Date: February 27, 2015
It was on 8th July 2014, that Israel launched a military operation in the Hamaz ruled Gaza. Terrible seven weeks of Israel bombardment and massive brutal attacks on Gaza people. More than 2,200 people lost their lives, 10,000 became homeless and more brutality towards mere public. Alas, it’s been six months on from the attacks and pledges have not been fulfilled, reconstruction has stalled and hope is draining away. This month we learnt that just over 5 percent of the money pledged to rebuild Gaza after last summer’s devastating 51-day conflict with Israel has been delivered. What does this say about the international community’s commitment to the beleaguered territory and its 1.8 million residents? Author expressed his anxiety on the condition of current Gaza and he is sad and angry on the government’s careless turn towards Gaza rehabilitation. The health services are struggling to cope. They are overburdened and under-resourced. There are, once again, severe shortages of drugs and consumables as the supplies delivered in the war run out. Many of the staff has not been paid for months, others are receiving only 60 percent of their salaries as a result of the Palestinian Authority’s financial crisis which has been compounded by Israel’s withholding of tax revenues. Donors must deliver on their pledges. The PA and Hamas must settle their differences for the greater good of their people and for the possibility of peace. Israel must live up to its responsibilities as the occupying power and lift the siege. Egypt, too, must play its part by reopening the Rafah crossing on a regular and reliable basis. Considering the horrors of what we saw last July and the very real possibility of it being repeated, we must start fresh new efforts to return hope to Gaza.
"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
Alexander, a French pilgrim who embraced Islam and adopted his Muslim name, Hamza is recently blessed by King Abdullah to do Haj as his guest. The King was in great happiness and proud of Hamza’s sacrifice to Islam religion that he drove 7,000 km in his car with his wife to perform Umrah in Makkah. He is s now in Makkah as the guest of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for Haj. He was in search for the truth and found that Islam is the religion of peace and truth and the man is now happy to embrace the world’s great religion. As there are millions of devotees across world who wish to perform Umrah/Haj in Makkah, Hamza was in the last queue to have an Umrah visa. But his devotion and sacrifice to Allah helped him to be in the golden list of King’s guests. And now he is in the divine route to pray at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. It was the entire Almighty’s compassion that we have been selected as one of 1,000 guest pilgrims of King Abdullah to perform Haj this year. I could not believe my ears.”- Says Hamza. Hamza intends to study Islamic law to gain more knowledge about the religion and spread its message among others.
Read MoreWho is Allah? What an awful question. Right? You are feeling peace inside your soul. Inside your mind. Then, who is creating this peace? Here is your answer. Allah is the most compassionate strength in you, creates the peace in you. You are always confident in your personality. This is Allah’s grace upon you. This strength and peace help you to speak up and act as a wonderful human being. Expect less and less from others and more and more from Allah. Allah is the best teacher in the universe for your grief and happiness.
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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