Nicole Queen's Story From Christianity to Islam

Nicole Queen's Story From Christianity to Islam

I was born in Houston, Texas to some very young parents. My grandparents are devout Baptist Christians who raised us close to this religion. Our parents didn't really follow any religion, so I used to ride the bus to church alone. When I got my license I drove myself there each Sunday. I stopped attending church after I graduated high school and began life as an adult. I spent some time in college and began working as a photography studio manager. I came back to Dallas from New York and, after managing for five years, began my own photography company.

I scored a few huge jobs shooting celebrity events for Ghost Bar, inside the infamous W Hotel in Dallas. Only the most beautiful and successful people partied at this place. I shot everyone from Justin Timberlake to Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson, and lots of other sports and pop stars that graced our doors.

With this job came lots of other restaurant openings, and every other main street night club had me shooting their private parties. My work then went into all the Dallas magazines, sometimes even in People and Paper City. I got to hang out with publicists from Vogue and worked with the best in the media business. It was simple and glamorous and along came with it lots of glam friends. I could walk into any party and it seemed I couldn't go anywhere at night without spotting friends.

I even had to look the part while working. I had to wear sexy clothes, loads of makeup, and "fohawk" style hair — it was popular at the time. I often found that I had fans. People actually came up and wanted to have their picture with me, on their own cameras. Later I would see it posted on Myspace or Facebook. I partied, and drank, and only cared about one person: me.

Deep down inside though, this life and the people in it started to wear down on my soul. It's a wicked life. I remember standing next to Justin Timberlake and all the flashes from the crowd going off, and we could barely see five feet in front of us. I only took about three shots of him, so I wouldn't get fired and then I slid my lens to the side. I couldn't do it more. It felt horrible all these people screaming, flashing, body guards around him, managers yelling — and this was after he had finished a three-hour concert. What kind of life was that?

I felt dirty that I was part of the reason he couldn't have a normal life. I started wondering what was so great about my life, what was I doing to better anything around me. Nothing, just shooting pictures of people partying and drinking and wow, "Here is my contribution America. I'm here to make the world a more materialistic and vain place!" Not exactly something that would make my grandmother proud.

So here it came, the overwhelming sensation of doubt about who I was and what I was doing with my life. I couldn't sleep. I began having nightmares with people screaming out to help them. I also couldn't escape the thought of the most important question that I had ever asked myself, "What will you say when you must explain your life to God?" OMG, what do you say, "Umm sorry God I am too busy drinking and hanging out with cool people to think about You or to help others."

This is definitely a defining moment in my life where I knew it was time for some changes. I talked with friends about what I was feeling. They tried so hard to help. One friend recommended that I watch a few lectures on YouTube. One of which from a guy named Yusuf Estes, a Muslim convert who used to be a Christian pastor. The best part was he was from Texas! I watched the lectures and when I got to his I heard a bearded man explain everything I was going through right to me as though he was reading my mind.

He told the story of his conversion to Islam from Christianity. Said he needed a greater purpose in life, a better reason to wake up in the morning. Oh how nice this sounded to me. To wake up without thinking, "What did I do last night, and how did I get home alive?"

I became obsessed with learning more about his religion. I would come home from shooting around 2:30 a.m. and get online till the sun came up. It was so relieving to listen to other converts too! Holy cow I found some help! Of course when studying and believing in this religion, you start to look at yourself differently. It's like you see yourself from outside your body!

I remember a friend of mine (who is now my husband) said to me, "Who is it that thinks your so glamorous and cool? What kind of people are they. They are just like you only caring about themselves and living for nothing better." Ouch, those words drove straight through me. He became my biggest supporter in my transition.

I remember one day I wanted to start going to the New Muslim classes at the local masjid and I went into my huge closet to find something suitable to wear. Ha! Good luck! This day I went crazy I think. I teared up as I thrashed through the hangers of sexy tops and tight jeans and pants — not one single thing that I could wear to a holy place. Most of the tops had to be taped on to avoid the loose fabric from exposing your chest! I began crying at myself. What kind of girl was I!

I tore through the clothes, throwing them behind me in a huge pile of slinky embarrassment. When I was done there was only a small rack of barely modest things left. I couldn't afford to replace them all so I slowly began the process of a new wardrobe. I started with looser pants, shirts with long sleeves, modest shoes instead of stilettos, and a low pony tail became my daily routine. Then it went from there, and slowly but surely God carved his way through my black heart and planted Himself deeply inside.

I said my Shahada in April of 2007 in the office of Dr. Yusuf Kavacki, the father of Elif Kavacki. My later husband Hassan was there supporting me, as well as a few new girlfriends I had made from the New Muslim classes. I have a slew of new friends now, who follow the same lifestyle as me. I didn't get rid of any of my old friends, but if your not down for meeting people at the bar, then they tend to stop calling as much, until it's just never at all. No problem for me. I am busy as I ever was and happily married with a wonderful family of in-laws not far away.

I asked Hassan if I could visit Jordan; he is from Amman and his parents and siblings live there. His family was so happy to have me. Muslims have the best sense of family and welcome guests as if they are blood. I stayed with his Mom and Dad for a month. I started wearing the hijab full-time there, it made being out in public easier for me, less men harassing you and people really respect you more. Wow, people respecting me for the way I dress and carry myself in public, that was a new and wonderful feeling.

When I came back to Dallas, I couldn't take off the scarf. I just couldn't stand the thought of going back to being just another "piece of meat" for men to glare at. I didn't want to go back to competing with women based on whose boobs look bigger, and what brand are you wearing and are you sexy enough to be my friend. No more of this life for me. I wanted to be free from those chains and wearing the hijab was the only answer for this. I wore it proud, wore it with style, and actually more men than ever in my life opened doors for me and showed me respect.

One day a man in his 40's came up to me at a store and said, "Where did you get these clothes, you look so classy and stylish. I wish my wife would start dressing this way." Why wouldn't men love this. They have a beautiful wife who shows her skin only to him and in public she covers demanding respect for herself and her religion with every public appearance she makes. I am currently working on designing new headpieces for hijab-wearing women to wear. Soon, Inshallah, I will have the first set completed.

I still do photography, but I keep it clean, you know. I don't shoot clubs or crazy parties anymore. I stick with charity functions, fundraisers, and my newly started wedding and bridal photography is going quite well. I also take part in MAS (Muslim American Society) and WCTI (Woman Converts to Islam). I speak sometimes to schools about Islam, and even to Muslim schools to the younger girls, I try to tell them to stay away from the wrong kind of life. I tell them from experience that it gets you nowhere, a vicious lonely circle where everyone is lonely and rich and it never gets any better.

I have a huge following on Myspace, thanks to the YouTube interview done on me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khjtrIkYU5I&playnext=1&list=PLB416EA411764533F) . I use the page on Myspace to reach out to other "party girls" and show them that you can escape that life. Even if you don't wanna become a Muslim, just clean up your life and you will change forever for the best. Having God in your life is the best therapy you could ever hope for, and it's free!

I also love working with Sr. Elif Kavacki. She is a great woman and really trying to open doors for Muslim women everywhere. I am happily married, and we are hoping one day Allah will bless us with an addition to our new little family. My husband and I enjoy living in downtown and keeping each other close to our religion. We frequent trips to the masjid and enjoy nights with friends for dinner. We have picnics by the lake and watch the sunset, and attend a lot of functions with his career. This replaced all the late-night parties and people who don't really care about you. I think it's a pretty good trade, Hamidillah.

Nicole Queen

Age of Consent or Age of Marriage! A fresh Look at Marriage Prospectives

Age of Consent or Age of Marriage! A fresh Look at Marriage Prospectives

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 9:44am

    Authentic narrations inform us that Abdullah bin Amr bin  al Aas the companion of the Prophet (pbuh) was only 11 years younger to his father Amr bin al Aas  (Allah be please with both). The same is said to be about Abdullah Zubair  and his father Zubair bin Awwam (Allah be please with both).

  While streaming along the local trends , some of which are global,  a mjority of Muslims have started taking some Islamic values as out dated and impossible or impractical in today's life. They may not agree with their mouth but attitudes and actions show it.

    A prominent Scholar of India who has passed his 60s got married to a young girl of 22,(and this was not an affair) people in the Muslim circle react with surprise where ever they go. Reactions are like this: What an odd couple ! How can a guardian get his daughter married to a man deserving to  be her grandfather's age! In today's time it should be better avoided...  By the way the couple is happy and don't care for the blamers. One of the comfortable ways to be happy is not to care for " what will people say" if you have not done something haram.

  If you are ashamed of Islamic values even in the permitted things then some thing is wrong with your confidence and not with the values, for, Islamic values never get  outdated.

   Among many traditions, that can be taken  proudly, which offers solutions to many pevailing problems, is the age of marriage. The West has a similar term  'The Age of Consent' which means that a girl or a boy has a liberty to choose a sleeping partner.  In some western countries including Sweden the age of consent is around 13 years, some have 16 years so the  news of girls getting pregnant in schools and facilities of condoms and  anti pregnancy pills are not looked down up. It is not a taboo. Islamically it is a taboo to gt involve in illict relations so the age of consent if associated with a marriage is welcomed by Islam . For example if a 13 year old girl  in Sweden gets married, Islam accepts it but a fornicating relation will not be tolerated. Government Surveys in India reveal that more than 30 percent of girls in interiror India get married efore they reach 18, but there are no statistics of girls sharing bed with boys in their schooling age. The formal is taken as a genuine concern of worry while the later is taken as 'fruits of liberty'

    The Prophet's marriage to Aisha,who was more than 10 years younger to his youngest daugther, went un protested even by his staunchest enemies. No Jew or a Christian or a Mushrik ever raised the issue, but we see that many Muslims who are educated in the secular environment feel uncomfortable on being confronted. In fact the smart Muslim would turn the tables over putting counter arguments on illict affairs among the school going children in most of the part of the world. Twenty percent of abortions carried out world wide are the done for getting rid of unwanted babies  in  illict relations.

 Islam has offered so many options to make marriage easy and zina (adultery and fornication) difficult. Consider these  norms which were very general in those time and essentially required in today's time :

   Marriages do not include expensive banquets. In one of his marriage the Prophet (pbuh) asked people to bring what ever eatables they had and the people shared the meal

  The girls can also request her guardian to send a proposal for marriage if she likes  a virtuous man. A pregnant widow deilvered  child and prepared herself  for another marriage. Her guardian found it odd and presented the matter to the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet approved it. Sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam.

  Age factor is never an issue  in fixing up a marriage. A truthful man like  Abu Bakr as siddique never minded his daughter getting maried to the Prophet (pbuh),  Ali bin Abi Talib got his daughter married to Umar bin al Khattab.....Abdullah bin Abbas said : By Allah! Even if I knew that there is only one day left in my life yet I would get married !

  Size, shape and colour never matters...Ummuhatul Mom'ineen Sauda, the wife of the Prophet was a woman of large size , people could identify her ...Another wife  Safiyya was short and Khadija was 15 years older to the Prophet...Allah be please with them. The elderly Khadeeja and the teenage Aisha were the most dearest wives of the Prophet (pbuh) with no signs of regrets for marrying them. The Qur'an says " Indeed in the Mesenger is the best example for you to follow.......A young maiden accepted the proposal of  a dark and  short sahabi just on the recommendation of the Prophet. She did not compare her status and looks with his. Narrators say that after the  sahabi died there were offers of marriage proposals from many Noble Arabs  to this lady, who had accepted the proposal of a man not matching his looks. Abu Talha was injured in the battle of Uhud and he limped little bit but he got proposals for marraige.

Moral of the story ? Even noble men love to marry women who do not mind their physical and social  shortcomings because of their religious inclinations. This is what is expected when Muslims and Musilmah desire to marry a person of religion.

    Huge and lavish houses and lucrative careers should not be the main criteria for choosing your man. Simplicity offers the best alternate. There are very few boys who earn huge amount of money to satisfy your expensive desires and can offer you luxurious tours and branded items, and there are very few girls whose looks can fit into the image of the goodlooking females whom you have been carrying in minds after watching pictures of models and actresses.

  If you don't take up the easy route to peace and tranquilty offered by your creator then you  may have to trod on difficult paths made by others and instead of being the leaders of the world  you will be following the rest of  world meeting more miseries on the way.

Author: Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-educational issues from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Baby born to a pre teen is not a new news

Taken From

The Beauty and Their Beasts: The Ugly face of Cosmetics

The Beauty and Their Beasts: The Ugly face of Cosmetics

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Monday, June 27, 2011 at 11:02am

 

 

A very thoughtful article by Suzanne Reisman caught my attention: Would the American Economy Collapse if Women Stopped Hating Their Natural Appearance?

 In the US the cosmetics industry is a $30 billion industry with an annual growth rate of 20% and  Cosmetics are recession-proof, as they are always in demand. Vanity is keeping the American women poor  and if women collectively decided that we were fine with our faces without makeup enhancing them, it would certainly cost the American economy an enormous amount of money and thousands of jobs would be lost.

   Have a look at the daily self-prepping inorder that she looks appealing to people in her college, her office in buses and trains in malls....: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face wash, , body lotion, face moisturizer, blusher, a bit of glimmer for my cheeks, eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss, and perfume. Most American women also add in regular salon and spa stuff like spray tanning, waxing, highlights, haircuts, manis, pedis, microdermabrasion and Botox……

How far can women go to ahceive that oop beauty index ! Nearly 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the US  in 2007 -- a 446 per cent increase in 10 years, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Surgery.  Botox injections and liposuction are the most popular nonsurgical and surgical procedures.

Quite simply: It costs more to be a woman !Financially and pyshcologically. The nonprofit YWCA in the US said women and girls are spending increasing amounts of money in their bid to look like idealized, air-brushed magazine models.

( http://www.news.com.au/money/money-matters/beauty-obsession-sending-women-broke/story-e6frfmd9-1111117238360#ixzz1QRwhcrp1)

 Are women safe while using the cosmetics ? A report titled "Skin Deep" by theEnvironmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit research institute based in Washington, D.C. showed that 89 percent of 10,500 ingredients used in lipstick, nail polish, hair coloring, soap, and other personal-care products have not been evaluated for safety...89 percent !

  The compact or talcum owder causes asthmatic attacks.. Strong perfumes cause allergic reaction and respiratory problems.. Anti ageing cream cause pigmentation , pimples and dark patches….Fairness creams bring  hair on faces, acnes and pimples… lipsticks darkens the lips… Hair removal causes irritation and burns…(DNA Jan 15 ,2007)

That brings us to the Qur’anic advice to women.. O Prophet Tell your wives, your daughters and believing men that they should cast their outer garments over their persons when abroad.. that is most convenient that they should be known and not molested….Surah al-Ahazab, ch 33:59

Note the last word “Not Molested” is “Fala U’dhaiyn” it does not mean eve teasing only..  rather it covers all aspects of harassments including psychological exploitation, depressed obsession towards looks.. But if she is covered ? Does she requires to show her employee and her co workers and her customers her looks and spend a large part of her income to please them by her looks ? Its only for her husband that she beautifies her self and that husband if loving he would not want his beloved wife to have a bag full of chemical cosmetics that can be more injurious than beneficial  

Author: Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on the socio-educational topics from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com
Taken From

Come Ramadhaan.... Go Ramadhaan

Come Ramadhaan.... Go Ramadhaan

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 2:23am

   Since Ramadhaan is arriving and every body is writing and posting motivating things  about fasting , so I also thought not to be left out, hence here are my own thoughts and observations.....

   Many people think that Ramadhan is the month of festival but it is not. It is a month of Ebadaah, worship.   Most of us  begin our preparation for Eid right from the first week of Ramadhaan itelf, as if Ramadhan is the month of preparing for Eid ! 

  The arrival of Ramadhaan will be welcomed by the ulema announcing the virtues of this month including Laylatul Qadr and along with it there will be parallel announcements of Ramadhaan sales.. Night cricket/ volley ball/carrom  tournaments.. The crowd swell will show whose announcement left more impact.. Yes you have guessed right...After all the shaytan are tied up while men are still free....

   In fact we eat more in the month of Ramadhaan and also waste more food during this month as compared to the

other months and then we say " Ramadhan brings a lot of blessed food because we stay hungry for the whole day" 

   Since we are suppose to eat less but we eat more, it means our women have to work more in the kitchen in Ramadhaan. So we will notice that while the rest of the members sleep, the poor woman gets up three hours before suhoor and slogs in the kitchen to cook. Then after fajr  while the rest of the men folk and children go to sleep she is busy washing utensils ! Then during the  morning while the rest of the house sleeps  (some of us till Zohar) she toils washing clothes and sweeping floors. Then after the  zohar when the rest of the family rests she takes a little rest and then she isback in the kitchen to slog a variety of dishes for Iftaar...

In fact many women cook more during Ramadhaan than the rest of the year...In spite of this many of them find more time to recite The Qur'an as compared to many male folk.

    This month will be bringing an opportunity for the poor Huffaz e Qur'an who dont have other sources to earn...   I thought we are suppose to listen to the Quran with an intention of getting reward  but now the attitudes have changed, people  flock to their respective Masajids for Khatm e Qur'an to complete the Qur'an ! I have not understood the difference between the two .

   Few years back they used to finish the Qur'an by 27 th night, now they shrink to 24 th night , perhaps in a decade we may see Qur'an beiing finished within a week and then the rest of the month you can shop, you can go for long rides, you can visit various eateries to taste 'Radhaan special' 

  The Qur'an declares Ramadhaan as the month to program our minds towards taqwa...itis a month of amnesty , mas forgiveness and our Prophet (pbuh)says" if you don't get your sins forgiven in the month of Ramadhaan  then you r are destroyed !!!!! Muslims  know very well whether sins are forgiven in malls and eateries or Ebdaah.

How Rightly has Allah said .. Wama adraka maa laylatul qadr ?  And what do you know what is Laylatul Qadr?.. Ah only if we knew what is Laylatul Qadr?

Author : Nisaar Nadiadwla speaks and writes on socio-educational issues from Islamic view point.  He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Taken From

Are You Investing Your Time or Merely Spending It ?

Are You Investing Your Time or Merely Spending It ?

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Friday, June 24, 2011 at 11:19am

 

   The average  age of this ummah is 65 years...out of that 15 years are passed away in chidhood and early teenage, from the remaining 50 years almost one third is lost to sleep.... so substract 16 years approximately from the remaining and you get  34 years as balance to live. ..What we do in this 34 years will shape our life after death. The choice is ours, whether we waste it away or use it forour seves and others. In simple words, are we merely  spending our time or investing  it?

That draws our attention towards the common term we use " Time Pass". In fact there is nothing like time pass, either you are wasting your time or using it. The time is passing any how and you cannot control it by slowing it or fastening it. 

 What is the difference between time waste and time invested ?

Imam Bukhari, the author of the Master piece in Islamic literature Sahih al Bukhari invested his time. He invested 18 years to compile a book that gives him extra ordinary dividends while he sleeps in his grave...Day in and day out he analysed through his  sets of strict rules before picking up around 2230 hadith. The book explains in detail the Islamic juriprudence since 1200 successive centuries! He travelled extensively throughut the Arabia in cross examing the 2,00,000 hadith that he had memorised during his tenure as a student ! Amazing feat ! Every year hundreds and thousands of madrasas across the world quote Bukhari to learn and teach Islam . NOte the following hadith...When a man dies, he leaves behind three things that benefits him even after  his death,.. Righteous children who would pray for him, a  Sadaqa e Jariya (continuous charity) and the knowledge that he leaves behind for the people to benefit.....

   How do we use out time? Are we merely spending or investing? Time is wealth and you cannot buy it, nor can you transfer your time from your life to some one else's life. It is a thing which yuo can never get it back. If you loose  you welath you can earn it back. but lost time can never be recalled back. If you fail in exams yu have next year to try again but if yuo failin your life yu never get another chance. The follwing hadith will make it clear how precious is this life ..The Martyr will be allowed to roam in the paradise any where he wishes to.. and he will be asked by Allah.."Do you desire any thing more ?".. "Yes My Lord ! I want to go back in the world and get martyred again", he will desire... "NO! you cannot go back" !

  The people before us lived for centuries.. Noah (pbuh)worked among his people for 950 years! Yet we are assured that though we are the last to come yet we will be the first to enter into paradise ! How come! The answer is simple : Our lives may be shortened but our rewards are mutliplied.. for example... If we pray five times we  are rewarded for praying 50 times ...If we pray in congregation we  have prayed  27 times.. if we pray isha and fajr in congregation we have prayed whole night.. if we get one Laylatul  Qadr we have worshipped for 1000 nights....

  There are many things we want to do in our lives yet unable to do it. They maybe big dreams  like building a school or a hospital and we never get money to fulfil our dreams of sawab e jaariah... but have you noticed that there are many things which we can, which we are suppose to do and yet we are not doing it ? Make a listofyour pending good works that you desire to do and squeeze out time to do it..it may that you want to write a useful book or memorize the Qur'an or learn Arabic Language.. it can be any good thing andyou are delaying it...Pick up your pending work and start doing it and that is what we say time invested properly....

  Remember. Time is not wasted in hours but in minutes which we let it slip doing nothing and  then .. "When death approaches one of them he say. O my Lord give me send me back. That I go back and work righteousness in the things I neglected...  NO! you cant go back   !!!!"  Surah al Mo'minoon ch 23 verse 99-100

Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-educational issues from Islamic viewpoints. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Taken From

99 NAMES OF ALLAH!!

1 Allah (الله) The Greatest Name
2 Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) The All-Compassionate
3 Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) The All-Merciful
4 Al-Malik (الملك) The Absolute Ruler
5 Al-Quddus (القدوس) The Pure One
6 As-Salam (السلام) The Source of Peace
7 Al-Mu'min (المؤمن) The Inspirer of Faith
8 Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن) The Guardian
9 Al-Aziz (العزيز) The Victorious
10 Al-Jabbar (الجبار) The Compeller

11 Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Greatest
12 Al-Khaliq (الخالق) The Creator
13 Al-Bari' (البارئ) The Maker of Order
14 Al-Musawwir (المصور) The Shaper of Beauty
15 Al-Ghaffar (الغفار) The Forgiving
16 Al-Qahhar (القهار) The Subduer
17 Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) The Giver of All
18 Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) The Sustainer
19 Al-Fattah (الفتاح) The Opener
20 Al-`Alim (العليم) The Knower of All

21 Al-Qabid (القابض) The Constrictor
22 Al-Basit (الباسط) The Reliever
23 Al-Khafid (الخافض) The Abaser
24 Ar-Rafi (الرافع) The Exalter
25 Al-Mu'izz (المعز) The Bestower of Honors
26 Al-Mudhill (المذل) The Humiliator
27 As-Sami (السميع) The Hearer of All
28 Al-Basir (البصير) The Seer of All
29 Al-Hakam (الحكم) The Judge One
30 Al-`Adl (العدل) The Just

31 Al-Latif (اللطيف) The Subtle One
32 Al-Khabir (الخبير) The All-Aware
33 Al-Halim (الحليم) The Forbearing
34 Al-Azim (العظيم) The Magnificent
35 Al-Ghafur (الغفور) The Forgiver and Hider of Faults
36 Ash-Shakur (الشكور) The Rewarder of Thankfulness
37 Al-Ali (العلى) The Highest
38 Al-Kabir (الكبير) The Greatest
39 Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) The Preserver
40 Al-Muqit (المقيت) The Nourisher

41 Al-Hasib (الحسيب) The Accounter
42 Al-Jalil (الجليل) The Mighty
43 Al-Karim (الكريم) The Generous
44 Ar-Raqib (الرقيب) The Watchful One
45 Al-Mujib (المجيب) The Responder to Prayer
46 Al-Wasi (الواسع) The All-Comprehending
47 Al-Hakim (الحكيم) The Perfectly Wise
48 Al-Wadud (الودود) The Loving One
49 Al-Majid (المجيد) The Majestic One
50 Al-Ba'ith (الباعث) The Resurrector

51 Ash-Shahid (الشهيد) The Witness
52 Al-Haqq (الحق) The Truth
53 Al-Wakil (الوكيل) The Trustee
54 Al-Qawiyy (القوى) The Possessor of All Strength
55 Al-Matin (المتين) The Forceful One
56 Al-Waliyy (الولى) The Governor
57 Al-Hamid (الحميد) The Praised One
58 Al-Muhsi (المحصى) The Appraiser
59 Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ) The Originator
60 Al-Mu'id (المعيد) The Restorer

61 Al-Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life
62 Al-Mumit (المميت) The Taker of Life
63 Al-Hayy (الحي) The Ever Living One
64 Al-Qayyum (القيوم) The Self-Existing One
65 Al-Wajid (الواجد) The Finder
66 Al-Majid (الماجد) The Glorious
67 Al-Wahid (الواحد) The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible
68 As-Samad (الصمد) The Satisfier of All Needs
69 Al-Qadir (القادر) The All Powerful
70 Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر) The Creator of All Power

71 Al-Muqaddim (المقدم) The Expediter
72 Al-Mu'akhkhir (المؤخر) The Delayer
73 Al-Awwal (الأول) The First
74 Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last
75 Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest One
76 Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden One
77 Al-Wali (الوالي) The Protecting Friend
78 Al-Muta'ali (المتعالي) The Supreme One
79 Al-Barr (البر) The Doer of Good
80 At-Tawwab (التواب) The Guide to Repentance

81 Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم) The Avenger
82 Al-'Afuww (العفو) The Forgiver
83 Ar-Ra'uf (الرؤوف) The Clement
84 Malik-al-Mulk (مالك الملك) The Owner of All
85 Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) The Lord of Majesty and Bounty
86 Al-Muqsit (المقسط) The Equitable One
87 Al-Jami' (الجامع) The Gatherer
88 Al-Ghani (الغنى) The Rich One
89 Al-Mughni (المغنى) The Enricher
90 Al-Mani'(المانع) The Preventer of Harm

91 Ad-Darr (الضار) The Creator of The Harmful
92 An-Nafi' (النافع) The Creator of Good
93 An-Nur (النور) The Light
94 Al-Hadi (الهادي) The Guide
95 Al-Badi (البديع) The Originator
96 Al-Baqi (الباقي) The Everlasting One
97 Al-Warith (الوارث) The Inheritor of All
98 Ar-Rashid (الرشيد) The Righteous Teacher
99 As-Sabur (الصبور) The Patient One

This is the Copy of Holy Quran ... copied by hand by Emperor Aurangzeb (RA) nearly 400 years ago

This is the Copy of Holy Quran ... copied by hand by Emperor Aurangzeb (RA) nearly 400 years ago

This Quran is hand-copied by Emperor Aurangzeb (RA) nearly 400 years ago. It is 13.5 kg in weight, 39.5 CM long and 20 CM wide. It has Golden and silver colored graving. Every page has a different perfumery smell and to avoid fire accidents the pages are fire proofed.

Police srrested the person, M.G. Sukumar (from Kerala), who was trying to sell it for 5 Crore Rupees

Indian continent Kerala Police has arrested Mr. M.G. Sukumar (44) resident of Trichur, who is going to sell this Quran for 5 crores Indian Rupees ( IRS.5,00,00,000) equal to 50 million $. And it has been sent to Hyderabad for verification of script.

This Holy Qura'n is copied by Mughal Emperor AURANGZEB in his own hand writing  400 hundred years ago (During 1636-44 & 1653-58).

• - It's weight measured as 13 KG.
• - Size: Length 39.5I cm. and width 20 cm.
• - The text was graving with Gold & Silver
• - This Qura'n papers are made by fireproof material.
• - It's every page giving different type of perfume smell

Why Not Comparative Religion?

Why Not Comparative Religion?

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 11:30am

 

In 2005 April, I was in Oman with Dr. Zakir Naik. Oman is a beautiful place, and if you watch the mountain ranges from your plane it looks like a carved work of an architect with model mountains of cardboard.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is the main Mosque in the Sultanate of Oman, a huge and a pretty one, being an ideal location for Da'wah to Europeans. I there I saw hundreds of them at a time watching the beauty of the Masjid and inquiring about the masjid (or rather Islam). Oman offers a lot of opportunity to interact directly with the western tourists. It was here that I realized that in modern times essential knowledge of comparative religion is very useful during the call to Islam especially when interacting with highely educated people.

A British couple visited me along with their 15 years old son. The father introduced himself as a staff in the British consulate. He said " My son is only 15 and he wants to be a Muslim and he has brought us here to meet you." After some formal talking I understood that the parents were here to persuade the boy not to accept Islam. They chose to talk about Palestine.....What is the root cause of the Palestine problem? Why dont the Arabs tolerate a tiny Israel state midst them? why are Arabs hostile against the very name of Israel.........?

I never knew that some one can use Palestine issue as a block to prevent the spread of Islam !

Back in Mumbai, I started digging out more information on Palestine issue. I studied Shaikh Deedat's talk on the subject like I had never done on any of his topics. Then I looked into Jamal Badawi's material. Both the scholars had made a good discovery to be useful for us.

Is the Middle east problem specially Palestine connected to certain religious issues or is it just a mere political problem?

Many people are made to think that it is a group of hostile Arab nations who are intolerant of Israel and refusing them their promised land...

My Hindu friend once aked me " Why do the Palaestinians fight against Israel ?" I asked him back " Why did Sri Krishna asked Arjun to fight the Kauravas?" What was the fight for? For the land that rightly belonged to the Pandavas.."For Sri Krishna Fighting for your land is called DHARM YUDH (Religious War) !

The main question is " Is Palestine really a promised land for today's Jews?"

The Promised land is reffered back to the times of Abraham in the Bible

Genesis 17 : 8 King James Version (KJV)

" And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Exodus 32:13 King James Version (KJV)

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

If you analyse both the verses you will notice that promise was to Abraham and his seeds.. not to the Jews dirctecly. Did Abraham really get the promised land during his life time? The Bible says NO! Did his seed Isaac or Ishmael got in their life time? NO!

The Promise was not fulfilled in the lifetime of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob.

Hebrew  11:13

This all died in faith.. not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off  

Gen 25:10 Abraham was buried in the land purhcased by himself!

The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

Acts 7:5

God gave Abraham no inheritance in the land, no so much as to set his foot on....

Did God gave a wrong promise? Or he did not promise at all?

Deuteronomy 18:21-22
You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?"'"

when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD , if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken.. the Prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.....

I did not get a chance to meet  that boy again, nor do i know if he got reverted to Islam...yet one thing I got to learn is that comparative religion is also an essential tool in this age of knock out debates.

Though comparative religion is another specialised field.. yet some of us have to excell in it if not all. One day Inshallah I wil share  good inputs on this subject and expereincs of the stalwarts of this field... 

Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-educational topics from Islamic view point. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Taken From

Being an Elite is not a Priviledge.......

Being an Elite is not a Priviledge.......

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 4:05pm

    Two sections of the society are most promising if they are walk  alright but equally dangerous if they get deviated and corrupted.  One is the religious scholars and the other Elite class. Today we will study the corruption in Elite class. 

 In Surah al Ar'af the stories of six prophets are mentioned in sequence. Each of them were confronted by their Elite class. 

1.Take for example prophet Nuh a.s. Surah Al-Ar'af : 60...  Wa qaaloo Mal'aoo The leaders of his people said " Ah ! we see you evidently wandering  (in mind ).....

2. Wa qaaloo Mal'aoo The leaders of  the people of A'ad said : Ah! we see that you are an imbecile and we think you are a liar !!!

3. Wa qaaloo Mal'aoo The leaders of  the people of Thamud said : We reject what you believe in....

The rest of the Surah goes ahead with different comments given by different elite class.....

  The Arabic word is used Mala'oo which means elite class.. the rich and the powerful. What happened to them is told in the next verses that follows....

These are the people who existed during the times of every prophets. Barring a few of them , a large number of people were obstacles for the message of truth and they were arrogant and they lead their people to ruin...

 The Mala'oon of today  means the choicest, the best, or most powerful of a group or a class. It can be elaborated as influential class of industrialists, politicians, Sports stars.. movie stars.. Rock stars.. These people are the one who initiate trends and the masses follow them. They are also rich class.

  The rich group called the “Power Elite” by American sociologist C. Wright Mills, is a group of approximately 1% of the US population that controls over 40% of all assets in the United States. If we consider families, 68% of the wealth in the USA is controlled by only 10% of families.This elite class rules the political system, educatinal system , financial system  and foreign policies of the US

  Islamically being an elite is not a previledge but a responsiblity. Look at the elite class of early Muslims. They were not above the law. An influential tribe came to intercede on the behalfof a woman who stole, they requested that the woman's hands be not cut off. The Prophet (pbuh) announced.. By Allah if my daughter Fatima steals I will not hesitate to chop off her hands....All the Caliphs lived a simple life style and people loved them and prayed for them.The elite Muslims were all from poor class and middle class but Allah granted them the authority over the whole of Arabia and they captured the thrones of Persian and Roman Empire. 

  Today a huge chunck of Muslims community follow the corrupt elite class from movies, rock stars, sports stars and look up at them to be their guide and role model.   On the other hand today no section of the Muslim community is under pressure as much as the elite Muslim , be he in any field. Their leaders are hanged , their welath is scrutinsed. Inspite of being a group of 53 nations yet no one is interested in hearing their  views ! The UN never consults them in International matters their place of worhips are bing watched as hub of terror..Today if the Muslim  realise the power and the responsiblityof being elite  and choose their role model  accordingly surely it will not take time for the ummah to regain its lost glory.

  Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and wirtes on the soio-educational issues from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at  nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com
Taken From

Looking like a Young or Living like a Young?

Looking like a Young or Living like a Young?

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 3:03am

 

 The fear of aging is among the Worlds Top 20 Worst Phobias. The phobics include, Movie stars. rock singers celebrities and other section of the society. For a celebrity there is no fear like the fear of looking old.

   A famous Bollywood star is now in his seventees  but he cannot unglue himself with the lime light he has seen in his prime youth when the lights of  media chased him, covers of magazines  beautified by his looks, actresses dying to work with him... but now since the younger generation has taken over  and every time he sees in his wrinkled face in the mirror he is depressed. At times he gets drunk and shuns himself from the world for two days ,locking himself in his bedroom !!!!  An over whelming number  of actors and actresses  undergo the knife of the skin surgeons to hide their age, because their youthful looks are their way to name, fame and wealth..

   Hollywood celebrities are probably the most mirror-obsessed, self-pampered people on the earth, and their personal assets are rigorously tended by certified-genius plastic surgeons, throngs of personal trainers, and kitchen staffs headed by famed French chefs consulting with Harvard-trained nutritionists. So the phenomenon may be no more than a skin-deep illusion.

    In its lists of centenarians by profession, Wikipedia names more than 50 actors, compared with 18 medical professionals, 9 philosophers and theologians, and 9 explorers.It describes how they continued working like youth even after crossing 70s.

    Our Prophet (pbuh) participated in  war when he was reaching sixty. Abu Ayub Ansari r.a. thenoted companon of the Prophet (pbuh) participated in the war against Constantinopole when he was 80.

    Dr. Bilal Philips in spite crossing his  60 looks like a young athlete. Hussein Yee has clean cut muscles like  Jackie Chan a he too works out in the gym thoughhe is reachign 60. Ahmed Deedat worked out in  gym with dumbells at that age of 68!  His best debates took place in his late fiftees and early sixtees,  when he stormed like a hurricane uprooting  and knocking out high fi MIssionaries like Jimmy Swaggert and others. My ex Editor  Kanti Bhatt is 80 and he still reads hundred pages of a book, and writes an editorial three times longer than what I write.. and he is still the highest paid writer in the Gujrati media !

   If you have a mission in your life then age should never be looked as an obstacle or excuse. None of the above mentioend people depended upon the cosmetics surgery or cosmetics to hide their age but their performance  outshone  young people.

   Compare it with the fast growing junk food generation who get on the peak of their career in their teens and fade out before they reach  thirty !!!Their short journey to fame and game  gives them an early exit. Some fall to drugs, some  chase girls and drown themselves in wine and the rest just dream of becoming like them......

   Once you are out of the womb of your mother, then nothing can stop you from aging....no matter how many cosmetics  you apply ..Your aging does not stop  even if you stop counting  your age.... After all it is not important how long you live but How good you lived that matters most. Will the people bear witness thatt you were good, while  walking  along with your janazah ? Will the angels of death welcome you ?

Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-religous topics from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

TAKEN FROM

Loneliness in a Crowd : The Pain of Old Age

Loneliness in a Crowd : The Pain of Old Age

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 1:50am

 

An aged father of my friend once called me up and complained about his loneliness,. His wife had died two years ago and the man wanted to marry a widow so that he can drive away his loneliness. He said bitterly, " My children do not want me to remarry, perhaps they dont want to share my property with their step mother.....

Two years back I was on my lecture in Pune, a cyber city close to Mumbai, where I was invited to speak in a beautiful outdoor auditorium. There was a cool greenery and it looked a very comfortable place. I roamed around before the talk to enjoy the  beauty of well cut plants and trimmed grass spread like velvet.

     I was told that the place was a home for old aged people. I asked ," Oh you mean to say that it is an orphanage for old people ?"  " err, Yes but the faciility is better than homes!" my host said and he added " we provide best food, there is a TV facility and entertaining games too..... " Do you provide grandchildrenand other relatives too?" I asked, then threw my anguish " These facilites are provided in our prisons too !". 

   The audience in my talk that day,  were the lonely old people of that old age home. I told them " You are not unlucky to miss your grandchildren but they are unlucky to have missed out playing in the lap of their grandparents who had an experience of bringing up the parents of the very same children…….

   A person who has grown up with family, and he lives with family through out his life and youth, but is being sent to a home of old age where he will be spending his time with other old people who are waiting for the sun of their life to set.  Every day he waits for some one to visit  him and his only visitors are the sms on the mobiles " Hello dad ! how are you ..Happy father's Day !....." In Ahemedabad, India  there are luxurious od age home with AC-Suite.... Another news paper article announced that there is a hsortage of old age homes in Mumbai and Gujarat.

  According to Hindustan Times July 22, 2006..The most severly isolated and lonely are people over 75, particularly women who are widowed and living alone......Source: Help Age India. According to Dignity Foundation (The Times of India, July 8, 2006) a large number of senior citizens are depressed. They may not be physically alone but they feel that there is no one around for them. It is just like remaining thirsty inspite of staying near a spring. 

   That reminds me of a note worthy Muslim in the time of the Prophet (pbuh) Owais Qarni  who could not meet the Prophet just because he had an ailing old mother to look after. Infact there is no concept of homes for old age in an Islamic society, rather the parents enjoy full rights to stay with their chidlren and if a child dies before them they inherit  from their property as well. The Qur'an also  commands the Muslims the degree of humbleness that they are suppose to show  towards their parents...Do not say even Uff to them.. Surah Isra  ch 17 ,verse 23.

   Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-religous topics from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Taken from

The Best Anti Depression : Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi Rajeoon...

The Best Anti Depression : Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi Rajeoon...

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 11:11am

   Kerela a prosperous south Indian state boasts of being the only Indian state with 100 percent of literacy and many Educational Institution as compared to other Indian states. Japan is the most indutrialised nation in the world with its unmatched Suzukis, Sonys, Nokia, Panasonic….Bangalore the cyber city of India which hosts a large number of Multi national companies in it boundaries. Yet all these three places have one thing in Common. They lead the world in suicide statistics. And suicides come from affluent class. They also include the frustrated students who fail to get up to the mark..

Since the results of Matric and Secondary schools are out,  news of students committing suicides are pouring in.  Quite surprising, these are not the failures in exams but those who are not able to get into medical and engineering are killing themselves. The success of a student is restricted to the grades he gets! 'Career Worship' is being cultivated as new form of  Godship by many parents and institutions.

 With the rate race towards a prosperous job intensified , the expectations of the parents from children also get hyper. I was stunned to see the improvement in achieving percentages in this year's Mumbai results, one in HSC and the other in SSC got 100 out of 100 in Maths! The t Times of india says that there is a climb in the number of students getting 90 percent and above !

    A professor in Bhavans College Mumbai once took the introductory  lecture of the students of BSC first year. He announced " I believe that this is the most frustrated batch in the entire college ! Raise your hands those who don't agree with me .. Everybody agreed. That batch was of those students who worked extremely hard from ninth standard and sacrificed all the social activities  and confined them selves to their books, coaching classes and buried themselves  beneath the piles of books and guides. Yet they did not manage to get admission in medicine and engineering. Every Indian college of science has this batch. No one is exempted.

    So with this, the parameter of failure has drastically gone up. If you cannot secure an admission in  Medicine or IT inspite of getting 80 percentage then you are a failure! 

   Let me take an anlystical stock of the situation from Islamic perspective  so that those who  have missed the bus may not sink into depressions. Islamically.. failure in this word is not the end of the road to success. Note the most encouraging words of Qur'an.. the last verse of Surah Imran.. Ya aayyuhal lazina aamano fas beroo was saberoo.. Oh you who have believed! be patient and remain patient.... In other translation.... O you have believed perserver and endure and remained station and fear Allah that you may be successful 

   If you analize the early set backs or hardships of Muslims you will discover that many failures are the early signs of success. For those who feel that success should be fast and immediate then consider this : In first thirteen years of early Islam, only a handful of people becamse Muslims, in the next decade almost the whole of Arabia submitted to Islam, and the next decade saw empires like Rome, Persia and Egypt loosing out to Islam.

 Many students have formulated a wrong version of success in their minds.  They relate it with their grades.If success is directly proportionate with your acheivements then what about those prophets who did not have followers except  a handful ! Would you call them failures ? Many companions of the Prophet (pbuh ) were  killed or remained poor while other perished in the hot sands of desert and a few even lived to be victims of various trials and tribulation . yet they were entitled to get a merit card from Allah.. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah... This is the supremed success says the second last verse of Surah Maidah. 

 Today ,people measure your scucess by counting your wealth, shops, and assets. This is a materialistic grading.

  Islam de attaches you from materialism. It teaches you how to handle failures and deal with it and let not failure cause you a loss in yur moral , in your motivation and in your attitude towards your life...And it is very simple.. SABR  PATIENCE... IIf you loose some thing,, a relative to death, wealth  in business loss or a chance to build a career which you were dreaming of for years.. you only have to say.. Innalillahi wa inna ilahi rajeoon.. Indeed we belong to Allah and we shall return unto him....The same verse is the best 'anti depresion assurance' from Allah .. those are the ones upon whom are the blessings from their Lord and they are the rightly guided.. Surah Baqarah ch 2 verse 156-157..

  AUTHOR : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on soio-educational issues from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf @yahoo.com.

Taken From

The High-Fi Syndrome : Are You Suffering from it?

The High-Fi Syndrome : Are You Suffering from it?

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Sunday, June 19, 2011 at 2:08pm

Some years ago my mother went to attend the wedding of a girl known to us. It was conducted in the compound of the groom's apartment,in a town a little out of Mumbai. The house was huge and well furnished with new furniture giving an idea to the visitors that the girl is lucky to have found a well settled boy The people  were waiting for the Qadhi to  conduct the nikah. At that some one from the society came to the girl's relative asking for the guardian of  the girl an elderly gentleman got up and  introduced himself...The man warned the guardian sternly..  You are being deceived by your 'son is law to be'! Neither he owns this house nor has he taken it on rent, even the furniture has been brought on rent !  

  Many people appear to be richer than they actually are ! Some to deceive others while some do it for the pleasure of being  taken as a high class celebrity ! They do get a good amount of success because 'where there are greedy , cheaters never go hungry...."

Many people measure richness through the capacity of earning or the amount of wealth collected, where as some  judge it by observing the amount of wealth you spend. The last parameter is today's trend. What remains hidden is that many of these extravagant are turning into 'a class of debtors'  The tempting advertisements allures more and more people into spending more than they can afford. 

  From the Islamic financial perspective people can be divided into four broad groups each can have off shoots of sub groups.

1. Those who earn through Halal and spend in halal

2. Those who earn  through halal but spend in haram

3. Those who earn through haram but spend in halal

4, Those whoo earn through haram and spend in haram

Except for the first group, the rest of three are dangerously wrong. In fact extravagance is one of  the main reasons of financial depression. A young man get s a good job in a call center and earns money like he never had, so he buys for his family, his wives, his children, his mother and sisters , expensive mobiles, but for them branded clothes takes them to expensive tours...he makes them addicted to luxury and all of  a sudden comes a financial recession that make shim looks his job. He can control his expenses but the family now cannot adjust the high fi life they had enjoyed. Experts call is  HIGH - FI  syndrome. In these cases it seen that the person does not cut down his luxuries but cuts down his necessitous . He refuses to pay for his old and ailing parents.....

   Mass Extravagance is quickly becoming an accepted form of civilizations. From Government to common citizens including private sector, we are spending the valuable wealth lavishly. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have a huge population belonging to the middle class, with labour class, clerks, sales men, small shopkeepers, government  servants.... but look at their sales chart in past five years! Look at their marriages, their furniture, their life styles ....But naturally they are buying beyond their capacity. Most of these items are bought out of loan hoping to use ti today and pay tomorrow

   Do you know what is the amount of India's annual food wastage? Guess ! It is 58,000 crore Rupees every year ! A nation who  20 percent of population live with only one meal a day wastes its 58,000 crores rupees of food every year!

The Qur'an sums up this mentality in Surah Isra Ch, 17, verse 26-27  Do not waste your wealth lile a extravagant. Indeed extravagant are the brothers of Shaytaan, and Indeed Shaytaan is ungrateful to his Lord

 In an Islamic financial system, your financial IQ is connected to your spending wisdom. After all a person who has no knowledge is termed as  AN IGNORANT   but a person who posesses it and yet does nt benefit from is a  SUPERLATIVE IGNORANT... AM i RIGHT ?

 AUTHOR :  Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and wirtes on socio-economical issues from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Taken From