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Date: March 17, 2015
Did you ever think of what is the meaning of blindness? The meaning varies for people, for their thoughts and approach. To some, it will be merely a sickness or defect by birth. To some others, it sounds something unsound or a state of ignorance or passiveness. Often it is a frightening thought or state. Here the thing is something different. Author states that blindness has become a way of life, to be open, a disguising to lead the life. Author recollects his experience from Manipal hospital, near Bangalore, that he was bedridden due to a massive stroke which lead him to a total blindness. His illness transformed him to a blind man physically, but not mentally. Gradually he started to recover his blindness using auditory senses and the mind to be able to overcome the deficiency. And this challenging situation taught him to keep his blindness as an asset. Instead of crying about the vision loss, he found himself taking up the challenges of gaining ground and bridging the gap between being sighted and facing blindness. He read newspaper e copy by software called JAWS (Job Access With Speech). Watched movies by listening the conversation and amazingly he got extra power for his other senses. Author is giving a positive message to the blind people that to keep the defect as a challenge and live life with full of joy and activities.
"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."
Sunan Ibn Mājah
"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"
Sahih Bukhari
One of the most commented verses in Quran is the “Verse of Light” (24th Surah - An-Nur). The Surah unveils how Allah is the light of heaven and earth. Allah says the so called light in him is a niche and within which is a candle. The candle is placed in a glass which twinkles like a star in the sky. Olive tree’s oil from the blessed land of Quds is used for fuel to light the candle. This is very bright itself even without fire. With this, Allah guides to his light whomsoever he wills. There are a number of commentaries on this verse and the most famous comment is that this verse is a parable of faith. Here the candle refers to the light of Iman. The ultimate message of this Surah is that light of Iman and how to attain it. Verse 2 incorporates the topic of chastity and modesty and it talks about the punishment of fornication. Verse 27 is all about the modesty of seeking permission while entering to someone’s house. Verse 30 and 31 are the command of Allah for the believing men and women to lower their gazes and guard their chastity. Verse 58 speaks about the need to ask permission to enter parent’s room at special times by a person under the age of maturity. In short, all the verses talks about modesty. If a person preserves their modesty and stays away from anything that diminishes this, they preserve the light of Allah which He places in the hearts of the believers. Allah combines between light, modesty which means that if anyone preserves modesty, there will be blessed light, and if the modesty lacks, the light becomes dimmer.
Read MorePraise be to Allah, the Creator and Cherisher of the worlds and peace be upon his prophet Muhammad SAW. The blessed month of Ramadan is near completion. A month which brings mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from fire if completed virtuously. The month of Shawwal, which follows Ramadan, also has unique opportunities to continue to earn Allah’s blessings. Muhammad SAW said, “The one who fasts the month of Ramadan, followed by six days in Shawwal, is purified of sins as if he was just born.” (Hadith: Sahih Muslim and Abu Da’ud). The six days of fasting in Shawwal can begin any day after Eid al-Fitr and can be completed continuously or spread throughout the month. There are differences of opinion regarding the requirement to make up missed Ramadan (fard) fasts before keeping Shawwal (nafl) fasts. See the link below from Yasir Qadhi: However we choose to do it, certainly, rewards come from Allah and anything we do sincerely to please him will not be wasted. _As for those who believe and do good deeds, rest assured that We do not waste the reward of him who does a good work._ (Quran 18:30) The Alim Foundation Inc., NMS/NH, May 21, 2020
Read MorePart II Scientific Benefits of Prayer Fajr Do you know what are the benefits of first prayer of the day? Let’s have a look. If one wakes up without cleaning his face and has his breakfast, then the bacteria in his mouth will go down the belly and produce sicknesses, stomach upset, irritation and ulcers. Zuhr Your job and similar daily schedules may give pressure and stress to you. But the zuhr prayer can calm you down and relieve the stress. Asr During the time of Asr, the speed of the circumambulation of the earth, lessens, influencing the 5 senses. Here, a person begins to consider the affairs of the evening and hurries to complete his work of the day, meaning at this time the stress is building up which has an effect on the body. Offering the Asr prayer provides more energy to the devotee. Maghrib Maghrib is the time in which a devotee conveys thanks to his creator through actions for the sustenance. The efforts and job completed through the day has supported him with his family and kids. When a Muslim wishes to thank Allah, he should sit with his partner with peace and love. Children have a character of imitating or copying the actions of their parents. Principally, if the prayer is offered at its given time, then the children will be inclined to be respectful towards their parents as it is the prayer that makes a person modest. The prayer should make the child to listen to the parents and obey them. Isha Desire is the natural instinct of a human. When a person comes home after work, he would be in a desire to eat to his full to quench the desire for food. If he lies down on a full stomach, there is a fear of many illnesses and the mind will not be at peace. Here comes the need of Isha prayer. When one is offering the Isha prayer, he can find peace and the tiredness will disappear and sleep peacefully. Taraweeh Prayers... During the holy month of Ramadhan, additional prayers are performed after Salatul Isha called Taraweeh prayers. After breaking a full day long fast, the blood glucose level continues to increase from the food consumed. The blood glucose and insulin levels are at their lowest level just before the Ifthar meal. After having your Ifthar meal, the blood glucose and plasma insulin will increase. Liver and the muscles take up the circulating glucose. The blood sugar reaches to its normal levels in an hour or two and the benefits of Taraweeh prayer comes into effect. The blood glucose will be metabolized into carbon dioxide and water during the time of Taraweeh prayers. Hence the Taraweeh prayers helps in burning the additional calories and expand suppleness, direction, and scale back stress. Continued – Part III Content Sources:
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