God didn't promise days without pain,
laughter without sorrow,
or sun without rain,
But He did promise strength for the day,
comfort for the tears,
and light for the way.

If God brings you to it,
He will bring you through it.

A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.
The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter:
"Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said:
"No, Dad. You hold my hand."
"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.
"There's a big difference," replied the little girl.
"If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond..So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours...

You Never

You never said I'm leaving
You never said goodbye
You were gone before I knew it,
And only God knew why
A million times I needed you,
A million times I cried
If Love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died
In Life I loved you dearly
In death I love you still
In my heart you hold a place,
That no one could ever fill
It broke my heart to lose you,
But you didn't go alone
For part of me went with you,
The day God took you home

An appropriate poem..
In memory of my father..

Outlandish is the story of a band that insists on the vantage point called "The World We live in," as stated in the band's official site. Quite a bit has happened since Lenny Martinaz, Waqas Qadri, and Isam Bachiri broke ground in 1997 to form Outlandish and launch a career together.
In a live interview with IslamOnline.net, Waqas Qadri described how Outlandish started, "In the beginning, not so many people believed in us; back then hip hop was more looked upon as a 'black' thing, so how could a Pakistani, Cuban, and Moroccan bunch of kids ever do good? Therefore, we were forced at an early stage to take matters into our own hands."

Calling their style 'life music', Closer Than Veins Album marked a departure in this respect, particularly on the socially and politically heavy side the group has called in lyrical reinforcements. This is actually highlighting through one of their most outstanding tracks "Look Into My Eyes" that was principally written by Gihad Ali, a young Palestinian poet.

Lenny, Isam, and Waqas (From left).

Lyric:

"Look into my eyes
Tell me what you see
You don't see a damn thing
'cause you can't relate to me
You're blinded by our differences
My life makes no sense to you
I'm the persecuted one
You're the red, white and blue

Each day you wake in tranquility
No fears to cross your eyes
Each day I wake in gratitude
Thanking God He let me rise
You worry about your education
And the bills you have to pay
I worry about my vulnerable life
And if I'll survive another day

Your biggest fear is getting a ticket
As you cruise your Cadillac
My fear is that the tank that has just left
Will turn around and come back

Yet, do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you let your media deceive your mind?
Is this a truth nobody, nobody, nobody knows

Someone tell me...

Ooohh, let's not cry tonight
I promise you one day it's through
Ohh my brothers, Ohh my sisters
Ooohh, shine a light for every soul that ain't with us no more
Ohh my brothers, Ohh my sisters

See I've known terror for quite some time
57 years so cruel
Terror breathes the air I breathe
It's the checkpoint on my way to school
Terror is the robbery of my land
And the torture of my mother
The imprisonment of my innocent father
The bullet in my baby brother
The bulldozers and the tanks
The gases and the guns
The bombs that fall outside my door
All due to your funds

You blame me for defending myself
Against the ways of my enemies
I'm terrorized in my own land
What am I the terrorist?

Do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you let your media deceive your mind?
Is this a truth nobody, nobody, nobody knows?

Someone tell me...

America, do you realize that the taxes that you pay
Feed the forces that traumatize my every living day
So if I won't be here tomorrow
It's written in my fate
May the future bring a brighter day
The end of our wait

(pause)

Ohh let's not cry tonight I promise you one day is through
Ohh my brothers! Ohh my sisters!
Ooh shine a light for every Soul that ain't with us no more
Ohh my brothers! Ohh my sisters!"

Often the most difficult challenge to improving our life, to making a change, or to implementing a plan is finding out how to motivate ourselves to take the first step toward a goal and then to remain constantly motivated.

Have you given some thought to what motivates you? What gets you going when there are constant distractions? When your intellectual and emotional energy levels are low, how do you turn things around? Or when you are working on one project that is taking lots of your time, how do you stay focused and motivated to keep going until the project is complete? These are not questions with easy answers.

However, during the teenage years, it is important that you at least begin to explore the topic of motivation and come to some understanding about how you can motivate yourself. Although your preferences and inclinations about what motivates you might change as you grow older, you will be much better prepared for college and other goals you intend to pursue.

Start With Your Intentions

No matter what activity or goal you wish to pursue, there must be an effort to make an intention, to think clearly about what it is you are about to undertake and for what reason.

Working on your intentions right at the outset also serves the purpose of helping to develop a clear objective and, God willing, a concrete sense of what is needed to achieve the objective and how much time will be needed to do so. When your motivation suffers midway through the process of achieving a particular objective, it is highly likely that the intention itself was not clear at the outset and therefore distractions easily slipped in and the focus became unclear.

Do your best from now on to articulate your intention; if needs be, take a moment to write down your thoughts. Keep your intentions clear, and check back with yourself should your motivation level starts to decline.

Develop a Plan

Starting off on a project without having a clear sense of the resources or the estimated time needed to complete it is not recommended. Not knowing what books you will need to complete a report means you will have to stop and go look for a relevant book or source each time need arises. The risk that you will become distracted or even lose motivation is great because you will have started the project already but will feel discouraged if a particular book is not available.

In addition, you will find yourself diverting valuable energy unnecessarily to look for this or that resource, and even worse, fall victim to the tendency to "help" a friend with his or her problem. You should always be helpful to friends but not at the expense of losing valuable time working on your own project that has a specific deadline. If you get bogged down with too many distractions, whether self-inflicted or peer-imposed, then you are bound to feel less motivated to continue working on the initial project, whatever it was.

Develop a plan of action right at the outset, incorporating milestones and checkpoints so that you can pace your progress, as well as appropriate break times so that you do not suffer from burnout. It is never advisable to overwork oneself or to expect that one can remain consistently and constantly motivated over the same thing.

A bird glides gracefully through the polluted skies above Tehran. Air pollution in the Iranian capital killed more than 3,600 people in just one month in 2006, an environmental situation described by local officials as “collective suicide.” Considered one of the world’s most polluted places, Tehran’s air is so toxic it triggers lethal respiratory and cardiac problems, with 80% of fatal heart attacks believed to be directly attributable to the noxious smog smothering the city. Half of the six million cars clogging Iran’s streets fail to meet global emissions standards and burn twice as much fuel as their European equivalents, spewing vast quantities of carbon monoxide into residents’ lungs.

If You Take Your Eyes
Off Your Goals..
All You Will See
Are The Obstacles!!

A winner says "Let's find out";
a loser says "Nobody knows."
A winner makes comitments;
a loser makes promises.
A winner says "I'm good, but not as good
as I ought to be";
a loser says "I'm not as bad
as a lot of other people."
A winner credits his "good luck" for winning -
even though it wasn't his good luck;
a loser blames his "bad luck" for losing -
even though it wasn't his bad luck.
A winner listens;
a loser just waits until it's his turn to talk.
A winner does more than his job;
a loser says "I only work here."
A winner says "I fell";
a loser says "somebody pushed me."
A winner respects those
who are superior to him
and tries to learn from them;
a loser resents the superiority of others
and tries to find chinks in their armor.

Something I have read and I would like to share it...

Come into my world, a different world that is unique yet simple. Imagine a world of generosity, where neighbours compete with each other to treat and respect each other better, a world of sharing where everyone is eager to share knowledge and material wealth
Imagine a world of brotherhood where no race, culture, tribe nor nationality exist, a world of tolerance and acceptance… a strong united front with unconditional love, a world of peace where the greeting is ‘ peace be upon you!’

Imagine a world of kinship and family ties, where there is much pride in its extension, where children are great assets and a source of joy, where parents teach and guide their younger ones in kindness and patience, where the children humble themselves in front of their parents in respect and gratitude.

Imagine a world of principles where all elders are held in high esteem and younger ones in tenderness and compassion, where the best among its people are not the ones with the riches or the good looks, but rather those who are modest and gentle, those best in conduct and knowledge, those most pious..

Imagine a world of rewards and eagerness to do good, to visit and help the sick and old. a world of selflessness, where there is great satisfaction in pleasing and comforting others, a world where there is reward and blessings for every good…for visiting friends and family, for feeding people…. Anybody! Not just the needy but even your friends. Where there is reward even for removing a stone from the road!

Imagine a world liberalisation, where women are honoured and dignified, where they are given the right and duty to seek knowledge, to self expression, to earn, to inherit, a world where their sexuality is sacred, preserved and cherished, given only to a man most worthy, by law, a man who can respect and appreciate it

Imagine a world of virtue, where idleness and laziness are discouraged, where everyone is expected to work hard, to be honest, to be fair and to strive in pursuit of knowledge and fight ignorance…..a world of perseverance

A world of equality, fairness, duties and responsibilities, where men and women are guardians of one another, where responsibility to maintain and sustain is a duty for men and a choice to women, where women are recognised and gratified for bearing and nursing. Where marriage is a security and escape from lewdness and immorality, where mothers are elevated to a high status above fathers in rights and custody, where institute of marriage is scared.

Imagine a world of smiles, soft tones, gentle words, refined speech and excellent mannerism, a world of fair reasoning over any desire. A world of contentment and hope, an optimistic world that is spiritually orientated and not materialistic.

Imagine a world of humility, where kings and commons stand together side by side, toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder…. Proudly as they praise and glorify their Lord, A world of promise, of a fair judgement, a promise of eternity and a garden of paradise for the good.


Imagine a world with a religion of mercy, where sins repented are forgiven, where blessings are endless and faith grows infinitely… where you can connect with your Lord five or many times more a day to seek peace and calm… a source of joy and comfort.

Imagine my world, imagine a world of Islam where everyone is striving to be as good, to live by its simple rules… imagine coming into this world and joining it.


By Fatima Ali
Islamonline.org

Be very proud to be British because..

Only in Britain...can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance..

Only in Britain...do supermarkets make sick people walk all the way to the back of the shop to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front..

Only in Britain...do people order double cheeseburgers..large fries and a DIET coke.

Only in Britain...do banks leave both doors open and chain their pens to the counters..

Only in Britain...do we leave our cars worth thousands of pounds on the drive and lock our junk and cheap lawn mowers in the garage..

Only in Britain...do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place..

Only in Britain...are their disabled parking places in front of an ice-skating rink..

NOT TO MENTION...

3 Brits died last year testing if a 9v battery works on their tongue..

142 Brits were injured in 1999 by not removing all pins from their new shirts..

58 Brits are injured each year by using sharp knives instead of screwdrivers..

31 Brits have died since 1996 by watering thier Christmas tree whilst the fairy lights were plugged in...

19 Brits have died in the last 3 years believing that Christmas decorations were chocolate..

British hospitals reported 4 broken arms last year after christmas cracker pulling accidents..

101 people since 1999 have had broken parts of plastic toys been pulled out of the soles of their feet...

18 Brits had serious burns in 2000 trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth..

A massive 543 Brits were admitted to A&E in the last two years after opening bottles of beer with their teeth...

8 Brits were injured last year in accidents involving out of control scalextric cars...

And finally...

In 2000 eight Brits cracked their skull whilst throwing up into the toilet..

RULE BRITANNIA!!!

A group working to develop a gel or cream women could use to protect themselves against the AIDS virus said on Tuesday they have permission to use an experimental new drug from Merck and Co.

It is the sixth HIV drug to be tested by the International Partnership for Microbicides, said the group's chief executive officer, Dr. Zeda Rosenberg.

The drug is known only by its experimental name L'644. It is a member of a class of drugs known as gp41 fusion inhibitors. They stop the AIDS virus from attaching to the immune system cells it targets.

"It's a completely different mechanism of action to what we have currently under development and what the field has under development," Rosenberg told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"It's pretty early in the life cycle for HIV. Most of us feel that, for a microbicide to be really effective, it has to get at the infection in its earliest timepoints."

Microbicides are products, such as gels or creams, that could be applied vaginally or anally to prevent transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.

So far, attempts to create a microbicide have failed.

The AIDS virus has infected 33 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization. It has killed 25 million, and there is no vaccine to prevent the fatal and incurable virus.

Condoms can protect men and women, but health experts note that many men refuse to use them. In many countries, a women who demands that her husband or partner use a condom can face refusal or even a beating.

According to the United Nations, in sub-Saharan Africa almost 61 percent of adults infected with HIV are women. Most cases of HIV are transmitted sexually.

The nonprofit IPM has another agreement with Merck for a royalty-free license to develop another compound, L'167/CMPD167, which belongs to the class of molecules known as CCR5 blockers.

"Merck is pleased to contribute the results of our research and development to this worldwide effort to protect women from HIV infection," said Dr. Daria Hazuda, vice president of scientific affairs for infectious disease and HIV at Merck Research Laboratories.

The microbicides group also has agreements with Pfizer to develop its CCR5 blocker maraviroc; with Gilead Sciences to develop tenofovir, a licensed HIV drug; with Bristol-Myers Squibb; and with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Tibotec Pharmaceuticals to try to make a microbicide out of its HIV drug dapivirine.

The field could use some successes.

Last month a study showed one microbicide candidate, called Carraguard, did not protect women from infection.

Two other potential microbicides have made women more likely to become infected -- a spermicide called nonoxynol-9 and a product called Ushercell, made by Toronto-based Polydex Pharmaceutical

(Reuters)

The government of the booming emirate of Dubai has decided to build the world's first museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
"In the history of Dubai, this museum will stand as a shining milestone as it will give the world an opportunity to learn about the life and message of Prophet Muhammad," Omer bin Suleiman, the managing director of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, told the official WAM news agency.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum, also the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, has asked the Authority, only formed this week, to immediately proceed with the museum plan.

The museum, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, will be dedicated entirely to the life of prophet Muhammad.

Muhammad and the message
It will chronicle the life of the prophet and introduce the visitors to the main stops including his marriage, the beginning of God's revelation, the demise of his wife Khadijah, the incident of Al Isra'a and Al Mi'raj, migration to Madinah, the conquest of Makkah and the prophet's death.
There will be a special section on hajj and the fundamental aspects of Islam.

The aim is to introduce the world to the inspiring life of Prophet Muhammad and how he changed the course of human history.

New Role

Sheikh Mayed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the chairman of the Authority, said they decided that the prophet's museum should be the first project undertaken by the new body.

"The project also clearly indicates that Dubai is keen on playing its role not only as a bridge between the East and the West, but also between the Islamic world and the rest of the world."

Abu Dhabi, another member of the oil-rich, seven-member UAE federation, is home to what is believed to be the third biggest mosque in the world.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, named after the UAE late founding father, is built on a 9.5-metre high hill so it is visible from far.

It covers an area of 22,000 square meters, has four 107-metre tall minarets, 82 domes of seven different sizes, 96 columns inside and 1,048 outside and can accommodate more than 40,000 faithful.

Two rooms next to the main prayer hall, with a 1,500-capacity each, have been reserved for women, who can follow sermons delivered by prayer leaders on giant television screens.

The mosque is an architectural masterpiece built 100 percent with Italian marble and decorated with thousands of rare and semi-precious stones, some encrusted in marble.

The centerpiece is a 6,000 square meter hand-made Iranian carpet which weighs 45 tones, said to be the biggest in the world, and cost more than 8.5 million dollars.

Another breathtaking piece is a huge crystal chandelier in the main prayer hall, one of seven German-made chandeliers costing more than eight million dollars.

It is 10-metre tall, 10-metre wide and weighs nine tones.


IslamOnline.net & News Agencies

Saudi women's rights activists have posted on the web a video of a woman at the wheel of her car, in protest at the ban on female drivers in the kingdom.
Wajeha Huwaider talks of the injustice of the ban and calls for its abolition as she drives calmly along a highway.

She says the film was posted to mark International Women's Day. Thousands have viewed it on the YouTube website.

The last such public show of dissent was in 1990 when dozens of women were arrested for circling Riyadh in cars.

Last year, Ms Huwaider and other activists circulated a petition which was sent to King Abdullah urging him to lift the ban.

In the three-minute clip, she at first drives around a residential compound where she notes that women are allowed to drive because it is not a public road.

But about halfway through, without comment, she executes a left turn onto the main highway and proceeds to drive along it in defiance of Saudi law.

"Many women in this society are able to drive cars, and many of our male relatives don't mind us driving," she says in Arabic.

"I hope that by next year's International Woman's Day, this ban on us will be lifted," she concludes.

In February, two leading Islamic scholars said there was no reason to continue the ban.

However, many conservatives continue to resist reform, arguing it would lead to mingling of the sexes which is banned under Saudi Arabia's strict interpretation of Islamic Law.

The 1990 protest, coming at the height of the Gulf crisis when US forces had come to defend Saudi Arabia, was followed by a crackdown on the women drivers and their passengers.

The women were jailed for one day, their passports confiscated, and many lost their jobs.

King Abdullah has in the past said that he thought a day would eventually come when Saudi women were allowed to drive.

BBC News.

Cosmetic surgery in the UK was once a luxury for the rich and privileged. Whether you needed a nose job, a breast lift, liposuction, or skin bleach, all you had to do was book a session at a posh practitioner, provided you had the money of course.

The situation today is an altogether different one. With a boom in cosmetic surgery it is now mainly accessed by Mr and Mrs Average with treatments ranging from a weekend retreat, travelling abroad for a holiday surgery or even popping out for a ‘lunchtime’ surgery.

A Global Trend!

This is not just restricted to the UK. Research amongst ethnic groups in the US has seen a 65% increase in cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery is becoming increasingly popular and there has been a particularly noticeable increase among minority ethnic groups.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cosmetic surgery amongst ethnic groups has increased by 65 per cent over the last five years in the US.

Statistics point to an approximate 11.5 million cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures carried out in the US last year alone - one fifth were conducted on ethnic and racial minorities. This provides evidence of the popularity of cosmetic surgery amongst non-Caucasian communities.

Social Pressure or Marketing?

Last month the consumer watchdog Which – published a report offering a startling insight into how consumers are forced into having cosmetic surgery. Researchers from the consumer watchdog visited 19 clinics in England and Wales and had one consultation at each clinic posing as prospective patients for breast surgery, liposuction and Botox during the summer of 2007. Transcripts of the consultations were analysed by experts in the cosmetic treatment field and provided an unimpressive snapshot of the cosmetic treatments industry.

At some clinics researchers uncovered pressure-selling to rush people into surgery sparking fears that sales comes before safety. At another clinic one sales assistant showed her breasts to an undercover Which researcher in order to make a breast augmentation sale.

Jenny Driscoll, a Which health campaigner, said:

“There are risks with all cosmetic treatments, so when people go for a consultation they should get accurate and in-depth advice from a medical professional, not a pitch from an unqualified salesperson.

“Our investigations in recent months have revealed a relaxed attitude towards non-surgical treatments such as Botox and it is worrying to find that it is being prescribed by doctors without them having seen or even spoken to the patient.

“The Health and Social Care Bill is currently going through parliament and Which will be calling for the government to make sure that regulation of this industry is more robust.”

The consultations took place at well-known chains and local clinics in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Bristol, Leicester and Cardiff.

Figures released in December predicted that Britons would spend more than £1billion on cosmetic surgery in 2008. Market analyst Mintel predicts that in 2008 Britons will spend more than £1bn on cosmetic surgery.

Today, the British perception of beauty is based on airbrushed images of models and photos of surgically enhanced celebrities, both young and old.

"For many the natural look simply can't compete and leaves them feeling inadequate."

“Appearance is important, but it is not everything.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ESRA..
BEST WISHES SENT YOUR WAY..
ENJOY YOUR CELEBRATION
ON THIS..YOUR SPECIAL DAY!