Something Interesting

Type the word 'Failure' in google without the quotation marks and click on "I'm feeling Lucky" and observe the result. Enjoy!

A day without....

Imagine a day without eyesight....

You are unable to see the lovely faces during the day, the vividly colorful flowers, the lush green grass of the fields, the radiant blue sky, the translucent, turquoise ocean....

Imagine a day without the sense of smell.....

You are incapable of distinguishing between the mouth watering aroma of a freshly baked apple pie and an oven toasted butter croissant, nor are you able to enjoy the near eupohric fragrance of your favourite cologne or perfumes. You are indifferent to the tantalizing smell of a healthy, bloody-red rose as you are to the pungent odor that radiates from a dead, rotting fish....

Imagine a day without the sense of hearing....

You are immune to the annoying, sound of the heavy-doppler-effect-creating 18-wheelers that flash past the balcony of your aparment, and at the same time you wish you weren't. You are able to see lips all around you constantly opening and closing, but they all seem like fishes that do so repetitively without being audible. You want to go to the movie theater, but you can't because you can't appreciate the boisterous, yet crystal clear sounds generated by the huge, commercial speakers that make watching movies in theaters a unique experience....

We as humans take everything we possess for granted, without realizing the importance of certain possessions or gifts from God. If we were to God forbid lose one of our senses, or an important organ one day, could you possibly fathom how difficult life would be, being aware of the fact that you once had something priceless which you no longer have, and may most likely never again possess? Close your eyes, walk up to someone in the house, and without uttering a word, ask them to take you to the fridge, and if you can accomplish the two, block your nostrils by pinching your nose and holding it down while eating an entire meal. Think about what it would feel like to live your life in the above manner for the rest of your life, without the sense of eyesight, without the sense of hearing, or without the ability to speak. Think.

Lessons for Ramadan

Hello folks,

I read this article and I thought it was worth sharing with you all. For those of you who fast, read it, and apply it in your lives. Fast for the sake of Allah, and May He accept them.

Ayah from The Noble Qur'an on fasting:

" O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-"

Please read the following article on Fasting:

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0311-2133

Devastation Strikes South Asia

An example of the devasation caused by
the massive, richter 7.6 earthquake

Pakistan, India and Afghanistan were struck with one of the region's worst ever Earth quakes a couple of day ago. Pakistan was most affected by the severe jolts that were felt across the entire Northern Region of Pakistan. The resulting death toll from the earthquake is estimated to be over 20,000 and rescue operations are in full effect. President Musharraf has declared an implicit state of emergency by sending in relief efforts and pleading for International aid to the affected region.

On October 8th, 2005, as little children innocently sat in their classrooms, women washed the dishes and prepared meals for their families, the old and the feeble rested comfortably in their houses, unaware of the terrible wrath that awaited them, disaster struck. The entire Northern region of Pakistan and the outlying areas were afflicted with one of the most devastating natural calamities in recent times, not to forget the massive earthquake that destroyed the city of Bam in Iran last year. The roof of a Pakistani school collapsed and killed 250 girls on the spot, and another 250 soldiers who were stationed in the Himalayan range were also killed. According to current estimates, approximately 20,000 people have been reported dead, while over 40,000 have been injured. Rescue operations have already begun in most parts of the affected areas, however, there are certain low-lying regions and valleys that are extremely inaccessible; firstly, due to the nature of the landscape and secondly, due to the sheer amount of rubble that has cluttered the area due to this monumental earthquake.

When last year’s Tsunami unfolded on the 26th of December, 2004, donations and aid efforts were immediately underway. Unfortunately, since the media is unable to cover the extent of the damage caused by this catastrophe, people around the world are unaware of the severe agony that the victims of this earthquake are going through at this time. Death and destruction anywhere in the world is equally saddening, but if one were to compare the death toll that resulted from hurricane ‘Katrina’ to the earthquake in South Asia, we find that the difference in significant. While the final reported death toll from Katrina was close to 1,000, the estimated dead reported within two days from the South-Asian earthquake is close to 20,000, and some reports suggest that it may be closer to 30,000. Since human life all over the world should ideally be judged equal, the amount of aid required to assist the victims of this Earthquake should be twenty to thirty times more in this case. In fact, in the case of Katrina, some early warnings were issued before obliteration struck, whereas in the case of this Earthquake, people had absolutely no information about the annihilation that was coming their way. Furthermore, the resources available at Pakistan’s disposal in comparison to the US are infinitesimal, and hence they will require much more foreign assistance.

Wealthy nations such as the US and UK have already promised assistance and conveyed their deepest condolences, but that is only a fraction of the help that these innocent people require. Kuwait and the US have pledged $100m and $50m respectively, which will mostly cover the cost of food, clean water and other supplies for 40,000 displaced people. Coping with such large scale disasters requires not only food and supplies, but monetary assistance to clear out the rubble using expensive machinery and equipment, along with funds to support temporary refugee camps and set up relief centers. Religion and culture aside, it is our duty as fellow human beings to help those affected by this terrible infliction in their time of desperation. Many of those affected by this disaster are innocent children who do not have the strength to life the heavy bricks and cement walls under which they lie in agony, helpless and hopeless. Together, we can bring them hope by donating to this generous cause. A few dollars that we spend on buying coffee, cigarettes, and snacks can be utilized for a better purpose by contributing to numerous charities and relief funds that are working day and night to help save people who are still alive and stuck underneath massive piles of rubble. I urge all of you to help out in every way possible, so that the feeling that humanity has lost hope is proven wrong.

Please help the victims of this terrible tragedy by donating generously at the following relief centers:

Edhi Foundation (Recommended)

Islamic Council of North America

Kashmir International Relief Fund

International Federation of Red Cross

OXFAM

Islamic Relief

Thank you and May God Bless you all.

War on Humanity!

President Bush says the Iraqi insurgents
are waging a war on humanity

First, Mr. Bush declared a war on terror, then a war on poverty, then a war on hunger, and now he has declared the Iraqi resistance a "War on Humanity"! Mr. President says the resistance from Iraqi insurgents and other "Islamic" militant organization (An indirect strategy to defame the religion, even though not all the Iraqi insurgents may be Muslims. In fact, the insurgents are fighting for their country, and not religion, but who's going to tell that to Dubya?)

Here's an article on BBC reporting Mr. Bush's new slogan, since the old one's such as: "Progress", "War on Terror", "Weapons of Mass Destruction", and "No timelines" are getting old.

Ramadan Kareem!

A very happy and Blessed Ramadan to all of you! For those of you who are unfaimiliar with this term, it is a month of fasting that was ordained by God to his righteous followers. It is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, which happens to be a purely Lunar Calendar. During this month, Muslims all around the world eat and drink before sunrise till the sun goes down. At sunset, they resume eating and drinking with a heavy meal in some places, whereas some prefer to simply 'break' their fast by having a few dates and water, the traditional way followed by the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). However, those who do not indulge in eating a heavy meal, do have dinner, but usually an hour or so after breaking their fast.


Various dishes for the breaking of the fast
The most important rules to follow while fasting are quite simple actually. Most importantly, we are to live our lives as pious muslims - something we should be doing normally as well. During Ramadan, we are to especially observe strict adherence to the fundamental Islamic laws. These 'laws' are simply principles of life that are sanctioned by God, apart from not eating and drinking; respecting others, not stealing, not lying, not hurting anyone, praying 5 times (on time), and following various other moral rulings. The month of Ramadan is our opportunity to receive salvation by following the canons that govern fasting. For one whole month, each day, we wake up in the morning to eat and drink, and then cease to do so until sunset. The month of Ramadan is followed by a celebration called "Eid", which marks the end of the arduous month of Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak to everyone once again!

Tagged...

Tagged by: Raheel

The rules:
1. Go to your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest)
4. Post the text of the sentence with these instructions.
5. Tag 5 people.

The fifth sentence of my 23rd post was:
So grab your hookah and tea and read on!
*This came from my post about new updates that I was going to post on the site.*

I have to Curse err... Tag 5 more people.
1) Maria
2) Danika
3) Shirazi
4) Natasha
5) Abbas

Moving....

It's such a hassle. During the last couple of days, I've been busy moving my stuff and hence I haven't been able to post anything new. I'll be back again soon once I've move everything in to the new apartment and get back on track with my studies! Take care folks!