Okay, this is for Kay

dearest K,

that was the *S*W*E*E*T*E*S*T thing to do...this is our way of saying a BIG THANK YOU for making our blog look so much better with the guest book and the sitemeter

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE
You will need:
1 and 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup frozen blueberries

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. In a large bowl, put the flour, baking powder and salt and stir.

3.In a second bowl, squish the butter and sugar together (we used our fingers) until they are mixed. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla until it's quite smooth. Pour into the first bowl.

Stir until it's just mixed (it will still be a bit lumpy). Don't stir too much.

4. Fold your blueberries gently into the batter (try not to crush them).

5. Grease your muffin tin (or spray with Pam). Fill about 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes until just nicely brown.

Makes 12 to 16 muffins.
[Source: Tasha's Tasty Treats]

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The Flowers of Nablus

Israel Army Seizes And Imprisons Two 15-Year-Old Girls
IDF Steals The Flowers Of Nablus For Prison

NABLUS, Palestine (IPC) - The Israeli pre-programmed campaign against children in the West Bank, especially the city of Nablus, has been recently stepped up.

In one day, the Israeli occupying forces (IOF) arrested two young girls, after raiding their homes and terrorizing them and their families, leading both girls, younger than 15 years of age, into the military jeep in their pajamas, despite the begging and cries of their families.

Aseel Al Hendi, born on October 10, 1989 and a ninth grade student at the Al Fatemiya School in Nablus, was arrested on the dawn of June 16, after large forces of the Israeli occupation surrounded her family's house and ordered all dwellers to come out barefooted with their house gowns. Aseel begged the soldiers to give her time to wear proper clothes and some shoes, but they were deaf to her cries.

Then the barbaric interrogation of the mother and Aseel's young siblings, the oldest is 14, with the soldiers shoving the mother's shoulder with the butts of their rifles and shouting at them. The horrified children were too afraid to even breathe.

After checking everybody's ID card, they found out that Aseel was only 15 years old, but that did not prevent them from leading her into the military jeep along with her father, leaving the mother behind crying and begging the soldiers to let her child wear at least some shoes.

Al Hendi's mother said her daughter is considered one of the best students in her class, enjoys reading and has interests in computers. She was hoping to travel abroad to pursue her postgraduate studies.

At the same night, the Israeli forces had a date with another young flower to pick in the middle of night, and in the same cruelty, they advanced to the Rafidia neighborhood, where they surrounded the house of Al Kokhen family and arrested their 15-year-old daughter Majd.

Majd was born on April 7, 1989 and with her arrest, she was deprived of participation in the honoring ceremony of her scout group at the Al Fatemiya School.

IPC correspondent said that the Israeli forces surrounded the Al Kokhen family house and then ordered all the dwellers of the house to leave immediately. Afterwards, the soldiers barbarically checked the family members' ID cards, before asking about Majd in a sharp tone, as the Israeli soldier was holding a list of names in his hand.

Majd, who was arrested by the occupying forces and thrown into the military jeep along with her father, is under the international standard of childhood, so she is considered a child. The IOF troops argue that she was two months older than 15! Majd's mother watched in silent tears as the jeep that has her daughter and husband drive away to the western part of the city, praying that it won't be the last time she sees them.

According to Al Kokhen's teachers, she was also a top student, and led the basketball team of her school. She has also artistic and sports interested, in addition to her preparation to join the "Seeds of Peace" international organization for her beliefs in the virtue of peace.

After 24 hours of detention and interrogation at Howara military base, both Aseel's and Majd's fathers were released, but without their daughters, and later they were both transferred to the notorious "Al Ramleh" prison, according to the complaints office "Hamoked" in Jerusalem.

The Association of Prisoners and Ex-Detainees "Hossam" says that the Israeli occupying authorities torture even the children inside the Israeli jails and concentration camps, pointing out that child prisoners are frequently tortured, and this was particularly obvious in the "Etzion" prison, where children were being beaten and placed in solitary confinement cells, after being stretched all night on barbed razor wire in the prison's yard.
Also, the children are also deprived of hot water and bathroom visits, due to which hygienic problems spread among them, especially when treatment is not provided and cleaning materials are not present.

According to a report by the Palestinian National Information Center (PNIC) in Gaza, the number of children that have been imprisoned in Israeli jails has reached more than 2,500 children, 463 of them are still inside prisons. The ratio of children among the Palestinian prisoners is 7.6%.
243 children are still detained pending trial, while 22 others are "administratively detained" without charge or trial.

As for the female children, they are sent immediately to the infamous "Neveh Tirtza" prison, which has frequently witnessed since April 2001 attacks on the Palestinian female prisoners there by the Israeli wardens and shock troopers. During these attacks, their personal possessions were confiscated, and some of them were placed in solitary confinement, such as the prisoner Soad Ghazal, 17, who was placed in a solitary confinement cell of two square meters.

PNA International Press Center

[Source:aljazeera.net]

CONTEST: Surah Luqmaan

13. And [remember] when Luqmaan said to his son when he was advising him: O my son! join not in worship others with Allaah. Verily joining others in worship with Allaah is a great zulm [wrong] indeed.

14.And We have enjoined on man [to be dutiful and good] to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years -- give thanks to ME and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.

15. But if they [both ]strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to me in repentance and obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.

16. O my son! If it be [anything] equal to the weight of a grain of a mustard seed and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens or in the earth, Allaah will bring it forth. Verily,Allaah is Subtle,Well Aware.

17. O my son! perform as salaat [prayer] enjoin al maa'roof [all that is good] and forbid people from al munkar [all that is bad] and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Verily these are some of the important commandments.

18. And turn not your face away from men with pride , nor walk in insolence through the earth. Allaah likes not any arrogant boaster.

19. And be moderate in your walking and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the braying of the ass.
Surah Luqmaan: 31
==================================================================
Rasha: Assalam'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, these days we have our vacations and we are memorising the Qu'raan (suraah Luqman), I think that its just like Suraah al baqarah (I mean that its speech is matching with Suraah Baqarah. I am now reading the first page to memorise it before Rida and Umma. we've got a competition between Umma, Rida and me and I think i'll memorise it first... inshaAllaah

Rida:asalamu'alaikum wa rahmatu allahi wa barakatuhu,these days we are reading the Quran to memorise (Five)parts before Ramadan,we are now memorising {surah Luqman,surah Yasin and
surah Rahman}I have learned surah yasin half...I will soon learn it fully inshaAllaah

Rasha: Everyday, we sit with our Qur'aan...and read it with umma and everyone...I like sitting with umma,abba. I have been reading four juz and memorising and memorising, but I find it veryyyyyy difficult to remember everything and sometimes it all gets mixed up... but one thing we do is that if we learn one new page we read one full juz , if 2 new pages, 2 juz like that we don't forget our earlier lessons

we read from asr to magrib and from maghrib to Isha we have recreation, for example:we play house without dolls or play teacher to our brothers and write on the blackboard and give them homework [hehehehe], skate sometimes and sometimes we play with our neighbours

Rida:and when ever I sit with the Quran and then I read a surah then I always remember it alhamdulillah I just read surah al-luqman I remebered it very quickly one page of it alhamdulillah.
We revise it many times to memorise it, sometimes abba asks us in the middle of something else...like we are going somewhere in the car and he asks us to recite it or we are getting ready to sleep and he asks us to recite it!!! MASALAAMA

Written in Stone

Tips on memorizing the Qur’an
By Muhammad Alshareef

[Excerpts from a khutbah]
This article is meant those who have taken their first steps, not those who are still waiting for motivation. It is dedicated to all our young brothers and sisters in Qu’ran Hifdh schools (and all the wanna bes ). In sha Allah, I will discuss how you can become more effective in your memorization of the Qur’an.

Let me ask this question, “Who wants to memorize the Qur’an?” No doubt, the hands initially will rise slowly, but then almost everyone should have their hand raised. But, most truthfully, is that desire a sincere, heartfelt desire? If it was, then action would follow. If I said, “Who wants to lose weight?” Most people would raise their hands and upon being asked would mention the steps they are taking to achieve their goal. What steps are we taking to memorize the Qur’an if indeed our intentions are passionate?

I would like to tell you a story of my own. A few months ago, I was sitting in a Halal chicken restaurant in Canada. All of a sudden, one of my classmates from the Qur’an school I went to when I was young entered. We hugged each other and sat together reminiscing about our days in Qur’an school. I told him about Allah’s blessings upon me and my family. He said to me, “Muhammad, I swear by Allah, I still remember the day when you came to the school and you couldn’t read alif-baa-taa correctly!” Sitta azizah’s mushaf

We attend school for about 13 years. Then another 4 or 6 or 10 years at a University. More then 15 years of our life in such a slow process. Why? Because, we see the benefit of education for prosperity on earth. Why then do we not see such a rush to memorize the book of Allah? Perhaps the benefits are not readily apparent. Consider the following:

While other children are playing games and eating bubble gum, your child could be memorizing thousands of pages from the book of Allah. How does this benefit them? Quite obviously, the child’s mind is trained at such a young age to absorb information and facts. When the child who memorized the Qur’an is put in a class with bubblegum chewing/Playstation absorbed children, there is little doubt who will be the head of the class. Isn’t this what every parent wants?

....And more than material wealth, what humans really want in life is significance and contribution. No one wants to live their life without having done something for their Deen and the betterment of life on earth. We want to leave a legacy.

With that in mind, notice the life of a Haafidh. From a very young age, he or she is pushed into a position of leadership. Consider it a mere 10% shift in their path. In the beginning it seems like a little, but after 20 or 50 years, it becomes a different destiny.

Notice the young brothers that memorized the Qur’an in your community, they are already pushed to the front of the congregation by virtue of their accomplishment. They, at this early start, are forced to contribute to the community and live a life of significance. Bi idhnillah. That’s what we all want. The Qur’an can do it for you.

....Let me give you two views by two very different people and how they look at the challenges of life:
Person 1: “Oh man, that’s a killer. I can’t do that. This time I just give up. Looks like I’m finally whipped. I’ll never amount to anything. I’m tired.”

Person 2: “Awesome, that was the kind of challenge I’ve been waiting for. Yaa Rabb, I am going to make you proud of me. I’m going to give it my best. I’m going to pump 110% of my energy into every part of this challenge!”

Guess which one will succeed in their memorization of the Qur’an. That’s right, the second one. Why? Because the second one has the right attitude.

...Below are some quick tips that will help you in memorizing the Qur’an:
1. You absolutely must have a teacher. Do NOT memorize on your own. You must have a teacher who you respect and whom you fear. Don’t ask ‘how’ to memorize the Qur’an. Ask where you can find the best teacher. The teacher will then guide you on the ‘how’.

2. Distractions. In memorizing the Qur’an, you must free your mind and environment of distractions. Imagine trying to memorize at a football game? Tough, huh? How about a theme park, could you sit down and control yourself to memorize? Probably not. Getting into a Qur’an Hifdh program with a teacher and discipline will assist you in creating the perfect atmosphere for memorization.

3. Memorize through Audio. A lot of people think they are memorizing the ‘look’ of the Mushaf, but actually you are memorizing the ‘sound’ of Ayat. When I review, I record my recitation on CD and listen to it again and again. The students that read the loudest in class are all the strongest students. Why? Because they can hear themselves the most?

When I was in Qur’an school, the boy beside me read so loud. I asked the teacher to ask him to read more quietly. He said a most powerful statement that became my motto: “No, you read louder!” I did and it benefited me unbelievably.

4. Location of the Mushaf. Your eyes follow a specific direction depending on what you are thinking or doing. If you are lying, your eyes go left. If you are remembering something visual, like where you left your keys, your eyes will look upwards.

When you memorize, the direction of memorization is right and left, not downwards. The mistake I see people make is that they put their mushaf low on the ground and then try to memorize. In order to fully harness the power of your mind, you must keep the mushaf at eye level, and not dip your head..

5. Eat brain food. We’ve all heard the advice of uncles that you have to eat Badams (almonds) to improve memory. Well, I’m here to tell you that the uncles were right! The food you eat, the drinks you drink, directly affect your ability to excel in memorization of the Qur’an.

Do not eat fatty, unhealthy food. Do not drink soda. Eat a nutritious light breakfast, a nutritious light lunch, with almonds for snacks during the day. Subhan Allah, you will find you accomplish much more in your day.

6. Make everyday a victory. You can move a mountain rock by rock. Enjoy every page you memorize, every Ayah.

...I am often asked about my secret to memorizing the Qur’an. They are expecting me to teach them a special ‘south-beach-hifdh-diet’ or something. (I call it tip shopping, they are expecting a specific tip). I say again and again, there is no doubt that there are three ingredients. If you have these three ingredients, you will accomplish what you set out for:


1. Dua, supplication (you must always reflect your desire to Allah).
2. Sabr, patience (it will be a testing path, fill your bags with Sabr powerbars).
3. Taqwa, protecting yourself from sin.

If you do not remember anything from this article except these three ingredients (DST – Dua, Sabr, Taqwa - DST) then, bi idhnillah, it will suffice.

`Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The one who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: `Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayah you recite.''' [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

How many ranks will you climb on the Day of Resurrection?
How many ranks would you like to climb?

[the complete text at www.khutbah.com/www.almaghrib.org]

HOW TO ANSWER A QURAN QUIZ ....

In Three Easy Steps..
1. Pick up a copy of the Qur’aan
2. Read
3. Write
simple right?:)

1 .How many surahs in the Qur'aan have a sajdah?

There are FOURTEEN places of prostration [sajdah] in the Qur’aan which are agreed upon by all scholars.

Dua [invocation] recited in sajdah:

Sajadtu wajhiya lilladhee khalaqahu wa sawwarahu,wa shaqqa sam’ahu wa basarahu TabaarakAllaahu ahsan-ul Khaaliqeen

Rough translation: I prostrate my face to the One who created it and fashioned it and cleaved it’s hearing from it’s sight/intellect. Praise be to Allaah,the Best Creator [Saheeh Muslim]
[info pg 857,The Noble Quraan, English translation of the meanings and commentary]

2. Which surah of the Qur'aan starts without basmalah?

Surah 9, At-Taubah also called Surah Al-Baraa [Immunity]
This surah starts with a declaration of immunity from unbelievers in Makkah on the occasion of Hajj led by Abu Bakr [radiyy Allaahu anhu]. The Prophet sall Allaahu alayhi wassallam sent ‘Ali [rA] to read out this declaration. `

3. Which surah of the Qur'aan has Bismillaah arRahmaan arRaheem twice?
Surah 27, An Naml [The Ant]
It talks about Sulaymaan alayhi salaam and his encounter with a group of ants.
One basmalah is at the start of the surah
The second is at the beginning of a letter he wrote to Bilquis, the Queen of Sheba.

4. Which surah of the Qur'an has the word Allaah at least once in every ayat?
Surah 58, Al Mujaadilah [The woman who disputes]
This surah refers to Khaula bint Thalabah.

5.HOw many juz [portions] is the Qur'aan divided into?
30

6.Which surah talks about the Queen of Sheba?

It’s not Surah As Saba [34],although that refers to the dwelling place of the people of Sheba.
It’s Surah An-Naml in which the entire episode of Sulaymaan alayhi salaam and the Queen of Sheba is related.

7. Who was the companion of the Prophet [SAW] mentioned in the Qur'aan?

Actually, I should have specifically mentioned by *name*, because many companions have been referred to in the Quraan. For example, Abu Bakr [rA] is mentioned as Saaniyasnain – the second of the two, when the Prophet hid in the cave of Thaur on his way toMadinah.
Zaid rA is the *only* companion mentioned by name in the Qur’aan.

8. What is the name of the hawdh [fountain/river] that is given to the Prophet [SAW]?

Al Kauthar [Surah 108]
It is narrated from the Prophet [SAW] in various ahadeeth: It’s banks are made of tents of hollow pearls, it’s sand is musk, it’s goblets are numerous as stars and the one who drinks its water will never be thirsty again

SubhaanAllaah! May Allaah grant that we meet the Prophet [SAW] near alKauthar,be recognized as part of his Ummah and be granted a drink from its abundance.

9. What was the name of the Night on which the Qur'aan was sent?

The Night of Decree Layl at al Qadr ; of which Allaah subhaana hu wata’aala says this night is better than a 1000 months!
[info Surah 97,Al Qadr ]

10. What was the colour of the cow in Surah Al Baqarah?
Yellow [Surah 2]

11. What was the journey of the Prophet [SAW] to Jerusalem called?

The Prophet’s journey from Makkah to Jerusalem was called al-Isra [Surah 17,Al Isra]
His journey from Bait-al-Maqdis to the Heavens on the celestial animal Buraaq is called al Mi’raaj.

12. How many chapters of the Qur'aan are named after animals?
6

Surah AlBaqarah [The Cow], Surah Al Anaam [The Cattle] Surah Al Nahl [The Bee], Surah An Naml [The Ant], Surah Al Ankabut [The Spider] Surah AlFeel [The Elephant]

13. What was the name of the Prophet who was swallowed by a fish?
Yunus alayhi salaam
Surah 10

14.Allaah subhaana hu wa ta'aala says He will re-create human beings down to their fingertips. IN which sura does he say this?
Surah Al Qiyaamah Surah 75:4

15. Allaah subhaana wa ta'aala swears by the samaa [sky] and a star. What is the name of that star?
At-Taariq Surah 86

16. Which Uncle of the Prophet[SAW] is named in the Qur'aan?
Abu Lahab [Surah 111Al Masad ]

17. Which surah is also known as Surah at-Tawheed?
Surah 112Al Ikhlaas Qul huwa Allaahu ahad…

18. Which surah talks about Ashaab al Ukhdood [people of the ditch]?
Surah 85, Al Burooj [The Constellations]

19. What was the name of the blind person whom the Prophet [SAW] frowned at?
Abdullaah ibn Umm Maktoom [Surah Abasa,80]

20.The book of the Abraar [Righteous people] will be in---------
The book of the Fujjaar [Wicked people] will be in -----------
Illiyeen,Sijjeen respectively
Refer 83, Surah Mutafiffeen [Those Who Deal in Fraud]
==================================================================

It's all there in the Qur'aan in black and white:
poetry for the poets
astronomy for astronomers
philosophy for philosophers
science for scientists
embryology for doctors
history for historians
geography for geologists
logic for logicians
sublime language for those who appreciate the written word
and a Message, Guidance and Mercy for *mankind*
in the Words of the One Who CReated Us

REAd IT!!!!!

Once in a blue moon...

Two full moons in July
By S. Qamar Hasan
24 June 2004

ABU DHABI - The skies over the UAE will have two full moons in the month of July.The first full moon will be on July 2 while the second will appear on July 29.

Ibrahim Musa Obeidullah, Director of Astronomy, at the Emirates Heritage Club, told Khaleej Times on Wednesday that the unusual event happens once in two and a half years. The phenomenon in the West is known as "blue moon".
"The idiom once in a Blue Moon is perhaps taken from this," he added. Normally there are 12 full moons in a year. This year the skies over the UAE will have 13 full moons.

Mr Obeidullah said for the event to happen the first full moon must occur on the first or the second of the month and the extra full moon will happen at the end of the month with 29 days separating the two full moons, that's why the blue moon never occurs in the month of February.

Some Things A Mother Can and Cannot Do

Ed: I got this in my mail this morning..

Reflections of a Mother


Allah gave you life through me..but I cannot live it for you.

I can teach you the Qur'aan and the Deen, but I cannot make you learn.

I can guide you in your Deen, but I cannot be there to lead you.

I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it.

I can take you to the masjid, but I cannot make you pray..

I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you.

I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside.

I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you.

I can give you love, lihubbillaah, but I cannot force it upon you.

I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish.

I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honour.

I can advise you about friends, but cannot choose them for you.

I can tell you the facts of life, but I can't keep you pure

I can tell you about drink, but I can't say "no" for you..

I can warn you about drugs, but I can't prevent you from using them.


I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can't achieve them for you.

I can teach you about kindness, but I can't force you to be gracious.

I can warn you about sins, but I cannot make you moral

I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk in the Straight Path of Allah.

I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you eternal life.

I can love you with unconditional love all of my life...... and I will.

[Unknown Author...may Allaah reward him/her]

QUR'AAN QUIZ

Bismillaah ir Rahmaan ar Raheem

Ed: I'm putting up a quiz, essentially for Rasha-Rida to see how much of what they're learning is being retained...anyone else willing to participate is most welcome...Baarak Allaah feek

1.How many surahs in the Qur'aan have a sajdah?

2. Which surah of the Qur'aan starts without basmalah?

3. Which surah of the Qur'aan has Bismillaah arRahmaan arRaheem twice?

4. Which surah of the Qur'an has the word Allaah at least once in every ayat?

5.HOw many ajzaa [portions] is the Qur'aan divided into?

6.Which surah talks about the Queen of Sheba?

7. Who was the companion of the Prophet [SAW] mentioned in the Qur'aan?

8. What is the name of the hawdh [fountain/river] that is given to the Prophet [SAW]?

9. What was the name of the Night on which the Qur'aan was sent?

10. What was the colour of the cow in Surah Al Baqarah?

11. What was the journey of the Prophet [SAW] to Jerusalem called?

12. How many chapters of the Qur'aan are named after animals?

13. What was the name of the Prophet who was swallowed by a fish?

14.Allaah subhaana hu wa ta'aala says He will re-create human beings down to their fingertips. IN which sura does he say this?

15. Allaah subhaana wa ta'aala swears by the samaa [sky] and a star. What is the name of that star?

16. Which Uncle of the Prophet[SAW] is named in the Qur'aan?

17. Which surah is also known as Surah at-Tawheed?

18. Which surah talks about Ashaab al Ukhdood [people of the ditch]?

19. What was the name of the blind person whom the Prophet [SAW] frowned at?

20.The book of the Abraar [Righteous people] will be in---------
The book of the Fujjaar [Wicked people] will be in -----------

:)

When The King of Timbuktu came to Makkah...

Thursday, 10, June, 2004 (22, Rabi` al-Thani, 1425)

By Habib Shaikh

A line in a Western news item read: “… the Muslim emperor, Kankan Moussa Musa) ruined the world market for gold by giving away so much of it during a trip to Makkah.” This certainly gives the impression of senseless, extravagant spending by the king for his own pleasure and enjoyment. The truth, however, is something rather different.

“Mansa (meaning King) Musa, the most legendary of the Malian kings, was a devout Muslim. Rulers of West African states had made pilgrimages to Makkah before him but his Haj journey in 1324 AH was different from that of others,”

“Musa was gentle and humble. He built houses for the needy in Makkah and Madinah. He also built awqaf in Makkah and Madinah and even today, some of his descendants benefit from the income of these awqaf. I visited Madinah and was told that those with connections to him receive something every year,” Moustafa said.

On his way to Makkah, Musa spent time in Cairo. The Sultan, Al-Malik Al-Nasir, received him as a fellow Muslim with great respect. Musa donated substantial sums of money to the poor in Cairo and because of his distributing so much gold, the price fell and affected the economy for almost 20 years,” said Moustafa, who has written a paper on the king’s journey to Makkah and its presenting a favorable image of African Muslims.

The historian Al-’Umari, who visited Cairo 12 years after Musa found the inhabitants of the city still singing his praises. His caravan included 60,000 people and 80 camels carrying more than two tons of gold. Of the 12,000 servants with the caravan, 500 carried staffs of pure gold.

“Musa did not take a single ounce of gold back with him. In fact, he had to borrow money for his return journey,” Moustafa said. “His pilgrimage made people aware of Mali and the kingdom began to appear on maps. In 1375 AH a map showed Mansa Musa holding a large gold nugget in the area south of the Sahara. Trade between Egypt and Mali also flourished.”

Musa’s empire was allegedly one of the largest in the world at the time and the 14th century traveler, Ibn Battuta, noted that it took some four months to travel from the northern borders of the empire to the southern ones.

Moustafa said that when in Makkah, Musa met scholars and thinkers and took some of them with him.

One was Abu Ishaq Al-Sahili, a Granadan poet and an architect. He built the great mosque at Gao, the Djingareyber Mosque at Timbuktu and a royal palace. The Djingareyber Mosque immediately became the central mosque of the city, and it dominates Timbuktu to this day. It consists of nine rows of square pillars and can accommodate 2,000 worshippers. He introduced the use of burnt brick and mud to the region as a building material. The first Islamic university in the world was in Timbuktu. “Unfortunately it is in a state of disrepair and no attention is paid to it. There was, however, an attempt by the OIC to do something,” Moustafa explained.

The Djingareyber Mosque’s mud construction established a 660-year- old tradition that still persists; each year before the summer’s torrential rains, Timbuktu’s residents re-plaster the mosque’s high walls and flat roof with mud. It is said that Al-Saheli’s style influenced architecture in the Sudan where, in the absence of stone, beaten earth is often reinforced with wood.

After returning from Makkah, Musa built mosques, vast libraries and madrasas throughout his kingdom.”

His journey had quite an impact. Upon his return, almost the whole kingdom became Muslim. He spread material and spiritual knowledge and riches, strengthened Islam and promoted education, trade, and commerce in Mali,” Moustafa added.

Mansa Musa ruled for 25 years, bringing prosperity, stability, and good government, spreading its fame abroad and making it truly “remarkable both for its extent and for its wealth and a striking example of political organization.”

During Musa’s reign Timbuktu thrived as a commercial center and flourished as a hub of Islamic learning. Even after the empire fell in the fifteenth century, Timbuktu remained the major Islamic center in sub- Saharan Africa.

Side by side with the encouragement of trade and commerce, royal patronage was also extended to learning and the arts. The organization and smooth administration of a purely African empire, the founding of universities, the expansion of trade in Timbuktu, the architectural innovations in Gao, Timbuktu, Niani, and indeed, throughout the whole of Mali are all testimony to Mansa Musa’s superior gifts. In addition, the moral and religious principles he taught his subj ects endured long after his death and their influences are felt today.

Copyright: Arab News © 2004

[Prof. Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustafa, Director, international relations and promotions, Office of the Rector, International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was being quoted]

Are you ever upset with Umma?

Ed: Be honest Rasha-Rida...I know you both love me LOTTS and respect me ...but that doesn't mean that there cannot be a time when you feel upset with me...tell me about that and then I'll tell you something VERY VERY IMPORTANT

Rasha:nooooooooooooooo... i love Umma...i don't think I get upset with Umma EVER.

Rida:: I am angry with Rasha when she fights with me...which is all the time!!

Ed: *c'mon think*

Rasha:: okay I sometimes used to get upset when Umma used to spank me. But I felt that I deserved that, can give you an example WHY. Because I went down to open the door when I heard the bell and I talked to a stranger. That case was deadlyyy...and I did feel dreadful after I got The Spanking and Scolding of my life after I came back. I SHIVERED...And i felt that the stranger could have harmed me and my family.

Ed: uh oh...(thinks again whether I want the world to know I'm a *hands-on mom* in more ways than one...inshaAllaah khair)

Rasha: Another example is thatI went to a family park with my family, where I saw a woman waving her hand to me as if she was calling me. I went to her and she asked me questions. And when I came back Ummaa scolded me for going away without asking her or telling her where I was ...

Rida:I don't feel like telling you about my bad things , specially about why I get upset with mama. I know why.
I musn't tell you about it... Also I didn't tell any of my family
members... It's so so so baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.. When I was upset with mama.wawawawawawawawawaw.{crying face}...:(

Rasha:: I know I mus'nt write this... Umma may be upset...But Umma's telling me to write it :

1- Umma did'nt play SCRABBLE with us when we asked her
2- She shut the light when I was reading at night
3- Umma shut the T.V when I was watching
4- When she makes me finish my food even when I'm not hungry or when I don't want to finish it
5- She doesn't let us go to Huda and Hagar's house every day although we finish our work like she asks us to

Rida:Now I'll tell you about when I get upset
with mama.

~when she dosen't let me go to any rides... even after we usually finish our work (*T*H*R*E*E* P*A*G*E*S) of *every* subject including ARABIC.

~when she doesn't play with us in the evening

~when she doesn't buy us what we want in the toyshop

~and I want some sweets for our school and she doesn't get them

~when she doesn't let us play on the computer or talk to her friend when she's talking to her


Ed: err...I can see you two can go on and on,that'll be enough for now... Jazaakumullaah...remember I looove you both

Rasha: W@ss@l@@m

Ed:pssst.. Look in the comments if you want to know the IMPORTANT THING I was going to tell you about

The World's Craziest Advice

Nope ...it's not everything your parents say;)

Jun 14 2004
By Andrea Henry


WE CAN all use a helping hand when we're getting to grips with a new product or finding our way around a foreign country.

But do you ever get the feeling that some instructions, notices and warnings are written by idiots for idiots, and that others simply defy explanation?

Unnecessary, redundant, badly translated or completely meaningless, a hilarious new book reveals the worst - or should that be best? - offenders...

Cautionary Tales

BEWARE: Sledge may develop high speed under certain snow conditions - on a toboggan

DO not eat toner - on a laser-printer cartridge

CAUTION: knives are sharp - on a knife sharpener

SHIN guards cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover - on shin pads for cyclists

CAUTION: hot beverages are hot - on a takeaway coffee cup

DO not use for drying pets - on a microwave oven

CAUTION: remove infant before storing chair - on a pushchair

SEAT must be facing forward for take-off and landing - on the back of the pilot's seat in a Nato aircraft

DO not open here - on the bottom of a cola bottle

THIS broom does not actually fly - on a Harry Potter wizard's broom

DO not take if allergic to aspirin - on a box of aspirin

REMOVE clothing before distributing in washing machine - on bottle of laundry detergent

REMOVE wrapper, open mouth, insert muffin, eat - on a muffin packet

THE appliance is switched on by setting the on/off switch to the "on" position - on a kettle

INSTRUCTIONS: put on food. - on a ketchup bottle
==================================================================
Out and About

DON'T take a chance on ruining your vacation - come to us and be sure - travel office in Nova Scotia

IN case of flood, proceed uphill. In case of flash flood, proceed uphill quickly - emergency safety procedures at a US summer camp

ENTRANCE Only. Do Not Enter - car park sign

BEWARE of People - sign in Hong Kong street

BEWARE! To touch these wires is instant death. Anyone found doing so will be prosecuted - at a railway station in the USA

DO not expect on floor. Resident is forbidden to ride on steppes. Do not make speech with man make tram go. Person without ticket will be persecuted - Rules in a tram in Prague

TAKE care: new non-slip surface - sign on newly-renovated ramp entrance, USA
==================================================================
Pointless Warnings

FOR use by trained personnel only - on a can of air freshener

KEEP away from children - on a bottle of baby lotion

DO not wash - on a pair of socks bought in Egypt

SOME assembly required - on a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle box

MAY irritate eyes - on a can of pepper spray used for self-defence

WARNING: may contain small parts - on a frisbee

IN order to get out of car, open door, get out, lock doors, and then close doors - car handbook

WARNING: This product may contain residue of nuts - on a packet of cashew nut pieces

REPLACING battery: replace the old battery with a new one - directions for mosquito repellant

NOT suitable for children aged 36 months or less - on a birthday card for a one-year-old

WARNING: do not blow dry in sleep - on a hairdryer
==================================================================
Hopeless Hotels

IN order to prevent shoes from mislaying, please don't corridor them. The management cannot be held - hotel on the Ionian Sea, Greece

PLEASE do not turn on TV except in use - hotel bedroom

DEPOSITING the room key into another person is prohibited - hotel in Japan

PLEASE leave your values at the front desk - hotel in Paris

CAUTION: when you take a bath, please close the door and switch on the fun without fail - hotel in Japan

PUSH this button in case anything happens - lift in a Japanese hotel

TO call room service, please open the door and call room service - hotel in Istanbul

PLEASE hang your order before retiring on your doorknob. - hotel in Ankara

VISITORS are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 daily - hotel in Athens
==================================================================
You did WHAT with it?

DO not use orally - on a toilet-cleaning brush

DO not spray in your face - on spray paint can

NOT dishwasher safe. - on a TV remote control

NOT to be used for drying hair. - on a blowtorch

NO small children - on washing machine in a launderette

DO not use as an ice cream topping - on a bottle of hair dye

DO not attempt to swallow - on a mattress

DO not use under water - on a toaster

NOT to be used as a hedge-trimmer - on a push-along lawnmower

DO not put in mouth - on a box of fireworks

DO not allow children to play in the dishwasher - on a dishwasher
==================================================================
Preposterous Proclamations

STOP! This is the last rung. - sign on a ladder

PLEASE call us! We will provide you with any emergency - advertisement for a babysitting service in Japan

PLEASE leave a pet outside - At an ice cream parlour in Japan

DO not use the diving board when the swimming pool is empty - sign at pool in Sri Lanka

DANGER: If you fall in the pond, you will be boiled - at a hot spring in Japan

IF you cannot find what you are looking for on our menu, please ask our waitress what you would like - menu at an English hotel

"EAT your fingers off" - "Finger lickin' good", when first translated into Chinese

LADIES! Have a fit upstairs - sign in a tailor's shop in Hong Kong

THE World's Stupidest Instructions is published by Michael O'Mara Books.
[www.mirror.co.uk]

More Mosquito Bytes

Subhaanallah check this out:)

There are 3000 species of mosquitoes in the world which kill 2 to 3 million people by different diseases every year
------------------------------------------------------------------
Only female mosquitoes bite. They need the protein that animal and human blood provide to produce their eggs. A female mosquito will often consume more than her own weight in blood.
Male mosquitoes feed only on nectar from plants
------------------------------------------------------------------
The average life span of the female mosquito is three to 100 days; the male mosquito will survive 10 to 20 days.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mosquitoes can fly an estimated one to one and a half miles per hour. Some species remain close to their breeding site, while others will fly up to 10 miles or more in search of food.
------------------------------------------------------------------
All mosquitoes go through a four-stage life cycle:
egg--> larvae--> pupa--> adult.
They cannot fly until they've reached the adult stage, which can take 10-20 days depending on the species.
------------------------------------------------------------------
[www.mosquitobuzz.com]

Why did Allaah make mosquitoes?

1.Allaahu ta'ala aalam [Allaah knows best]

2. The Qur'an says that Allaah has not created *any thing* in the Universe in vain or without a purpose

3. Like other things that trouble us, mosquitoes are a trial from Allaah to see how we react. Are we grateful and happy with what Allaah gives us in good times and bad times or do we get angry and annoyed when something troubles us? Do we have patience in difficult times or are we impatient with the will of Allaah?

4. Mosquitoes have an irritating buzz, they carry many diseases and have a painful bite. They were used by Allaah to punish people who were disobedient.
A person in the time of Ibraheem alayhi salaam who used to trouble him and was punished by having a mosquito in his head and the Pharoah in Egypt who did not let Banee Israeel go with Moosa alayhi salaam had a swarm of mosquitoes sent against him and his people.

5. Mosquitoes are tiny creatures but they have a complicated life and body...they are a reason to praise Allaah as the One Who Created many wonderful things in the world to see and learn about.

Please pray for our brother

Assalamu’alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh


Rasha: We went to UAE last year in our vacations.. Everything is different over there – women drive cars and a lot of them don’t wear abayas; the corniche is nice and clean, you can call the supermarket and ask them to deliver things at home, there were bigggg skyscrapers and a zoo..

Rida: I liked it over there…except it was very hot and sweaty

Rasha: I liked it too. We enjoyed the beach… I wanted to collect shells, but they were too small to make a necklace . There were shades for the visitors. We had F+U+N .

Rida: The best thing was that we got to meet our cousins who live there…they are just like our brothers and sisters.

Rasha: Another good thing was s*h*o*p*p*i*n*g. I used to go down to the supermarket on my own and get what I wanted…sweets or chocolates or whatever

Rida: We bought skates from there and now we practice skating at home…yesterday I fell down and hurt my knee so badly that I could not do any skating now…

Rasha:Oh I was going to tell about you.. You silly thing….

Rida : It’s really bad ..it was hurting so much when I was sleeping last night

Rasha: Once our brother was running and he slipped and broke his tooth…it still hurts him when he brushes. One day I heard him asking Ummaa why did Allaah ta’aala make pain and Umma said so that we can thank Allaah when we don’t have pain and are feeling fine.

Rida:Our cousin brother is in hospital He is very sick and has a lot of pain

Rasha: We are praying for him that he gets well soon and we want to ask all the people who are reading this to please pray for him, inshaAllaah Allaah will listen to our duas

Why We All Love Scrabble

Jun 8 2004
By Barbara Davies


The atmosphere is so tense you could cut it with a knife. My opponent's face betrays not a flicker of emotion.

This is no mere game, reserved for Christmases or wet weekends. No, this is as cut-throat as any football match you'll see in Portugal in the coming weeks.

And these are not "players". They're competitors. They know words rather than meanings and, as such, have taken the amiable game of Scrabble far beyond anything the average living-room player could imagine.

Welcome to the Association Of British Scrabble Players' 13th Annual Scrabble Masters Tournament.

In the stylish surroundings of Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Oxfordshire, some of Britain's finest players are battling it out to enter the Scrabble hall of fame.

My opponent today is 14-year-old Austin Shin, from Milton Keynes - Britain's youngest-ever tournament winner.

In these days of computer games, you'd think Scrabble sales would be faltering. But more than 500,000 Britons bought a set last year alone.

Invented in New York in 1931 by unemployed architect Alfred Butts, it was originally named Lexico, then Criss-Cross Words before the Scrabble name was trademarked in 1948.

Then, in 1953, J W Spear & Sons brought the game to Britain. Fifty one years later, the world's top-selling word game is more popular than ever.

It has sold more than 100 million games in 121 countries and 29 different languages, though you won't be able to use rude words if you play in Singapore - they're banned.

Enthusiasts include the Queen, Madonna and Guy Ritchie, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, Richard Branson, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Mel Gibson and Joan Collins.

KYLIE Minogue is such a fan that she's said to be considering a request to become "the face of Scrabble".

I should be so lucky. I blot my copybook from the start of the tournament when the battered box I pull out gets short shrift.

That's because we are to play on a special circular, rotating board, with tournament tiles.

"The surfaces are smooth," explains organiser Alan Simmons, "so you can't feel the letters in the bag."

My opponent Austin certainly doesn't need any such help.

He's something of a star in Scrabble circles. He began playing aged eight, when his accountant father, Yoke, introduced him to the game.

"I liked it a lot," Austin tells me. "But Dad kept beating me, so I decided to become really good."

The youngest of three children, Austin looks like a typical teenager, although perhaps a little more studious. According to Yoke, Austin played his first game at the age of five
"He wasn't great then but his mother Margaret and I noticed he was fascinated by the letters. He loved the combinations he could make up."

Let's hope he won't come up with too many today...

My first rack of seven looks hopeful and I play a pleasingly-long "VERSES", using my blank tile to score 16.

Austin scribbles furiously then plays "TROOLIE" down to the S on my word, scoring 64 points - 14 plus a 50 bonus for playing all his letters.

Words pour forth. "TANGS" nets me 21 points. Austin gets 29 for "WAD". I produce "FEY", "GRIPE" and "SUIT".

Austin's "REUNITED" snatches him a staggering 73 points.

Even my brilliant "ORES", played so that the S hooks onto the front of Austin's "LICKED" only earns me 22.

Size, it seems, is not important either. I learn quickly. I'm told it's not polite to shout out: "Who's winning?" or groan: "Oh, God, Not another Q. What am I meant to do with all these consonants?"

Silent plotting is the name of this game.

Alas, I seem to be suffering from irregular vowel movements. At one stage, three Os sit on my rack, taunting me. Then come three Is.

But did I really have a chance? The average adult has a vocabulary of between 20,000-30,000 words. A Scrabble fanatic will memorise up to 90,000 words of the 140,000 words in the English language and probably not know the meaning of half of them.

At one stage I manage to catch Austin out when he adds an A to the front of "VERSES".

"That's not a word," I scoff, calling for the adjudicator. Even with this setback, Austin is way in front.

He plays "ALA", "EA" and "AXAL" - all allowed by the official Chambers Scrabble Dictionary - but he hasn't a clue what they mean.

At school, Austin's favourite subjects are PE and maths. He isn't big on English. "I don't read books much," he says shrugging. "I just learn the words and then play them."

AS ANY Scrabble enthusiast will tell you, the first rung of the ladder is learning the 121 two-letter words that can be played.

You may think that a Q can only be played with a U but what about "QI" (Chinese life force) or "QAT" (a tea-like drug) or "QADI" (a Muslim magistrate). Then there's "EY", "XI" and "XU".
When that task has been mastered, experts start learning the 3,000 three-letter words and 6,000 four-letter words.

Towards the end of the game, the Scrabble master will have memorised which of the 100 tiles have been played and so calculate what is left in the rack.

Austin ends with "DIN" and has no letters remaining. I'm stuck with two Is.

The result is embarrassing. I have 183 points, not bad by "living-room" standards. Austin has amassed 493.

The highest score recorded by the ABSP is 705.

The highest score for a single word was 230 points for "GLAZIERS" in 2003, while the highest possible word score is 1,743 for "BENZOXYCAMPHORS", along the bottom row.

"You weren't that bad," says Austin, in a bid to wipe the desolate look off my face.

I smile bravely and resist the urge to tell him to "Waqf off!" "WAQF" - he scored 47 points with that one.

What does it mean? Apparently, it's an Arabic word for a charitable endowment and can also be spelled "WAKF".
Must remember it for Christmas.

[www.mirror.co.uk]

The cleverest boy in Madinah

Asalamu’alaikum wa rahmatu allahi wa barakatuh

Bismillah arahman araheem…

I’m Rida… I’m going to tell you about a very clever boy.

He was only 6 years old when he lost his father

He was only 11 when the prophet went to Madinah, at that time he met the Prophet and had already memorized 17 surahs of the Qur'aan. The Prophet sall Allaahu alayhi wassallam asked him to recite a portion from what he had learnt and the boy recited Surah Qaaf.

The Prophet [SAW] asked him to learn Hebrew and Syriac languages so that he [SAW] could write letters to people and the boy learnt these within a month

He learnt the entire Qur'aan and started writing it as it was revealed to the Prophet [SAW]

Later, after the Prophet [SAW] passed away, he was asked to collect the entire Quran in the form of a book.

His name was Zaid bin Thaabit radiyy Allaahu anhu

The bravest little boy in Madina

One day a group of boys were playing on a street in Madina. They saw 'Umar [rA] coming towards them. They knew he was a strict person so they ran off in different directions. Only one boy remained.

Umar [rA] asked him:

Le maa zaa lam tahrub ma'aa ashaabak yaa haaza?

[Why didn't you escape with your companions O You?]

The little boy replied:

Le maa zaa ahrub? Anaa lam akun mujrim wa attareeq laysat dayyiqa fa awsa lak

[Why should I run off? I am not an offender and the road is not narrow, that I should make it wide for you]

The little boy was Abdullaah bin Zubair, the first Muslim child born in Madina at Quba.

His father was azZubair bin Awwaam
His mother was Asmaa bint Abu Bakr
His grandfather was Abu Bakr as Siddeeq
His aunt was Ummul Mu'mineen A'ishah as Siddeeqa

radiyy Allaahu anhum ajmaeen
[May Allaah be pleased with all of them]

MY TOP 5 BOOKS

Assalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

hallo, I'm Rasha again... I like to come back here after sooooo long

I hope you like reading funny, interesting posts from me and Rida...don't you ??? I was desperate to find something to write from, but now, I'm writing from my own mind.

I was thinking about writing about my favourite book, but I find it so difficult to choose only one. I like reading everything... don't know why. I like reading newspapers, magazines, books for KIDS. Whatever I find, I start reading.

I sometimes go with Ummaa to the bookshop and I feel like buying everything that is over there, I can't make up my mind.

My favourite books out of the ones I have read are;

1. Oliver Twist: I like this book a lot although I feel very sad when I read it.

2. The 'O' Sullivan Twins: I used to feel irritated and wanted to go and spank some of the girls who were being mean to others in the book, but I enjoy reading it.

3. 5 O Clock Tales: I find them very interesting and funny.

4. Moby Dick: I sometimes felt frightened when I read about Captain Ahab, but it's a very interesting book.

5. The Magic Faraway Tree: I used to imagine that the tree is in front of me and Rida and I are going to climb it and visit different strange lands... i wish all those stories were real and that we could visit the ice-cream land and eat as much as we wanted to without falling sick!

Alhamdulilah that Allaah has given us eyes to see and a mind to read and understand!!
****************************************************************
RASHA
****************************************************************

What happens when we sleep?

Asalamu'alaikum wa rahmatu allaahi wa barakatuhu

I'm Rida. Good to come back and write after a loooong time.
Today I slept late and got up very late too...do you know
WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE SLEEP?

Every night we close our eyes and go off to another world:
the world of sleep. When we awaken,it's as if we have come back from a journey, except that we don't know what really happened to us. We may know we dreamed, or were cold or hot. But what else did we do? What was happening to our body when we slept?

One important thing happened, of course, was that the muscles of our body relaxed.If someone were to raise our arm gently while we slept, it would be quite limp and we would'nt resist. One of the reasons we take the horizontal position when we go to sleep is that it is allows this muscle relaxation.

okay, let me ask this question and see who knows the answer
An animal that sleeps while standing up is............

An animal that keeps its eyes open when asleep is ......

A set of muscles that doesn't relax during sleep, is .......

During a nights sleep, our body does a lot of moving. We may move just one part of the body or another,or turn over comletely to change our position. Some people move more, some less and it also depends on how tired we are, the temperature, what we ate before we went to bed and so on. The average person moves only about 20 to 40 times a night,but we move only about 30 seconds each hour or a few minutes in a whole night.

During sleep the following things happen:
Our hearts beat slower
We breathe more slowly, but more deeply
Our body cools down

3 Things We Should Do Before We Sleep

1.Do Wudhu

2. Read Sura al Falaq and Sura An Naas, Ayat-al-Kursi and the last two verses of surah al baqarah

3. Say: Allaahummaa bismekaa amutu wa ahyaa [O Allaah, with Your name we die and are raised] We say this because sleep is also like a kind of death. Our souls are taken away and then returned again.

WHAT IF....???

WHAT IF.. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EYEBROWS?
May 31 2004
By Ruki Sayid

What If...? Intriguing Answers For The Insatiably Curious is a new book which offers scientific or logical answers to all these scenarios and more.

Here are some of the most curious questions...

WHAT IF... we didn't have eyebrows?

SCIENTISTS don't agree as to why they remained while most of our body hair disappeared. But they do help keep moisture out of our eyes when we sweat. The arch shape diverts the flow to the sides of the face.
===============================================================
WHAT IF...I WERE on a rollercoaster going through a loop-the-loop and my harness broke?

IN most loop-the-loops, you would stay in the car whether you had a harness or not.

A roller coaster loop-the-loop works like a centrifuge. At the top of the loop, when you're upside down, gravity is pulling you towards the ground and centrifugal force is pulling into the base of your seat. Since the two opposing forces are nearly equal, your body feels very light.

At the bottom of the loop, the acceleration force is pushing you down in the same direction as gravity, making you feel very heavy.
***************************************************************
WHAT IF ...I THREW a penny off Europe's tallest building?

CONTRARY to what most people think, throwing a penny off a tall building is not that dangerous.

A penny weighs about a gram, and it tumbles as it falls.

If thrown off the 800ft Canary Wharf tower in East London - where the Mirror has its HQ - the coin would only reach about 100mph. With only one foot-pound of energy, it would only hurt a little.

However, if a 50g steel nut were to fall from the tower, it would reach a velocity of about 250mph, giving it energy of about 100 foot-pounds, which is fatal if it hits you on the head.

If you were wearing a hard hat, you would probably survive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT IF ...I WANTED to build a Great Pyramid today - how much would it cost?

IT is believed that up to 100,000 men worked for 20 years to build the Great Pyramid. Made of more than two million blocks weighing three tons each, it measures 756ft by 756ft at the base and is 481ft tall. To build it out of blocks, you would have to find a quarry, cut the stone, load it on to a truck or train, haul it on to the site and unload it before anyone could even start work.

A simpler way would be to use concrete but even then, at the rate of £33 of concrete for every square yard, you would need £83.3million for concrete alone. Add labour and design costs and the final bill would be £200billion (£200,000million).
---------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT IF ...I COULDN'T burp or get rid of gas any other way - would I explode?

WHEN you burp, the air is forced from your stomach and out of your mouth. Eating or drinking something too quickly causes these unwanted bursts because you take in extra, unnecessary air with each gulp. Flatulence is a little different, with gas leaving your body from the opposite end of your digestive tract. If you weren't able to break wind you would initially feel bloated. Then the walls of your intestine would stretch to their capacity and eventually rupture.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WHAT IF ...I never took a bath?

APART from being incredibly smelly, the risk of infection is going to be your biggest problem.

The human body is covered in about 20 square feet of skin with 2.6 million sweat glands and thousands of tiny hairs. You are constantly sweating through two kinds of sweat glands, eccrine and apocrine.

The sweat from apocrine glands contains proteins and fatty acids which make it thick and give it a milky or yellowish colour.

This is why under-arm stains on clothes appear yellowish. While the sweat itself is odourless, when the naturally occurring bacteria on your skin and hair metabolise the proteins and fatty acids, they produce an unpleasant smell.

An average person sweats one to three litres per hour, depending on the climate. Because your skin and hair are sticky with sweat, they are picking up more dirt and providing the ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungi.

A bacterium like staphylococcus getting into the bloodstream through broken skin could be fatal.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WHAT IF...I never cut my hair would I look like Cousin IT?

TYPICAL human hair consists of the hair shaft, which sticks through the skin, and the root, which is sunk in a follicle. Except for a few growing cells at the base of the root, the hair is dead tissue made up of keratin and related proteins.

On average our hair grows half an inch per month and has a maximum life span of six years.

So most people will have a hair growth of no more than three feet.

Also, at any given time about 15 per cent of your roots are on a growth hiatus.

For about three months there is no activity in these follicles and you also around 100 hairs a day so your hair doesn't just grow and grow.

It's highly unlikely that you would resemble Cousin It.
***************************************************************
[www.mirror.co.uk]

A real life Muslim hero

Man Burns to Death Saving Lives in Tabuk
Staff Writer

TABUK, 1 June 2004 — A man died after saving one of the city’s largest residential districts from a devastating explosion by driving a burning fuel truck away from a gas station.

Ali Al-Suraei was buying dinner for his family in Al-Basateen district when he saw the fire on the truck, which was loaded with gasoline, Okaz reported. He immediately took control of the situation as the truck’s driver, an Asian, fled the scene leaving the vehicle at the gas station where it was unloading.

Al-Suraei drove the burning truck away from the populated area while the fire continued to spread. The truck finally exploded and rolled over in an empty area, killing the hero in the flames and destroying three cars.

Chief of Tabuk Court Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Hameed said, “What Al-Suraei did was an attempt to save the residents of an entire district from the danger of the burning truck. He is a hero and martyr.”

[www.arabnews.com]

May Allaah have Mercy on him and grant him a place in Paradise for his brave deed...Aameen.