FORGIVENESS ACCORDING TO THE MORALS OF ISLAM AND ITS BENEFITS ON HEALTH

One of the moral traits recommended in the Qur'an is forgiveness:

Hold to forgiveness, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant. (Qur'an, 7: 199)

In another verse Allah commands: "… They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur'an, 24:22)
Those who do not abide by the moral values of the Qur'an find it very difficult to forgive others. Because, they are easily angered by any error committed. However, Allah has advised the faithful that forgiveness is more proper:

The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone pardons and puts things right, his reward is with Allah… (Qur'an, 42:40)

…. But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 64: 14)

It has also been revealed in the Qur'an that forgiveness is a superior moral trait: "But if someone is steadfast and forgives, that is the most resolute course to follow." (Qur'an, 42:43) For that reason, believers are forgiving, compassionate and tolerant people who, as revealed in the Qur'an, "control their rage and pardon other people." (Qur'an, 3:134)
Believers' notion of forgiveness is very different to that of those who do not live by the morals of the Qur'an. Even though many people may say they have forgiven someone who has offended them, it nevertheless takes a long time to free themselves of the hatred and anger in their hearts. Their behaviour tends to betray that anger. On the other hand, the forgiveness of believers is sincere. Because believers know that human beings are tried in this world, and learn by their mistakes, they are tolerant and compassionate. Moreover, believers are also capable of forgiveness even when they are in the right, and the other in the wrong. When forgiving, they make no distinction between large errors and small ones. Someone may cause severe losses to them by mistake. However, believers know that everything takes place under the command of Allah, and according to a specific destiny, and therefore, they surrender themselves to these developments, never acquiescing to anger.
According to recent research, American scientists established that those capable of forgiveness are healthier in both mind and body. Dr. Frederic Luskin, who holds a Ph.D. in Counselling and Health Psychology from Stanford University, and his team, studied 259 people living in the city of San Francisco. The scientists invited the subjects to attend six one-and-a-half-hour sessions, and aimed to instruct the subjects in forgiveness during their conversations.
The subjects of the experiments stated that they suffered less after forgiving people who had wronged them. The research showed that people who learned to forgive feel much better, not only emotionally but also physically. For example, it was established that after the experiment psychological and physical symptoms such as stress-related backache, insomnia and stomachaches were significantly reduced in these individuals.
In his book, Forgive for Good, Dr. Frederic Luskin describes forgiveness as a proven recipe for health and happiness. The book describes how forgiveness promotes such positive states of mind as hope, patience and self-confidence by reducing anger, suffering, depression and stress. According to Dr. Luskin, harboured anger causes observable physical effects in the individual. He goes on to say that:

The thing about long-term or unresolved anger, is we've seen it resets the internal thermostat. When you get used to a low level of anger all the time, you don't recognize what's normal. It creates a kind of adrenaline rush that people get used to. It burns out the body and makes it difficult to think clearly-making the situation worse.

In addition, Dr. Luskin says, when the body releases certain enzymes during anger and stress, cholesterol and blood pressure levels go up-not a good long-term disposition to maintain the body in.
An article called "Forgiveness," published in the September-October 1996 edition of Healing Currents Magazine, stated that anger towards an individual or an event led to negative emotions in people, and harmed their emotional balance and even their physical health.
  The article also states that people realise after a while that the anger is a nuisance to them, and wish to repair the damage to the relationship. So, they take steps to forgive. It is also stated that, despite all they endure, people do not want to waste the precious moments of their life in anger and anxiety, and prefer to forgive themselves and others.
In another study involving 1,500 people depression, stress and mental illness were observed to be less frequent in religious people. Dr. Herbert Benson, who conducted the research, linked this to the way religions encourage "forgiveness", and went on to say:

There's a physiology of forgiveness… When you do not forgive, it will chew you up.

According to an article titled, "Anger is Hostile To Your Heart," published in the Harvard Gazette, anger is extremely harmful to the heart. Ichiro Kawachi, an assistant professor of medicine, and his team scientifically demonstrated this with various tests and measurements. As a result of their research, they established that grumpy old men had three times the risk of heart disease than their more tempered peers. "The tripling of risk," Kawachi says, "involves high levels of anger, explosive anger that includes smashing things and wanting to hurt someone in a fight."
Researchers believe that release of stress hormones, increased oxygen demand by the heart's muscle cells, and added stickiness of blood platelets, which leads to clots explain how anger increases the chance of a heart attack.
    Furthermore, at times of anger, the pulse rises above its normal level, and leads to increased blood pressure in the arteries, and thus to a greater risk of heart attack.
According to researchers, anger and hostility can also trigger the production of proteins linked to inflammation in the blood. The journal Psychosomatic Medicine suggested that the emotion triggers the production of inflammatory proteins, which may in turn be causing the hardening of the arteries, causing heart disease and stroke.
According to Associate Professor Edward Suarez of the Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina, the protein interleukin 6 (or IL-6) is much higher in men who are angry and depressed. High blood levels of IL-6 lead to atherosclerosis, the build-up of fatty deposits in the lining of the walls of arteries.
   According to Suarez, as well as factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol, heart disease is also linked to psychological states such as depression, anger and hostility.
  Another article, titled "Anger Raises Risk of Heart Attack," published in The Times, stated that a short temper might be a short cut to a heart attack, and that young men who reacted to stress by becoming angry were three times more likely to develop premature heart disease, and were five times more likely to have an early heart attack.
  Scientists at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, found that quick-tempered men are at risk of heart attack even if there is no family history of heart disease.80
All the available research shows that anger is a state of mind that seriously damages human health. Forgiveness, on the other hand, even if it comes hard to people, is pleasing, an aspect of superior morals, that eliminates all the harmful effects of anger, and helps the individual to enjoy a healthy life, both psychologically and physically. Forgiveness, of course, is one of a form of behaviour by which a person can stay healthy, and a positive virtue everyone should live by. However, the true aim of forgiveness-as in all else-must be to please Allah. The fact that the features of this sort of morality, and that the benefits of which have been scientifically identified, have been revealed in many verses of the Qur'an, is just one of the many sources of wisdom it contains.

Six Benefits of Patience (Sabr') from the Qur’an

1. Instruction: Patience is enjoyed upon the Believers.

وَاصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

And endure patiently, your patience is not but from Allah. (16:127)

وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا

So wait patiently for the Decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes. (52:48)
2. That which is opposite to patience is forbidden

فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ

So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish – when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow. (68:48)
3. Patience is made a condition of success and prosperity

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who believe! Endure and be more patient, and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, and fear Allah, so that you may be successful. (3:200)
4. The reward of those who exercise patience is doubled

أُولَـٰئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend out of what We have provided them. (28:54)

إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning. (39:10)
Sulayman ibn Qasim said, “the reward of every deed is known, except for the reward of patience which will be like heavy rain.”
5. Patience and emaan are pre-requisites for leadership in religion

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا ۖ وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ

And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat. (32:24)
6. Patience is the way to earn the Companionship of Allah

وَاصْبِرُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

And be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient. (8:46)

Personal Hygiene in Islam

Muslims enjoy the highest standard of personal hygiene of all the people in the world. In Islam, cleanliness and purification are not only requirements for the performance of worship, or when embracing Islam, but are part of a Muslim’s very faith. Allah says in the Quraan: "Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers etc.)." (The Noble Quran 2: 222)

Cleanliness in Islam is of three kinds:

1- Purification from impurity (i.e. to attain purity or cleanliness, by taking a bath ghusl or performing ablution wudu’ in states in which a bath or ablution is necessary or desirable according to Islamic Law.

2- Cleansing one’s body, dress or place from an impurity of filth.

3- Removing the dirt or grime that collects in various parts of the body, such as cleaning the teeth and nostrils, the trimming of nails and the removing of armpit and pubic hair.

Ghusl:

This is when all parts of the body are thoroughly washed. Ghusl is required of every Muslim after sexual intercourse, after wet dreams, after child-birth, and after post-partum bleeding (40-days flow of blood, and final yellowish discharge has completely stopped), and each month after menstruation and final yellowish discharge has stopped.

Wudu’:

This simple ablution is necessary before prayer in the following cases:
1- after urinating or defecating;
2- if one breaks wind;
3- if one falls asleep lying down;
4- if one loses consciousness;
5- if one directly touches the genitals;
6- if one becomes excited, leading to a subsequent discharge.

The above cases also nullify one’s ablution, requiring a fresh one. Allah says in the Qur’an: "O you who believe! When you intend to offer prayer, wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janaba, purify yourself (bathe your whole body)…." (Al-Ma’idah: 6)
 Muslims are duty bound to shave off their armpits and pubic hair as a matter of routine practice. The males are also instructed to trim their moustaches in order to keep them clear of oral intakes. Our beloved Prophet strictly prohibited his followers to consume onion and garlic (indicating thereby any foul smelling consumable including cigarettes) before going to any congregational prayer in mosques, lest they offend fellow companions praying next to them. Brushing of teeth ( once in a day ) is very recent development of near past. Muslims are known to use Miswak, the herbal brush for the past 1400 years, five times a day prior to each ablution, as recommended by their Prophet.

Cleanliness is inbuilt in Islamic Sharia, as prerequisite to every form and mode of worship. Be it the recital of the holy Qur’an, offering of the five daily prayers, fasting or the Hajj. In fact a Muslim cannot offer his obligatory prayers with unclean body, clothes or using dirty premises. The Holy Qur’an instructs the faithful to ”keep their clothes clean”(74:4). They are also made to imbibe this very message that “Allah loves those who are clean.”(2:222). In fact to what length and breadth, Islam goes on to take care of its followers in respect of personal hygiene, can be exemplified by the afore-mentioned verse whereby Muslims are categorically prohibited to have sex with their mates during menses.

Well at this juncture someone may start feeling that Islam prescribes much more stringent code of cleanliness than they ever thought. They are not wrong. But they are not fully correct too! The emphasis in Islam is more on the cleanliness of the inner-self, that is heart, mind and soul. The external cleaning process and rituals in reality are the preparatory ground work to achieve the more important task and that is cleanliness of the inner-self, which is the ultimate goal of the religion.

Ashara mubaraka 1433 h

     
One of the most successful religious events in bohra community is on its arrival and the enthusiasm and eagerness is seen all over the mumeneen faces as clear as crystal in boomsday .....its no guess rather than to imagine about upcoming ASHARA MUBARAKA  in MUMBAI.....
   It is the only event after haj , where dawoodi bohra community followers come across east to west ,north to south and vise versa to the ASHARA MIQAAT MOZE.....where they all gather and listen to the holy manuscripts delivered by HIS HOLINESS SYEDNA MOHAMMAD BURHANUDDIN SAHEB tus and do buka and matam on matryrdom of  IMAM HUSAIN as  . And sit in eight member group for lunch and dinner named as thaal. Which indeed is next to a miracle where lakh of people eat the same food on same time and same place for 10 days appx......
    The event also causes boom in businesses of that miqaat city in all forms such as transportation,accomadion, merchandise, restaurents etc..
     At last we hope this year it may be more enthusiastic than earlier and make the community prosper in its directives  .

A sad demise of an Angel from the heaven of QASRE BURHANI...

It was a set back for the whole community when the news of the demise of the ANGEL from the heaven of QASRE BURHANI wide spread in the entire world,but the qaza qadr of allah cant be denied or challanged.
   The name BATUL itself expresses its significance in fatemi history. The daughter of holy messenger Mohammad (saw) was also known by this pious name besides Fatema (a.s).
  Shezadi Batul baisaheba (q.r) was one of the renown fatemi poet in all three languages: arabi, lisanud dawat and urdu.i cant remember any miqaat in which her qasida or madeh had been not recitated.One of his famous madeh                       " JEEVU ME AA JAHAAN MA, MOLA NA SAATH MA.....
                                   JANNAT MA MA JAAU JEETI NE MOLA NA SAATH MA"
    is indeed her dream come true .As she spent her entire life in khidmat of her beloved father AQA MOLA(tus) ,and after her demise MUFADDAL MOLA (tus) bestowed sharaf of janaza namaz and suyum sipara , that noorun ala noor in haqeeqat.
       May allah give patience to his pious father SYEDNA MOHAMMAD BURHANUDDIN (tus) and all qasre aali .
                            wassalam

شهر الله المعظم

Praise be to Allah the most Benificient and the most Merciful.
  Ramazan al moazzam ,the month of عبادة نفسانية و جسمانية , is in regards a sole mercy of allah to his excellent creation , the humans.When he created humans he knew they would act against his wills and wishes at all time not occasionally because of the enormous bounties given to them upon all creations,in which العقل (INTELLECT) and النطق (SPEECH) are the only two bounty by which only humans are bestowed.
    So to empower on both intellect and speech , Allah subhanahu kept roza and namaz obligatory on every muslim and muslemah.

Origins of Ramadan:

  The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,^[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.^[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, Allah proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you".

Practices during Ramadan (العبادات المتعددة)

Fasting

Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,^[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat).^[10]

    

Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty, so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.^[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood, many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.

Prayer and reading of the Qur'an

Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar.

Again the same result....my lord !!

I know its harsh to say that team india looked like a team down the points table but there performance spoke the most in 5 days at Lords.i was really disappointed again with MS DHONI who was not at all worried about his personal performance in the entire test year.not just with his disability to resist on fast bowling attack but also with the gloves,the uncertainity of kevin petersons catch was the highlighted one which almost took the game away from them . I dont no why no one is criticizing his individual performances since last one year in all forms of the game . After this shameless loss just mark his words in which he clearly states that its not at all his responsibility , but when a world cup is won than why he should be credited and pampered at fullest ????