by : Abu Ameerah of KSA

Since last night, my young son has been unwell. When I got back from work this evening I decided to take him to hospital despite my exhaustion. There were many waiting; perhaps we will be delayed by more than an hour. I took my number and sat down in the waiting room. There were many faces, young and old, but all silent.

Some brothers! made use of the many booklets available in the waiting room. Some of those waiting had their eyes closed, while others were looking around. Most were bored. Once in a while the long silence was broken by a nurse calling out a number. Happiness appears on the one whose turn it is, and he gets up quickly; then silence returns.

A young man grabbed my attention. He was reading a pocket-sized Qur`an continuously; not raising his head even once. At first, I did not think much about him. However, after one hour of waiting my casual glances turned into a deep reflection about his lifestyle and how he utilizes his time. One hour of life wasted! Instead of making benefit of that hour, it was just a boring wait. Then the call for prayer was made. We went to prayer in the hospital's mosque. I tried to pray close to the man who was reading the Qur`an earlier in the waiting room.

After the prayer, I walked with him. I informed him of how impressed I was of him and how he tries to benefit from his time.

He told me that most of our time is wasted without any benefit. These are days that go from our lives without being conscious of them or regretting their waste. He said that he started carrying the pocket-sized Qur`an around when a friend encouraged him to make full use of his time. He told me that in the time other people waste he gets to read much more of the Qur`an than he gets to read either at home or in the mosque. Moreover, besides the reward of reading the Qur`an, this habit saves him from boredom and stress.

He added that he has now been waiting for one and a half hours. Then he asked, when will you find one and a half hours to read the Qur`an? I reflected; how much time do we waste? How many moments of our lives pass by, and yet we do not account for how they passed by? Indeed, how many months pass by and we do not read the Qur`an? I came to respect my companion, and I discovered that I am to stand for account and that time is not in my hand; so what am I waiting for? My thoughts were interrupted by the nurse calling out my number; I went to the doctor.

 However, I want to achieve something now. After I left the hospital I quickly went to the bookshop and bought a pocket-sized Qur`an. I decided to be mindful of how I spend the time.

If this information is beneficial to you, then please do forward it to your friends and relatives. Our Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said; "Whoever guides or directs to good, then he gets the same amount of blessing (reward) as the one who does it" The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) also said "Pass on knowledge from me even if it is only one verse"

 

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(Privilege Speech of Rep. Pangalian M. Balindong during the Plenary Session, House of Representatives, on February 5, 2008)

Madam Speaker, distinguished colleagues, Assalamo Alaikom.
Previously I talked on the massing of troops by the AFP and the MILF. They were putting themselves on war footing. I suggested a return instead to the negotiating table.

Now the talk of the town is Balikatan 2008. My office is flooded with questions, such as, why have the war games participants chosen, of all places, Lanao del Sur – the heart of Muslimland as the situs of the joint Balikatan exercises? Why are they toying with our cultural sensibilities? Why are they trying to remind us of the exploits of the US Armed Forces in the Battle of Bayang in the 1900’s which claimed the lives of thousands of Bangsamoros including the Sultan of Bayang and in the Battle of Bacolod Grande where our forbears fell under the weight of the .45 caliber invented by Browning solely for the Moro? Or are they simply saber-rattling to cow us down to submission?
Madam Speaker, the American experience of 9/11 makes every Muslim a suspected terrorist.

This Balikatan exercise will not deter terrorism but will instead fan the fire of discontent among victims of human rights violations in the previous balikatan.

In that light, I advised through phone patch, student activists and Islamic militants who are now holding demonstrations in Marawi City to approach the Balikatan problem with caution and sobriety.
No matter what the real intention of the Balikatan exercise is, whether to conduct medical mission or to repair roads and school buildings, the better part of judgment is to spare the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao area in accordance with the essence of autonomy.
Madam Speaker, let us not allow the merchants of death to peddle their wares among the natives. It is dangerous to all of us – protagonists as well as onlookers.

Emailed to Ranaw.Com by: Mitchie Vanessa Triambulo-Magomnang 

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As Requested by: Abu Ameerah

My Mom only had one eye. I hated her…She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for Students and Teachers to support the Family.

There was this one day during Elementary School where my Mom came to say Hello to me. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me?! I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.

The next day at school, one of my classmates said “EEEE” your Mom only has one Eye! I wanted to burry my self. I also wanted my mom to just disappear so I confronted her that day and said; “If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock why don’t you just die?!!!

My Mom did not respond!!! I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings… I wanted out of that house…

So I studied real hard, got a chance to go to Singapore to study. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grand children!

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her. I screamed at her “How dare you come to my house and scare my children” GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!! And to this, my Mom quietly answered “Oh, I’m so sorry, I may have gotten the wrong address, “and she disappeared out of sight!

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old Shack just out of curiosity!!! Our neighbors said that she died… I did not shed a single tear!!! They handed me a letter that she wanted me to have…

My Dearest son, I think of you all the time… I’m sorry that I came to Singapore and scared your children. I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you… I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see…. When you were very little, you got into accident and lost your eye. As a Mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye… So I gave you MINE… I was so proud of my son who was seeing the whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye…With My Love to You…YOUR MOTHER..

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Stories on motherhood are the most popular among parents. On a party, you will be acquainted on mothers whose usual quotations revolved around Motherhood. On jeepnys, louder than the roar of engines thus those mothers boast for their being superstar on motherhood. The same is true on market place. Mothers tried to grasp all their offspring’s favorite just on perfect motherhood. Where else can we find mothers? We see them mostly on washing area. With their delicate hands, they separate the latest fashion shirts and dresses of their children. We are touch by their genuine loves. But, we are more interested on the cycles or may be a legend of how it is being started. We shall extract this cause to its relativity.

A mother is biological or social female parent of an offspring. The first, a female got pregnant until the fetus is sufficiently developed to be born. The mother then goes to labour and gives birth. The later, the title mother is often given to a woman other than biological parent, if it is she who fulfils the social role. This is commonly either an adoptive mother or a stepmother. Both mothers have fulfilled the primary role in the raising of children. This stage cycled and the new born will have new born, and the tale of motherhood begins.

On the first sight of the new born upon birth, an undefined cries filled on the delivery room. It might be an amazing cry or a cry of queries. If it is an amazing, we consider it normal. But if the cry goes for queries, the tale of motherhood continued. What if the wonders of the new born is a hope for a better mother, it prospects a good signal. When they grew up, they discover it to be the opposite, and so the first frustration arises. Upon maturity, she starts liking the opposite sex, prospering to have faithful husband to be her permanent mate. If this turns positive, then, complications failed to reign in the  womanhood of the later. But when it is the reversal of her fortune, frustration is repeated. We lost control of our faith in relation to companionships, and so we double our effort to have an adorable baby that may surpass with the rhyme of most mothers on the first paragraph. The tale of motherhood settled on its final stage.

When we start being responsible, we put everything on the last of our priorities. We tender to concentrate on our offspring, because of its delicacy. We fear to mishandle things, knowing we played the final episode of life. If everything goes wrong, our life is tomorrow a legend. The way we prepare for the future of our children will serve as pattern and the next generation will gain the consequences. We serve as model to them, being the only mate they idolized all through out their life. It is not impossible to miscarry on our responsibility with our parents. Too much attention has been devoted to our children. If we succeed in doing the same, the tale of motherhood can be refreshed on to the next mother…and that our daughter, and the daughter of our daughter.

It is not a surprise to discover mother to pledge everything for the sake of motherhood. Even in a sound sleep, she used to picture things to be, intentionally for a child. She tries to be the best, the beautiful one especially on affair that exposes her identity as a mother of the later. She become fashion conscious in order not to embarrass the one. The way she act and move, the self expression, including her socialization are determined by the fact that she is indeed a mother. Generally, her entire whole being is dedicated to the child. We sometimes regard this as a sign of martyrdom. She hid the bitterness of life to free the child’s emotion. If this exists in motherhood, then it pictures a bright tomorrow for the child. This can be another tale of motherhood, regardless of their nature. There might be the same mother who assumes the same responsibility but may differ on their applications. This is the reasons why, prime mothers are fond of relating stories, both fairy tales and true story, purposely to convince their child that being good is different and to be bad is another. We shall leave a real tale of motherhood to our children in which the characters are ourselves. This may be told by our grand children to their grand children. 
 

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Commitment means to duty or pledge to something or someone. This refers to personal commitment. We say it is personal because, the interaction is dominated by obligations. This obligation may not be mutual or self imposed, or explicitly stated or may not. In an organization, commitment is the basic philosophy, spirit and drive. Have lot more to do with its relative achievements than to do theological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing. All these things weigh heavily in success. But is transcended by how people in the organization believed in its basic precepts and how faithfully carry them out.

We practice commitment to a set of values principles or beliefs. It leads to a common vision and purpose with in the organizations. The same is true on one self. The way you act as a leader. The combination of these two serve as foundation to effectively maintain the other practice for commitment. I encounter this deepness of commitment when I commit myself to be a head of an institution. It is suicidal in nature after retiring my self to mind nothing but my six children. I think, there is nothing more challenging than rearing the later. But when I accept the challenge as a head, I have asked ALLAH (s.w.t) to lose everything except my family and my carrier. My carrier inter into a dilemma when intrigues are energized by jealousy and the absence of exposures. I was a plain housewife whose exposure is to materialize the needs of my family. I, being a stranger to an academic school was totally blind on leadership and management. Though I know that my Bachelors degree and two majors in College may materialize but I still have a second thought of handling the job.

I run a newly legislated secondary school in a nearby municipality. On the first day of my service, it comes on my mind that an existence of this school primarily, is population. With exception on classrooms because we are temporarily house in an elementary school, we start by knocking at every household door. We tried to convince them on related importance of having a school nearby. Besides, the financial problems will be minimized. To evaluate how far they understand the mission of the school and the management has no proof. A sound judgment has no power. As we turn our way back to station, murmur is louder than thunder…that school is faked. Some believed on us, as few observed. We tried on the few who listen and honor our invitations.

This is just the beginning of our agony. We survey on those jobless College graduates, regardless of age, who may qualify for teaching. This stage is not a hindrance. There are many who hand on their document that may qualify them. Of course, we select for the qualified one. Without screening them on their area of specialization, we have selected six. With my very limited knowledge on managing this area, I failed to accommodate equally on subject area. After series of meeting with the new teachers, we found out that none of them is qualified in handling mathematics. An initial complication within me, arise. The question of who might be the mathematic teacher was erased. It must be me instead. I cannot insist that I am the head, and I must not be one is fruitless, for this is part of my commitment.

On the very hour of my service as math teacher, the four corners of the classroom become smaller that I felt every bit of my heart. But, what else can I do, if that must be the deepness of commitment. I am just extra careful not to expose my whole being. I must be thankful with the Phoenix Company for their Elementary Algebra. It is in this   that I gain a reason to continue my teaching to this date, even with the coming of my two qualified one. I start liking this profession with out hazard. Teaching and management go together while running school. Financial shortage in mobilizing follows next.

ALLAH (s.w.t.) listened to my prayer. I survived with those intrigued of genuineness but I become a pauper. I have to utilize all my resources, just to run the school smoothly. One morning, I found out I am nobody but a mere volunteer teacher. I want to cry but my tears had dried. I cannot turned back, the shadow of my co-teachers follow me. I am reminded of my commitment that keeping forward is the only command that I must attend to. The students need me and the entire community entrust this legacy so that the entire populace will be provided. No one dare to support me. I might be insane, why did I go with this most congested situation. The usual I change, unlike before, walking like Christmas tree. Not to mention them, they all gone to jewelry store just to grasp the chances that benefited the school.

It was just a while, we say because, on the fourth year of our operations, we are blessed and so, we are now all permanent teachers looking forward for another endeavor. Though we succeed but the deepness of commitment is still there. It is the combination of both supporting and improving behaviors that makeup the practice of commitment. Separately neither action is capable of sustaining commitment. Promoting alone can come across a shallow and Pollyannaish. Continuous improvement can be seen as “good is not enough”. Together they provide a needed balance. Both are essential to commitment.

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We parents and educators long for somebody that can answer their quest on Education. As a mother, we feel contented with the simple toga he wore. A teacher may take in the other way, but was humble that another legacy was extracted out of her profession. Generally, both parents and teachers tried to reach the most for their children and students. They motivate, guide and managed to minimized failures.

We cannot deny that majority of the Maranaw belong to the lower income level. What we gain is just enough to finance our daily needs. We prioritized them according to our queuing lines of priorities. Sometimes, we put Educations on top of them, but we failed because of scarcity in resources. Luckily, Mindanao State University bloom right in the heart of Lanao. Both Educators and parents maximize their effort so that able students may finish secondary education. They have valid reasons. MSU is here, with open arms, willing to answers our quest for education.

Everything we ponder turns into nightmare, when President de Leon reigned in power, followed by the Standardization Policy. Thousands of students cried in front of the Administration Building to consider their appeal. The classical song of the University, serving the minority vanished from the memory of both the parents and the mentors. There was a sudden change that the concerned students cannot tackle. They knocked on every door of concerned offices and residence, but they were turned down by the approval of the Board of Regents. Every effort became impossible. Knowing that their only dream was to sit under the shade of this University, they failed to negotiate.

Though we understand that the approval of the standardization was done, a new Hope has shine at the door of every School. YA ALLAH, ALHAMDULILLAH! President Muslim has come to rescues us! Pres. Muslim might open another door for us Maranaw. Mindanao State University is so near, yet its so far that we cannot reach. We are hindered by oceans of reasons. No one is to be blame with. Maranaw cannot climb into the ladder of this University because they lack the exact tools for it. But if they are provided, they can catch!

Now that we were hear, we will be knocking again into the doorstep of this University. Those thousands students who remained out of school youth may come and sing the unsung mission of this University…That is for the minority Muslim. The incoming graduates for this year will surely come and cheers.
 

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Asif Khan
Saudi Arabia 

When Momin' will enter into Jannah, it will be announced

(1) You will remain healthy forever, disease will never come.
(2) You will remain alive for ever, death will never come.
(3) You will remain in bounties which will never be finished.

Jannat is made with bricks of gold and silver, Its cement is of perfumed musk. Its chips are pearls and Yaqoot. Its sand is Zafraan.

There are eight doors of Jannah. these are eight grades of Jannat:-

i) Jannatul Mava
ii) Darul Maqaam
iii) Darul Salaam
iv) Darul Khuld
v) Jannat-ul-Adan
vi) Jannat-ul-Naeem
vii) Jannat-ul-Kasif
viii) Jannat-ul-Firdous

Food of Jannah

They will eat foods and fruits continuously up to 40 years.
Every bowl will have a new taste.
They will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of water.There will be no urine and stool.

Place Name

There will be gardens inJannah.
Every garden will have the length of about 100 years journey.
The shadow of these gardens will be very dense.
Their plants will be free of thorns.
The size of their leaves will be equal to ears of elephants.
Their fruits will be hanging in rows.

Jannatul Mava is in the lowest, Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle and

Jannat-ul- Firdous is on the highest.

Those who love each other for the sake of Allah, will get a pillar of Yaqoot, on which there
will be seventy thousand (70,000) rooms.
These will shine for the residents of Jannah as the sun shines for the residents of Duniya.

There will be rooms in Jannah insuch a way that every room will have seventy thousand (70,000)
dinning sheets. On every dinning sheet 70,000 types of foods will be served.
For their service 80,000 young boys will be moving around looking like beautiful scattered pearls.

One bunch of dates will be equal to the length of 12 arms.
The size of a date will be equal to the big pitcher.
These will be whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and softer than butter and free
of seeds.
The stem of these plants will be made up of gold and silver.

There will also be gardens of grapes. The bunches of grapes will
be very big. The size of a single grape will be equal to a big
pitcher

Someone asked, Ya Rasulullah (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam):
will it be sufficient for me and my family. It was answered, it will be
sufficient for you and your whole tribe.

The Dresses of Jannat

The dress of Jannah will be very beautiful. One will wear 70
dresses at a time. These will be very fine, delicate, weightless, having
different colors. These dresses will be so fine that the body even the
heart will be visible. And the waves of love in the hearts will also
be visible. These dresses will never become old, never be dirty
and will never tear.


There will be four canals in every Jannah. They are
of water, milk, honey and Sharabun Tahoora.

There will also be three fountains in Jannah:

(i) Kafoor.
(ii) Zanjabeel.
(iii) Tasneem

Qualities of People of Jannah


In Jannah, height of every Mo 'min, will be equal to the
height of

Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalaam) 60 arms (90 feet).

Beauty will be like that of Hazrat Yousuf (Alaihissalaam)

Age of youth will be like that of Hazrat Esa (Alaihissalaam) 30-33 years).

Sweetness of voice will be like that of Hazrat Dawud (Alaihissalaam).

Tolerance will be like that of Hazrat Yaqoob (Alaihissalaam)

Patience will be like that of Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihissalaam.)

Habits will be like that of Sayyaduna Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam.)

If a person makes Du 'a for Jannah three times,
Jannah requests Allah that O, Allah; make his entry into Jannah.
And if a person makes Du'a for safety from Jahannum three times,
the Jahannnum requests Allah that, O, Allah; save him from Jahannum.

Please pass on and may Allah grant the entire Ummah of Nabi sallalahu alayhi wasallam Jannat ul Firdous Ameen!
Every good act is charity

JAZAK ALLAHU KHAIR-
May Allah Forgive our sins...Ameen
Remember the Prophet PBUH said if u have knowledge pass it on
even if it is jus one verse. So Forward this message and help us in our
mission to keep the Muslim Youth on the right path, ISLAM.

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Source: Moro Times

After round table meetings in Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, efforts to build closer cooperation between and among Muslim leaders and Muslim communities of Asean came full circle.

The Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy [PCID] played host to the First Southeast Asian Forum on Islam and Democracy (SEAFID) held at the Manila Hotel on December 10 to 12, 2007. The delegation of 44 experts and leaders representing various think tanks, universities, religious, and civil society groups came from of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

The 2007 Manila conference gathered Muslim advocates of democracy, human rights, and peace in what could be the first platform that could represent the multifaceted voices of the Muslims in Southeast Asia—the region that is home to the largest Muslim community in the world with more than 200 million adherents of Islam.

Welcome Banquet

Gracing the forum’s welcome dinner was former President Fidel V. Ramos. In his keynote speech, Ramos congratulated the participants for the regional forum which he felt was a vital step toward addressing concerns on issues such as security, human rights and democracy in the Southeast Asian region. According to Ramos, regional efforts such as SEAFID are necessary to stress the fact that “Southeast Asia is not a hotbed of terrorism nor is the region teetering on the brink of anarchy and sectarian violence as is sometimes suggested.” He adds that political will, democratization, and regional strategies would be the most effective strategies in addressing the problems in the region. Ramos noted that the rich experiences of South East Asian Muslim communities in democracy should be shared with the Islamic world.

Organized by the PCID with support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Australian Embassy, The Asia Foundation, and the Magbassa Kita Foundation, Inc., the forum is actually the fifth in a series that has been organized for the region, according to the PCID’s lead convenor and chair of the Manila conference, Amina Rasul. “The first roundtable discussion was held in September 2005 in the Philippines, and then subsequently held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Jakarta, Indonesia; and finally in Bangkok, Thailand in September of 2006. We hope this will evolve into an effective forum that contributes to democratization in Muslim coimmunities.”

Regional platform for cooperation

“This is a strong commitment of Southeast Asian Muslims to enhance democracy, pluralism, human rights and justice” says Dr. Syafi’i Anwar from the Jakarta-based International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP). Haji Maarof Bin Haji Salleh from Singapore’s Center for Contemporary Islamic Studies expressed their happiness to participate as it gave them “an opportunity to share success stories of how the minority Muslim community in Singapore has contributed to nation-building in the context of their multiracial and multireligious society.”

According to Dr. Abdul Rahman Bin Awang of the International Islamic University of Malaysia, the forum is “an excellent platform for the Muslims in the region to exchange views and share experiences on Islam and Democracy,” with Dr. Sukree Langputeh of the Thailand Center for Muslim and Democratic Development states that this exchange of experiences and success stories is an important part in spurring the democratization process in each country in Southeast Asia.

Islam, democracy and peace

“Islam is often associated today with terrorism or violence. This is not a true reflection of Islamic values. Muslims, particularly Muslims in Southeast Asia, firmly believe in human rights, tolerance, and equality, as do the majority of Muslims in the world. We want a mechanism by which we can systematically engage and educate the world to the true tenets of the Islamic faith,” said former Senator Santanina Rasul, one of the co-organizers of the event.

In an unprecedented move, after only two days of discussions, the participants approved a draft charter. A work in progress, the draft charter would guide the process of institutionalizing the forum as a platform from which Muslims in the region would promote, among others, peace, tolerance, mutual understanding, economic opportunity, good governance, sustainable development, human security and human rights.

Rasul, praised the efforts of the participants in not allowing their political, historical and social diversities to get in the way of organizing the historic forum. She described the forging of the charter, despite debates and contestations, as proof of the possibility of democracy in Muslim communities.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Manalo, who delivered the closing speech on December 12, congratulated the group for their landmark act, highlighting the need for interfaith initiatives and strengthening pluralism in the region. Manalo stressed the need for collaboration bridge the gulf of misunderstanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. The Philippines is a leader in UN led global inter­faith dialogues.

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