Fwd: December 2013 - The Prophet Muhammad: A Mercy for the Whole Mankind

Very enlightening...

Raziya

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. And We (Allah) have sent thee (Muhammad) not but as a mercy for all peoples. (Al Quran 21:108) So said Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Mosque of Medina Have you any notion what was the strange event that occurred in the desert country of Arabia when hundreds of thousands of the dead were revived within a brief period and those who had been misguided through generations put on Divine color, and those who were blind obtained sight, and those who had been dumb began to speak of the understanding of the Divine, and the world underwent a revolution which had never been seen or heard of before? It was the supplications during dark nights of one who had lost himself in God which raised a clamor in the world, and manifested such wonders as appeared impossible in the case of that unlearned helpless one. Send down Thy blessings and peace, O Allah, on him and his people according to the amount of pain and anguish he felt for his Ummah, and pour down upon him the lights of Thy mercy forever. [Barakat-ud-Du'a, Ruhani Khaza'in, Vol. 6, pp. 10-11] I always wonder how high was the status of this Arabian Prophet, whose name was Muhammad, (thousands of blessings and peace be upon him). One cannot reach the limit of his high status and it is not given to man to estimate correctly his spiritual effectiveness. It is a pity that his rank has not been recognized, as it should have been. He was the champion who restored to the world the Unity of God which had disappeared from the world; he loved God in the extreme and his soul melted out of sympathy for mankind. Therefore, God, Who knew the secret of his heart, exalted him above all the Prophets and all the first ones and the last ones and bestowed upon him in his lifetime all that he desired. He is the fountainhead of every grace and a person who claims any superiority without acknowledging his grace is not a man but is the spawn of Satan, because the Holy Prophet has been bestowed the key to every exaltation and he has been given the treasury of every understanding. He who does not receive through him is deprived forever. I am nothing and possess nothing. I would be most ungrateful if I were not to confess that I have learnt of the true Unity of God through this Prophet. The recognition of the Living God we have achieved through this perfect Prophet and through his light. The honor of converse with God, through which we behold His countenance, has been bestowed upon me through this great Prophet. The ray of this sun of guidance falls like sunshine upon me and I continue illumined only so long as I am adjusted towards it. [Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza'in, Vol. 22, pp. 118-119] To read more click here A Collection of Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad with Foreword by Mahatma Gandhi Epigraph: And We (Allah) have sent thee (Muhammad) not but as a mercy for all peoples. (Al Quran 21:108) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (pronounced [ˈmoːɦənd̪aːs ˈkərəmtʃənd̪ ˈɡaːnd̪ʱi] ( listen); 2 October 1869 - 30 January 1948) was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violentcivil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahatma (Sanskrit: "high-souled," "venerable"[2]) - applied to him first in 1914 in South Africa,[3] - is now used worldwide. He is also called Bapu (Gujarati: endearment for "father,"[4]"papa."[4][5]) in India. But, for Albert Einstein, Gandhi would have been the man of the century, as determined by the Time magazine, for the twentieth century. This collection of sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him, collected by Sir Abduallah Suhrawardy, with foreword by Mahatma Gandhi is not only a wonderful heritage for all the Muslims, but, also for a billion Hindus, in India and else where. One of the first four Hadith quoted in this book is about the Golden rule, "No man is a true believer unless he desireth for his brother that which he desireth for himself." Allama Sir Abdullah al-Mamun al-Suhrawardy, M.A, Ph.D., D.Litt. (Oxon), LL.D., Commander of the Order of Medjidie, (1870 - 1935) was an Islamic scholar, barrister, and academic. To read the full book click here An apology for Mohammed and the Koran Book written by John Davenport This is a short but a wonderful book and a must read for all Muslims and Christians. The Muslim Times has the unique privilege to make a PDF file of this beautiful book, An apology for Mohammed and the Koran, available online. I will encourage all readers to download and not only read the book, but, save it for future generations. Let us call this book a very important world heritage. In his book An apology for Mohammed and the Koran, John Davenport has a chapter dedicated to refuting four different allegations against the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him. In the beginning of the chapter he makes a list of the four allegations that he is going to defend: The charges brought against Mohammed are reducible to four, as follows :- I. The promulgating a new and false religion as a revelation from God, it being, on the contrary, but a mere invention of his own, for the purpose of gratifying his ambition and lust. II. That Mohammed propagated his religion by the sword, thereby causing an enormous waste of human blood and a vast amount of human misery. III. The sensual character of his Paradise as described in the Koran. IV. The encouragement he has given to licentiousness by legalizing Polygamy. Below I have quoted some parts from the said chapter: Is it possible to conceive, we may ask, that the man who directed such great and lasting reforms in his own country by substituting the worship of the one only true God for the gross and debasing idolatry in which his countrymen had been plunged for ages; who abolished infanticide, prohibited the use of spirituons liquors and games of chance (those sources of moral depravity), who restricted within comparatively narrow limits the unrestrained polygamy which he found in existence and practice - can we, we repeat, conceive so great and zealous a reformer to have been a mere impostor, or that his whole career was one of sheer hypocrisy? Can we imagine that his divine mission was a mere invention of his own of whose falsehood he was conscious throughout? No, surely, nothing but a consciousness of really righteous intentions could have carried Mohammed so steadily and constantly without ever flinching or wavering, without ever betraying himself to his most intimate connections and companions, from his first revelation to Khadijah to his last agony in the arms of Ayesha. Surely a good and sincere man, full of confidence in his Creator, who makes an immense reform both in faith and practice, is truly a direct instrument in the hands of God, and may be said to have a commission from Him. Why may not Mohammed be recognized, no less than other faithful, though imperfect servants of God, as truly a servant of God, serving him faithfully though imperfectly? Why may it not be believed that he was, in his own age and country, a preacher of truth and righteousness sent to teach his own people the unity and righteousness of God, to give them civil and moral precepts suited to their condition. The Muslims, however, believe that the Prophet Muhammad did serve his God perfectly. Having said that, any Muslim cannot but help being grateful to John Davenport for his eloquence in the defense of Islam. In another place John Davenport beautifully explains that the religion of Islam is a continuation of the religion of all the previous prophets: It has also been objected that Mohammed, while pretending not to deliver any new religion to the Arabians, but only to revive that old one which God had revealed to Abraham, and Abraham had delivered to Ishmael, the founder of their nation, actually did found a new religion, and, consequently, spake that which was false. But, if that only be a new religion which differs from the former in the object of its worship, and the moral duties imposed by it, then, certainly neither that of Moses, nor that of Jesus Christ, nor that of Mohammed, were new religions. That of Moses was no more than the renewal and enforcement by laws of that religion which Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Ishmael professed, and which was to adore the one only God, and Him to love and obey with their whole soul, and to practise those moral duties which the necessity of human society as well as the will of God imposed upon mankind. Thus, Jesus Christ tells us that to love God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves was the whole law and the prophets, that is, that Moses and the prophets taught the Israelites a religion which entirely consisted in the love and adoration of one eternal God, and an extensive love of one another; and hence the doctrine of Jesus Christ himself was not new, but the same that Moses had taught before, with this only difference, that our moral duties to one another were commanded with more force than before, and this admirable and divine rule set down, by which the meanest and most ignorant of mankind might know with almost certainty when he offended against these moral duties and when not, as the precept 'do unto others as you would they should do unto you' clearly shows. At the appearance of Jesus, the Jews inhabiting Judea were extremely corrupt in their morals, and a criminal self love and egotism having been long spread among them, both priests and people, there was nothing to be found but avarice, rapine, injustice and oppression, for, placing their righteousness in the rigid observance of some ceremonies and formulas of religion, they had entirely lost its real substance. To restore this seems to have been the whole aim, drift and design of the mission of Christ, for to that all his doctrines plainly tend-a consideration sufficient to show that the Christian religion in its foundation was but the renewing of that of Moses. The business of Mohammed was not only to enforce moral doctrines, but also to establish the adoration of one God, for the people among whom it was his lot to be cast were gone vastly astray in both; it was, therefore, his intent to revive the religion of Ishmael the founder of his nation - namely, the worship of one God; and this is enough to prove that Mohammed did but speak the truth when he told the Arabians that he did not preach to them a new religion, but only the ancient one which their forefather Ishmael had proposed many ages before. To read more click here Did Prophet Muhammad kill 700 Jews? Source: Muhammad Fact Check This is perhaps one of the most common contemporary allegations levied against Prophet Muhammad [1]. It is also one of the most spurious. This event occurred after the largest battle ever held on Arabian soil in Medina during Prophet Muhammad's life. The Confederate Army comprised of no less than 12,000 soldiers while the Muslims barricaded themselves in Medina, along with their sworn allies - per the Charter of Medina - numbering roughly a tenth the size. While the Muslims were victorious, they came within moments of annihilation due to the Banu Quraizah tribe's treason. Critics baselessly claim that Prophet Muhammad blindly executed the entire tribe. This too is baseless. Prophet Muhammad and the Jews were allies, as enshrined in the Charter of Medina Article 49, which states, "The parties to this Pact are bound to help each other in the event of an attack on Yathrib." The Banu Quraizah Tribe was an equal and willing party to this pact. Yet, in the heat of battle, the Banu Quraizah sided with the enemy against the state of Medina despite their prior signed agreement. Fortunately, the remaining allied Medina army was able to withstand this treasonous act and win the battle against incredible odds. The question remained, however, how to address the Banu Quraizah's treason. Adding to the dilemma was the fact that the Banu Quraizah had committed this act once before, upon which Prophet Muhammad merely exiled them. When they later asked his forgiveness, he granted it, which is why they had since re-entered Medina. The 19th century historian Stanley Lane-Poole accurately describes the events that followed the Battle of the Ditch: Of the sentences on the three clans, that of exile, passed upon two of them, was clement enough. They were a turbulent set, always setting the people of Medina by the ears; and finally, a brawl followed by an insurrection resulted in the expulsion of one tribe; and insubordination, alliance with enemies and a suspicion of conspiracy against the Prophet's life, ended similarly for the second. Both tribes had violated the original treaty, and had endeavored in every way to bring Muhammad and his religion to ridicule and destruction. The only question is whether their punishment was not too light. Of the third clan a fearful example was made, not by Muhammad, but by an arbiter appointed by themselves. When Quraish and their allies were besieging Medina and had well-nigh stormed the defences, this Jewish tribe [the Banu Quraizah] entered into negotiations with the enemy, which were only circumvented by the diplomacy of the Prophet. When the besiegers had retired, Muhammad naturally demanded an explanation of the Jews. They resisted in their dogged way and were themselves besieged and compelled to surrender at discretion. Muhammad, however, consented to the appointing of a chief of a tribe allied to the Jews as the judge who should pronounce sentence upon them. This chief gave sentence that the men, in numbers some 600, should be killed, and the women and children enslaved; and the sentence was carried out. It was a harsh, bloody sentence; but it must be remembered that the crime of these men was high treason against the State, during a time of siege; and one need not be surprised at the summary execution of a traitorous clan. Thus, Prophet Muhammad did not order any execution, nor did he participate in the execution. On the contrary, Prophet Muhammad graciously agreed to let the Banu Quraizah's own ally, Sa'd bin Mu'adh of Aus, deliver the verdict. Why blame Prophet Muhammad for a decision he did not make and for a crime he did not commit? To read more click here Prof. Laura Veccia Vaglieri: An interpretation of Islam Prof. Laura Veccia Vaglieri contributed several articles to the Encyclopedia of Islam. She was a pioneer of Arabic and Islamic studies in Italy, Veccia Vaglieri served as professor at the Naples Eastern University and was the author of books on the historical and institutional analysis of the Arab and Muslim world. Laura Veccia Vaglieri (1893 - 1989) was an Italian orientalist A pioneer of Arabic and Islamic studies in Italy, Veccia Vaglieri served as professor at the Naples Eastern University and was the author of books on the historical and institutional analysis of the Arab and Muslim world. Her most popular book is An interpretation of Islam. To read more click here Muhammad: the Light for the Dark Ages of Europe! Abstract An honest study of the causes of the Dark Ages and European renaissance will lead to the inevitable conclusion that Muhammad, may peace be on him, was the light for the Dark Ages. John Davenport writes in, an apology for Mohammed and the Koran: "It is in the compositions of Friar Bacon, who was born in 1214, and who learned the Oriental languages, that we discover the most extensive acquaintance with the Arabian authors. He quotes Albumazar, Thabet-Ebu-Corah, Ali Alhacer, Alkandi, Alfraganus and Arzakeb; and seems to have been as familiar with them as with the Greek and Latin classics, especially with Avicenna, whom he calls 'the chief and prince of philosophy.' The great Lord Bacon, it is well known, imbibed and borrowed the first principles of his famous experimental philosophy from his predecessor and namesake Roger Bacon, a fact which indisputably establishes the derivation of the Baconian philosophical system from the descendants of Ishmael and disciples of Mohammed." In a short paragraph, John Davenport has very precisely identified all the links in the human intellectual evolution. Additionally, his book, which is available in Google books, is a master piece in the defense of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him. Read his two page Preface and he is standing shoulder to shoulder with other great defenders of the Prophet Muhammad in the Western world, like Thomas Carlyle. Unfortunately, some Western scientists and historians propose the European science to be some sort of magical wand and what preceded it as not good enough or label it as pre-science or mystical science etc.! My task here is twofold, first to show that European science was built on the Latin translations of the works of the great Muslim pioneers and secondly that the Muslim learning from 8th-12th centuries was heavily influenced by the teachings of the Holy Quran, the literal word of God, revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him. "If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and outstanding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad?" -Alphonse de Lamartine, Foreign Minister of France, 1848 Allow me to make the lion's share of my case by quoting a classic book History of the Moorish Empire in Europe published in 1904 in three volumes and extending over more than 2000 pages. The insightful writer, Samuel Parsons Scott, a lawyer from Hillsboro Ohio writes, as he attributes all the success of Europe to the Prophet Muhammad: Unlike most theological systems to which men, in all ages, have rendered their obedient and pious homage, no mystery obscures the origin and foundation of Islam. The purity and simplicity of its principles have undergone no change. Its history has been preserved by the diligence of innumerable writers. The life and characteristics of its Prophet, even to the smallest detail, are accessible to the curiosity of every enterprising scholar. The austere character of a faith which, at its inception, exacts a rigid compliance with the minutest formalities of its ritual, naturally becomes relaxed and modified after that system has attained to worldly importance and imperial authority; or, in the language of one of the greatest of modern writers, 'a dominant religion is never ascetic.' It is strange that Islam, which, in this respect, as in many others, has conformed to the general law of humanity, and now acknowledges tenets and allows practices that would have struck the subjects of Abu-Bekr and Omar with amazement, has been able to preserve in such perfection the observance of its ceremonial; especially when it had no organized sacerdotal power to sustain it. The absence of an ecclesiastical order which could dictate the policy of the throne, and humble the pride of the ermine and purple with the dust in the presence of some audacious zealot, also left untrammelled the way for scientific investigation and research, and, more than all else, contributed to dispel the darkness of mediaeval times. The doctrine of toleration enunciated by Mohammed gave no encouragement to that system of repression whose activity has exhausted every means of checking the growth of philosophical knowledge, by imposing the most direful spiritual and temporal penalties upon every teacher who ventures to publicly explain its principles; and it is a matter of far deeper import to the civilization of the twentieth century, than is implied by the mere performance of an act of devotion, when the Temple of Mecca - the seat of a time-honored faith, from whose shrine emanated the spirit of learning that redeemed degraded Europe - is saluted five times every day by the reverent homage of concentric circles of believers, one hundred and fifty million in number, from Tangier to Pekin, from the borders of Siberia to the Equinoctial Line. To read more click here Book Review: The Leadership of Muhammad Written by Prof. John Adair Reviewed by Zia H Shah MD Epigraph: : Indeed, the Messenger of God is an excellent model for those of you who put your hope in God and the Last Day and remember Him often. (Al Quran 33:22) Leadership John Adair is one of the world's leading authorities on leadership and leadership development. Over a million managers worldwide have taken part in the Action Centered Leadership programs he pioneered. He wrote this wonderful book about the Holy Prophet Muhammad's contributions to leadership in 2010. This year he has come out with another book Confucius on Leadership. His short 127 page book, The Leadership of Muhammad, appears to me, to be a very lucid commentary of the verse, I mentioned as Epigraph and Adair quotes it in the introduction to his book. In the conclusion of his book, he pays wonderful tribute to the Prophet, by saying, "The Muslim tradition of leadership, if I have understood it, transcends even the three great human traditions of understanding leadership that I have just mentioned." He describes a universal or a generic role of a leader. He says that a universal leader, then, will be a person who exemplifies such distinctively human qualities as goodness, kindness, humaneness and compassion. He writes in the introduction of the book: I believe that there is a universal or generic role of leader. Moreover, thanks to one lucky discovery (see Chapter 8), I have come as close as anyone has yet been to defining what that universal or generic role actually is. When experimentally applied on a large scale to selection and training of leaders the theory has worked consistently, and it has done so for over half a century. That is why I now claim that it is true. Prof. John Adair: UN Chair of Strategic Leadership & World's first Professor of Leadership Studies Adair concludes each of the eight chapters with a few key points. In the end of the first chapter he writes: -Leader should exemplify or personify the qualities expected, required and admired in their working groups. A leader of soldiers, for example, needs to demonstrate courage, 'the soldier's virtue', as Shakespeare called it. -Courage is a quality shown by Muhammad at Hunayn: it is that which enables people to meet danger without giving way to fear, to act bravely under stress or to endure in times of adversity. ... Another generic quality of universal leaders is humility. The word comes from the Latin root humus (ground, earth), related to homo (man). When Muhammad spread his cloak, lowered himself and sat on the ground with people at the same level, it was an act of humility. Compare a king sitting high upon a throne above his subjects, who abase themselves before him. As they will tell you in Ghana, 'Don't expect to be offered a chair when you visit a place where the chief himself sits on the floor.' The fifth chapter is titled, Muhammad: 'The Trustworthy One,' here, Adair writes: Why does truth or veracity, honesty and high principle, matter in a leader? The reason is simple. Leaders who are true, and always speak the truth, create trust. And trust is vital in all human relations, professional or private. You can see why Muhammad insisted upon integrity in those who were chosen to be leaders in the Umma, the growing Muslim community. There was to be no place for any form of bribery or corruption: not that this prohibition was - or is - easy, for man is 'violent ... in his love of wealth' (Q 100:8). 'I will stand surety for Paradise if you save yourself from six things: telling untruths, violating promises, dishonouring trust, being unchaste in thought and act, striking the first blow, taking what is bad and unlawful.' MUHAMMAD Today, the political leaders do not think twice, before a preemptive strike, when it serves their purpose, as long as they can fog the public perception, with excuses, smoke screens and propaganda. To read more click here December 2013 Updates from Alislam What's New at alislam.org Follow us on Recent Highlights New English Book: The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets(sa) Volume 2 [PDF] by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad M.A.(ra) New English Book: The Economic System of Islam [PDF] by Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra) New English book: The Outset of Dissension in Islam (PDF) by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra) Alfazl Qadian Archives: 1913 to 1920 New Children's Book: Our Beloved Master - His Early Life (PDF) by Sheikh Muhammad Ismail Panipati New Urdu Book: Khatabat-e-Noor [PDF] Addresses by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra) New English Book: A Critical Review of the Pamphlet: Fateh-e-Qadian [PDF] by Hadi Ali Chaudhary New English Book: The Verdict of the Quran and Sunnah [PDF] In reply to the booklet: Faisalah Ap Karein (Judge for Yourself) Persecution News and Updates For latest updates about the persecution of peaceful Ahmadiyya Muslim Community please visit newly launched website www.persecutionofahmadis.org www.reviewofreligions.org www.muslimsunrise.com Archives of Alislam-eGazette about the Prophet Muhammad April 2011 Jan 2011 Thomas Carlyle, Karen Armstrong, John Davenport and Prof. Laura Veccia Vaglieri To read more click here Unsubscribe    |   Contact Us   |   eGazette Team   |   Sitemap    |   Twitter   |   Facebook   |   Google+   |   YouTube Copyright © 2013 Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. 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Downloadable translations of the Holy Qur'an in 53 languages...

Please, share these links with all your friends, too. 

Should you encounter problems or do not find your particular language, please contact the person at the link given at the end of this email.

Salaams with prayers,

Raziya

ALLAH ON DELIVERY OF THE HOLY MESSAGE (QURAN) TO THE WHOLE OF MANKIND

Allah says (in the Holy Qur'an, Aal-e-`Imran: 105), "And let there be among you a few who should invite (humanity) towards goodness."

…and who is better in speech than he who invites men to Allah and does good works and says, 'I am surely of those who submit.' [41:34]

[42:16] To this, then, do thou invite mankind.

[16:126] Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation and argue with them in a way that is best. 

Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:

[50:46] So admonish, by means of the Qur'an, him who fears My warning.

And I pray:

O Lord, accept this from me; for Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing;

=====================================

The Holy Qur'an in English & 53 more language translations

Read & Share the Blessing–God's Message to Mankind–The Holy Qur'an–The Grand & Glorious Word of God–In 53 languages @ http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/06/religion/islam/read-the-holy-quran-gods-message-to-his-creation-in-english

Holy Qur'an App with links for & 53 more language translations

Islamic Apps for the Holy Quran, Friday Sermon, locating Mosque, etc., for iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android & Windows Phone @ http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/06/religion/islam/the-holy-quran-app-by-the-ahmadiyya-muslim-community-for-apple-android

Hindi

Book of Wisdom and Logic – The Holy Qur'an – Universal Message from the Lord Almighty – In Hindi @ http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/11/religion/islam/book-of-wisdom-and-logic-the-holy-quran-universal-message-from-the-lord-almighty-in-hindi

French

Book of Wisdom and Logic – The Holy Qur'an – Universal Message from the Lord Almighty – In French @ http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/11/countries/france/book-of-wisdom-and-logic-the-holy-quran-universal-message-from-the-lord-almighty-in-french

Chinese

Book of Wisdom and Logic – The Holy Qur'an – Universal Message from the Lord Almighty – In Chinese @ http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/11/asia/book-of-wisdom-and-logic-the-holy-quran-universal-message-from-the-lord-almighty-in-chinese

Hebrew

Read & Share–God's Message to Mankind–The Holy Qur'an–A guidance for the righteous-in Hebrew & 53 other languages  @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/06/countries/india/read-the-holy-quran-message-to-mankind-from-the-lord-almighty-in-hebrew

Urdu

Qur'an-e-Majeed – Arabic with Urdu translation: It is the direct Word of God, the complete guidance & the last Shariah @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/religion/islam/holy-quran-arabic-with-urdu-translation-read-online-or-download

Japanese

Japanese Translation of Quran [6:156] This is a Book WE have sent: Full of blessings! Follow it & guard against evil @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/uncategorized/holy-quran-arabic-with-japenese-translation-read-online-or-download

Korean

Mighty Quran in Korean Language: Holy Quran is the Light [10:2] Consummate wisdom–A cure for Souls–A decisive word @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/religion/islam/holy-quran-arabic-with-korean-translation-read-online-or-download

Persian

Persian Holy Quran: The perfect scripture that guides man to attain highest ranks, righteousness & God-consciousness @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/religion/islam/holy-quran-arabic-with-persian-translation-read-online-or-download

Russian

Message to Mankind from God, the Almighty: Russian Translation of Holy Quran: Therein are lasting commandments @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/religion/islam/holy-quran-arabic-with-russian-translation-read-online-or-download

Bengali

Bengali Translation of Holy Quran [31:3-4] Verses of the Book of Wisdom; A guidance & a mercy for those who do good @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/religion/islam/holy-quran-arabic-with-bengali-translation-read-online-or-download

Spanish

Holy Quran in Spanish [14:2-3] A Book We've revealed to thee that thou mayest bring mankind out of darkness into light @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/10/religion/islam/holy-quran-arabic-with-spanish-translation-read-online-or-download

German

The Holy Qur'an is a grand & glorious Word of God.Therein r lasting commandments (Ch.98:V.4) An inexhaustible treasure @http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/06/countries/germany/read-the-holy-quran-message-to-mankind-from-the-lord-almighty-in-german

Let me know if you need any help doing those or need any further information / clarifications.

Jazakallah,

Salma J. Khan | www.TheMuslimTimes.Org

--
'One learned man is harder on the devil than a thousand ignorant worshipers': Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

An example of a consumer's condition.....

Of course, there are nearly daily outages and fluctuations not just in the daytime but all through the night, too.

Therefore, I will give an example of the average consumer's condition in light of this daily insanity that Kenya Power(?), puts us through.

Take today - We were unceremoniously plunged into darkness at a very early hour of the morning - 3.00 am. If a consumer is incapacitated, ill, old, etc., this sudden outage is liable to be highly dangerous if the person is up and about. And there are many examples of old and infirm people getting hurt which even results in a death!

Muslims in Nyali, like elsewhere in Mombasa, get up for early morning prayers before 5.00 am and this we did in darkness and even said part of our prayers in darkness when mercifully the power returned at around 5.00 am.

Then, an hour later, it went off again. 

Since, we now had to prepare for a day of work (whatever that might be), and since we could not  get any sense out of this company, we tried making do  with alternative sources of light and carried on.

When we do manage to get through to somebody who might know of the problem, they hardly ever tell us the truth regarding the cause or the time we will get 'normal' supply back with any conviction.

This outage lasted for more than 2 hours and though it came back, it went off again barely 3 minutes later! The next time we saw 'light' was another 45 minutes to an hour.

Ah, we thought, naively, now we can carry on with our normal activities most of which involve the consumption of  power.

But, it was not to be. For again, without warning it went off at around 11.00 am. Despite being told by an engineer of this company that it would be back in about half an hour, it wasn't back till over an hour later!

Can this nasty company please tell us how we can live in this manner day in, day out?

We can never plan our day for one thing, which causes a lot of problems.

Then, being one of the highest taxed countries in the world (yes, even at times higher than the so-called developed ones), we get no proper services of any kind in return.

In fact, we are sometimes intimidated and rubished by officialdom or supposed 'service providers' all over. Why?

These people are unprofessional, unethical, corrupt, unaccountable and at times extremely arrogant!

Can the recipients of this email please tell the average Kenyan citizen, why we should continue paying taxes through our proverbial noses not once but at times twice and thrice over for the same commodity?

It reminds one of medieval Europe when the rulers of various countries there kept the 'serfs' subjugated by taxing them unbearably. But our leaders should also remind themselves of the consequences that those countries went through as a result when the serfs decided that they had had enough.

Please, learn from history and try not to repeat it.

We are totally FED UP!

Needed URGENTLY by Kenya Power.....

Since the 'black' Thursday when this awful and irresponsible power company put the whole of Mombasa through the most trying and damaging 4 to 5 day outage due to some 'big' fire at their Kipevu plant (one wonders why it happened), we, in the North Coast have been suffering more than our usual outages/fluctuations and we are truly at the end of our tether. In other words - we've HAD IT!!!!

Since yesterday these constant outages have reached an unbelievably long time to fix.

For example, when we suffered the 3rd outage of the day yesterday evening at around 6.15pm, it  didn't come back till nearly 2.15 am this morning.

After having suffered the whole night, one would imagine that today this rotten in the extreme power company would make sure that we had power uninterruptedly for the remainder of the day to be able to do our work.

But, it was not to be. Just after 11.00 am, the power suddenly went off and didn't return till around 3.00 pm.

Since we have so many outages and fluctuations due to various reasons like cable problems, fires, etc., one gets the feeling that this outrageous power company is totally unfit to do it's work. Hence my subject line - we need some competent, honest and ethical people to take over this pathetic company.

The present lot seem to be completely irresponsible to the damage their actions or lack thereof, cause to the consumers.

Get your act together, Kenya Power!

Our thuggish power company

This is a follow up of what I wrote earlier in the day. 

Since that time, we've lost power at least twice without any reason given.

One of the reasons I call them thugs (in disguise), is because they feel no remorse and have even heard them laughing and joking while they make me wait on the phone. That is IF I can even get through to any of the numbers I have.

I would suggest to our cash strapped government and it's various 'arms' to forget about celebrating with any pomp or ceremony this year's 50th anniversary of so-called Independence. We're anything but, thanks to our various 'service' providers top among them being power and water. These two are highly essential for living in the 21st century. For, instead of improving over the past 50 years, we have been regressing.

We have very little to be proud of and we are still overcome with a population, over 50% of which, still leaves under the poverty line.

And guess why? Because, cost of living is sky rocketing while majority of the young are unemployed. 

This is a Catch 22 type of situation where with a high cost of living most people who might employ cannot afford to do so. After all basic necessities of life like water and power (especially the last), keeps getting expensive yet does not deliver a reliable supply. In fact, it causes untold damage to equipment and also lives.

We dread tomorrow as Kenya Power (?), will, as has been the case since over a week, plunge us into the dark ages over and over again and through the day without an explanation or notice!

We've really had ENOUGH!!!

Fwd: KENYAN FINANCIAL PUBLIC UNACCOUNTABILITY continues UNABATED(sic):--------"Kulla MATUNDA ya UHURU!"

Another example of thuggery in high places.... Unaccountability, irresponsibility and mismanagement seems to be a disease that EVERY government that takes office seems to suffer from.

Why make the citizens suffer for these crooked politicians?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: SHAILEEN

Sh338 billion of last Budget unaccounted for, report shows

Updated Wednesday, October 9th 2013 at 00:00 GMT +3

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GLANCE FACTS

We were very frustrated by their (accounting officers) deliberate efforts to deny us information — Edward Ouko, Auditor General
 

The refurbished Migori County Governors office. [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD]

By LILLIAN KIARIE
KENYA: Over Sh338 billion of the total government expenditure for 2011/2012 was unaccounted for even as the State struggles to raise fresh revenue through new measures like VAT.
Only 6 per cent of the Sh920 billion that the government spent (Sh55.2 billion) was fully accounted for, according to a new report released by the Auditor General Tuesday.
The damning report indicates that a further Sh561 billion lacked adequate supporting documents, highlighting the shocking loopholes that lead to the misuse of government funds.
Auditor-General Edward Ouko said about a third of the 252 financial statements of institutions he audited were either deliberately misstated or revealed fraudulent expenditure.
"We were very frustrated by their deliberate efforts to deny us information," Mr Ouko said, referring to the accounting officers' failure to provide documents to support their expenses.
Other expenditures were not authorised, he added.
The massive loss of government funds brings into focus a cash-strained government that is struggling to meet its most basic obligations including healthcare, food security and salaries for its workers. In the current year, for instance, the government widened the 16 per cent VAT net to cover a host of consumer products in a bid to raise additional revenue, which saw the price of basic commodities skyrocket.
Mr Ouko identified malpractices in government as absence of proof of payment, over-expenditure, unpaid bills and unaccounted for imprests by government employees.
Five government ministries spent Sh7 billion without parliamentary approval under recurrent expenditure. This is 20 times more compared to the figure recorded in the 2010/2011 financial year.
The Ministry of Education once again found itself under the spotlight of irregular spending after spending Sh5.5 billion on the free primary and secondary school programmes without parliamentary approval.
Plagued by scandals

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Since the DARK THURSDAY....

As the subject matter says, since that Thursday when this monopolistic and questionable so-called 'power' company immersed the whole of Mombasa into the Dark Ages, we've had nothing but trouble. Even more than usual.

First, most of this town (I refuse to give it 'city' status with the kind of 'services' it gets), did not have power for nearly 5 whole days!!!!

One wonders if we were in a state of war since only such a condition would warrant a situation like the one this horrible power company put the residents, through, without a word of explanation or apology or compensation for all the damage that it put the residents.

Since, that Thursday, we in Nyali have had continuous outages and fluctuations EVERY SINGLE DAY, again without any explanations or apology or notifications. As expected most times the phones go unanswered, too. Especially, after one has informed them of the outage, subsequent calls to find out the cause or the duration will not be answered. 

What are the residents to deduce from these constant outages? And how are we supposed to plan our work for the day? And will this disgusting, unaccountable company going to EVER take responsibilty for its irresponsible actions?

We are VERY TIRED and FED UP of this!!!

Re: On and on and on..... go our outages and fluctuations with no end in sight

Assalamu alaikum, Shabir!

Yes, I heard that you're having BIG power problems on the island since Thursday evening when all of us suddenly were treated to the dark ages, yet again.

At the time, I didn't know that this treatment was affecting the entire 'city' of Mombasa till the next day.

You have all my sympathies for what you all must be going through. I am just wondering if this irresponsible power company is going to compensate the residents for all the damage their 2 days and counting outage is causing? The residents should DEMAND this. After all their services are inversely proportional to their constantly hiked up tariffs.

Imagine despite paying these atrocious charges, we still have to deal with spoilt food messed up electrical and electronic appliances with no apology or explanation. Typical of a banana republic which considers all of the above as collateral damage.

I'm surprised that you even managed to get through to their customer 'service'. Good for you since their 'emergency' numbers are redundant. 

That fire at Kipevu. What started it?

On Sat, Sep 28, 2013 at 12:46 PM, Issak wrote:

Salaams. Your problem with power pales when you compare ours on the Island. Two days and counting...at least someone at kpl customer care informed us of the cause, a fire at kipevu. Hopefully they sort it out soon. But you are quite correct, we can only develop fully if we do not get roadblocked all the time. What we need are backup plans, prompt responses and acceptance of responsibility.

Take heart, one day we will get there.

Shabir

Re: On and on and on..... go our outages and fluctuations with no end in sight

Subsequent to my email below, we lost power for another couple of times and then, it went again at about 5.45 pm and didn't come back till 5 hours later!!!! Which would make it just before 11.00 pm (nearly midnight!).

Considering these horrors are going to do away with power yet again in a few hours time, i.e. supposedly 9.00 am for their so-called maintenance, I'm having to finish all my work at this hour of the night - midnight.

We, Kenyans, don't get enough rest and are constantly working and trying to make a living despite all the challenges that life in this 50 year old country throws at us. 

One of the culprits (and there are so many), is our useless power company which is constantly taking us to the dark ages. Is it any wonder that we're not developing as we should be?

Having electrical and electronic appliances are a joke. We hardly get to use their full potential before they die on us thanks to this awful power company and it's so-called 'services'. The only thing they 'service' are their bottomless pockets!!!

And as I said before - they are OPAQUE in the extreme.

On and on and on..... go our outages and fluctuations with no end in sight

Yesterday, 25th Sept 2013, we, in Nyali suddenly lost power just before 10.30 am. Of course, nobody was answering their phones except for one person who has promised me that he would answer and he did. Thank God!

At first, I was told that the reason for the outage was a burnt transformer outside their sub-station. When I passed there a few minutes later, there was nobody from Kenya Power doing anything there.

Just shows that among many negative things, they can also lie.

Anyway, this particular employee who was good enough to give me his number and kept his word about answering my calls kept telling me that we would get our power back very soon. 

Unfortunately, we did not! We got our power back after 7.00 pm and this time the reason given was the trucks that frequent Kongowea Market and keep hitting into KPLC poles!!! 

Now, was this really the truth? One can never tell since the earlier transformer one was definitely not.

How can one believe anything these people tell us? So what was the real reason for the hours and hours long outage?

Then, early this morning around 5.45 am, the power went off, yet again, less than 12 hours after the nearly day long one of yesterday. It took a whole hour before it came back. Why had it gone?

Around mid-day, we had a fluctuation where those who have voltage regulators, will switch off everything that is connected to these devices. The thing was on orange for quite a few minutes. Why?

Also, I've been told that our area of Nyali is going to be having a so-called 'maintenance' outage for the whole of tomorrow, Friday! 

These constant outages, fluctuations and supposed 'maintenance' outages are really becoming too much for us. 

When will our misery end....., if ever? Why is Kenya Power such an infuriating, monopolizing company?

Post WESTGATE balm::::::::::SILENCE!

This is very interesting..

Raziya

Vast and Potent! Silence by Madisyn Taylor Silence can make us nervous thinking we need to fill the void, but there is "immense strength in silence". All sounds, from a whisper to a classical symphony, arise out of silence and disappear into silence. But silence is always there beneath sound and is the space where sound can exist. We tend to think of silence as the absence of sound, but silence has its own weight and quality. When you listen to silence, you can perceive its intense depth and power. Taking the time to experience silence calms the mind and rejuvenates the body. Silence is the void where we can hear the many sounds that we often ignore – the voice of our intuition telling us the truth, the sound of the breeze blowing, the hum of the radiator, and the noises we make just because we are alive. One way to experience silence is to wake up before the rest of the world has come alive. Try not to move into activity, and leave off the lights, radio, and television. Sit still and simply listen. You may hear your heartbeat or your breath, but keep your attention tuned to the silence that surrounds you. Stay this way for as long as you can, and allow the sound of silence to penetrate your body until it moves into your core. Feel the gentle, pulsing waves of silence and allow it to cleanse you. Five minutes of communing with silence can leave you feeling vibrant and connected to the universe. At night, choose a moment after everyone around you has retired and tune in to silence. You can also experience silence throughout the day. Even in the midst of activity, moments of silence are always present. Usually we ignore or feel nervous around silence and try to fill these moments with sound. Yet silence is always there – vast, potent, and available for us to step into any time we choose.

MAGIC OF SALT...

1. If you drop a whole egg on the floor, pour salt all over the egg, let it sit for awhile, then use dustpan, the egg will come right up, without all that mess.

2. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.


3. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.


4. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.


5. Put a few grains of rice in your saltshaker for easier pouring.


6. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.


7. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink bad ones float.


8. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.


9. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.


10. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.


11. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.


12. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.


13. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.


14. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.


15. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.


16. Boil clothes pins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.


17. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour.


18. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.


19. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.


20. Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface


21. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.


22. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.


23. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make stiff putty.


24. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.


25. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.


26. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.


27. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.


28. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.


29. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.


30. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for a while.


31. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.


32. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.


33. Soak your clothesline in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.


34. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.


35. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.


36. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.


37. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.


38. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.


39. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.


40. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.


41. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.


42. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.


43. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.


44. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.


45. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.


46. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.


47. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.


48. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.


49. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.


50. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.


51. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.


52. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.


53. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.


54. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.


55. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.


56. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.


57. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.


58. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.


59. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.


60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.