PARIS -- Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre is the French nun whose testimony of a mystery cure from Parkinson’s disease will likely be accepted as the miracle the Vatican needs to beatify Pope John Paul II, an official at the Paris maternity hospital where she works said Wednesday.


The identity of the nun has been one of the Catholic Church’s most closely guarded secrets. The nun says that she was cured of Parkinson’s after she and her community of nuns prayed to John Paul.


The nun, a member of the ”Congregation of Little Sisters of Catholic Motherhood” in Aix-en-Provence in southeast France, works at the Sainte-Felicite hospital in Paris, the official said on condition of anonymity because an official announcement was expected Sunday.


In Rome, Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the Polish cleric spearheading the John Paul’s beatification cause, said the bishop in the woman’s diocese would announce details about her case during his Palm Sunday Mass this weekend.


French newspaper Le Figaro, in an unsourced report late Wednesday on its Web site, first identified the nun by name, saying she was 45 years old.


The nun is traveling to Rome for ceremonies Monday marking the second anniversary of the pontiff’s death and the closure of a church investigation into his life which began after chants of ”Santo Subito!” or ”Sainthood Now!” erupted during John Paul’s 2005 funeral.


The Vatican’s saint-making process requires that John Paul’s life and writings be studied for its virtues. The Vatican also requires that a miracle attributed to his intercession be confirmed, before he can be beatified -- the last formal step before possible sainthood.


Pope Benedict XVI announced in May 2005 that he was waiving the traditional five-year waiting period and allowing the beatification process to begin. There is still no word on when any beatification or canonization might occur.


Only one document about the long-mysterious nun’s experience has been made public: an article she wrote for ”Totus Tuus,” the official magazine of John Paul’s beatification case.


She wrote of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in June 2001, having a strong spiritual affinity for John Paul because he too suffered from the disease and suffering worsened symptoms in the weeks after the pope died on April 2, 2005.


<b>She said "She was cured of her illness after her and the nuns of her community prayed to john Paul, and exactly two months after the pontiff’s death, she awoke in the middle of the night cured.</b>


Ajeeb

assalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. please see below as well as attachments. even though the letter is addressed to sisters, the overall message is for everyone insha'Allah.


Sister Aneesa


<b>Bismillaah Inalhamdulillaah was-Salaatu was-Salaamu 'ala Rasulillaah wa ba'd:</b>





Assalaamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh ya akhwaat. Inshaa'Allaah, I pray that this email reaches you in the best state of eeman and ihsaan striving to be pleasing to Allaah subhaanahu wa ta'aala in the best of manners.


As many of you know I am on a mission!!! The response that I have received to the publishing of my book <b>Polygynous Blessings: Musings of a Muslim Wife</b> has solidified for me that there is a desire and a need within this Ummah for literature about polygyny from a more personal standpoint framed within the shade of Qur'aan and Sunnah. While there is some written material on the topic of polygyny in Islaam from a more personal standpoint, most of this literature is from the voice of Muslimaat, some directly involved in polygyny, some not. In addition, the resounding voice of existing literature on polygyny in Islaam from a personal standpoint seems to be a voice of opposition and Allaah subhanaahu wa ta'ala knows best.


Ya akhwaat, I said I was on a mission and my mission is to bring new voice to polygyny discourse within this Ummah. For even though the voice booming from the mimbar seems to be spewing stories of polygyny-gone-wrong and "SAY NO TO POLYGYNY," I know that this voice is not necessarily representative of ALL polygynous marriages within our Ummah or even MOST polygynous marriages. I know that there are ample examples of successful polygynous marriages within our Ummah even if they are not in the spotlight and I am trying to bring these examples out of the shadows because frankly, we need to hear these stories. We need to hear them not just to sooth our broken hearts, calm our fears, disprove our skepticism, and make us believe in the wisdom behind polygyny being legislated by Allaah subhaanahu wa ta'ala. We need to hear them so that we can get some insight from our brothers and sisters who are making polygyny work and apply this naseehah in our own lives. And of course the best example that we have, first and foremost, is that of Rasulullaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and Ummuhaat Al-Mu'mineen, may Allaah be pleased with them all.


That being said, I am seeking your assistance once again for an anthology project that I am working on. One of these anthologies will be a compilation of the stories of Muslim men who aspire to be, have been, or currently are involved in polygyny. The title that I have selected for this book is To Protect and Maintain: Muslim Men Speak On Their Role as Polygynous Husbands. Inshaa'Allaah, in order to generate submissions I have come up with a questionnaire, with the assistance of my dear sister-friends, wa jazaakum Allaahu khair. I have attached the questionnaire along with the submission guidelines. inshaa'Allaah ya akhwaat, please pass this information along to your husbands, brothers, fathers, anybody that you feel can help in this endeavor. and may Allaah subhaanahu wa ta'ala reward you all for your support of this project. Ameen.


Wa Jazaakum Allaahu khair was-Salaamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh,


Your Sister Fillaah,


Aneesa fee New York






And among His signs is this, that He has created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect."


~The Noble Qur'aan (30:21)~


Polygynous Blessings


Musing of a Muslim Wife


www.lulu.com/poly_blessings



<b></b>


***CLICK HERE FOR SUBMISSION GUIDELINES***


***CLICK HERE FOR QUESTIONNAIRE***

DEAR BORTHERS


EBOOKS l BE HAPPY FAMILY


QUOTES AND HADITH


PDF


DONWLOAD 100K ONLY


Padapuram

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful


<b>U.S. MUSLIM GROUP SAYS EGYPT 'BACKSLIDING' ON REFORMS</b>


CAIR: No 'business as usual' in dealing with undemocratic regimes



<b>(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/28/07) -</b> A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today criticized the Egyptian government for "backsliding" on democratic reforms.


The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also rebuked the Bush administration for seeming to return to a policy of appeasing autocratic rulers in the Muslim world.


On Monday, Egyptian voters were asked to cast their ballots in favor of constitutional amendments that will, along with other measures, end independent judicial oversight of elections, restrict the formation of political parties and give the government powers to arrest and spy on citizens without a court order.


The Egyptian government claimed 27 percent of voters turned out to cast their ballots, but human rights groups said the real turnout figure was 3 to 5 percent. There are also allegations of vote rigging and ballot stuffing. Opposition parties boycotted the vote.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationw...ack=1&cset=true

<b>"He creates you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.” (TMQ Surat Az-Zumar 39:06)[1]</b>



This miraculous Qur’anic ayah appears in the first eighth of Surat Az-Zumar. Surat Az-Zumar is a Makkan Surah, made up of 75 ayahs after the “Basmallah” (invocation of the name of Allah). The Surah is called Az-Zumar (meaning: The Groups) due to the appearance of reference to how people are separated, according to their deeds, into two groups on the Day of Judgment. One group makes up the residents of Paradise and the other group is comprised of the residents of Hell. Each of which will be led to his inevitable fate.


The main theme of the noble Surah is the Islamic creed, as is the case with all Makkan Surahs.


Signs of creation in Surat Az-Zumar:



(1) Description of the process of creation of the heavens and earth as having been accomplished in conformity with truth and in agreement with reality. That is to say, the creation process followed precise rules and laws, which proves that its Creator, Allah (SWT) (the glorified and exalted) is al-haqq (the Truth).


(2) The precise implied reference to the spherical shape of the earth; to its rotation around its own axis and to its travel or “running” in its orbit around the sun; and to the travel or “running” of the earth, moon and sun (and accordingly of all celestial bodies) in space until a predetermined point in time, which indicates the inevitability of the Hereafter.


(3) Affirmation that the creation of all human beings is from one person/one soul, which is that of our father Adam (AS) (peace be upon him), out of which his pair/mate/wife, our mother Hawaa’ “Eve” (AS), was created.


(4) Mention of the supply of man with eight pairs of cattle [sheep, goats, oxen and camel; a pair of each: male and female], which might be a reference to the creation of their genetic code, or to the Devine order for them to be created.


(5) Affirmation that the creation and development of the human embryo is in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.


(6) Emphasis on the fact that those who know cannot be equated to those who do not know. Moreover, the assertion that only men of hearts and minds (intellect, reason and understanding) are those who contemplate, understand and will remember (i.e. will learn a lesson from Allah’s (SWT) signs and ayahs).


(7) Reference to the fact that the origin of the water that exists underneath the earth’s surface is rainwater. Allah (SWT) directs its course through the earth to form springs and water channels. By its means, Allah (SWT) produces plants that are varied in color and kind. Then after the plants flourish, they lose their blossom, dry up after they had once flourished and lose their natural color turning yellow. Then they become brittle and crack into pieces. This contains reference to the cycle of life and death in every creature and in everything.


(8) Reference to the fact that the soul leaves the body in both states of sleep and death. At the moment of death the soul is taken from the body and kept from returning to it. While in the state of sleep, the soul is returned back to the sleeper the moment he wakes up.


(9) Affirmation that Allah (SWT) is the One who created everything and that He is the Trustee/Guardian of everything.


Each of the above points requires a separate analysis; therefore, I will focus the discussion in this article on point (5) of the above list, which appears in the sixth ayah of Surat Az-Zumar. Before presenting its scientific implication, I will review a number of interpretations from scholars of Qur’anic exegesis of this noble Qur’anic text.


The interpretation of the following ayah by scholars:



*“He creates you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.”* (TMQ 39:06).


The summary of Ibn Kathir’s interpretation (may Allah have mercy on him) of this ayah is as follows: It means, Allah (SWT) preordained you in your mother’s wombs (in stages, one after another); each of you is first a nutfa (gamete: reproductive cell, whether sperm or ovum), then it develops into a ‘alaqa (leech-like clot), then into a mudgha (the form of a chewed-up morsel) and then he is shaped and formed with the development of bones, flesh, nerves and veins. Afterwards, the soul is blown into him and he becomes a different creation (glorified be Allah and extolled be His glorious attributes; He is the Unique Creator).


The summary of the interpretation of the ayah in Dhilal Al Qur’an (may Allah have mercy on its author) is as follows: The development from a nutfa, into an ‘alaqa, into a mudgha, into bones. Then the embryo develops into a creation where the human element is clearly apparent. *“…in three veils of darkness”* means the darkness of the sack surrounding the embryo, the darkness of the womb in which this sack lays and the darkness of the abdomen in which the womb lies.


Scientific implications of this noble Qur’anic text:



I. Scientific implications in the part of the ayah that says, *“He creates you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another…”* (TMQ 39:06):


At a time when it was widely believed that the human embryo was created only from the blood of the menstrual cycle, or only from the male’s emitted fluid, the Qur’an was revealed affirming that both the male and female reproductive cells (gametes) are involved in the formation of the embryo. This appears in many ayahs, of which we choose some of what Allah (SWT) says, which can be translated in the following:


(1)*“O mankind! If you have doubt about Resurrection, then verily We have created you from dust, then from a nutfa (gamete), then from a ‘alaqa (leech-like clot), then from a mudgha (chewed-up morsel), formed and unformed, in order that We may manifest (Our omnipotence) to you. And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term, then we bring you out as infants


(2) (new born) baby…”* (TMQ 22:05).


(3)*“And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth). Thereafter, We made him(the offspring of Adam) as a nutfa (a gamete) (which we embedded) in a safe, secure lodging (the womb of the woman). Then We made the nutfa (develop) into a ‘alaqa (leech-like clot), then We made the ‘alaqa (develop) into a mudgha (chewed-up morsel), then We made the mudgha (develop) into bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh. And then we brought it forth as another creation. Glorified be Allah and extolled be His glorious attributes; He is the Unique Creator” *(TMQ 23:12-14).


(4)*“It is He (Allah), Who created you from dust, then He made you from a nutfa (gamete) then from a ‘alaqa (leech-like clot)…” *(TMQ 40:67).


(5)*“And that it is He (Allah) Who created pairs, male and female, from a nutfa (gamete) when it is emitted.”* (TMQ 53:45-46).


(6) *“Does man think he could do what he wills (and act without restriction or limitation and neglect his duties and obligations towards Allah) and get away with it? Was he not a nutfa (gamete) in a fluid that is emitted? Which developed into a ‘alaqa (leech-like clot), then (Allah) molded and fashioned (him) in due proportions. And made of him the pair, male and female.”* (TMQ 75:36-39).


(7)*“We created man from a nutfa amshaj (zygote), in order to try him, so We endowed him with (the gifts of) hearing and sight.”*(TMQ 76:02).


(8)*“From a nutfa (gamete) He created him and then molds him in due proportions.”* (TMQ 80:07).


The noble Qur’an was revealed with this clear truth, with this accurate, complete and comprehensive description of the stages of the human embryonic development. These stages do not in most cases exceed one to a few millimeters in length. This was more than 1,400 years ago, at a time when there were no means of magnification, photography or internal medical examination available. This attests to the fact that the noble Qur’an cannot be a human fabrication, but that it is the words of Allah (SWT), the Creator.


The majority of mankind continued to believe in their incorrect ideas that the embryo is created from the blood of the menstrual cycle as a spontaneous self-creation. This self-creation was perceived to be pre-shaped in the form of a fully developed human being, which starts as a minute version that is almost inconspicuous to the naked eye. Furthermore, they believed that with time, it starts to grow in size until the fetus size is fully developed.


The above ideas, whose source was a very vivid imagination, continued to dominate the minds of most people on earth until the end of the 17th Century AD. In 1677, the Dutch scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek was able, with the aid of his fellow scientist Louis Dominicus Hamm, to see spermatozoa (sperm cells) for the first time under a microscope. Two centuries later (at the end of the 19th Century AD), an ovum (egg cell) of a mammal was first seen. Almost at the same time, at around 1865-1869, the Austrian botanist Gregor Mendel formulated a preliminary idea of the mechanism of heredity of traits through a number of experiments and observations that he conducted on the common pea plant. From which he concluded, that the process of inheritance of traits, meaning the transmission of characteristics from one generation to the next, occurs through a number of hereditary units or factors that are infinitely small in size, which later came to be known as genes. Genes remained to be referred to simply in the form of symbols used in the clarification of the process of variety of creation until the second decade of the beginning of the 20th century. In 1912, the American biologist Thomas Hunt Morgan proved that genes are actual parts of a number of thread-like particles that are infinitely small in size and fineness and thinness, found inside the nucleus of a living cell, known as chromosomes. Chromosomes are so called due to their incredible ability to acquire the characteristic added to the cell in a much more apparent way than other parts of the cell.


Through Morgan’s study of chromosomes in human cells, he was able to identify the reproductive chromosome and suggested the idea of genetic mapping for living organisms (i.e. drawing detailed genetic maps for chromosomes) considering that chromosomes are responsible for the transmission of characteristics from parents to child.


In 1955, the American scientist James Watson and the British scientist Francis Crick were able to identify the chemical composition of chromosomes and proved that it is a molecule made of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), which determines the genetic code of each living organism.


With the development of scientific equipment during the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, embryology was immensely developed. With every step forward that embryology took, it proved the truth of what appears in Allah’s (SWT) book (the Qur’an) and in the Sunnah of the Seal of His Prophets (BPUH). That is, that the human embryo is created from the union and fusion of the male and female nutfas (gametes), to form together the nutfa amshaj (mixed gamete i.e. zygote), in which Allah (SWT) preordains the creation of the embryo. Furthermore, that from the nutfa amshaj, embryos develop in the wombs of their mothers over several consecutive stages of development, which modern science, despite its unprecedented advancement, was not able to name appropriately. Modern science only expresses the developmental stages through the gestational age of the embryo (the number of days that the embryo has been in the womb). The Qur’an however, named the developmental stages as follows: a nutfa (gamete), then an ‘alaqa (leech-like clot), then a mudgha (chewed-up morsel), then bones, then the bones are clothed with flesh, then the development of the embryo into a different creation (glorified be Allah and extolled be His glorious attributes; He is the Unique Creator).


II. Scientific implications in the part of the ayah that says, *“He creates you …in stages, one after another…”* (TMQ 39:06):



While most people on earth held the incorrect belief that a human being is spontaneously self-created in a pre-shaped form that corresponds to a fully developed human being, however is a minute version of it that is almost inconspicuous to the naked eye. Further believing that with time it grows in size until the size of fetus is fully developed. At a time when such beliefs were widespread, the Qur’an came and affirmed that creation occurs over consecutive stages. The expression referring to the embryonic developmental stages in the ayah is *“…in stages, one after another…”* (TMQ 39:06). The Qur’an details and divides the embryonic developmental stages into seven consecutive stages, which embryological studies in the recent few decades have proven and confirmed. The Qur’an named the stages with certain specific names as follows:


(1) The nutfa stage:



The expression “nutfa”, which Allah (SWT) uses in the Qur’an to denote a reproductive cell (gamete), linguistically (in the Arabic language), means a little water that ranges from one drop to a few drops. The Qur’an uses it to indicate a gamete, whether male (sperm) or female (ovum).


(2) The nutfa amshaj stage:



The expression “nutfa amshaj”, which Allah (SWT) uses in the Qur’an to denote the zygote, linguistically (in the Arabic language) means a mixed nutfa or mixed gamete. The noun nutfa appears in the singular form, while the adjective amshaj (mixed) appears in the plural form. The plural form is used to indicate that the mixing is of more than two things [note: number in Arabic grammar has three forms: singular, dual and plural]. As such, the word amshaj appears in the plural form due to the fact that the things that mix are not only the male and female gametes, but also the contents of each of them. The most important content of the cell is the genetic information or the genetic code [which is contained in the cell’s DNA, found in chromosomes in the cell’s nucleus]. One normal human cell contains 18.6 billion chemical molecules of DNA subunits, which are nitrogenous bases, sugars and phosphates. Each reproductive cell has half that number of DNA subunits.


The total number of chromosomes and the chemical molecules they contain, which determine the genetic code of the embryo, are completed by means of Allah’s (SWT) preordainment. Modern science refers to it as genetic programming. Hours after the fertilization of the ovum (which contains 23 chromosomes) by the sperm (which contains the same number of chromosomes) the total number of chromosomes, characteristic of a human being, is complete (46 chromosomes in 23 pairs). During this merging process (between the ovum and sperm), the characters (traits) which the embryo will inherit from his parents and which will appear on him after he is fully developed, known as the dominant characters, are determined. Other characters become recessive and might appear in future generations; these are known as recessive characters. This occurs because each character is inherited twice, once from the father and the ancestors from his side and another time from the mother and the ancestors from her side; therefore, one character becomes dominant and the other becomes recessive as per Allah’s (SWT) preordainment. As such, the characters of the embryo are preordained in the zygote stage. That is why, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, *“Woe be to (disbelieving) man, how ungrateful he is ! From what thing did He (Allah) create him? From a nutfa (gamete) He created him and then sit him in due proportions.”* (TMQ 80:17-19).


Allah’s (SWT) preordainment extends over generations to reach the early ancestors until it reaches our father Adam (AS) and our mother Hawaa’ (AS). It is quite miraculous how the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) referred to this fact more than 12 centuries before anything was ever known about the laws of genetics. As narrated by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abu-Hatem, the Prophet (PBUH) asked a man, “What is the gender of your new born baby?” The man replied, “O Messenger of Allah, what could it possibly be? It could only be a boy or a girl!” The Prophet (PBUH) asked, “So who does he resemble?” The man replied, “O Messenger of Allah, who could he possibly resemble? He can only resemble either his father or his mother!” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Oh, don’t say such things. When the nutfa (gamete) settles in the womb, Allah (SWT) supplies it with every lineage between it and Adam. Have you not read the following ayah in Allah’s book (the Qur’an),* “In whatever form He wills, He puts you together”* (TMQ 82:8). Then the Prophet further clarified, “Meaning: He shapes you.”


The expression “nutfa amshaj” is the first scientifically accurate expression referring to the creation of the embryo through the union of the male and female nutfas. This truth has not been realized by modern science except in the late 18th century (in 1775 A.D- 1186 A.H). The preordainment that occurs in the fertilization process also determines the gender of the baby. In this concern Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as,* “And that it is He (Allah) Who created pairs, male and female, from a nutfa (gamete) when it is emitted.”* (TMQ 53:45-46).


After the preordainment process, the zygote starts to quickly divide into smaller cells until it becomes a spherical mass of cells known as morula. Then the morula differentiates into surface cells called the trophectoderm (which would become the placenta) and inner cells, called the inner cell mass (which would become the embryo), forming what is known as the blastocyst. The blastocyst starts implanting itself in the lining of the uterus (womb) on the sixth day after fertilization. This stage is known as the implantation stage. It takes a full week to 14 days for the blastocyst to become implanted in the lining of the uterus. After the implantation process is complete, the embryo transforms from a nutfa amshaj into an ‘alaqa.


(3) The ‘alaqa stage:



Just as the blastocyst successfully implants itself and clings to the lining of the uterus through the primitive placenta which later becomes the umbilical cord, the ‘alaqa stage starts (from day 15 to day 25). The ‘alaqa stage is characterized by fast growth, multiplicity of cells, the beginning of the formation of organs and the elongation of the embryo to take the form of a leech [A leech is a bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worm]. The embryo resembles the leech in its shape, as well as in the way that it “leeches on to” or clings to the lining of the uterus (just as a leech clings to the body of the host that it preys on). It also resembles the leech in its feeding on the mother’s blood (just as a leech feeds on the blood of the host animal that it clings to). Accordingly, the term “‘alaqa” that the Qur’an uses to express this embryonic stage is a miraculous scientific precedence at an age where no means of magnification or photography or examination was available, especially not of an embryonic stage that ranges from 0.7 to 3.5 millimeters in length.


(4) The mudgha stage:



The mudgha stage starts with the appearance of several somites (one of the longitudinal parts to which a body is divided) on the body of the ‘alaqa. Somites begin with a single somite that appears in the middle of the 4th week of gestation and reach around 40 to 45 somites. By the beginning of the fifth week, the ‘alaqa is transformed into the mudgha stage because the embryo appears in the latter stage like a chewed-up morsel of flesh, on which the imprints of the teeth of the chewer remain, just as teeth imprints remain on a piece of chewed gum. As such, the precedence of the Qur’an in describing this stage, which does not exceed (by the end of it) 1 centimeter in length, using the expression “mudgha” is as miraculous as can be. It is miraculous because at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an, no human being could have ever possibly known or have come to realize this fact; and not for another 12 centuries!


(5) The stage of bones:



During the 7th week of gestation, the skeleton starts to spread in the body of the embryo through the gradual ossification of the cartilaginous structures, which are formed during the mudgha stage around several organ/limb buds. With the formation of bones, the trunk of the embryo starts to straighten (the embryo’s length now ranges between 14 and 20 millimeters), the tips of fingers are protruding and the tips of toes start to protrude [in the form of ridges in the hand and feet plates called digital rays]. Furthermore, cerebral vesicles are prominent [these are swellings in the neural tube to form the brain]. The indication of the Qur’an that bones are developed in a stage th


at follows the stage of the mudgha is again a miraculous scientific precedence, as no one could have possibly realized this true fact before the 20th century.


(6) The stage of clothing the bones with muscles and flesh:



During the 8th week of gestation, the process of clothing of bones with muscles and flesh begins. In this stage, the length of the embryo is between 22 and 31 millimeters. Most muscle cells are created from the mesoderm layer developed in the mudgha stage. The mesoderm is the middle layer of the three germ layers [the germ layers are the layers into which the cells of the mudgha, which will eventually give rise to all structures of the body, differentiate]. The muscle cells develop from the grooves between somites in the mudgha, therefore muscles are created in divisions. The divisions move away from the area of the somite groove, then grow and connect together forming several muscle threads, fibers and tubes. Muscles gradually organize in certain bundles, clothing and encircling the bones and connecting to the bone membrane forming what is known as the dorsal, ventral and limb muscle tissue. Each section of muscle tissue is supplied with a branch from the spinal cord. Again, the Qur’an’s precedence in mentioning this fact (that bones are clothed with muscles and flesh in this stage) is quite miraculous!


(7) The stage of development and growth [into a different creation]:



This stage starts from the 9th week of gestation and extends until the end of the pregnancy term. In this stage, the bodily characteristics of the fetus (what the embryo transforms into) start to become more distinguishable. This is due to the development of all organs and systems to completion; which start to actively function in coordination with one another in a remarkable way.


In this stage, the fetus starts to grow slowly until the beginning of the 12th week, after which growth in size accelerates. Moreover, changes in appearance take place at high rates; the eyes move to the front of the face, the ears move from the neck to the head, legs elongate in a noticeable way and the length of the fetus ranges between 33 and 500 millimeters.


The above seven consecutive stages of embryogenesis are confirmed through modern embryological studies which themselves only distinguish between the different stages using the gestational age of the embryo or fetus due to their inability to provide accurate nomenclature for the specific stages. In that regard, however, the Qur’an pioneered in naming, describing and ordering the stages in a highly accurate fashion. This happened 14 centuries ago and in the absence of any means of magnification, photography or internal medical examination. This proves, without any doubt, that the noble Qur’an is indeed the words of Allah (SWT), the Creator, Who revealed it with His knowledge to the Seal of His Prophets and protected it, as He promised, in the same language of its revelation (the Arabic language), over a period of 12 centuries past and until the Day of Judgment. Furthermore, this also attests to the Prophethood of the Seal of Prophets and Messengers to whom the Qur’an was revealed.


III. Scientific implications in the part of the ayah that says, *“He creates you …in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.”*(TMQ 39:06):



The fetus is surrounded inside the uterus by several membranes. From the inner to the outer membrane, these are: The amion membrane, the chorion membrane and the decidua membrane. These three membranes completely enclose the fetus and therefore keep it in complete darkness; this is the first darkness. The three membranes of the fetus are themselves surrounded by the walls of the uterus, which is a thick wall made up of three layers; forming the second complete darkness surround the fetus and its membranes. The uterus, which contains the fetus and its membranes and surrounds it in two consecutive darkness’s, is itself found in the middle of the pelvis. The uterus is in turn fully surrounded by the body that is composed of the abdomen and the back. Both of the abdomen and back provide the third darkness in which the fetus lies. This is in agreement with what Allah (SWT) says; which can be translated as, *“He creates you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.”* (TMQ 39:06).


At the time of the revelation of the Qur’an and for many long centuries after, no one knew of these three veils of darkness. The precedence of the noble Qur’an in referring to them proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the noble Qur’an is indeed the words of Allah (SWT), the Creator, Who revealed it with His knowledge to the Seal of His Prophets and protected it, as He promised, in the same language of its revelation (the Arabic language). In order to remain as evidence against people until the Day of Judgment, however most people do not know or do not comprehend


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


http://www.elnaggarzr.com/Test_fre/English/index_E.asp

Asalamu Alaikum


This post is long but wallah worth the read and inshallah all of you will benefit from it


Take care of urselves and deen


Salam




Ask Forgiveness from Your Lord
Shaddaad Ibn Aws (radhi allahu anhu) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "The (Sayyid al-Istigfar) noblest and the most excellent manner of seeking forgiveness is that the servant says:


"O Allah, You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshiped except You.



You created me, and I am Your slave/worshipper.


And I am faithful to my covenant and my promise, as far as I am able.


I seek Your refuge from the evil of what I have done.


I acknowledge before You all the favors that You have bestowed upon me.


And I confess all my sins to You.


So forgive me, since none can forgive sins except You."


The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Whoever says it in the day, with firm conviction in it, and dies in that day before evening then he is from the people of Paradise. Whoever says it in the night, with firm conviction in it, and he dies before the morning then he is from the people of Paradise." [saheeh al-Bukharee]


The scholars count this hadeeth as a Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) that should be said in the day, as well as in the night; in the early morning between dawn and sunrise, and at the start of the evening. Imaam Bukharee (rahimahullah) records this Hadeeth in two different places, once under the chapter: 'The most excellent manner of seeking forgiveness' and 'What to say when one gets up (early) in the morning?' It is also reported in the Sunans, like Nisa'ee and at-Tirmidhee etc. with wordings which show the importance of learning this manner of seeking forgiveness, for example in the above mentioned Hadeeth the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) entitled it 'Sayyid al-Istigfar', which literally means, 'the Chief of all Seeking Forgiveness.'


One of the most important aspects of a Muslim's life Is to seek al-Istagfar (ask forgiveness for one's sins) from Allah. Various texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah command and encourage al-Istagfar, show its excellence and the excellence of those who are constant in it, from them is the saying of Allah: "O My servants who have transgressed greatly against themselves through sins! Do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins to those who repent. Indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful." [soorah az-Zumar (39): 54] Some pious predecessors commented on this verse saying, this verse gives the most hope to the one who seeks forgiveness.


Allah encouraged seeking forgiveness and clarified its excellence and rewards in this worldly life and said: "Ask forgiveness from your Lord. Indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance and He will give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and rivers." [(71): 10-12]


Thus, this verse promises numerous benefits for those who seek forgiveness constantly. In the Hereafter, the benefits are much greater. Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Allah the Most High says: 'O son of Adam! As long as you supplicate to Me and hope in Me, I will forgive you what you have done. O son of Adam! If your sins were to reach the lofty regions of the sky, then you ask Me for forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam! If you were to come to Me with enough sins to fill the earth, but you met Me not associating anything with Me I would bring you the like of it of forgiveness." [saheeh al-Bukharee, vol: 8, no: 319]


The great importance of al-Istagfar is seen from the practice of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) that all his past and future sins were forgiven even though, he would make al-Istagfar more than 70 times a day. Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "By the One in Whose Hands is my soul, I certainly ask forgiveness more than a seventy times each day." [saheeh al-Bukharee] Umar (radhi allahu anhu) said: "We used to count that in a single gathering he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) would say: 'I ask Allah's forgiveness and I repent to Him', more than seventy times." [see as-Saheeh, no: 556] The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "By Allah! If you did not commit sins, Allah would have taken you away and brought a people who seek Allah's forgiveness and He would forgive them." [saheeh Muslim vol: 4, no: 6522] This Hadeeth shows the extent to which Allah loves that His slaves ask forgiveness from Him and He loves those who ask forgiveness from Him.


Allah loves that we call upon Him by His Beautiful Names And worship Him by that which His Names demand: "And Allah has the most excellent and perfect names, so worship and invoke Him by them" [soorah al-A'raaf (7): 180] The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Allah has ninety-nine names, a hundred except one. Whoever memorizes and is mindful of them (ahsaaha) will enter Paradise." [saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] Here, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) uses the word 'ahsaaha' coming from the root-word 'ihsaa', which does not only means to recite these names, as is the practice of some, Scholars have explained that 'ihsaa' of the names comprises of three levels:


(A) The first is to memorize the Names of Allah.


(B) The second is to understand their meanings and


© The third is to call upon Allah by these names and act as they demand.


Let us understand with an example, At-Tawwaab is from the names of Allah, it means 'He who guides His servants to repent and accepts their repentance.' Thus we understand that Allah accepts His servant's repentance, guides them to repent and grants forgiveness to them. We also understand that He Alone is the One to grant forgiveness. Having understood this, we act as the name demands by repenting to Allah alone from all our sins. Similarly, the Names 'al-Ghafoor' - 'the Oft-Forgiving' and 'al-Afuww' - 'The One who pardons', demand that we should constantly turn to Allah in repentance. This is how we should understand and memorize all the Names of Allah, away from the corrupted innovated ways.


Explanation of Sayyid al-Istagfar:


The supplication starts with the word: "Allahumma..." means 'O Allah!', It is a word whose meaning is found frequently in both the Qur'aan and the Sunnah.


The scholars have explained that Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) falls in two categories:


(a) Tawheed al-Ma'rifah wal-Ithbaat - To know and affirm the Oneness of Allah and,


(B) Tawheed al-Iraadah wat-Talab - Establishing the Oneness of Allah in one's intention and acts of worship.


The initial words of the supplication: "O Allah, You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshiped except You. You created me, and I am Your slave/worshiper", comprises both these meanings. Let us first analyze in brief the meaning of Tawheed al-Marifah wal-Ithbaat, it comprises of:


(a) Tawheed ar-Ruboobeyyah: The Oneness of Allah's Lordship. It is to affirm that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the One Who grants all blessings and the One Who controls all affairs of His Creation.


(B) Tawheed al-Asma wa-Sifaat: The Oneness of Allah's Names and Attributes. It is to affirm all the Names and Attributes of Allah as mentioned in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah.


Thus, one must know and affirm that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, One Who grants all blessings, and the One Who controls all affairs of the creation. One must know and affirm all the Names and Attributes of Allah mentioned in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. This knowledge and affirmation is illustrated in the saying: "O Allaah, You are my Lord…. You created me…"


The second aspect, Tawheed al-Iraadah wat-Talab, is the Oneness of Allah's Worship, which demands that all worship is performed sincerely and purely for Allah, the saying: "…None has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me, and I am Your slave/worshipper" proves the Oneness of Worship.


If the servant knows that Allah is the sole Creator, then it is binding upon him to worship Him alone, this occurs in several Qur'aanic verses: "I am your Lord, therefore worship Me alone." [soorah al-Ambiya (21): 92]


"O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become al-Mutaqoon. Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know." [soorah al-Baqarah (2): 21-22] Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) commented on the last words of the verse: "…while you know.", saying: "So do not set up partner with Allah in your worship while you know that you have no Creator other than Allah.", and this defines the meaning of the supplication: "You created me, and I am Your slave/worshipper."


Thus, since Allah is the sole Creator, we do not direct any worship to anyone besides Him. We supplicate to Him alone. But today, we see some who claim to be the followers Islam, and apparently acknowledge, "La ilaha illa Allah" (i.e. none is worthy of worship except Allah) still to be found at the shrines and tombs, supplicating and requesting the engraved to fulfill their needs. They worship those regarding whom Allah says: "Say (O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam), to those who invoke those besides Allah): 'Call upon those besides Him whom you pretend (to be gods). They have neither power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person." [soorah al-Isra (17): 56] And: "Say (O Muhammad r): "Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate gods) besides Allah, they possess not even the weight of an atom, - either in the Heavens or on the Earth, nor have they any share in either; nor there is for Him any supporter from among them." [soorah Saba (34): 23]


Thus, this declaration which is also the first pillar of Islaam (La ilaha illa Allah - None has the right to be worshiped except Allah) comes at the beginning of the supplication and states the purpose of the creation, which is servitude (Uboodiyyah), Allah says "I did not create Jinn and mankind except for my worship" [soorah ad-Dhariyaat (51): 56]


Servitude is also the right of Allah on His slaves, this affirmation of Allah's right and that the creation is His slave is mentioned in the statement, "You created me and I am Your slave/worshipper."


Servitude of the creation is of two types; servitude to Allah's Lordship and servitude in worship to him.


1 - Servitude of Lordship means that the whole creation is brought into existence by Allah alone; He created them and He provides them with their needs, He causes life and death and none shares with Him any of His Dominion. Therefore, none in the creation can escape this servitude of Allah, and Allah says: "All (Angels) in the Heavens, and all (men and Jinn) upon the Earth will come to the Most Merciful on the Day of Judgement as submissive slaves." [soorah Maryam (19): 93]


2 - Servitude in Worship is something, which Allah has granted to some of His creation in particular. They are those whom He has guided to the obedience of His Commands, and upon whom He has bestowed Eemaan. So these are slaves of Allah who worship Allah, obey Him, comply with what He has legislated, and carry out His orders and obey His Messenger… Therefore, Allah ascribed them to Himself, like His saying: "Ibaad ar-Rahmaan - the slaves of the Most Merciful…" [soorah al-Furqaan (25): 63]


In this supplication, the servitude of Lordship was mentioned in the previous statements: "O Allah, You are my Lord… You created me."


"I am Your slave/worshipper", confirms the servitude of worship meaning; I am a worshiper of You, one who carries out Your Commands and one who complies with what You have legislated. Thus, the supplication commences with these great and comprehensive matters pertaining to Tawheed.


"And I am faithful to my covenant (to You) and my promise (to You) as far as I am able…",


By this statement, the servant makes a covenant with Allah to abide by everything he previously said (i.e. Tawheed) meaning he will truly believe and remain upright upon the obedience to Allah, just as he makes a promise in every Rak'aah of his prayer saying, "You alone do we worship, and You alone do we seek help"


The saying, "As far as I am able…" makes worship dependant upon the slave's ability and this is from the Mercy of Allah to us. Some scholars explain that this statement is an acknowledgment of one's weakness and deficiency, whose meaning is; 'I am not fully able to complete Eemaan and attain its highest level and most perfect form. I acknowledge my weakness and shortcomings, I am not able, so do not hold me to account for my weakness, deficiency and shortcomings' and Allah says in His Book: "Allah does not place a burden on any soul greater than it can bear." [soorah al-Baqarah (2): 286] And it occurs in a Hadeeth of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam): "If I command you with something then do as much of it as you can, and whatever I forbid you then leave it (altogether)." [saheeh al-Bukharee, vol: 9, no: 391] Here, the scholars explain that when he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) mentioned the command (al-Amr), he made it dependant upon the ability, since there may be some commands that a person may not be able to carry out, or which he may not be able to carry out fully. So, the performance of the command is made dependant upon the ability. Therefore, the supplication is: "As far as I am able…"


However, when he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) mentioned the forbiddance, he said: "… and what I have forbidden you from, then leave it (altogether)." He did not say "…as far as you are able" and as the scholars say, forbiddance means to refrain from doing something and it is within the ability of everyone. Everyone is able to refrain from fornication, theft, murder and all matters, which Allah has forbidden. Therefore, leaving forbidden matters are not made conditional on one's ability.


Next the saying, "I acknowledge before You all the favours that You have bestowed upon me. And I confess all my sins to You", is both affirmation and confession, "I acknowledge…", here the statement is not restricted to any specific favor of Allah, rather, it is left unrestricted meaning, I acknowledge and affirm all favors with which You have blessed me with, the blessing of Eemaan, the blessings of health and children, the blessings of crops, the blessings of house - all blessings. He, the Perfect and the Most High, is the One Who grants and bestows them: "Whatever blessings you have are from Allah." [soorah an-Nahl (16): 3]


After having acknowledged the blessings, it is necessary for the servant to give thanks to Allah for them by his heart, his tongue and his actions: "And remember when Your Lord proclaimed, 'If you give thanks, I will give you increase in blessings, but if you deny the favors and are thankless, then I shall punish you severely." [soorah al-Ibraheem (14): 7]


Then the supplication mentions, "I confess all my sins to You…" This sentence, since it immediately follows, "I acknowledge before You all the favours that You have bestowed upon me.", it means, 'I admit that I fall short in giving thanks to Your Favors.' Some scholars explain saying, "I confess all my sins unrestrictedly, that is all my acts of disobedience and every sin that I have committed" By this admission, the servant acknowledges that he has fallen short with regard to Allah's Right upon him, which is 'worship' This acknowledgment of the servant is the beginning of the road to repentance. However, if he commits acts of disobedience and yet does not feel that he is a sinner, then repentance is something far away from him. Thus, the servant's being sinned must lead him to seeking forgiveness and this is the core of the meaning of the Hadeeth.


The pattern of the statements, "I acknowledge before You all the favors that You have bestowed upon me. And I confess all my sins to You", indicate to another wisdom; it is that the servant, in this life continuously passes back and forth throughout the day between two affairs; these are either blessings granted to him by Allah, which require that he gives thanks to Allah, or he falls into a sin and this requires him to repent and to seek forgiveness. Therefore, some of the Salaf used to say, 'I enter the morning in between blessings and sins, so I want to put forth thanks for the blessings and seek forgiveness for the sins.'


Another point which is manifest from this Hadeeth is that, whatever sin the servant committed, if he acknowledges the fact that he has sinned and then truly repents, Allah accepts his repentance, whatever his sin may be, and forgives him.


The supplication ends with, "none can forgive sins except You", indicating that Allah alone is the Forgiver. Therefore, the servant turns to Allah in repentance, obedience and seeks His forgiveness.


Explanation and clarification of this Hadeeth testify that Tawheed and al-Istagfar are from the most important aspects of a Muslim's life. These two matter are combined in a number of Qur'aanic verses and the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam), Allah says: "Then know that none deserves the right to be worshiped except Allah, and ask for forgiveness for your sins and also for believing men and believing women, for Allah knows well your actions whilst awake and whilst in your places of sleep." [soorah Muhammad (47): 19]


Likewise, it is mentioned: "None has the right to be worshiped but You (Allah), far removed are You from imperfection! I have been one of those who have wronged themselves!" [soorah al-Ambiya (21): 87] "So make your worship purely for Allah and seek His forgiveness for your sins." [soorah Fussilat (41): 6]


To Summarize






<b>The supplication comprises of:</b>


(1) Knowing Allah's Lordship and His sole right to be worshiped.


(2) Affirmation that Allah is the sole Creator and thus He alone deserves to be worshiped


(3) The hope for Allah's Mercy


(4) Seeking refuge with Allah from being transgressed


(5) Attributing all blessings to Allah alone and


(6) Attributing all sins and mistakes to one's oneself


(7) And this supplication contains the slave's desire for forgiveness and his acknowledgment that none can forgive except Allah.

<i>The Syrian city of Aleppo is famous for its rich history of Islamic scholarship; hence, it is often referred to as ‘the city of scholars’. Aleppo is the cradle of many pious and leading scholars of Islam. Amongst them was the Friend and Gnostic of Allah `azza wa-jall, `Allama `Abdallah Sirajuddin al-Husayni radiallahu `anhu, an extraordinary scholar who dedicated his entire life to the service of Islam.</i>


For his full biography, click on his name below and repeat this on the website:


<b>Shaykh `Abdallah Sirajuddin</b>


<i>The light of Aleppo</i>


Feedback is much appreciated, either here or by emailing www.marifah.net. Jazzakumallah khayr.


Wassalam

There is a person who visits a grave believing that the person in this grave was pious. Because of this belief, he beseeches Allah through the deceased saying ‘O pious man! Please supplicate to Allah on my behalf so that He blesses me with children.’ Is such an act permissible?


To visit any one’s grave, beseeching the dead person to supplicate to Allah on his or her behalf, with the mistaken belief that the deceased is acting as an intermediary is baseless and forbidden; as such an act has not been established in the Shariah. This act is based upon the false belief that the dead can listen to the beseeching of the living, that they have the ability to supplicate to Allah on their behalf, and that the supplication of the deceased is accepted because of their piety & holiness. Not a single one of the above aforementioned reasons have been established from authentic evidence as has been determined in the Qur’an & Sunnah[1], so how can such an act ever be permissible?


Footnotes:


[1] Rather it goes against the correct Islamic Aqeedah as mentioned by Allah, the Most High in His noble book; The Qur’an. Refer to Surah 46 Al-Ahqaf Ayah No 5-6:


{And who is more astray then one who calls on (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them. And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping}.


Refer to Surah 16 An-Nahl Ayah no: 20-21:


{Those whom they (those who set up rivals with Allah, and those who worship others along Allah) invoke besides Allah have not created anything, but are themselves created. (They are) dead, not alive, and they know not when they will be raised up}.

:assalam: ,


May Allah shower His peace and blessings on all of you. I have seen many misconceptions of the Shia on this forum. As a practising Shia I would like to make clear our beliefs. Feel free to ask any questions about us I will not be offended.

Domination’ over Palestinians ‘atrocious,’ ex-prez tells ‘Good Morning America’


In some of the harshest and one-sided language he has used to date, former Democratic President Jimmy Carter called Israeli “domination” over Palestinians “atrocious” in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” a few months ago


Carter said there was “no doubt now that a minority of Israelis are perpetuating apartheid on the people in Palestine, the Palestinian people.”


Carter called Israel’s occupation the “prime cause” of continuing violence in the Middle East.


“And contrary to the United Nations resolutions, contrary to the official policy of the United States government, contrary to the Quartet so-called road map, all of those things – and contrary to the majority of Israeli people’s opinion – this occupation and confiscation and colonization of land in the West Bank is the prime cause of a continuation of violence in the Middle East,” he said.


“And what is being done to the Palestinians under Israeli domination is really atrocious. It’s a terrible affliction on these people.”