Monday, March 29, 2010

WAKING UP FROM SLEEP IS BY ALLAH'S BLESSING

As revealed in the Qur’an, every soul shall taste death. Death will come at a totally unexpected time. The time of every individual’s death -- the year, month, day, hour and second -- is ordained in the Sight of our Almighty Lord. There is no way of bringing it forward or postponing it when it comes. Allah will take back our selves in the manner He wills, using a natural cause such as sickness for some people, a traffic accident for others, or old age or something else. And if He so wills, death can come in our sleep.

People generally treat the subject of sleep with great familiarity. They are quite certain they will wake up and get out of bed the next morning. Before going to sleep they make plans for the following day and think about what they will wear, how they will go to wherever, who they will meet and what they will do. A day filled with shopping, meetings, going to work or visiting the doctor is right in their minds. They plan the day in the certainty they will wake up into it. But one can still die in one’s sleep in the expectation of an important event. One may survive diseases and operations and live through traffic accidents but still come face to face with death while one is asleep, when one expects it least. In the Qur’an our Almighty Lord reveals:
It is He Who takes you back to Himself at night, while knowing the things you perpetrate by day, and then wakes you up again, so that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then you will return to Him. Then He will inform you about what you did. (Surat al-An‘am, 60)

Our Lord reveals in this verse that sleep is a kind of “death.” Allah puts us to death in sleep and wakes us up again when He so chooses. But when we go to sleep there is no guarantee that we will wake up again. Some people are destined to die in their sleep. Allah takes the souls of those whom He wishes when they are asleep, while He permits others to wake up again at a specific time:
Allah takes back people’s selves when their death arrives and those who have not yet died, while they are asleep. He keeps hold of those whose death has been decreed and sends the others back for a specified term. There are certainly signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat az-Zumar, 42)

We wake up from sleep by the will of Allah. One sets one’s alarm clock to wake up at a given time. One imagines one will wake up when one hears it ring. But the fact is that it is our Almighty Lord alone, the Lord of all, Who causes the clock to ring, Who allows us to hear it, Who restores our souls to us and to Whom all thanks are due.

source:http://www.harunyahya.com/


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Saturday, March 27, 2010

SECRETS OF FINDING THE STRAIGHT PATH






Almost everyone has his own rights and wrongs. The criteria used to determine these rights and wrongs differ greatly. A book, a person, a politician, or, at times, a philosopher may well be the guide in life for a person. However, the right path, which is the only path that leads to salvation, is the religion which God has chosen. In this path, the unique goal is to earn the pleasure, mercy and paradise of God. Other paths, no matter how attractive they may seem, are deceptive and lead to ruin, hopelessness, unhappiness and painful punishment both in this world and in the hereafter (unless God wills otherwise).

Those who are guided to the straight path are a secret revealed in the Qur'an. They are the servants God has guided to His straight path and who earn His paradise.

*BELIEVING WITH CERTAINTY

Before all else, one needs to have faith in order to be guided to the straight path. If one believes that the only possessor and creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in between is God, and is certain that the reason of his existence in the world is to be the servant of God, and seeks to earn God's contentment all through his life, God guides him to the straight path. Faith in God, in the hereafter and the Qur'an should be a resolute and certain faith. Although some people say that they are believers, they may have doubts. When they are together with disbelievers and remain under their influence, such people are likely to display weaknesses and assume a hostile attitude against God and His religion. However, those God guides to the straight path have a resolute and unwavering faith:

And so that those who have been given knowledge will know it is the truth from their Lord and believe in it and their hearts will be humbled to Him. God guides those who believe to a straight path. (Surat al-Hajj: 54)

*TURNING TO GOD WITH COMPLETE SUBMISSION

Believers' turning to God with complete submission is another secret of being guided to the straight path. For one who believes in God and fears the hereafter, this world holds no charm.

When the only ambition is to please God, true believers turn to God in all their acts, and knowing that God is testing them, they submit themselves to the fate God has predetermined. God has informed that those who submit themselves to Him will be guided to the straight path:

How can you disbelieve, when God's Signs are recited to you and the Messenger is there among you? Whoever holds fast to God has been guided to a straight path. (Surah Ali 'Imran: 101)

He has laid down the same religion for you as He enjoined on Noah: that which We have revealed to you and which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus: 'Establish the religion and do not make divisions in it.' What you call the associators to follow is very hard for them. God chooses for Himself whomsoever He wills and guides to Himself those who turn to Him. (Surat ash-Shura: 13)

*FOLLOWING THE ADVICE GIVEN

Another command of God to His servants who desire to be guided to the straight path is as follows:
... But if they had done what they were urged to do, it would have been better for them and far more strengthening. In that case We would have given them an immense reward from Us and We would have guided them on a straight path. (Surat an-Nisa': 66-68)

Believers who fear God strive to purify themselves of their wrongdoing and to attain the moral perfection God will be most pleased with. However, one needs humility to be absolved of mistakes and receive guidance to the straight path. A modest person who seeks to purify himself will, first of all, meticulously follow God's commands. Besides, sincere believers are friends and protectors of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong. Hence, knowing that a believer's warning is of great importance for one's reckoning in the hereafter, believers should also be receptive to one another's advice. One who follows good advice will be guided to the right path. God gives good news to His servants who avoid following the Satan and obey those who call to the Qur'an and to its commands:

Those who shun the worship of false gods and turn towards God will have good news. So give good news to My servants. Those who listen well to what is said and follow the best of it, they are the ones whom God has guided, and they are the people of intelligence. (Surat az-Zumar: 17-18)



source:http://www.harunyahya.com/

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR A MUSLIM TO STRICTLY CONSUME HALAL?

Consuming Halal is an order of Allah and an essential part of the Islamic faith. Allah has repeatedly emphasised the consumption of Halal in His book. The following are some examples of such verses:

• “O Messengers, eat from the pure foods and work righteousness”
(Holy Quran 23:51)

• “O you who have believed, eat from the pure things which we have provided you” (Holy Quran 2:172)

• “O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth (that is) lawful and pure”
(Holy Quran 2:168)

• “So eat of that (meat) upon which Allah's name has been mentioned, if you are believers in His verses” (Holy Quran 6:118)

• “And do not eat that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed it is a grave disobedience”. (Holy Quran 6:121)

By being careless about the dietary laws of Islam a believer puts himself in harms way both in this world and the world hereafter. In this world, due to in taking such a product he deprives himself from having any of his good deeds and duas accepted by his creator while in the hereafter he suffers the greatest loss ever imaginable i.e. refusal from being admitted to Paradise . All this is confirmed in the following traditions:

1. Abu Hurairah RA related,” Allah's Messenger PBUH said: Verily Allah is pure and He accepts only what is pure and indeed Allah has given those orders to the believers, which he has given to the Messengers. He has said, “O Messenger, eat from the pure foods and work righteous”. He -also- has said: “O you who have believed, eat from the pure things which we have provided you.” Then (the Prophet PBUH) made mention of a man who undergoes a lengthy journey in a state that he is dishevelled and dusty. He spreads his hands towards the sky (calling), “O my lord, O my lord”, however his food is Haram, his drink is Haram, his clothes are Haram and he has been nourished with Haram! So how will his call be answered?” (Muslim)

2. S'ad RA relates: Allah's messenger PBUH said “O S'ad purify your food (and as a result) you will become one who's supplications are accepted. I swear by He in whose hands the soul of Muhammad PBUH lies, verily a servant (of Allah) tosses a Haram morsel in his stomach (due to which) no deed is accepted from him for 40 days” (Tabarani)

3. Abu Baker RA narrated that Allah's Messenger PBUH said “That body will not enter Paradise which has been nourished with Haram” (Baihaqi)

4. Ka`b Ibn Ujrah relates that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said, “a body nourished with Haram will not enter Jannah”. (Tirmidhi)

5. Jabir RA reported, Allah's Messenger PBUH said, “That flesh will not enter Paradise which has grown from Haram, and all that flesh which has grown from Haram, the fire (of hell) is more worthy of it.” (Ahmed, Darimi, Baihaqi)

6. Abu Hurayrah (RA) reports that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said, “a time will come upon the people wherein a man will not bother what he intakes; whether from Halal source or Haram.” (Bukhari)

In our times, it becomes even more important to ensure the meat and poultry consumed is genuinely Halal due to the execessive deceit, cheat and false labelling of Halal in the industry.




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Friday, March 19, 2010

Doing Good To Others, Gives Comfort To The Heart

The first person who benefits from the act of charity is the benefactor himself, by seeing changes in himself and in his manners, by finding peace, by watching a smile form on the lips of another person.

If you find yourself to be difficulty or distress, show kindness to others, and you will be the first to find solace and comfort, give to the needy, defend the oppressed, help those in distress, and visit the sick: you will find that happiness surrounds you from all directions.

An act of charity is like perfume-it benefits the user, the seller, and the buyer. Furthermore, the psychological benefits that one receives from helping others are indeed great. If you suffer from depression, an act of charity will have a more potent effect on your sickness than will the best available medicine.

Even when you smile upon meeting others, you are giving charity.

The prophet (pbuh) said:

“Do not dismiss certain acts of kindness by deeming them to be significant, even if (such a act) is to meet your brother with a smiling face (for that is a deed which might weigh heavily in you scale of deeds).”

On the other hand, when you frown upon meeting others, you are displaying a sign of enmity, an act that is so detrimental to brotherhood that only Allah knows the full extent of its evil effects.

The Prophet (pbuh) informed us that the prostitute who once gave a handful of water to a dog was rewarded for that deed with Paradise, which is as wide as the heavens and the earth. This is because the Giver of rewards is Forgiving, Rich, and Worthy of Praise.

O’ you, who are threatened by misery, fear and grief, occupy yourself in the betterment of others. Help others in different ways through charity, hospitality, sympathy, and support. And in doing so, you will find all of the happiness that you desire.

Allah says:

“He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification, and has in his mind no favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return; except only the desire to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High.He surely will be pleased (When he enters Paradise) ( Quran 92:18-21)




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Thursday, March 11, 2010

11 Tips Improve Studying Results



.
1 Study in Short, Frequent Sessions.
It has been proven that short bursts of concentration repeated frequently are much more effective than one long session. So, even if you only have 10 minutes, DO IT. Take a break. Then study another 10 minutes. This “distributed learning” approach is highly efficient because it honors the way the brain likes to work. The brain needs recovery and recharging time for “protein synthesis.” The rest periods are when your brain assimilates your effort. They are a powerful tool which many teachers do not acknowledge. To sit and study for hours and hours is not only boring, it creates fatigue, stress, and distraction. You cannot learn if you are fatigued, stressed, and distracted!

2 Take Guilt-Free Days of Rest.
This follows the same principle as above, but on a longer, daily time cycle. The reason for resting is to refresh oneself. However, if you feel guilty (“I really should be studying”) then your precious rest period has been used to create more stress. The brain will not absorb new data if it is stressed. On days off from studying, really enjoy yourself and do not feel bad about not studying.

3 Honor Your Emotional State.
Do not study if you are tired, angry, distracted, or in a hurry. When the brain is relaxed, it is like a sponge and it naturally absorbs data without effort. If you are emotionally stressed, your brain literally repels data. Forcing yourself to sit and study when your mind is on other things is a complete waste of time!

4 Review the Same Day.
When you learn something new, try to go over the points the same day. If you wait a few days and then make efforts to review the material, it will seem much less familiar. However, a quick review later in the day will tend to cement the information into your brain so that the next “official” study session, you will recognize it and it will seem easy.

5 Observe the Natural Learning Sequence.
Think of the activities you did when you were in nursery school. Using your whole arm, you probably performed the song that goes: “Put your right hand in, Put your right hand out.” Then, in kindergarten, using your hand, you might have been asked to draw lines or circles with crayons. Later, in first grade, now holding the pencil with your fingers, you drew smaller lines and circles to create letters. Believe it or not, this natural learning sequence, moving from large to small, coarse to fine, still remains effective even though we are now older. When you study, if you try first to grasp the big picture and then fill in the details, you often have a more likely chance of success.

6 Use Exaggeration.
Why does a baseball batter warm up by swinging two or three bats? Why do runners sometimes strap lead weights to their legs? In both cases, exaggeration during practice makes the final result seem easy. This concept can be applied to studying anything. For example, if you are studying spelling, exaggerate the sound of the letters to help to remember them. So for studying purposes, “naive” would be pronounced “NAY-IVY.” By getting used to this exaggerated pronunciation, the correct spelling seems obvious.

7 Prepare Your Study Environment.
If you require certain elements in your environment to help you study, try to always make these a priority. For example, do you need special lighting, silence, music, privacy, available snacks, etc.? Pay attention to what works for you and repeat it each time you study for best success.

8 Respect “Brain Fade.”
It is normal for the brain to have an attrition rate and to forget things. This does not mean that you are stupid! Instead of getting mad about this fact, you should expect it and deal with it accordingly. See your brain as depositing layers of knowledge. As you place more information on top, the lower levels become older and less available to your immediate recall. The trick here is simply to review. Since we can anticipate the eventual fading of our memory, creating a review aspect to our study session will solve the problem. Once every two or three study sessions, simply review older material that you will be still needing to remember. Often, a quick overview is sufficient. Sometimes, a complete detailed study session of the older material is required. “Brain fade” is completely normal. (Unless you are gifted with a photographic memory, which is extremely rare.)

9 Create a Study Routine.
Generally, if you schedule certain times of the day to study, you will get into a routine and accomplish more. If you just “fit it in” during your day, chances are that there will never be any time. An effective way to do this is to literally mark it down in your datebook calendar as if you have an appointment, like going to the doctor. For example: “Tuesday 3-4:30 P.M. — Study.”

10 Set Reasonable Goals.
One of the main reasons people do not reach their goals is because they set them too high. If you set goals that are manageable, even if they seem too simple, you get in the habit of accomplishing them and gradually you can set higher goals. Also, recognize the difference between long-term and short-term goals. Set your vision on the long-term dream, but your day-to-day activity should be focused exclusively on the short-term, enabling steps.

11 Avoid the Frustration Enemy.
Ironically, the quicker the person’s nervous system, the faster they learn. Yet, this fast nervous system also works overtime in being self-critical. So they are the ones who always think they aren’t going fast enough! In contrast, the “Type B,” less intense person who learns slower yet is more self-accepting, ends up ultimately learning the material in a shorter period of time. This is because he/she doesn’t waste energy blocking, getting upset, and thinking that they’re not good enough — they simply keep moving forward at a slower (but un-blocked) pace.

Article by Howard Richman of Sound Feelings Publishing,
Tarzana, California.
http://www.soundfeelings.com/free/studying.htm





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Monday, March 8, 2010

Constructive Criticsm



It's okay to pick your friends, but don't pick them to pieces
What do you think of people who descend on their friends like vultures, criticizing, maligning, ridiculing, scorning, blaming, insulting, and belittling them? Actual vultures feed on carrion, but these human vultures pick their friends apart while they are still alive. Our family members are supposed to be our closest friends, yet even they may engage in the same malicious tactics. It’s time to impose a cease-fire, and the best way to start is to become aware of our actions and to accept responsibility for them.

When we criticize another, we do not expose them, we expose ourselves. We broadcast our own weakness and smallness. For as someone else once wrote, "The most censorious are generally the least judicious, or deserving, who, having nothing to recommend themselves, will be finding fault with others. — No man envies the merit of another who has enough of his own."

What would you think if I were to tell you that I’m an extraordinary person? Would you be impressed? Not at all, you would think that I’m vain or delusional. So, rather than boasting about our own greatness, we disguise what we wish to say by criticizing others. In other words, speaking about the inferiority of others is just a clever way to speak about our own superiority. Yet, those who are genuinely superior don’t speak about it, and those who BELIEVE they are inferior, pretend to be otherwise.

This being the case, aren’t our criticisms misdirected? Don’t we need to rechannel our energy? Our time would be spent much more productively if we would practice self-criticism (self-improvement) instead of attacking others. How can we see the faults of others so clearly, unless we share the same weaknesses? Let’s take advantage of this clarity of vision by eliminating our own faults. When we do so, we will no longer need to pretend we are worthwhile, and we will, therefore, stop criticizing others.

Does this mean all criticism is bad? Not at all. But it should be used in two cases only. First, parents, teachers, supervisors, and others in authority have the obligation to correct the faults of those they are responsible for. Second, we can offer our advice to friends and others who ASK for it. But don’t offer it unless they request it. Whether it’s those we are responsible for or our friends, we must always frame our suggestions in a positive or constructive manner. What is the difference between constructive and destructive criticism? What we normally mean is your criticism of me is destructive and my criticism of you is constructive. But, of course, that is not what I mean here. To clarify, I offer the following guidelines for constructive criticism.

1. Be particularly careful when your friends ask for advice. Before offering any, be sure that is what they really want. Often, when friends ask for guidance all they want is someone to listen. They want to arrive at their own solutions by bouncing their ideas off you. Or, they may have already decided on a course of action and want you to agree with them. In other words, they’re not looking for advice, but looking for support. Be sensitive to their needs.

2. Use a carrot, not a whip. Use praise, not criticism. Here’s what Charles M. Schwab (1862 ~ 1939) had to say on the subject, "In my wide association in life, meeting with many and great men in various parts of the world, I have yet to find the man, however great or exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than he would ever do under a spirit of criticism."

3. Be a coach, not a critic. Offer support, not criticism. Edmund Burke (1729 ~ 1797) explains, "Applaud us when we run; Console us when we fall; Cheer us when we recover."

4. Before beginning, think of your own weaknesses. This will help you to frame everything more gently. Follow the sage advice of the Chinese, "Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead."

5. Start on a positive note. First explain what they are doing right and what you like about their behaviour. And follow this with suggestions on how they can do even better. Assure them that you are confident in their ability.

6. Don't expect from others what you are not willing to do or believe.

7. When you have to deal with people that others are complaining about, first get their side of the story before criticizing.

8. Take special care before criticizing those who lack the power to defend themselves.

9. Evaluate those under your care not by their present level of excellence, but by the distance they have already travelled and can continue to travel.

10. Consider your counsel unsuccessful unless the person leaves feeling they have been helped.

11. Judge their actions not by what you thought, but by what they thought. It is not the action as much as it is the intention that needs to be considered. Use the same standard that you use to judge yourself. Too often, we judge others by their actions and ourselves by our ideals, aspirations, and good intentions.

12. Offer them an opportunity to save face. Don’t trap them in a dead end. Give them an escape route.

13. Follow the advice offered in the Native American proverb, "Never criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins."
Let’s return to the subject of destructive criticism. Because of the harm we can do, don't look for an opportunity to criticize, for as the Yiddish proverb says, "If you're out to beat a dog, you're sure to find a stick." On the other hand, if you’re out to befriend a dog, you’re sure to discover its desirable traits. Since we find what we look for, let’s look for the positive. This way everyone benefits.

Criticism makes us a thief. We steal the dignity of the person we criticize and rob ourselves of the opportunity to learn from them. Imagine how many great ideas have been lost because of gifted people who were afraid of being laughed at.

When we look at an iceberg, we see only a small part of it. And when we look at others, it is rare indeed that we see any deeper than the surface. Isn’t this one of the reasons why it is so easy to criticize? If we can penetrate the heart of others and feel their pain, fear, and loneliness, how can we be critical? Rather than judging others, let’s appreciate them. For as Mother Teresa (1910-1997) said, "If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Let’s master the best type of criticism there is: self-criticism. The American Episcopal Bishop James A. Pike (1913 ~ 1969) explained why, "A man needs self-acceptance or he can't live with himself; he needs self-criticism or others can't live with him." Finally, the thirteenth-century Persian poet Sa'di (c. 1213 ~ 1291) wrote, "Whoever is aware of his own failing will not find fault with the failings of others."

written by Chuck Gallozzi
For more articles and contact information,
Visit http://www.personal-development.com/chuck



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Sunday, March 7, 2010

SELF EVALUATION-(Thinking About Oneself)

Have you ever thought about the fact that you did not exist before you were conceived and then born into the world and that you have come into existence from mere nothingness?

Have you ever thought about how the flowers you see in your living room everyday come out of pitch black, muddy soil with fragrant smells and are as colorful as they are?

Have you ever thought about how mosquitoes, which irritatingly fly around you, move their wings so fast that we are unable to see them?

Have you ever thought about how the peels of fruits such as bananas, watermelons, melons and oranges serve as wrappings of high quality, and how the fruits are packed in these wrappings so that they maintain their taste and fragrance?

Have you ever thought about the possibility that while you are asleep a sudden earthquake could raze your home, your office, and your city to the ground and that in a few seconds you could lose everything of the world you possess?

Have you ever thought of how your life passes away very quickly, and that you will grow old and become weak, and slowly lose your beauty, health and strength?
Have you ever thought about how one day you will find the angels of death appointed by God before you and that you will then leave this world?

Well, have you ever thought about why people are so attached to a world from which they will soon depart when what they basically need is to strive for the hereafter?

Man is a being whom God furnishes with the faculty of thought. Yet, most people do not use this very important faculty as they should. In fact, some people almost never think.

In truth, each person possesses a capacity for thought of which even he himself is unaware. Once man begins to use this capacity, facts he has not been able to realise until that very moment begin to be uncovered for him. The deeper he goes in reflection, the more his capacity to think improves, and this is possible for everyone. One just has to realise that one needs to reflect and then to strive hard.
Someone who does not think will remain totally distant from truths and lead his life in self-deception and error. As a result, he will not grasp the purpose of the creation of the world, and the reason for his existence on the earth. Yet, God has created everything with a purpose. This fact is stated in the Qur’an as follows:
We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them as a game. We did not create them except with truth but most of them do not know it. (Surat ad-Dukhan: 38-39)

Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us? (Surat al-Muminun: 115)

Therefore, each person needs to ponder the purpose of creation, first as it concerns him himself, and then as it pertains to everything he sees in the universe and every event he experiences throughout his life. Someone who does not think, will understand the facts only after he dies, when he gives account before God, but then it will be too late. God says in the Qur’an that on the day of account, everybody will think and see the truth:

That day Hell is produced, that day man will remember; but how will the remembrance help him? He will say, “Oh! If only I had prepared in advance for this life of mine!” (Surat al-Fajr: 23-24)

The truth can be told to a person in many different ways; it can be shown by the use of details, pieces of evidence and by every means. Yet, if this person does not think over this truth on his own, sincerely and honestly with the purpose of comprehending the truth, all these efforts are useless. For this reason, when the messengers of God communicated the message to their people, they told them the truth clearly and then summoned them to think.

While God has given us a chance in the life of this world to reflect and derive conclusions from our reflections, to see the truth will bring us great gain in our life in the hereafter. For this reason, God has summoned all people, through His prophets and books, to reflect on their creation and on the creation of the universe:

Have they not reflected within themselves? God did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them except with truth and for a fixed term. Yet many people reject the meeting with their Lord. (Surat ar-Rum)

A man who reflects grasps the secrets of God’s creation, the truth of the life of this world, the existence of hell and paradise, and the inner truth of matters. He gets a deeper understanding of the importance of being a person with whom God is pleased, and so he lives religion as is its due, recognizes God’s attributes in everything he sees, and begins to think not according to what the majority of people demand but as God commands. As a result, he takes pleasure from beauty much more than others do, and does not suffer distress from baseless misapprehensions and worldly greed.

These are only a few of the beautiful things a person who thinks will gain in the world. The gain in the hereafter of someone who always finds the truth by thinking, is the love, approval, mercy and the paradise of our Lord, which are above everything else.

by:Harun Yahya

Harun Yahya is a pen name used by Mr. Adnan Oktar. Born in Ankara in 1956, Adnan Oktar is a prominent Turkish intellectual. Completely devoted to moral values and dedicated to communicating the sacred values he cherishes to other people, Oktar started his intellectual struggle in 1979 during his education at Mimar Sinan University’s Academy of Fine Arts.




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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Aspects of Islamic Etiquette-DINING ETHICS


The Islamic Law has introduced and propagated a cluster of public ethics. At the same time, it warned of failure to strictly abide by it, as this will entail punishment in the Hereafter. Imam Muslim narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do you know who is the bankrupt?” They answered: A bankrupt among us is the person who has neither money nor property. The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The bankrupt in my nation is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, zakat and fasting, yet he used to insult, slander, slay and beat others. Thus claimants are rewarded according to their good deeds. If one’s good deeds are gone, he is punished for his ill deeds until he is thrown into Hell.”

Dining Ethics:

1. Start eating with the name of Allah (Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem) and conclude with praising and thanking Allah (Al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-Aalameen). Eat from the nearest side of the dish to you and use your right hand, because the left hand is generally used for cleaning dirt.
Bukhari and Muslim narrated on the authority of ‘Umar Ibn Abi Salamah, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to him: “Mention the name of Allah, eat with your right hand and eat from the nearest side of the dish.”

2. Never complain or disapprove of food whatsoever.
Bukhari and Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that; “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has never found fault with any food. If he liked it, he would eat it, if not he would just leave it.”

3. Avoid eating or drinking to excess in the light of the Qur’anic words:
“Eat and drink, but be not prodigal. Lo! He loves not the prodigals.” (The Qur'an, Al-Aaraf 7:31) And the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ’s words: “The son of Adam (man) has never filled a vessel worse than his stomach. If there is no way out, let there be a third for his meal, another for his drink and another for his breath.” (Narrated by Ahmad)

4. Never breath or blow into vessels. According to Ibn Abbas the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Forbade breathing or blowing into the dish.” (Al Tirmidhi)

5. Eat with others, not alone, since Allah’s Messenger says:
“Gather around your food so that it may be blessed.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

6. If you are invited to a meal and you take somebody with you, you should seek permission for him. According to Abu Mas’ud Al-Badri, may Allah be pleased with him, a man invited Allah’s The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to a meal along with four other people. A man followed the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). At the door, the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to the host:

“This man has come with us: If you’permit, he will come in; if not he will go back.” The host said: I give him my permission, O Allah’s Messenger.” (Bukhari and Muslim



By Abdur-Rahman A. Al-Sheeha
P.O. Box 59565, Riyadh 11535, Saudi Arabia
Taken from the Author’s book “The Message Of Islam”.

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