Bismillah [IslamCity] Pop Culture penetrating Shia Islam!!!!!
Pop Culture in the Name of Islam By - YVONNE RIDLEY I FEEL very uncomfortable about the pop culture which is growing around some so-called Nasheed artists. Of course I use the term ''Nasheed artists'' very lightly. Islamic ''boy bands'' and Muslim ''popstars'' would probably be more appropriate. Eminent scholars throughout history have often opined that music is haram, and I don't recall reading anything about the companions whooping it up to the sound of music. Don't get me wrong. I''m all for people letting off steam, but in a dignified manner and one which is appropriate to their surroundings. The reason I am expressing concern is that just a few days ago at a venue in Central London, sisters went wild in the aisles as some form of pop-mania swept through the concert venue. And I'm not just talking about silly, little girls who don't know any better; I am talking about sisters in their 20's, 30's and 40's, who squealed, shouted, swayed and danced. Even the security guys who looked more like pipe cleaners than bulldozers were left looking dazed and confused as they tried to stop hijabi sisters from standing on their chairs. Of course the stage groupies did not help at all as they waved and encouraged the largely female Muslim crowd to 'get up and sing along.' (They're called ''Fluffers'' in lap-dancing circles!) The source of all this adulation was British-born Sami Yusuf, who is so proud of his claret-colored passport that he wants us all to wave the Union Jacks. I'm amazed he didn't encourage his fans to sing 'Land of Hope and Glory.' Brother Sami asked his audience to cheer if they were proud to be British, and when they responded loudly, he said he couldn't hear them and asked them to cheer again. How can anyone be proud to be British? Britain is the third most hated country in the world. The Union Jack is drenched in the blood of our brothers and sisters across Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine. Our history is steeped in the blood of colonialism, rooted in slavery, brutality, torture, and oppression. And we haven't had a decent game of soccer since we lifted the World Cup in 1966. Apparently Sami also said one of the selling points of Brand UK was having Muslims in the Metropolitan Police Force! Astaghfur'Allah! Dude, these are the same cops who have a shoot-to-kill policy and would have gunned down a Muslim last year if they could tell the difference between a Bangladeshi and a Brazilian. This is the same police force that has raided more than 3000 Muslim homes in Britain since 9/11. What sort of life is there on Planet Sami, I wonder? If he is so proud to be British, why is he living in the great Middle Eastern democracy of Egypt? Apparently the sort of hysteria Sami helped encourage is also in America, and if it is happening on both sides of the Atlantic, then it must be creeping around the globe and poisoning the masses. Islamic boy bands like 786 and Mecca 2 Medina are also the subject of the sort of female adulation you expect to see on American Pop Idol or the X-Factor. Surely Islamic events should be promoting restrained and more sedate behaviour. Do we blame the out-of-control sisters? Or do we blame the organizers for allowing this sort of excessive behaviour which demeans Islam? Or do we blame the artists themselves? If those Nasheeds had sisters running in the streets whooping and dancing, however, the Nasheeds may be encouraged because of haram activity surrounding them. Quite frankly, I really don't know how anyone in the Ummah can really let go and scream and shout with joy at pleasure domes when there is so much brutality and suffering going on in the world today.
Bismillah [IslamCity] Iran - 7 - Last in the series
Iran Makes the Sciences A Part of Its Revolution By Thomas Erdbrink Washington Post Foreign Service Friday, June 6, 2008; A01 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/05/AR2008 TEHRAN -- As Burton Richter, an American Nobel laureate in physics, entered the main auditorium of Tehran's prestigious Sharif University, hundreds of students rose to give him a loud and lengthy ovation. But Richter, wearing a white suit and leaning on a cane, said he was the one who should be awed. "The students here are very impressive," Richter said, lauding the high level of education at Sharif. "I expect to hear a lot more from you all in the future." The students, young men and women with laptops and smart briefcases, giggled in their seats. A woman took pictures of the Stanford professor emeritus, whose visit last month was part of a privately funded academic program run by the National Academies of the United States and universities in Iran. "Mr. Richter is an example for us," explained Ismael Hosseini, a 23-year-old electrical engineering student who had managed to get a seat near the stage. "But soon I will be able to listen to an Iranian scientist who has received a Nobel Prize for his or her work," he said. "We are all studying and researching hard to receive this honour." Iran's determination to develop what it says is a nuclear energy program is part of a broader effort to promote technological self-sufficiency and to see Iran recognized as one of the world's most advanced nations. The country's leaders, who three decades ago wrested the government away from a ruler they saw as overly dependent on the West, invest heavily in scientific and industrial achievement, but critics say government backing is sometimes erratic, leaving Iran's technological promise unfulfilled. Still, Iranian scientists claim breakthroughs in nanotechnology, biological researchers are pushing the boundaries of stem cell research and the country's car industry produces more cars than anywhere else in the region. "Iran wants to join the group of countries that want to know about the biggest things, like space," Richter said to the students during his speech at Sharif University, which draws many of the country's best students. Every year, 1.5 million young Iranians take a national university entrance exam, or "concourse." Of the 500,000 who pass and are entitled to free higher education, only the top 800 can attend Sharif, considered Iran's MIT. At Sharif, students work in fields including aerospace and nanotechnology. While some end up advancing Iran's nuclear program or finding work in other technological fields in Iran, many, especially PhD candidates, are lured by employers or universities in Australia, Canada and the United States. "Our visitors are flabbergasted when they come to our modern laboratories and see women PhD students. Often they had a completely different image of Iran, not as an academic country," said Abdolhassan Vafai, a professor at Sharif. "Here, we educate our students to solve problems that affect all humanity, like hunger, global warming and water shortages." But in Iran, scientists are also expected to serve ideological goals. Iran's leaders hold up their inventions as proof that the country's 1979 revolution has made it independent and self-sufficient. When President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad opened Iran's first space centre in February, he issued a launch order sending a test missile into space and proclaimed that "no power can overcome Iran's will." Iran hopes to launch its second satellite -- the first was launched commercially by a Russian company -- within weeks, using a locally made rocket. Iran's advances in this field cannot be independently verified. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has encouraged scientific breakthroughs for geopolitical reasons. "If you are in pursuit of a science, you bring dissatisfaction and displeasure to the enemy of the revolution's aspirations," Khamenei said during a visit to Iran's stem cell research centre in 2006. In 1979, revolutionaries accused Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the country's U.S.-backed autocrat, of having made Iran dependent on other states for technology, military equipment and industrial hardware. During the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, the country faced an enemy supported by superpowers that isolated Iran. Squadrons of U.S.-made F-4 fighter jets were grounded because of U.S. sanctions that barred Iran's access to spare parts. "In the war, the whole world was against us. We learned that we had to stand on our own two feet," said Manoucher Manteqi, chief executive of Iran's largest carmaker, Iran Khodro. The state-run company produced more than 600,000 cars in 2007 and has no equivalent in the Middle East. India's Tata Motors produced just over 400,000 vehicles in 2007; French automaker Peugeot Citroen -- with which Iran Khodro ha
Bismillah [IslamCity] Iran - 1
Iran successfully tests HIV medication Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:46:48 http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=61959§ionid=3510210 An Iran-made herbal drug for AIDS has been tested on over 200 patients and has shown promising results in improving the condition. Reported to be more efficient when used in HIV positive patients with CD4 below 350, Immuno-Modulator Drug (IMOD) prevents entry into advanced stages of AIDS and can be taken along with other anti-retroviral drugs. The herbal medication has shown to effectively control the multiplication of the HIV virus in a 90-day treatment course by increasing the number of CD4 cells, the deficiency of which leads to the appearance of AIDS symptoms and related infections. According to Minoo Mohraz, Head of the Iranian AIDS Research Center, the new medicine has been tested in a 21-month period and has helped boost the immune system of 65 percent of the over 200 patients. The medication has had no noticeable side effects. IMOD is produced using plants native to Iran; small dosages of the drug have reportedly shown to be as effective as anti-retroviral medications. PKH/AA <><>
Bismillah [IslamCity] Taj Mahal - 360 degree view
TAJ MAHAL Beautiful 360 degree view Image controlled by your mouse http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6065351
Bismillah [IslamCity] Study Islam & the Language of the Qur'an from the comfort of your home
- Original Message - From: Admin To: 'Mustafa Mawjee' Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2008 12:02 PM Subject: Study Islam & the Language of the Qur'an from the comfort of your home Salaamun alaykum dear Mustafa-bhai please broadcast this for the benefit of Mu’mineen on your list The Academy for Learning Islam (A.L.I.) has begun three courses online for those who would like to study Islam from the comfort of their homes. Interactive and engaging, these courses are a great way to enhance Islamic knowledge and interact with participants from around the world. Experienced and resourceful Instructors make the experience fully worthwhile. Classes began on the week of May the 19th, but you can still register as we have spaces to fit more students in the virtual room. The courses will run for 8 weeks. Details of the courses are as follows: ALI 137: Three Du'as from Sahifa Sajjadiyyah Taught by Hasnain Kassamali, the course includes a comprehensive introduction to the Sahifa and a detailed discussion of Du'as nos. 15, 30, and 33. ALI 138: Tafseer of Sura Saba (for ladies only) Tahera Kassamali teaches how to reflect over the verses of Sura Saba, and understand what great commentators have to say about the Surah. ALI 139: Arabic Grammar - Level 1 Study Arabic with Khalil Jaffer and learn the basics of the grammar of this rich language. Enhance your learning through lessons from the text, and homework for practice. For more details about the courses, and to register, visit our website www.academyofislam.com
Bismillah [IslamCity] Iranian women top in Science
Iranian women top on inventor list Sat, 10 May 2008 10:13:45 http://www.presstv.com/Detail.aspx?id=55009§ionid=3510208 Iranian female inventors shine among 25 countries Iran's women inventors have received 23 medals at the Korea International Women's Invention Exposition, coming at the top of the list. Bagging 12 gold medals, 5 silver and 6 bronze, Iranian women inventors gained the first place among 25 countries participating at the international event. Mehrnaz Golchinfar, has invented an electricity generator system for Third World countries. Her power station, free of environmental pollution, was selected as the best invention and received the special jury award. Sonia Saberi's nano-composite earned her the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Award. Maryam Eslami's implement for reparation and surgery of osseous diseases in olecranon grabbed the International Federation of Inventors' Associations (IFIA) Award. Some of twenty women inventors from Iran competed with participants from 25 other countries across the world at the prestigious festival held in the South Korean capital of Seoul. Iranian Woman scientist takes physics prize Sat, 17 May 2008 06:07:16 http://www.presstv.com/Detail.aspx?id=56088§ionid=3510208 An Iranian scientist has won the Young Scientist Prize in Particle Physics at an international contest on pure and applied physics. The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) has chosen Dr Yasaman Farzan as this year's top scientist, ISNA reported. The prize has been established recently and is awarded every two years to a young scientist who has made greatest achievements in the field of practical or theoretical physics, ISNA reported on Friday. The nominees for the prize must not have more than eight years experience of research work after their PhD. Farzan, educated in Tehran's Sharif University, is to receive the award at the 34th International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP2008) which is to be held in Philadelphia, USA on July 30th-August 5th 2008. The IUPAP prize includes an IUPAP medal, a certificate citing the recipient's scientific achievements and a honorary cash award which will be presented at the 34th International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP2008) Philadelphia, USA, July 30th-August 5th, 2008. <>
Bismillah [IslamCity] Prophet Mohammad by Dr K S Ramakrishna Rao - Part 3
Dr K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, "Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam" calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying: PART 3 (of 3) "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero." Prof. Rao writes:... Prophet's Medicine for Health "Circumcision is one of them. (scientists admit that the loose fold of the skin at the end of the male sex organ is exposed and susceptible to infections and even to cancer. Therefore, millions of people are circumcised in Europe and America .)" "A house without dates has no food - also to be eaten at the time of childbirth." "Fig is a fruit from paradise and a cure for piles." "None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring who are good in countenance and good in character." "Pomegranate cleanses you of Satan and evil aspirations for 40 days." "The best drink in this world and the hereafter is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps,gulping produces sickness of the liver. " "Have regular use of honey for keeping fit." "Black Cumin (Hadith; Habb al-Sauda) is a remedy for every disease except death." "milk wipes away heat from the heart just as the finger wipes away sweat from the brow. It strengthens the back, improved the brain, renews vision and drives away forgetfulness." "For loss of appetite he frequently advised to take Talbina, a preparation of Barley. For constipation he used to recommend the use of Senna. Similarly, for different ailments he would advise for taking herbal drugs like Olive, Black Cumin, Chicory, Fenugreek, Ginger, Marjorum, Saffron, Vinegar, Water-Cress etc." "Treat your eyes with kohl, for it nourishes eyes and eyelashes." "It is not permissible to eat any unslaughtered chicken. Such chicken will be Harmful" (Its the Scientific fact that (Blood Clotted Meat) is harmful for Human beings and more painful for the animals (SPINAL CORD disaster before death." "I command every woman to have Clothing such as to cover the whole body with the exception of the face and the hands. & that clothing should not be fitting that reveal the shape of the body. (not exposing the skin, is an advice given by the US Department of Health And Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and prevention. They have sponsored a campaign called "Choose Your Cover for skin", encouraging people to protect themselves from sun's UV rays and skin cancer. The campaign's section on clothing notes that "a long-sleeved shirt and long pants with a thick weave provide the best protection.)" A man asked the Messenger :-'I used to suffer from an illness, and I took alcohol for a remedy. When alcohol was banned, I went to God's Messenger, and asked him whether I would be allowed to continue taking alcohol. No, for it(alcohol ) is not a remedy, rather it is the disease itself, God's Messenger declared.' A woman asked the Messenger :-'O God's Messenger, my blood does not stop; shall I abandon the prescribed prayers?' No, you must not, for it is not the menstrual blood, it is a haemorrhage, God's Messenger replied.' Muhammad (pbuh) was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Servant and Messenger of God,' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be. (EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY in HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54) ** **
Bismillah [IslamCity] Prophet Mohammad by Dr K S Ramakrishna Rao - Part 2
"Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam" calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying: PART 2 (of 3) "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero." Prof. Rao writes:... Prophet's advice for health "O Servant of God, use medicine, because God hath not created a pain without a remedy for it". "Use of Medicine is the Decree of God" "Do not neglect having your diseases treated, for God does not send a disease for which He will not send a cure except for old age." "When you hear about a break of plague in any area, do not enter there and when it has broken in a land where you are, then do not run way from it (and spread elsewhere).' (Principle of quarantine). "Keep away from the leper as you do from a lion. (To prevent the spread of leprosy.)" "When a dog has licked a bowl of yours, clean it seven times, first time with earth, the other six with water. (Dogs carry microbes of certain diseases)" Prophet's advice on Before going to sleep 1. One should change into some other clothes (e.g.pyjamas) . 2. Apply surmah in both the eyes., 3. To brush the teeth with a miswaak, 4. sleep on the right hand side. 5. Sleep with the right palm under the right cheek. 6. Keep the knees slightly bent when sleeping. General Advice "One must cut one's nails & hairs of the pubic region within every forty days ." "Males must wear the pants above the ankles. Females should ensure that their lower garment covers their ankles" "To announce ones arrival by coughing, greeting, etc. even though it may be your own house"(A means for avoiding any fear.)" "If it did not place an excessive burden upon my community, I would command them to clean their teeth with miswak [a tooth stick] before each of the five daily prayers." 'Disease' he said, 'is not the wrath of God, because Prophets also suffered great pains, much greater than ordinary people." "Victims of epidemics like Cholera and Plague are martyrs.' "Resort to Medicine first and then pray to God to get rid of the diseases."
Bismillah [IslamCity] Prophet Mohammad by Dr K S Ramakrishna Rao - Part 1
Dr K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, "Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam" calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying: PART l (of 3) "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero." God's Messenger said, "If anyone among you is secure in mind in the morning, healthy in body, and has food for the day, it is as though the whole world has been brought into his possession." Prophet's advice for Eating "In eating, apportion a third of your stomach to food, another third to water, and leave the last third empty. The bowl most distasteful to God is a full stomach." "What I fear concerning my community is a large paunch, oversleep, idleness and the lack of certainty. 'Cleanliness is half of faith (Iman)". "Do not lean and eat." "Wash both hands up to the wrists before eating" "Do not find fault with the food." "Remove your shoes before eating." "When eating, sit with either both knees on the ground or one knee raised or both knees raised." "Eat with the right hand." "Whilst eating one should not remain completely silent" "Drink water in 3 breaths removing the utensil from the mouth after each sip . Do not drink directly from the jug or bottle. One should pour the contents into a glass first and then drink" "The best drink in this world and the hereafter is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps, gulping produces sickness of the liver." "Don't eat until you are hungry." "The blessings of food lie in washing hands before and after eating."
Bismillah [IslamCity] This world is for all to share
Islam and the West http://www.islamfortoday.com/karenarmstrong02.htm click here to read the whole artilce A former Catholic nun and author of books on many of the world's religions including Islam, English writer Karen Armstrong speaks about Western views of Islam, the mood after 11 September and her hopes for better relations between Islam and the West. Karen Armstrong "The West has got to learn that it shares the planet with equals & not with inferiors. This means giving equal space in a conflict such as that between Israel & Palestine. It doesn't mean just using governments to get oil: you promote Saddam Hussein one day, & the next day he becomes public enemy number one. The West promoted people like the Shah of Iran simply because of its greed for oil, even though he had committed atrocities against his own people. There should be no more double standards, because double standards are colonialism in a new form. Western people have also got to disassociate themselves from inherited prejudices about Islam." - Karen Armstrong <>
Bismillah [IslamCity] Mind over Matter
IT IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BUT IT IS HOW YOU THINK HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT ON YOUR LIFE A business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench , head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy. Suddenly an old man appeared before him. "I can see that something is troubling you," he said. After listening to the executive's woes, the old man said, "I believe I can help you." He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying, "Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time." Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come. The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world! "I can erase my money worries in an instant!" he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the un-cashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought. With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again. Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the un- cashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man. "I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you. He's always escaping from the rest home and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller. " And she led the old man away by the arm. The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he'd been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him. Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.
