What is loss after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

RAMADAN is the month of reflection. While many Muslims reflect on the blessings they receive from Allah, one can't stop thinking of the loss. One way to look at the blessings is to consider their loss.

Losing the freedom to eat and drink helps appreciate the blessings of meals.

Losing the motivation to engage in physical sporting activities, reminds Muslims of their blessings in the form of day-light energy beyond Ramadan.

Reducing worldly entertainment, increases closeness to Allah and this allows Muslims to streamlines the activities that they enjoy.

The loss of sleep plays a prominent role during Ramadan, encouraging Muslims to reflect on how precious sleep really is, but it is also something negligible in the holy month of Ramadan.

Then there are other forms of loss when in deep reflection. Loved ones who have passed on, opportunities that have slipped through the fingers, all come to light during Ramadan. Some accept these losses with wisdom, though for others, the challenges may be difficult for fathom.

A wise scholar once said: " What is loss after the loss of the Apostle of Allah (SAW)?"

Not many Muslims would ponder the gravity of such a statement. Definitely all Muslims go through some form of loss during the temporary life in the dunya, and surely some are more severe that others. But what is the weightage of any loss as compared to the passing of the greatest human being who ever graced the earth? How can one place an amount on the death of the final Messenger (SAW) of Allah SWT, through whom the entire religion of Islam was modelled and perfected just before he passed away?

In reflecting on such insights, Muslims need to redefine what loss really means to them. A loss in the world, whether it is temporary loss during Ramadan, or one that extends beyond the 30 days of the Holy Month, is nothing as compared to not getting know Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Imagine the loss one would suffer from if one were not born and raised a Muslim. Imagine the loss of a person who only gets to know the faith through misconception and malice. That surely is a loss.

Nothing goes uncompensated though, as far as believers are concerned and that is a promise from Allah to those who persevere with steadfastness and patience. In fact, with hardship come ease, and for those who are patient the rewards are double. Similarly, Allah SWT promises that no believer is burdened with a loss that he or she is unable to bear. And in all justice and fairness of Allah, whatever loss a Muslim endures is compensated with something better, extending further than any wisdom that a human being can fathom.

Muslims can see this in their everyday lives. Some things just don't turn out the way they want to, and Allah compensates with a better alternative. The perfect du'a in wanting something, is wanting to be blessed by Allah and for Allah to provide what is the best in that course of action. This is divine  enlightenment for believers. Even in the worst possible cases of loss, like the loss of a baby in the mother's womb, Allah promises a shield from hell-fire by virtue of the umbilical cord lifting the child's mother to Jannah (Paradise). Subhanallah!!

Even if a loss may seem to not be compensated, this is when the virtue of tawakal (acceptance) plays an important role. That somewhere, some time, in the world that is beyond what believers can see, Allah will compensated with a blessing that has no worldly value.....

To be continue..........( bcs of the article is so long, then I decide to split it into two parts)

This article I was rewrite because the origin one I 'm not capable to find it from 'Uncle G'. This article is actually written by Maria Zain, a great writer about Islamic articles and I found this from a news paper. So,, let share wif others =)

Science and Sunnah: The Genetic Code

By Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed  The Hadith Precedes Science Before the scientific discovery of the genetic code and the awarding of Nobel Prizes to its three discoverers in 1968, it was impossible to understand this hadith scientifically. In the 1990s, we were able to unravel the genetic code with regard to a person’s inheritance of certain disease-carrying genes. This information may tell us about an individual’s probable life span and whether he or she will be happy or unhappy. Science is yet to discover the genes responsible for a person’s rizq (food habits, dietetic profile, etc.) and actions or behaviors, such as type A, B, or C personality. In the present article, the writer is attempting to show the current knowledge concerning the ability to perform genetic screening in order to understand a person’s inheritance of, or susceptibility to developing, a certain disease through the study of that person’s genes. Our knowledge is still incomplete and we are very far away in attaining the knowledge about the four matters mentioned in this hadith. Inside the nucleus of a living cell, there are 46 chromosomes which are visible only when the cell divides. These chromosomes are made of deoxyribonucleic acid (commonly known as DNA). A certain length of DNA is called a gene, and the length of DNA that codes for complete synthesis of a protein is also called a gene. Along the 46 chromosomes of every human cell, there are some 100,000 genes. The US government is funding a $3 billion, 15-year Human Genome Project (HGP), under the joint leadership of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Energy (DOE). That project will allow scientists to know exactly where on our chromosomes each of the 100,000 genes resides. Among these 100,000 genes, there are a few lethal ones. Every person has a unique set of seven or eight deadly genes. They are usually hidden, but in the wrong environment or in combination with certain other genes, they can express themselves in dangerous ways. Some families carry genetic diseases for generations and they know what type of lethal genes they carry. Most people do not know if they carry any genetically defective genes or not. A Genetic Blueprint: Is It Possible? In the near future, it will be possible to get a blueprint of our genetic inheritance realizing the most likely cause of our own death. This test can be performed by walking into a physician’s office and giving a blood sample with a finger prick. The result of the test will reveal if a person has any defective genes that will cause a certain disease or not. Most of the adult-onset diseases involve several genes. For example, there are at least 17 genes responsible for just one aspect of coronary heart disease (CHD), and these genes express themselves only under certain conditions. For most of the genetic diseases, it is impossible to predict with certainty. Geneticists now say that diabetes, hypertension and cancer run in families. In other words, these diseases are genetically inherited. Unanswered Questions There are two important questions, which have not been answered so far: There are two types of tests: But do we really want to know? Are we willing to learn the details of our genetic destiny — especially when it involves diseases for which there is no cure? Are we capable of understanding the uncertainties inherent in this high-tech fortune-telling? Adult polycystic kidney disease (APKD) comes late in age and causes a degenerative condition of the kidneys, resulting in the gradual loss of kidney function. It is carried on a single, dominant gene. If a man has this disease, then his son has a 50 percent chance of having that gene, and if he has two daughters, their chance of having the disease is also 50 percent.  The genetic test only tells whether a person has the gene that causes the disease, but it does not tell whether that person will get the disease in his UOs or in his late 60s. No treatment exists to prevent kidney failure in polycystic kidney patients. There is a certain amount of unwillingness on the part of humans to know their future. However, there are individuals who have taken the tests for the occurrence of Huntington’s disease — a neurological disease involving a progressive and untreatable brain and muscle degeneration with symptoms that usually show themselves in the 40s. The chances of inheriting this disease-causing gene are also 50 percent. Nancy Wexler of the Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) says, Wexler devoted her professional life to the search for the gene responsible for Huntington’s disease, which killed her mother and of which she and her sister are at risk. Scientists stress that the results of genetic testing are ambiguous; genes alone do not determine a disease’s prognosis. One can say whether or not an individual appears to have the gene, and those who have the gene have gone on to develop the disease. But one cannot say anything about when the disease will start and what the course of the disease or the relevant aspects of the illness will be. The danger comes when imprecise tests are used in order to predict the future and when institutions actually use them to construct the future. For example, this applies when: There is also the danger of using the genetic tests for purposes of eugenics. Eugenics means the deliberate manipulation of the gene pool with the idea of creating a master race. Under this approach, defective people walking around may not be allowed to reproduce for the betterment of society. Many of the conditions that will be uncovered through genetic studies are not life-threatening, but might not fit into some societal scheme (e.g., genetic dyslexia, genetic shyness, genetic arrogance, and genetic left-handedness). Some Muslim thinkers do not advocate the interpretation of the Qur’an or the Sunnah in terms of scientific terminology. However, the writer believes there is nothing wrong in attempting to understand or interpret Islam in the light of modern knowledge. Through this article, the writer wants to encourage freethinking and stimulate research ideas among Muslim scholars, scientists, and students so that Muslims’ understanding of the Qur’an and the Sunnah can be furthered.`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Verily, the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s belly for forty days in the form of seed, then he is a clot of blood for a like period, then he is a morsel of flesh for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows the breath of life into him and who is commanded about four matters: to write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions and whether happy or unhappy. By Allah, other than Whom there is no God, verily one of you behaves like the people of Paradise until there is but an arm’s length between him and it. And that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Hellfire and thus he enters it. And one of you behaves like the people of Hellfire until there is but an arm’s length between him and it. And that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)  This hadith deals with the creation of human beings, which is mentioned in great detail in the Qur’an. However, the astounding matter in this hadith is the angel who blows the breath of life into the embryo and writes down four matters regarding the would-be person:  1. Means of livelihood 2. Life span 3. Actions 4. Whether happy or unhappy 1. Is knowledge of the genetic information itself potentially hazardous to the individual? 2. Will institutions misuse that knowledge to promote their own dominance and control? 1. Prenatal tests that inform future parents of a child’s chances of inheriting a condition that is carried by one of the parents or has caused the death of a family member. 2. Genetic screening tests that tell the adults about their own genetic destiny. “If the information is limiting, enervating, depressing, if it tears at your self-esteem, if it gives you nothing to do, it might be better not to know.” • employers refuse to hire or train individuals at high risk of dying in their prime, • health insurance companies insist on knowing the genetic profiles of their potential subscribers before paying for preexisting genetic conditions, • schools require a permanent genetic record to anticipate which children will exhibit behavioral problems or learning disabilities.

Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Louisville, School of Medicine. He is president of the Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. (IRFI), Louisville, Kentucky, USA.  Courtesy: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1262372266929&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah/LSELayout

Gaza, Somalia: Humanity lives on by Ramzy Baroud on August 11, 2011

Salamuna'laik to all readers out there...Here an article I wanna to share to show of our awareness to what happen outside the country..Sharing d feeling of what the human of both country feels..

I remember how exhilarated I felt when I was told I was old enough to fast for the month of Ramadan. My feelings had little to do with abstention from food and drink between dawn and sunset each day. For a child, there is little joy in that. The meaning and implications for me were much greater. I believed that the occasion signaled I had now become a man. I wanted to share this news with all my brothers, friends and neighbors.

Three days into the fast, lethargy set it. The end seemed near. Although I fared well in my first attempt at fasting for an entire month, I had my weak and reprehensible moments. I hid in dark corners with my favorite snacks: a cucumber, a tomato, a loaf of pita bread. To be caught would be shameful and degrading, a regression back into childhood, a terrible example to my younger siblings, and a ripe topic of ridicule from my older brothers.

Ramadan in a Gaza refugee camp is an entirely different experience from Ramadan anywhere else. A malnourished population of impoverished refugees abstains from food and gives endless thanks for life’s fortunes. The irony didn’t escape me then, as it doesn’t escape me now. The Imam of our refugee camp’s Great Mosque would spend much time thanking Allah for his numerous gifts. Hands extended to the sky, and faces lowered to the ground, the faithful would repeat in impressive unison: ‘Amen’. Even as Israeli helicopters buzzed above their heads and military vehicles speed nearby, the faithful kept their faces lowered. Even as the smell of gunpowder and teargas poisoned the atmosphere, their hands stayed extended.

“Alhamdulilah,” said the Imam. Thanks to God. And the crowd repeated, “Amen.”

I tried to make sense of all this as I struggled with my hunger pains. I questioned the wisdom of the whole endeavor. At times, I even challenged my mother. Fasting herself, she had no room for a self-indulgent, sacrilegious eight-year-old. “We fast to feel the pain of others,” she said simply. Any child in a refugee camp could understand the meaning behind her words. Our refugee camp was rife with ‘others’ in pain. One of them was Umm Ali, a mother forced to take her children out of school and send them to work as cheap laborers in Israel. Another was Abu Musa, a construction worker in Tel Aviv who just about managed to feed his own children, but never managed to repair his decaying house.

Since my family was also a member of the ‘others’ club, I fasted. And like all the ‘others’, I thanked God with a lowered gaze and extended arms.

Years later, in 1999, I joined a group of journalists and peace activists on a trip to Iraq. The aim was to stand in solidarity with all those devastated by the US-led siege. According to modest UN estimates, hundreds of thousands of people - the majority of whom were children under the age of five – were killed as a result of the decades-long sanctions.

For this trip, we flew in from different countries and congregated in Jordan. I myself had flown in from the US. One delegation member arrived from Gaza with nearly $10,000 dollars, which he had collected from schools, mosques and the street. The Israelis didn’t allow him to haul boxes of medicine donated by Gaza hospitals, and the Iraqis didn’t allow him entry because his passport had been stamped in Hebrew letters. The young man left the money in trusted hands, asking them to purchase medicine for Iraqi children from Amman. As he turned back at the Jordan-Iraq border on the way back to Gaza, he asked me to convey the solidarity of Palestine and Gaza to the people of Iraq.

In this way, Gaza speaks. Gaza Feels. Gaza takes stances and Gaza conveys regards.

Expectedly, the Horn of Africa famine is now generating quite a stir in Gaza. Starving Somalis are also now the ‘others’ whose pain we are urged to feel. 11 million people are reeling under the encroaching famine, and tens of thousands have already died. Somalia is the epic center of the disaster. The hunger of its people shames humanity to its core. Stories from the region tell of the absolute horror experienced by whole generations. Yet scenes of mothers tenderly comforting their dying children also tell a different story. It is a story of love, one that no statistic can capture, no politician can override.

Gaza, itself under a harsh Israeli siege imposed since Hamas was elected to power in 2006, has been one of the first places to respond to calls for help.

During a recent Al Jazeera interview, the head of a Somalia-based charity mission decried the lack of support his people were receiving. He lambasted the world, particularly Arabs and Muslims. He seemed puzzled by the fact that little support is reaching the victims even during the holiest of Muslim periods. Then he spoke of the aid arriving from Gaza. The news anchor cut him off quickly at this point, and moved on to a ‘related topic’: aid sent by the Qatari government.

I wondered about it myself. Could Israel-besieged Gaza really be sending aid to famine-besieged Somalia?

Indeed.

One of multiple Gaza-led charity campaigns to aid Somalia is called "From Gaza: hand in hand to save the children of Somalia". According to Ma’an News Agency, this latest effort is led by the Arab Medical Union. "The campaign aimed to demonstrate the extent of physical cohesion between besieged Gaza and Somalia and that the Palestinian people are capable to support and stand with the Somali people," Ma'an reported on August 2. Palestinians in the West Bank are also mobilizing around help for Somalia. The doctor’ union has opened several bank accounts to accommodate donations.

My mother’s generation must be immensely proud. Their endless sermons about the ‘pain of others’ has registered well in the minds and hearts of their children. Somalis, too, I am certain, can fully appreciate the pain of Gaza.

Gaza. Somalia. Even in its darkest moment, humanity somehow lives on.

Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an internationally-syndicated columnist and the editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story (Pluto Press, London), available on Amazon.com.