Blog Archives
Why does Allah allow suffering and evil in the world?
Source: islamonline.net
By: Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi
Indeed Allah is All-Powerful (Al-`Aziz) and He is able to do all things (Allahu ‘ala kuli shayin qadir). The Quran has mentioned this hundreds of times. It is also mentioned in the Quran that Allah is the Creator and He is the Best Creator. Glory be to Allah, the best Creator. (Al-Mu’minoon: 14)
But then the question comes why do pain and sufferings exist in the world. We find sickness, old age and death. We see things that are ugly, people who are insane and foolish. There are storms, earthquakes, floods, draught and famine. We also see people commit sins, show disloyalty, unfaithfulness, greed and insincerity. We see people commit rapes, murders; they fight and make wars. We know all these and many more problems. There are evils caused by human beings and there are natural disasters. There are suffering for individuals and there are those that involve a large number of people.
But we also know that this is not the whole story. Besides all these negative things, we also see beauty, health, prosperity, life, birth, wisdom, intelligence, growth and progress. We also see goodness among people, faith, sincerity, charity, love and the spirit of sacrifice. We also see a lot of virtue and piety. It is wrong to see one side of the coin and not to see the other side. Any philosophy that concentrates on one aspect of the creation and denies or ignores the other side is partially true and partial truths are no truth at all.
Nicotine Side Effects
If any of the following side effects occur while taking nicotine, check with your doctor immediately:
Less common
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- fever with or without chills
- headache
- nausea with or without vomiting
- runny nose
- shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, trouble with breathing, or wheezing
- skin rash, itching, or hives
- tearing of the eyes
How Smoking Harms Your Vision
Source: http://www.allaboutvision.com/smoking/
Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. It harms nearly every organ in your body — including your eyes.
Adverse — and often fatal — health effects of cigarette smoking such as heart disease and cancer are all too familiar, but sight-threatening vision and eye problems generally are less well-known.
Here are more reasons you should kick the habit:
Smoking and Cataracts
Cataracts (clouding of the eye’s natural lens) are a leading cause of blindness in the world. More than 50 percent of Americans will have a cataract or have had cataract surgery by age 80.
Smokers significantly increase their risk of developing a cataract compared with non-smokers. In fact, studies show that people who smoke double their chance of forming cataracts, and the risk continues to increase the more you smoke.
Smoking and Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the center of the retina, which is responsible for sharp, central vision needed for everyday tasks such as reading and driving.
Macular degeneration causes “blind spots” and often severely impairs central vision. AMD is the leading cause of permanent vision loss among Americans age 65 and older.
Studies show smokers can have a three-fold increase in the risk of developing AMD compared with people who have never smoked. And female smokers over age 80 are 5.5 times more likely to develop AMD than non-smokers of the same age.
But it’s not all bad news: because smoking is the biggest controllable risk factor associated with AMD, quitting smoking at any age, even later in life, can significantly reduce your risk of developing AMD.
Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of eye conditions that cause vision loss.
Documentary: Japan – Aftermath of a disaster (Video)
Source: Al Jazeera
Japan had been waiting decades for “the big one” to hit, an earthquake powerful enough to devastate the country.
Emergency services and the public were drilled in how to respond when the earth moved; thousands of kilometers of sea walls were built to protect the coast from tsunamis, the deadly after-effects of quakes out at sea.
But when the earthquake came on March 11, few would have predicted the devastation it caused.
The magnitude 9.0 quake, unleashed a tsunami so powerful, it tore through Japan’s defenses as though they were not there. The surge turned towns and cities into matchwood, killed thousands of people and caused a still-to-be resolved nuclear crisis.
Among the communities hit was the small port city of Miyako. In the days after the disaster its surviving citizens somehow had to carry on with their lives. This is their story.
Watch more documentaries…
Color And Its Effects On Your Mood
By: Jade Small
Source: http://www.the-open-mind.com/color-and-its-effects-on-your-mood/
THE EFFECTS OF COLOUR IN OUR DAILY LIVES
RED
The color red grabs your attention, and increases your blood pressure, pulse and breathing, according to the Paint Quality Institute’s website. Red is the color most often associated with passion and love. Red also can stimulate your appetite, which makes it a good color choice for your dining room. Red clothing can be energizing, and will earn you second looks. Mix red with white, and it transforms into a romantic and relaxing color–pink.
ORANGE
Orange conveys excitement and energy. In ancient cultures, orange was used to heal the lungs and increase energy levels. While orange is attention-grabbing, it also is bright, friendly and reminiscent of beautiful fall colors. Use orange–and its more muted cousin, rust–to create a welcoming room.
YELLOW
Yellow represents sunshine, cheer, optimism and clarity. Yellow enhances concentration, according to InfoPlease.com. Although it usually is considered a cheerful color, yellow can have negative effects. Of all the colors, yellow is hardest on the eyes, and it may stimulate your frustration and anger.
BLUE
Blue, the color of sky and water, represents calmness and serenity. Fashion consultants often recommend wearing blue for a job interview, since it conveys loyalty, reliability and productivity, says David Johnson in the article “Color Psychology” published by InfoPlease.com. You may wish to use this color in your bedroom for its soothing effects. An overabundance of blue, however, can feel cold and depressing.
GREEN
Green, the color of nature, is refreshing and relaxing. Hospitals and doctors’ offices often use green because it’s considered a healing color. Schools and businesses frequently employ this color in their decor for its stress-relieving effects. Green is an easy color to live with in any room of your home.
PURPLE
In its deepest shades, purple conveys richness, majesty and drama. Its connection to royalty dates to ancient times when purple dye was so expensive only by the wealthy could afford it, according to the Institute for Interactive Technology. Choose lighter shades of purple for a creative, feminine and sophisticated room.
BLACK AND WHITE
While black and white may be considered neutral, each has powerful associations of its own. Black can represent power and elegance. You may love wearing black for its sophisticated, slimming effect. In decorating, black can give a room depth. White connotes cleanliness and purity, and, as a wall color, it provides a clean background for other colors.
Quran Reflections: Worship of the Heart
By: Jinan Bastaki
Source: http://www.suhaibwebb.com/
“Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” [Qur’an 29:45]
Reciting this verse of Qur’an always makes me stop and reflect on my prayer. Allah subhananhu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) tells us that “as-Salaah” – the prayer – that we perform five times a day prohibits immorality and wrongdoing. So I ask myself, when was the last time my prayer had a significant effect on my actions outside of prayer?
Every act of worship has an internal element, an external form and a lasting effect after the action itself ends. The internal element of prayer – the worship of the heart – is khushoo’(devotion). It is to connect with every aspect of the prayer and thereby connect to Allah, being in deep conversation with Him. Fiqh covers the external form of prayer. And if those two are sound, or at the very least, we make an effort to make them sound, the effects will be lasting.
If we attend an inspirational talk, we leave feeling inspired. If we were really touched, we want to act upon the knowledge we gained and truly change. The inspiration might fade after a while, but the initial effect was there.
Prayer comes five times a day to give us that inspiration. It comes to remind us of what this is about ultimately. And if we truly connect, we will find that simply coming out of the prayer puts us in a state that keeps us away from immorality and wrongdoing. Because after connecting to the heavens, how can we come back to the earth to ruin it?
PASS THE KNOWLEDGE (LIGHT & LIFE) 