>For three days and three nights</b>, Jonah was in the belly of the whale praying to God to remove his difficulty.


8- After three days and three nights, the whale vomits Jonah on the seashore.


<b>Now please pay attention and try to answer those questions by yourself. </b>


- When Jonah was thrown from the boat into the sea, was he <b>dead or alive</b>?


Answer: -----------



- when the fish swallow Jonah, was he <b>dead or alive</b>?


Answer: -----------



- When he was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights praying, was he <b>dead or alive? </b>


Answer: ------------



- When the whale vomits him on the seashore, was he <b>dead or alive</b>?


Answer: -------------



If you answer to the above questions was <b>ALIVE</b>, then you have certainly understood the <b>miracle/sign of the prophet Jonah that Jesus pbuh was talking about.</b>


Now, if Jonah was alive in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, then <b>according to Jesus, he must have been alive too in his tomb for three days and three nights</b>, otherwise, why he had to say <b>FOR AS JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS</b>. But when you ask Christians, was Jesus dead or alive in his tomb, you will find 100% of them saying that he was dead. <b>Jesus plainly saying that what happened to Jonah is going to happen to me</b>, but Christians promote the exact opposite of what their master have said about himself.


But to solve this problem, some Christians have come up with another explanation, saying that Jesus actually was talking about the<b> time period of staying in the tomb</b>, and NOT about being dead or alive. I am asking now, <b>what is so miraculous about timing?</b> The miracle of Jonah actually is considered to be the mightiest miracle of the Bible, a person who had to die 3 times over, was found at the end alive (<b>when he was thrown into the sea</b>), alive (<b>when he was eaten by the whale</b>) alive (<b>for three days and three nights in the belly of the whale</b>), AND alive (<b>when the whale vomits him after three days and three nights</b>) . but Christians said Jesus was <b>dead, dead, dead</b>.


But anyway, let us examine further, whether Jesus pbuh fulfill the prophecy of <b>timing</b> as explained by some Chrsitians.


Ask any Christian, when was Jesus crucified, and almost all of them will say <b>ON FRIDAY</b> (<i>and that's why they call it good Friday</i>). According to Christians, he was killed on Friday, but before killing him, they torture him badly, they made him carry the huge cross and walk from Pilate to Herod, and then back to Pilate, so by the time they hang him on the cross it was little late, but they also wanted to bring him down quickly on the same day (Friday) and before sunset because of the Sabbath, because they were warned in the OT that the victim of crucifixion is not permitted to remain on the cross on the Sabbath day (Deuteronomy 21:23). After that, late on Friday, the disciples of Jesus took his body down from the Cross, gave him the burial bath and send him to his tomb <b>before night fall.</b>


So the first time Jesus entered his tomb was <b>FRIDAY NIGHT</b>.


<b>Now please count with me how many days and night did Jesus stay in his tomb and figure out by yourself whether he fulfill his own prophecy or not</b>


(FOR AS JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH
)


<b>FRIDAY NIGHT</b> he entered his grave (ONE NIGHT
)


<b>SATARDAY DAY</b> he is still in his grave (ONE DAY
)


<b>SATARDAY NIGHT</b> he is still in his grave (ANOTHER NIGHT
)


<b>SUNDAY MORNING</b>, the first day of the week and before sunrise, (Mary Magdalene went to his tomb but found it EMPTY
)


Now I am asking, <b>how many days and how many nights did he stay in the tomb?</b>


-------------------------------------------------



RIGHT… they are only <b>TWO NIGHTS and A DAY</b>. but what the prophecy says? THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS.


Now I am asking another simple question, <b>are 3 and 3 is same as 2 and 1?</b> Of course there is something wrong here and every Christian should re arrange his thoughts and figure out what went wrong with their scriptures.


It is either Jesus was lying or fooling the Jews by the words he uttered (<b>we Muslims don't believe that he is a lair</b>), or that the books that you are reading have got <b>serious problem</b>.


We ask Allah, the Almighty God to accept our good deeds and intentions for writing this article, and forgive us if any of what we have said was wrong. Ameen.


Salam


Wael.

(TAMPA, FL, 9/4/07) - On Wednesday, September 5, the Tampa office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Tampa) will hold a news conference with a Lakeland Muslim mother whose seven children, all American citizens, are trapped in the occupied West Bank by Israeli authorities.


WHAT: Lakeland Mother Appeals for Safe Return of Her Children


WHEN: Wednesday, September 5, 2007, 1 p.m.


WHERE: CAIR-Tampa Office, 8056 N. 56th Street, Tampa, FL


CONTACT: CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier, 813-731-9506, E-Mail: abedier@cair.com


The Muslim mother says she and her children were visiting the West Bank during the summer break. When the family attempted to return through Tel Aviv airport on their scheduled flight, Israeli authorities denied travel to the seven young people, ages 7 to 22. The mother was allegedly told that, despite her children's U.S. citizenship, they could not travel through the Israeli airport because they are of Palestinian heritage.


CAIR recently assisted members of two other Muslim families from Arizona and Tennessee who were blocked by Israel from leaving the Gaza Strip.


CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Rabiah Ahmed, 202-488-8787 or 202-439-1441, E-Mail: rahmed@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

CAIRO — Denied access to work in Israel and access to millions donated to the Palestinian Authority, many Palestinians are now eking out a living from the garage of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.


"Sad to say, but our life is the garbage. Our future is the garbage," Mohammad Al-Ammour, 42, told The New York Times on Sunday, September 2.


He used to work in Israel as a painter, making 35-50 dollars a day.


Like many other Palestinians who found themselves jobless due to Israeli closures, Ammour sought a living from a dump set in the dusty hills in the village of Ad Deirat.


The dump is used both Palestinians and Israeli settlers.


Working with two of his eight children, they bring home around 12 dollars.


"If we don’t work, we can’t live," said Ammour, whose home has two rooms for the family of 10 and no windows, just holes in the walls covered with yellow fabric that does little to block the sun.


"No one from the (Palestinian) Authority comes to check on us; no one really cares," he said.


"The Palestinian nation gets aid and help from abroad, but we never see any."


Rabah Rabai, a 48-year-old who used to work in Israel as a builder making more than 650 dollars a month, comes every morning before dawn with three children from a village eight miles away.


He makes a living from driving an old tractor pulling a small cart full of salvaged garbage.


"It’s our taxi," he said. "It’s our Jaguar."


<b>Settler Garbage</b>


The dump has become the official workplace of many Palestinian younger than 16.


Most of them walk long miles and sleep in makeshift shacks or blanket tents in the dump, before returning homes for the weekend.


Their hands, arms and legs are scarred from sharp metal and broken glass.


"It’s a very difficult life," said Mohammad Rabai, a 23-year-old municipal bulldozer driver.


He and three relatives also salvage trash, trying to feed a family of 25.


Wearing a salvaged camouflage pants and a dirty baseball cap, Rabai denied being the unacknowledged boss of the dump.


"We try to be friends here; we try to be equals."


The young scavengers search the settler trash for such "valuables" as a piece of metal, a crushed can, a soda bottle or a stinking T-shirt.


They can make about 5 dollars each a day.


Mahmoud Ibrahim, 10, found a pair of angel’s wings, apparently from a costume party or a ballet performance. He wore them upside down.


His brother, Mohammad, 11, happened on a discarded suit, several sizes too large.


Youssef Rabai, 18, found a bright orange ribbon, the symbol of settler opposition to the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip.


The political implication of the ribbon means absolutely nothing to him.


"I’m a settler here."


The UN warned in a report released on August 30 that unless Israel dismantles its illegal West Bank settlements "the dismal humanitarian outlook" for the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians "will intensify."


The report, by some of the UN's top Middle East experts, said the steady growth of Israeli settlements is undermining the prospects for peace and making a two-state solution "elusive."