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			    <title>Harun Yahya</title>
			    <link>http://www.harunyahya.com/</link>
			    <description>Hayata Bakışınızı Değiştirecek Eserler / An Invitation to The Truth</description>
			    <language>EN</language><item>
<title>MASONS' PLANS HAVE BEEN THWARTED ONCE AGAIN</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ (From Mr. Adnan Oktar&rsquo;s live interview on Gaziantep Olay TV and Mavi Karadeniz TV, September 8th, 2009)


PRESENTER: A viewer from Izmir, Tahir Yalıoğlu, says that he has been following Adnan Hodja&rsquo;s intellectual struggle against the masons for many years now and that he supports him. He says he thinks that the masons are behind many of the plots against you because they regard you as a threat to them. In addition, he sees a great affection for C&uuml;ppeli Ahmet Hodja among the masons, and that the masons and the alleged Ergenekon organization support C&uuml;ppeli Ahmet, and he wonders why that is. 

ADNAN OKTAR: I don&rsquo;t know. That would have to be investigated. But one can feel an affection on their part, and that is quite surprising. Because there is normally a great rage toward Muslims in masonic circles. In other words, wherever they imagine they see a weakness, they try to do something using the people they have bought, either by uttering slanders or else bringing in false witnesses. But in my view the only reason they support C&uuml;ppeli Ahmet Hodja is his opposition to me. Otherwise they made their own opposition to C&uuml;ppeli Ahmet clear, what they think of him, because when he speaks they roll around laughing. They really find him highly amusing. Because he is really no threat to Darwinism or materialism, no danger to communism and fascism, because neither his level or cultural or his intellectual capacity make that possible. Because they have seen that someone educated in a madrassa will possess certain information and therefore poses no threat. They asked him questions about Darwinism, but he glossed over them in just a few words. From that it could be seen he is no danger to them. And then they just began enjoying themselves. 

OKTAR BABUNA: They even said he was one of them. 

ADNAN OKTAR: Yes, then they called me as a matter of good form, or something. I went along. They called me for balance or something, maybe not to raise suspicions, in order that they could say they were not one-sided but also invited Adnan Hodja. In fact, on the evening I went there they imagined, in their own eyes, they were going to finish me off. They were going to bring on various professors and scientists, and everyone would phone in and I would be unable to cope.

OKTAR BABUNA: Not at all.

ADNAN OKTAR: But when I knocked them down...

OKTAR BABUNA: Masha&rsquo;Allah,

ADNAN OKTAR: They were really shocked. There was something from the Munich Olympics I remember as a boy. There was this wrestler who picked everyone up and threw them down within 11 seconds. Then when I began hurling them onto the ground, they began making this whimpering noise. You saw their anger that evening, they were like gunpowder ready to explode. Then they went off and re-arranged their tie pins or something and came back, in the same way that a defeated wrestler always longs for the ring again, and I flattened them again. Thanks be to Allah. 

CİHAT G&Uuml;NDOĞDU: Thanks be to Allah.

ADNAN OKTAR: I consider Yiğit Bulut to be free of this, because he is a real nationalist and believer in Allah, but in my view he was unaware of those events. I think he acted in good faith but, thanks be to Allah, we finished the matter in a single session. There is now this enormous silence, and they are behaving very oddly. They put a caricature of me on a magazine cover the other day. I have a stick in my hand, and they have an evolutionary timetable or the stages of our supposed descent from apes, but I am chasing them all before me. Evolution is on the move, it says, but it is running straight into a brick wall, where it crashes. And that really happened. It was an excellent description.

 ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>04.01.2010</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>DESCENT FROM THE PROPHET CAN ALSO COME FROM THE MATERNAL SIDE AS FROM THE PATERNAL</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ Among the Ottomans it was sufficient for one&rsquo;s paternal line of descent to go back to our Prophet (saas) to be regarded as a sayyid. However, it is also possible to be a sayyid on one&rsquo;s mother&rsquo;s side only. The rank of sayyid goes back to the daughter of our Prophet (saas) and Hazrat Fatima (ra), the mother of Hazrat Hassan (ra) and Hazrat Hussain (ra).&nbsp; Our Prophet (saas) also had male children, but these died at an early age. The Prophet&rsquo;s (saas) line was thus continued through his daughter. As it can be understood, one can thus be a sayyid through the maternal line as can be from the paternal . The great Islamic scholars Ibrahim Hakki Erzurumi (1703-1780) and Abdul Qadir Gaylani (1078-1166) were both sayyids on their mothers&rsquo; sides. 


 ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>14.05.2009</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>UNSEEN KNOWLEDGE GIVEN TO OUR PROPHET (SAAS)</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ Only Almighty Allah knows the unseen things about the past and the future that are beyond the capacity of human senses to perceive. Everything that happens in all the worlds of the universe is controlled by Allah and contained in His knowledge. The miracle of unseen knowledge was vouchsafed to our Prophet (saas) to the extent that Allah willed. Allah told our Prophet (saas) about events hidden in the past that no one else knew and about things that would happen in the future, and he revealed this knowledge to his companions and all his people.
It is Allah Who created time and taught the concept of it to the people. He is exalted above time and not limited by it, He knows all secrets and He can reveal the secret things hidden in his Presence to any of His messengers according to His will.&nbsp; Those to whom He has given secret knowledge can, by His will, tell about things past and the yet to come; they see the inner face of events and know their various consequences. 
Allah tells us in the Qur&rsquo;an that He has given some of the unseen knowledge hidden in His Presence to some messengers: 

He is the Knower of the Unseen, and does not divulge His Unseen to anyone&ndash;except a Messenger with whom He is well pleased, and then He posts sentinels before him and behind him, so that He may know that they have indeed transmitted the Messages of their Lord. (Surat al-Jinn, 26-27)

Our Prophet Muhammad (saas) was a messenger special to Allah to whom He gave much secret knowledge from His Presence. Our Prophet (saas) knew things that happened in the past unknown to anyone else and learned from Allah many things that were going to occur in the future. Allah reveals this in the Qur&rsquo;an: 

This is news of the Unseen which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they decided what to do and devised their scheme.&rsquo; (Surah Yusuf, 102) 

OUR PROPHET&rsquo;S (saas) MIRACULOUS UNSEEN KNOWLEDGE
Our Prophet&rsquo;s (saas) ability to know unseen things did not come from himself. But he revealed these things to those around him in accordance to Allah&rsquo;s will. All-knowing Allah revealed this knowledge to His messenger which pointed to events that happened in the past or that were with certainty about to occur in the future. This shows that all the knowledge our Prophet (saas) revealed was a miracle. Several times throughout his life, our Prophet (saas) delivered information that could only be known by Allah&rsquo;s revelation. He was given knowledge e about the past, the present and the future and this was a proof that he was a true prophet. The Qur&rsquo;an describes many details of the divine knowledge given to Muhammad (saas) together with his devotion and submission to Allah: 

Say: &lsquo;I possess no power to help or harm myself, except as Allah wills. If I had had knowledge of the Unseen, I would have sought to gain much good and no evil would have touched me. I am only a warner and a bringer of good news to people who believe.&rsquo; (Surat al-A&lsquo;raf, 188)

As a result of the revelations given to Allah&rsquo;s holy Prophet Muhammad (saas) both personally and through the verses of the Qur&rsquo;an, he gained knowledge about the past, present and future. According to Allah&rsquo;s will, he had knowledge about many matters that no one else could know. Because of this knowledge, he could announce victory to Muslims in dire straits by which he was able to bolster their zeal. The occurrence in sequence of each of these events predicted by our Prophet (saas) was miraculous.&nbsp; 
There are many events predicted by our Prophet (saas) 1400 years ago that are coming true today. Many scholars of the Hadiths such as Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Thirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah, witness to the fact that secret knowledge revealed by our Prophet (saas) in the Hadiths is true. They attest to the miracle that all the secret knowledge revealed by our Prophet (saas) has come true and continues to come true.
False Accusations Against Our Prophet (saas) Despite The Miracle of His Unseen Knowledge
From the time our Prophet (saas) started to communicate what is revealed to him in the Qur&rsquo;an to the people around him, unbelievers accused this blessed personage of not telling the truth. They approached every piece of information brought by him with suspicion and were unwilling to believe in him. However, our Prophet (saas) was a personage whose honesty and credibility could easily be understood just by looking at his face and way of living. Although he was a person who was unanimously qualified as &ldquo;Al-amin&rdquo; (reliable) throughout his life and addressed with this epithet, some people insisted on saying lies not to comply with the right path to which he called. 
In their savage attacks on our Prophet (saas), deniers reject the possibility that a person can tell the truth every moment of his life. They say that an individual cannot live his life speaking the truth every moment until his death. But our Prophet (saas) was a devout and self-sacrificing man who prayed day and night; he was patient and his moral rectitude was an example to the whole world. He entered battle with great courage and fought in the front ranks. Even faced with the threat of death, he continued to proclaim the truth.
Our Prophet (saas) always practiced the moral teachings of the Qur&rsquo;an impeccably and was an example for all believers. Our blessed Prophet (saas) taught generosity and gave liberally of all he had; he offered his life and his possessions to gain the favor of Allah. He taught patience, self-sacrifice, true love and friendship and lived these moral qualities in the best possible way. Also, he urged people to be merciful and forgiving and he practiced these virtues with singular determination. The unbelievers that accused our Prophet (saas) should have considered following:
It does not belong to the power of human nature to perpetuate a lie throughout a lifetime. It is not possible for a person to be a liar and live his life consistently in accordance with thousands of non-conflicting verses. And why would a liar persist in such an attitude until the end of his life? And why would people put their lives at risk in order to show the right path to the Hereafter? 
And is it possible for everything a liar says to be the vehicle of such great wisdom? Is it possible for everything he has said to be perfect from the aspect of eternity; to be possessed of a certain numerical code; for everything he has said throughout 23 years to be in an eternal, mathematical and scientific harmony? Is it possible for all he has said to contain the wisdom to answer all the questions concerning social life to which people&rsquo;s consciences seek the answer? It is certain that a liar cannot avoid detection when one day his words do not hold together. However, everything our Prophet (saas) said has come true and both Muslims and deniers have witnessed that truth.
Undoubtedly, every miracle given to every prophet is important. But the fact that masses of people witnessed the miracles of our Prophet (saas) make him different from other prophets. For example, when &lsquo;Isa (as) raised a person to life or cured a sick person, it was only the people standing around who witnessed the miracles. And it was only Pharaoh, his people and the children of Israel that witnessed the miracles of Musa (as). (Only Allah knows the whole truth).&nbsp; When our Prophet (saas) predicted a victorious war, the number of people who witnessed the battle was much greater. Tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people saw these miracles happen.
&nbsp;Here are some of the announcements of our Prophet (saas) that qualify as miracles: 
The Victory over Byzantine Empire
One of the future predictions in the Qur&rsquo;an comes immediately at the beginning of Surat ar-Rum. In these verses it is announced that the Byzantine Empire has suffered defeat but that a short time later it would again be victorious:&nbsp; 

Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but after their defeat they will themselves be victorious in a few years&rsquo; time. The affair is Allah&rsquo;s from beginning to end. On that day, the believers will rejoice. (Surat ar-Rum, 1-4)

These verses were sent down in 620 A.D., 7 years after the Christian Byzantines suffered a major defeat by the pagan Persians in 613-614 A.D.&nbsp; The verses tell us that the Byzantines were going to be victorious very soon. However, at that time, the Byzantines had experienced such serious losses that it seemed impossible for them even to survive, not to mention winning another victory. The Persians defeated the Byzantines at Antioch in 613 A.D. and went on to take Damascus, Cilicia, Tarsus, Armenia and Jerusalem. It was especially the loss of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that dealt the greatest blow to the Byzantines. 1
At that time it was not the Persians but the Avars, Slavs and Lombards that were the most serious threat to the Byzantines. The Avars came up to the very gates of Constantinople. In order to supply the armies, the Byzantine emperor Heracleius had the gold, silver and precious ornaments from the churches melted down and turned into money. When this proved insufficient, he even melted down the bronze statues to make coins. Many governors revolted against the Heracleius and the empire came close to disintegration. The former Byzantine possessions of Mesopotamia, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Armenia were occupied by the pagan Persians. 2
In short, everything pointed to the destruction of the Byzantine Empire. But exactly at that time, the first verses of Surat ar-Rum were revealed saying that, before 9 years had passed, the Byzantines would again be victorious. The Arab hypocrites thought that this victory announced in the Qur&rsquo;an would never happen. 
But, as with everything predicted in the Qur&rsquo;an, this too was inevitable. In 622 A.D., Heracleius invaded Armenia and won several battles against the Persians.3&nbsp; In December 627 A.D., there was a major battle between the Byzantines and the Persians near Baghdad, 50 km east the Tigris River by the ruins of Nineveh. The Byzantines defeated the Persians and a few months later the Persians were forced to sign a treaty restoring the occupied lands to the Byzantines. 4
The Byzantine victory in 630 A.D. and the defeat of the Persian emperor, Chosrov II, meant that Jerusalem was returned to Heracleius and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher came back under Christian control. 5
So, as Allah said in the Qur&rsquo;an and our Prophet (saas) proclaimed to the people, the Byzantine victory happened miraculously within that predicted 3-9 year period.
Another miracle of these verses is that facts of geography were given that no one could have known at that time.
Verse 3 of Surat ar-Rum says that the Byzantines were defeated at the the lowest land. The Arabic for this is edna el-ard, which can also mean a nearby place.&nbsp; But this translation is not a literal rendering of the original; it is metaphorical. The Arabic word edna is the superlative form of deni (low) and means lowest. Ard means Earth.&nbsp; So, edna el-ard means the lowest place on Earth.
Some commentators, thinking that this place is close to the Arabs, translate the phrase as closest.&nbsp; But the basic meaning of the word points to a geological fact that no one could known at the time the Qur&rsquo;an was revealed: the lowest place on Earth is the area of the Dead Sea where the Byzantines were defeated in 613 A.D. And, as we said before, the hardest blow for the Christians was the loss of Jerusalem, close to the Dead Sea. 
The Dead Sea, at 399 meters below sea-level, is the lowest point on Earth. 6
What is remarkable here is that the level of the Dead Sea could only be determined with the use of modern measuring equipment.&nbsp; Previously no one could know that the Dead Sea was the lowest place on Earth.&nbsp; But this area is described in the Qur&rsquo;an as the lowest land on Earth.&nbsp; This is another proof that the Qur&rsquo;an is the word of Allah; and it is a miracle that Allah granted this knowledge to His Prophet. 
The defeat of Mecca

Allah has confirmed His Messenger&rsquo;s vision with truth: &lsquo;You will enter the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in safety, Allah willing, shaving your heads and cutting your hair without any fear.&rsquo; He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Surat al-Fath, 27)

While our Prophet (saas) was in Medina, he had a dream: he saw believers safely entering the The Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and circling the Kaaba. He revealed this good news to the believers.&nbsp; It was good news because the believers who had left Mecca for Medina had not been allowed to return.
As an encouragement, Allah revealed verse 27 of Surat al-Fath to our Prophet (saas).&nbsp; He said the dream was true and, according to His will, believers could return to Mecca. Indeed, later as the dream had foretold, after the Treaty of Hudaybiya and the subsequent defeat of Mecca, Muslims entered the Sacred Mosque in peace. So the glad tidings inspired in our Prophet (saas) by Allah came true.
Buhari relates a story of Ibn-i Abbas concerning the defeat of Mecca:

İbnu Abbas said that in the verse, &ldquo;He Who has imposed the Qur&rsquo;an upon you will most certainly bring you back home again&rdquo; (Surat al-Qasas, 85), what is meant with the word home here is Macca.&rdquo;7

It is important to note here that verse 27 of Surat al-Fath mentions another victory before the defeat of Mecca. As the verse foretold, before they captured Mecca, Muslims took the Hayber Castle that had been a Jewish possession.8&nbsp; The famous Jelaleyn interprets the verse of Surat al-Fath as follows: 

&ldquo;&hellip;Allah made the dream He showed his Prophet (saas) come true. In the year the Hudaybiya was signed, before going to expedition, the Prophet (saas) saw in his dream himself and his people safely entering Mecca with shaved heads and informed his people about this [good news]which made his people pleased. He set out together with his people but unbelievers averted them in Hudaybiya. Some of the hypocrites raised suspicions of this. This is the time when this verse was revealed. &ldquo;InshaAllah you will enter Masjid al-Haram safely, with no fear whatsoever, with shaved heads, (or some of you) with shortened hair. But in terms of peace, for your benefit, Allah knew what you did not know and before entering Mecca, granted a conquest. This was the conquest of Haybar. And the next year the dream came true.&rdquo;&nbsp; 9

In the eighth year of the Migration, our Prophet (saas) entered Mecca and conquered it. But when he delivered this good news to the believers, it did not appear likely to happen. Conditions seemed to be in favor of an opposite outcome; the hypocrites seemed determined to keep the believers from entering Mecca. This caused those who had sickness in their hearts to doubt the words of the Prophet (saas). But our Prophet (saas) trusted in Allah and was not moved by what people said; he believed in what Allah had told him and revealed it to the people. The fact that this secret revelation from our Lord came to pass is a miracle witnessed by millions of people.

The Defeat of Egypt

O my people! You are about to conquer Egypt. Keep the welfare of the conquered people in view. You shall have to abide by the divine covenant that their life and property and their honor should be protected. 10

This Hadith announces that Egypt would be conquered.&nbsp; While our Prophet (saas) was proclaiming this, Egypt was under the rule of Rome and Muslims were not yet very strong. But these words of our Prophet (saas) came true: in the year 641 A.D., shortly after his death, in the caliphate of Omar, Egypt was conquered by Muslims commanded by Amr bin As.&nbsp;11&nbsp; This event was another secret revelation of our Prophet (saas) that came true.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The Conquest of Roman and Persian Lands

Kisra (Khosrau, King of Persia) will die; there will be no Kisra after him, and Qaisar (Caesar, King of Rome) will die; there would be no Qaisar after him, but, by One in Whose Hand is my life, you will spend their treasures in the cause of Allah. 12

The word kisra that appears in this saying was a title used by Persian kings.&nbsp; The title Caesar was used by Roman Empire. In the Hadiths, our Prophet (saas) announces that the treasuries of these two monarchs would remain in the possession of Muslims.
It is important to notice here that, when our Prophet (saas) made this glad announcement, Muslims had no military or economic power and did not yet have the ability to make such a great conquest. And, at that time, the most powerful states were Persia and Rome. For this reason, when our Prophet (saas) announced these two conquests, economic and military conditions seemed to be against the possibility. Nevertheless, they happened.&nbsp; Persia was conquered in Omar&rsquo;s time and the Empire of the Persian Kisra was brought to an end.13
The beginning of the end of the Roman Caesar and the Muslim confiscation of his treasury started in the time of the Rashid caliphs with the conquest of some important Roman centers. Starting in the time of Abu Bakr, the Roman possessions of Jordan, Palestine, Jerusalem, Syria and Egypt fell to Muslims. Constantinople was taken by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453. And with the fall of the Roman Empire the title of Caesar ceased to be used.14 So, these conquests that seemed impossible in the time of our Prophet (saas) were miraculously revealed to him by Allah. 
Our Prophet (saas) Answered a Question before it was asked.
In the Qur&rsquo;an, Allah tells us that &lsquo;Isa (as) knew by the will of Allah what people ate and what they kept. (Surah Al &lsquo;Imran, 49) and that Yusuf (as) could tell when a meal was about to come (Surah Yusuf, 37). These miracles were gifts bequeathed by Allah&rsquo;s grace to His prophets. As our Prophet (saas) says in the Hadiths, that, as a miracle from Allah, he answered a question before a person asked it and could tell what a person was thinking. For example, the Hadiths tells us that our Prophet (saas) told his companions where and when there would be a victory.15&nbsp; Again, according to the Hadiths, our Prophet (saas) could tell when someone was going to come home before they came and when they would enter a room before they entered it.&nbsp;16 He also was able to recognize immediately the mind of a hypocrite, those hostile to Muslims and those who harbored evil ideas.&nbsp;17 (Surah Muhammad, 30) 
There are hundreds of examples of such miracles in the Hadiths.&nbsp; In one Hadith, our Prophet (saas) gave an answer to a question in the mind of Abu Sufian who, as a result, bore witness to the fact that this blessed person was indeed a prophet: 

Abu Sufian was sitting in a corner of the Masjid. One day our Prophet (saas) came out of his house. From where he sat Abu Sufian thought: &ldquo;I wonder with what he overcame?&rdquo; Our Prophet (saas) came next to Abu Sufian and touched his back, saying: &ldquo;I overcame you with Allah.&rdquo; Abu Sufian said: &ldquo;I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah&rdquo;. 18

Our Prophet (saas) knew what people were thinking and was able to give them an answer to their questions. An example is the Hadith about Vabisa: 
I came to our Prophet (saas). My intention was to ask him every thing about goodness and sins. He was surrounded by Muslims, asking him questions and demanding fetwa. I wanted to proceed among them. 

- &ldquo;Stay away from Allah&rsquo;s messenger, Vabisa!&rdquo; they said. 
- I replied: &ldquo;Leave me so that I can come very close to him. He is the most amiable of all those to whom I want to be close! 
- He said: &ldquo;Leave Vabisa!&rdquo; Then, he addressed me twice or three times: &ldquo;Vabisa, come closer! At the end I came close to him and sat in front of him. 
- He said: &ldquo;Vabisa. Shall I tell you or would you like to ask to me!&rdquo;
-&ldquo; I want you to tell me&rdquo;I said. 
- He said: &ldquo;You are here to ask me about goodness and sins, right?&rdquo;
- I said: &ldquo;Yes.&rdquo; Then, he showed my heart with his fingers and said: &ldquo;Vabisa, consult your heart, consult yourself! Goodness is what your heart finds peace in even if people give you a fatwa or not; sin is what eradicates (disturbs) the heart, the thing that wanders around in chest!&rdquo;&nbsp; 19

As the Hadith says, our Prophet (saas) was given grace from Allah to be able to know the answer to a question often before he was even asked. Another example of his ability to read a person&rsquo;s thoughts and intentions is the Hadith about Abu Darda&rsquo;s being a Muslim: 

Abu Darda was worshipping an idol. Abdullah b. Ravaha and Abu Salam went near that idol and broke it. When Abu Darda saw the idol in that situation he couldn&rsquo;t help himself from saying: &ldquo;What a pity! Couldn&rsquo;t you protect yourself&rdquo; Then the Prophet (saas) came. Abdullah b. Ravaha saw him on the way and said: &ldquo;That is Abu Darda! He should certainly be here to find us.&rdquo; Upon this Allah&rsquo;s messenger said: &ldquo;No! He is coming here to be a Muslim. My Lord told that he would be a Muslim.&rdquo; 20

All the above examples show that our Prophet Muhammad (saas) showed many miracles by Allah&rsquo;s will. Our Prophet (saas) was an example of excellent moral character, trust and faithfulness; with his miracles he strengthened the eager resolve of those with faith. 
The End Times that is being experienced in the light of our Prophet&rsquo;s Knowledge about the Unseen.
The End Times is a period that will be experienced on Earth before the Doomsday. Our Prophet&rsquo;s many news regarding the events that would occur in the End Times have reached us. That these events occur one after another in our time is also a miracle of our Prophet (saas). Our Prophet (saas) explained the events that would occur 1400 years after his time in details as if he watched that time. The rise of a comet, the Iran-Iraq war, the Qaba raid, the increase in fitnah and moral degeneration are only a few of the signs that would occur in the End Times. 
It should be stated at this point that the signs revealed by our Prophet (saas) in the Hadiths may have been seen severally over the past 1400 years at various times and in diverse places in the world. But since the year 1400 in the Muslim calendar they have happened one after another in the same period of time. This shows that another event predicted by our Prophet (saas) has come to pass:&nbsp; 

Signs following one another like the pieces of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut.&nbsp; 21

Many of these events announced in the Hadiths of our Prophet (saas) as signs of the end are happening in our day. The increase of wars, conflicts, terror, violence, anarchy, chaos, murders and torture is an indication that the first period of the end times is upon us.
According to what our Prophet (saas) says in the Hadiths, Allah will rescue people after this dark period and save them from chaos; it will be a great salvation. In order to direct morally deficient, degenerate societies onto the right path, Allah will appoint His excellent servant, Mahdi, as mediator. Mahdi (the guide to the truth) will assemble the Islamic world under one roof; he will cause the moral teachings of the Qur&rsquo;an to prevail throughout the world and, together with &lsquo;Isa (as) who is to return to Earth a second time, he will engage in an intellectual struggle against the strife of the End Times.
In the Hadiths, our Prophet (saas) told people to obey the excellent Mahdi who would be the means of salvation in this world and in the Hereafter; he pointed out all the good things that would mark this period:&nbsp; 

A man from my family appears to fill Earth with justice, just as it has been filled with corruption. So whoever reaches that [time] ought to come to them, even if crawling on the ice/snow, since among them is the caliph of Allah al-Mahdi. 22

All the miracles proclaimed by our Prophet (saas) concerning past events or with regard to &lsquo;Isa (as), Mahdi and signs of the End Times are a cause for rejoicing for all Muslims and a gracious help from Allah. According to Allah&rsquo;s will, these miracles are proofs that will strengthen the faith of believers and bind them even more closely to the glorious Qur&rsquo;an sent down to our Prophet (saas) from Allah.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclius
2.&nbsp; Warren Treadgold, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford University Press, 1997, pp. 287-299.
3.&nbsp; http://fstav.freeservers.com/emperors/heraclius.html
4.&nbsp; Warren Treadgold, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, pp. 287-299.
5.&nbsp; http://web.genie.it/utenti/i/inanna/livello2-i/mediterraneo-1-i.htm; http://impearls.blogspot.com/2003_12_07_impearls_archive.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclius
6.&nbsp; World Book Encyclopedia, 2003, Contributor: Bernard Reich, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University
7.&nbsp; Buh&acirc;ri, Tafsir, Surat al-Qasas, Qutub-i Sitte- 729
8.&nbsp; Imam Tabari, Tabari Interpretation, Volume 5, Umit Publishing, Istanbul, p. 2276
9.&nbsp; Jalallayn Interpretation Translation, Translation: Ibrahim Serdar, Yusuf Sensoy, Faith Enes Publishing House, Istanbul, 1997, Volume 3, p. 1843
10.&nbsp; Al Hafiz ibn al-Dayba al-Shaybani,Taysir al-'usul ilaJami al-'usul, Volume 15, p. 420
11.&nbsp; H.U. Rahman, Islamic History Chronology, Birlesik Publishing House, Istanbul 1995, p. 70-71
12.&nbsp; Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Canan, Qutub-i Sitte, Muhtasarı Translation and Sherhi, Vol: 15, Ak&ccedil;ag Publishing, Ankara, p. 416
13.&nbsp; http://www.mustakiim.de/Islam/IslamTarihi/bilgi5.htm
14.&nbsp; a.g.e
15.&nbsp; Imam Suyuti, Our Prophet&rsquo;s Extraordinary Aspects (saas) el-Hasaisu&rsquo;l-Kubra, Translation: Naim Erdoğan İz Publishing, Istanbul, 2003, pp. 696-700
16.&nbsp; Imam Suyuti, Our Prophet&rsquo;s Extraordinary Aspects (saas) el-Hasais&uuml;&rsquo;l-Kubra, Translation: Naim Erdoğan Iz Publishing, Istanbul, 2003, pp. 688-689
17.&nbsp; Imam Suyuti, Our Prophet&rsquo;s Extraordinary Aspects (saas) el-Hasais&uuml;&rsquo;l-Kubra, Translation: Naim Erdoğan Iz Publishing, Istanbul, 2003, pp. 689-691
18.&nbsp; Haris; Ibn Hajar Askalani, Metalib-u Aliye 4, Tevhid Publishing, 1996, 3839, p. 17
19.&nbsp; Ibn-i Qesir, Our Prophet&rsquo;s&nbsp; (saas) Appearance, Miracles, Celik Publishing House, p. 361
20.&nbsp; Imam Suyuti, Our Prophet&rsquo;s Extraordinary Aspects (saas) el-Hasais&uuml;&rsquo;l-Kubra, Translation: Naim Erdoğan Iz Publishing, Istanbul, 2003, p. 680
21.&nbsp; G.Ahmed Ziyauddin, Ramuz Al Hadis, Vol. 1, Gonca Yayınevi, Istanbul, 1997, 277/6
22.&nbsp; Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Jalalladdin Suyuti, p. 14
 ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>27.07.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>ORAL AND DENTAL HYGIENE</title>
<link>http://us1.fmanager.net/api_v1/productDetail.php?dev-t=EDCRFV&amp;objectId=8323</link>
<description><![CDATA[ What Are The Main Dental Diseases?
There are two main types of tooth disease: tooth decay and gum infections. 
Gum diseases are exceedingly important, because when these are not treated they may even go so far as to cause the jaw bone, in which the teeth are rooted, to dissolve. Impairment of dental health, on the other hand, can affect other organs in the body. 
Tooth Decay
The main foods that cause tooth decay are carbohydrates and sugary substances. If the teeth are not properly cleaned after eating such foods, food wastes and germs accumulate on the tooth surface. Bacteria inside the mouth use the sugary substances in food wastes to form accumulations known as plaque. Plaque makes it easier for bacteria to adhere to the teeth. In this way, the acid produced by bacteria, which is present in sugary substances used to sweeten foods, causes the tooth enamel to dissolve by opening up minute cavities in it. Germs entering through these dissolved regions cause tooth decay and can easily reach the underlying tissue. 
Gum Diseases
The gum diseases that arise in the event that the mouth is not kept properly clean represent some of the most important oral problems. A gum disease caused by bacterial plaque on the tooth surface leads to infection of the gums, teeth sockets and floor of the mouth. The gums bleed easily right from the initial stage of the disease. If this disease is not treated it may lead to infection of and damage to the jawbone. 
Three basic factors in tooth decay are:
&bull;&nbsp;A sensitive tooth surface
&bull;&nbsp;Food wastes ideally suited to micro-organisms
&bull;&nbsp;The presence of micro-organisms that break these down and lead to acid formation
How to Maintain Oral and Dental Hygiene?
&bull;&nbsp;Regular brushing is essential.
&bull;&nbsp;Dental floss must be used.
&bull;&nbsp;Avoid highly acidic and sugary foods as much as possible. Teeth must always be brushed after eating those, because excessively acidic and sugary foods enhance the effect of micro-organisms. 
&bull;&nbsp;There must be sufficient fluoride in the water, or else toothpastes containing fluoride should be used. Fluoride makes the teeth more resistant to decay.
&bull;&nbsp;The teeth should not be brought into contact with hard objects.
&bull;&nbsp;Do not use your teeth to break shelled foodstuffs such as walnuts and hazelnuts, because these cause cracking of the tooth enamel and increase the effect of bacteria. This means the elimination of the protective effect of the enamel. 
&bull;&nbsp;Visit your dentist at least twice a year.
Hygiene: The Most Effective Way of Protecting the Teeth
&bull;&nbsp;The most effective way of protecting the teeth is to clean them by regular brushing. Teeth must always be brushed after eating. 
&bull;&nbsp;There is a special brushing technique. Because although the teeth are covered with a very hard layer, the enamel, they can still be badly damaged if the wrong brush or brushing technique are employed. Erosion of the upper part of the tooth or the layer surrounding the root may lead to retraction of the gums, making the teeth even more prone to decay.
Stage One: Brushing
&bull;&nbsp;Toothbrush selection is very important. Hard brushes may cause scratching of the enamel. The best, unless a special brush is recommended by a dentist, are medium firmness, nylon brushes. 
&bull;&nbsp;Brushes whose heads are not too large are to be preferred as these permit easy movement inside the mouth and can reach the back teeth without difficulty.
&bull;&nbsp;Brushing should begin at a 45 degree angle, starting from gum level with small, circular movements towards the oral cavity.
&bull;&nbsp;Brushing starting from the teeth surfaces should not be in the form of harsh movements, but gentle, from the front teeth to the back. The interior surfaces of the teeth should be cleaned in the same way, with chewing surfaces being brushed using circular movements.
&bull;&nbsp;Brushing should last at least 2-3 minutes.
&bull;&nbsp;Toothbrushes should be replaced every few months. 
Stage Two: Dental Floss
After brushing, the best way of removing food particles is to use dental floss. Because these particles remaining between the teeth are one of the main causes of decay. However, care must be taken not to cut the gums during this process.
Diseases Resulting from a Failure to Maintain oral and Dental Hygiene
Unhealthy teeth and gums that are not adequately cleaned and cared for represent a focus for infection in the body and can thus have a damaging effect on other tissues and organs. Tooth decay has been determined to lead to sinusitis, tonsil infection, rheumatism, bone wastage, diabetes, and respiratory system, heart disease and digestive problems. 
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO DENTAL AND ORAL HYGIENE
When we look at his life and hadiths, it can be seen that our Prophet (saas) attached great importance to cleanliness. The Prophet (saas) recommended that believers should be clean in these terms in one hadith: &ldquo;Islam is cleanliness, the absence of dirt. You, too, must be clean and wash, because it is the clean who enter paradise.&rdquo; (1)
One of the aspects of cleanliness to which our Prophet (saas) attached great importance was care of the teeth and mouth. In describing the Prophet (saas) his companions stated that his teeth shone like pearls, were spotlessly clean, white and sparkling. (2) We are told that our Prophet (saas) cleaned his teeth using the &ldquo;misvak&rdquo; made from the roots and branches of the &ldquo;arak&rdquo; tree grown in Arabia. 
In addition, our Prophet (saas) was a role model for a society that had no knowledge of cleanliness in the days before Islam, educating people in the most appropriate way by imparting information inspired by Allah. One hadith reports the following words of our Beloved Prophet (saas) on the subject of dental care: &ldquo;Jabir relates: &lsquo;The Prophet (saws) stated &ldquo;Crescent cleaning purifies the teeth, whitens them, strengthens their roots and makes the breath smell sweet&rdquo;.&rsquo;&rdquo; (3)
One of the important details set out in the hadith concerns how the teeth are to be brushed. &ldquo;Crescent cleaning&rdquo; refers to brushing the teeth using circular, half-moon movements. This technique differs from the right-left brushing technique that damages the enamel and wears away the gums. 
Circular movements are recommended by modern dentists, in the same way as reported in the hadith, who state that this is the best way of removing food particles from between the teeth. 
1.&nbsp; Ahmad Diya'al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith) 
2. http://www.muhammedmustafa.net/yazilar/mehmetpaksu/distemizligi.htm
3. Onder CAGIRAN, Tıbbi Nebevi (Medicine of the Prophet), 1st edition, Bogazici Yayinlari, Istanbul 1996 ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>17.07.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>MARYAM'S SUPERIOR CHARACTER</title>
<link>http://us1.fmanager.net/api_v1/productDetail.php?dev-t=EDCRFV&amp;objectId=8192</link>
<description><![CDATA[ Maryam is a role model for all Muslim women because she maintained her impeccable character throughout her life. Allah raised her like a lovely plant, to use the Qur'an's expression, and gave her a very important responsibility. Allah chose her, just as He chose 'Imran's family, made her one person in this lineage of the most devout and faithful people, and had her raised by these virtuous people.
He then gave her the character of a chosen and superior Prophet by entrusting her education to Prophet Zakariyya (as). When she reached this level of maturity, Allah began to show her His miracles, and she clearly saw His grace, protection, and mercy upon herself. One example of this support and grace was that she found food on the altar whenever she worshipped Him. Later on, Allah introduced her to Jibril, who told her about Allah's grace on her with his own words.
Maryam demonstrated her genuine devotion and loyalty to Allah through her impeccable virtue and behavior. She also expressed her profound and genuine devotion to Him through her determination, devotion, and unconditional surrender to His will.
Being alone in moments of great difficulty was a great trial for her, because she had no one to help, support, or guide her. Usually, lonely people surrender to helplessness and sadness. But Maryam did not, for she placed all of her hope and trust only in Allah.
She constantly sought His help and knew that she only needed to obey Him and follow His guidance. She never gave in to hopelessness and depression, no matter how difficult the trial, because she had surrendered wholeheartedly to Allah in the knowledge that He would turn all adversities into good and end the hardship in the best manner. And with every difficulty, Allah gave her a solution, supported her with His grace and help, and turned all hardships into goodness and beauty.
Her inexperience was also an important aspect of her trial. She became pregnant and delivered her child all alone. Totally alone and ignorant of what to do, she resisted pessimism and displayed her great strength, willpower, and determination. In addition, she had the peace of mind characteristic of those who know that Allah supports them with the most perfect gifts. Thus He eased her burden and helped her to succeed.
Another sign of Maryam's superior character was the patience she showed while fulfilling her difficult responsibilities. Her unbelieving people tried her patience by failing to grasp her superior and honorable position, viewing her according to their own misguided knowledge, and accusing her of things that she had not done. Here, too, she showed her patience and complete faith in Allah. She did not compromise her strength, willpower, and integrity, knowing full well that Allah controls everything and thus would exonerate her.
Another noticeable character trait was her total lack of interest in winning her people's acceptance. She had surrendered to Allah with a pure faith, and was therefore unaffected by their accusations and comments. Given her faith and devotion, all she strove to do was to behave in the way that would earn Allah's good pleasure. As a result, Allah rewarded her with His grace.
There are two ways of conveying one's good character to others: through words and through moral behavior. The second way is far more effective and valuable, for it is the genuine way and cannot be imitated. One's life and behavior can reflect one's belief only if it is genuinely alive in one's heart.
Maryam displayed this superior morality and became a role model and a living invitation to religion through her faith, behavior, and character. Her genuine call is answered in the best possible way, Allah willing. The believers' faith continues to deepen as they follow Maryam's example and try to emulate her character.
HOW UNBELIEVING SOCIETIES VIEW WOMEN
All of the knowledge necessary for living a life that will earn Allah's good pleasure is contained in the Qur'an: the true nature of life on Earth, why humanity was created, how to live a fulfilled life, and the most appropriate system of morality. People who believe in this truth and live their lives accordingly will find true happiness here and in the Hereafter.
Unbelieving societies, however, have no absolute truths or powers to guide their people. In fact, they do not know where most of their values came from, who discovered them, and when and why they became their society's social norms. These rules, which cannot be ascertained but are adopted by the community as a whole, were inherited from their ancestors. In fact, all of an unbelieving society's values, ideals, and social foundations are based on tradition, also known as the way of the ancestors. Every person has a fixed place based upon his or her social status, gender, beliefs, situation, and lifestyle.
A woman's place is determined by these fixed criteria and the dominant creeds. In some societies, women are thought to have a weaker soul than men, just because they are physically weaker. Surprisingly, many people actually believe this lie due to the mistaken and clearly illogical idea that a woman's personality, morality, and ability are limited in direct proportion to her slighter body. For instance, various activities are classified as a man's job or a woman's job. Obviously, their different physical strength and build have some impact upon what tasks they perform. But in unbelieving societies, this distinction is based on a certain bigotry that ascribes to them a weakness in both intellect and talent.
Modern women, through their abilities and achievements, have disproved such biased assertions in many. Nevertheless, some parts of society still consider women to be incompetent in some respects or believe that men, simply because they are men, can do a better job.
Many people also mistakenly believe that women have a weaker character than men. In unbelieving societies, it is taken for granted that women panic and lose control, whereas men remain cool and calm. Or, in a situation of adversity, men are said to display great strength of character, whereas women respond meekly. Girls are conditioned to conform to this prejudice from early childhood. Families, which take great care to give their boys strength of character, condition their girls with opposing character traits. In the face of trouble, boys are told that boys don't cry, behave like a man, be brave, don't be scared like a little girl, you are crying like a little girl. Girls are also told that they are different from boys and that they should behave accordingly.
In such societies, women's jobs and responsibilities are limited to certain areas. As a consequence of this bigotry, most societies still discriminate against women. This misguided view of women has revealed itself in various ways. Especially in the past, women were subjected to barbaric behavior. For example, Allah reveals that girls were considered so worthless in some societies that their fathers buried them alive as soon as they were born:

&hellip; when the baby girl buried alive is asked for what crime she was killed. (Surat at-Takwir: 8-9)

In other verses, Allah speaks of people whose faces turned angry upon learning that they had a new daughter and hid in embarrassment from their people:

When one of them is given the good news of a baby girl, his face darkens and he is furious. He hides away from people because of the evil of the good news he has been given. Should he keep her ignominiously or bury her in the ground? What an evil judgment they make! (Surat an-Nahl: 58-59)

Allah also reveals that such people considered their daughters to be pretty things who were incapable of standing up for themselves:

When any of them is given the good news of the very thing that he himself has ascribed to the All-Merciful, his face darkens and he is furious. &quot;What! Someone brought up among pretty trinkets who cannot produce a cogent argument!&quot; (Surat az-Zukhruf: 17-18)

Through His Prophets, Allah educated such people about the mistaken nature of this prejudiced view. Thanks to the Prophets and the spread of Islam among the people, this ignorant and disgraceful outlook has been greatly curbed.
Allah reminds people that whatever they have comes from Him: &quot;The kingdom of the heavens and Earth belongs to Allah. He creates whatever He wills. He gives daughters to whoever He wills, and He gives sons to whoever He wills, or He gives them both sons and daughters. And He makes whoever He wills barren. Truly, He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful&quot; (Surat ash-Shura: 49-50). Both girls and boys are gifts from Allah for which people must be thankful.
Throughout history, many societies have assumed such misguided attitude towards women. An important reality, however, must not be overlooked: Unfortunately, the morality, behavior, and personality of some women help to spread and justify this ignorant tradition by proving it true.
Islam refutes this bigoted view by declaring that all Muslims, by which it means both men and women, have sharp minds, highly developed faculties of comprehension, a great strength of character, and a superior sense of morality. Maryam and Pharaoh's wife are excellent examples of this truth.
In the coming pages, we will examine briefly the ignorance that prevents women from throwing off this destructive tradition and adopting religion's superior morality, and display the character differences between unbelieving and Muslim women. ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>08.07.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>MARYAM : AN EXEMPLARY MUSLIM WOMAN</title>
<link>http://us1.fmanager.net/api_v1/productDetail.php?dev-t=EDCRFV&amp;objectId=8191</link>
<description><![CDATA[ The Qur'an, the only true guidance for humanity, was revealed so that people would know how to deal with all of the situations that they may encounter while in this world. In addition, the Sunnah (example) of our Prophet (saas) shows how to implement its teachings into one's life. Allah even made it possible for people to understand how to live the Qur'an's morality by giving examples from the Prophets' and other Muslims' lives: &quot;There is an excellent example in them for you to follow, that is for those whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day. But if anyone turns away, Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy&quot; (Surat al-Mumtahana: 6) and &quot;We have sent down Clear Signs to you, the example of those who passed away before you, and an admonition for those who guard against evil&quot; (Surat an-Nur: 34). In these verses, He reminds sincere Muslims, who hope for the best in Hereafter, that the people presented in the Qur'an serve as good examples and guidance for them.
One of these sincere Muslims is Maryam, one of the two women noted for their exemplary characters: &quot;Allah has made an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said: 'My Lord, build a house in the Garden for me in Your presence, rescue me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and rescue me from this wrongdoing people.' And Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity-We breathed Our Spirit into her. She confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Book, and was one of the obedient&quot; (Surat at-Tahrim: 11-12). Therefore, every believer is responsible for learning about Maryam's good character from the Qur'an, which gives the most accurate information, and trying to emulate her.
Allah introduces Maryam as having the ideal Muslim woman's character. This character is completely different than the common character of women in today's unbelieving societies, where they usually share a common socially acceptable character handed down from their ancestors. In these societies, men and women are expected to conform to very different sets of character traits, for men's ideals, worldview, lifestyle, and evaluation of events are believed to be different from those of women.
According to the Qur'an, however, men and women have the same responsibilities and characters, for Allah refers to an ideal Muslim character. He defines the Islamic character in the following verse:

Men and women who are Muslims, men and women who are believers, men and women who are obedient, men and women who are truthful, men and women who are steadfast, men and women who are humble, men and women who give charity, men and women who fast, men and women who guard their chastity, men and women who remember Allah much: Allah has prepared forgiveness for them and an immense reward. (Surat al-Ahzab: 35)

As this verse shows, each person's character is not determined by his or her society's values or continuing traditions, but by the ideal Muslim character. Any woman who adopts this character will have the strongest and the most solid personality possible. And by implementing it in her life, she will win Allah's good pleasure and love, instead of striving to attain status or superiority in her society.
According to historical sources, Allah honored Maryam, who lived approximately two millennia ago, with the birth of Prophet 'Isa (as). She was one of the chosen women on Earth as well as in the Hereafter. Born in Roman-occupied Palestine, she was a Jewess and lived in the Jewish community.
Idolatry was Rome's state religion. The Jews, once a nation preferred by Allah &quot;over all other beings&quot; (Surat al-Baqara: 47), had altered His religion, adopted false beliefs, rebelled against Allah's commands, and were no longer grateful for His gifts to them. Some of them even murdered the Prophets sent to them by the grace of Allah, because the Jews did not like the commands that these exalted men conveyed. The Qur'an reveals their transgressions:

We made a covenant with the tribe of Israel and sent Messengers to them. Each time a Messenger came to them with something their lower selves did not desire, they denied some and they murdered others. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 70)

Maryam was born at a chaotic time, when the Jews' only hope was their expected Messiah (savior). Unknown to her, Allah had already determined to choose and raise her for this holy duty. She was central to the Israelites' expectations, for she would give birth to Prophet 'Isa (as), whom He compliments in the following terms: &quot;His name is the Messiah, 'Isa, son of Maryam, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near. He will speak to people in the cradle and when fully grown, and will be one of the believers&quot; (Surah Al 'Imran: 45-46).
Allah chose Maryam to represent morality and true religion among her people, who had left the true religion and embraced superstitions and idle speculation. Allah reveals many aspects of her life, among them her birth and family, the birth of Prophet 'Isa (as), her superior character, and how she resisted her society's slanders and accusations.
Allah Exalts 'Imran's Family:
Allah reveals that &quot;Allah chose Adam and Nuh, and the family of Ibrahim and the family of 'Imran, over all other beings-descendants one of the other...&quot; (Surah Al 'Imran: 33-34). In other words, 'Imran's family descended from the Prophets Adam (as), Nuh (as), and Ibrahim (as), and they were exalted people. One of these chosen people was Maryam, whose family sincerely believed in Allah, respected the limits that He has established for humanity, and always sought and trusted Him.
hen `Imran's wife, a sincere believer, found out that she was pregnant with Maryam, she immediately prayed to Allah. She praised Him and promised that she would dedicate her child to Him. When she gave birth to a girl, she named her Maryam, which means to abide, in other words someone who incessantly worships Allah. Allah reveals her prayer in the following verse:

Remember when the wife of 'Imran said: &quot;My Lord, I have vowed to You whatever is in my womb, to be devoted [to Your service]. Please accept it from me. You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.&quot; When she gave birth, she said: &quot;My Lord! I have given birth to a girl&quot;-and Allah knew very well what she had given birth to, male and female are not the same-&quot;and I have named her Maryam and placed her and her children in Your safekeeping from Satan, the accursed.&quot; (Surah Al 'Imran: 35-36)

The Arabic word muharreren, translated here as devoted [to Your service], means &quot;preoccupied only with the Hereafter and having no interest in the world, in the service of Allah's temple, worshipping in great devotion, one whose worship is not tainted by worldly aims.&quot;
True freedom can be attained only by serving Allah, surrendering to Him, and freeing oneself from all service to any other beings or values. This is what 'Imran's wife prayed for when dedicating Maryam to Allah, for she wished her daughter to be someone who served only Allah and who did not seek her people's or society's acceptance.
Right after Maryam's birth, her mother turned toward Allah, sought His good pleasure, and asked Him to protect Maryam, as well as her children, from Satan's evil. Allah accepted this wholehearted prayer &quot;and made her [Maryam] grow in health and beauty&quot; (Surah Al 'Imran: 37). In other words, Maryam received the best upbringing and the most superior character.
Maryam's mother's wholehearted faith in Allah, acceptance of only Allah as her mentor, constant turning toward Him, and her genuine surrender to Him are very important examples upon which all believers should reflect.
Maryam, like the rest of her family, was known among her people for her devotion to Allah as well as her religiosity, chastity, and sincerity. Allah speaks of her as someone obedient to Him.

And Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity-We breathed Our Spirit into her. She confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Book, and was one of the obedient. (Surat at-Tahrim: 12)
&hellip; and she who guarded her chastity. We breathed into her some of Our Spirit and made her and her son a Sign for all the worlds. (Surat al-Anbiya': 91)

Maryam Meets Jibril:
Maryam experienced many miracles throughout her life. One of these was her meeting with Jibril. Once, when she left her family and society and went toward the east, she met Jibril, who appeared to her in the form of a well-built man:

Mention Maryam in the Book, how she withdrew from her people to an eastern place and concealed herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to her, and it took on for her the form of a handsome, well-built man. (Surah Maryam: 16-17)

Not knowing who this man was, she sought refuge with Allah and told him that she held Allah in the utmost fear and respect: &quot;She said: 'I seek refuge from you with the All-Merciful, [leave me] if you have fear [and respect] of Allah'&quot; (Surah Maryam: 18). Her words clearly demonstrate her complete trust in Allah, as well as the importance she placed upon chastity and devotion to Allah. Her words not only expressed all of this, but also called upon this unknown man to have fear and respect of Allah.
Jibril introduced himself with the following words: &quot;I am only your Lord's messenger [an angel] so that He can give you a pure boy&quot; (Surah Maryam: 19). As the Qur'an recounts:

When the angels said: &quot;Maryam, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, 'Isa, son of Maryam, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near.&quot; (Surah Al 'Imran: 45)

Maryam replied: &quot;How can I have a boy when no man has touched me and I am not an unchaste woman?&quot; (Surah Maryam: 20), thereby indicating her chastity. Jibril told her that:

He [Jibril] said: &quot;It will be so.&quot; Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decides on something, He just says to it, &quot;Be!&quot; and it is. (Surah Al 'Imran: 47)
He said: &quot;It will be so.&quot; Your Lord says: &quot;That is easy for Me. It is so that We can make him a Sign for humanity and a mercy from Us. It is a matter already decreed.&quot; So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. (Surah Maryam: 21-22)

By Allah's will, Maryam became pregnant with Prophet 'Isa (as) and yet remained a virgin. Her pregnancy was independent of this world's usual cause-and-effect relationship. The circumstances of his conception were among the features of Prophet 'Isa's (as) miracles. ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>08.07.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>MARYAM AND THE BIRTH OF JESUS</title>
<link>http://us1.fmanager.net/api_v1/productDetail.php?dev-t=EDCRFV&amp;objectId=8190</link>
<description><![CDATA[ Allah fully supported Maryam throughout her pregnancy. It is very difficult for a woman to give birth, a potentially life-threatening experience, all alone, without medical equipment or a midwife's assistance. Nevertheless, Maryam overcame all of these difficulties by placing her complete trust in Allah. Allah helped her with revelations while she was struggling toward a date tree in the full throes of labor pains. Allah told her not to grieve, that He had placed a stream at her feet, and that she should shake the date tree in order to get freshly ripe dates to eat. He also told her to drink and to delight her eyes. As a result, she gave birth in the best possible circumstances. Allah reveals her situation:

The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She exclaimed: &quot;Oh, if only I had died before this time and was something discarded and forgotten!&quot; A voice called out to her from under her: &quot;Do not grieve. Your Lord has placed a small stream at your feet. Shake the trunk of the palm toward you, and fresh, ripe dates will drop down to you. Eat and drink, and delight your eyes. If you should see anyone at all, just say: 'I have made a vow of abstinence to the All-Merciful, and [so] today I will not speak to any human being.'&quot; (Surah Maryam: 23-26)

Maryam withdrew from her society so that she could be in a psychologically peaceful environment and away from the hurtful behavior of people who could not comprehend her miraculous situation. Allah told her not to grieve and bestowed His grace and protection upon her. No doubt, there was much wisdom in this advice, just as there was in Maryam's withdrawal to a distant place. Muslims must not surrender to sadness; rather, they are to trust in Allah and feel the peace of mind that comes with knowing that Allah will always help them.
This attitude, which is required of all believers, has been confirmed by modern medicine, for doctors tell women, both during their pregnancy and while they are giving birth, to maintain a positive attitude and avoid any sadness and stress. His advice to delight her eyes means not to surrender to sadness and to enjoy the news of Allah's gift.
Eat Dates:
Allah advised Maryam to eat freshly ripened dates. Today, such dates are considered to be food and medicine. Scientists now know that dates contain more than ten substances considered essential for the human body's well-being and continuing health.
Dates contain plenty of the easily digested and absorbed sugars that give the human body its energy for heat and movement. More importantly, these sugars are of the fructose type and not of the glucose type, which quickly raises the blood-sugar levels. Dates provide energy, help muscle tissues and nerve cells develop, and are especially beneficial for people weakened by illness or those suffering from exhaustion, because of their high caloric value. For example, 100 grams of dates contain 1.5 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates. In addition, their caloric value is 225 kcal. Fresh dates have a 60-65 percent sugar content and a 2 percent protein content.
Modern medical findings suggest that dates benefit women who are almost ready to give birth. Doctors now advise pregnant women to take fructose-containing foods on their due dates, for such foods provide energy used by the weakened body to revitalize itself, have a trigger effect on the milk hormones and thus help the woman's body produce milk, and also increase the volume of that milk.
This information reveals some of the wisdom inherent in Allah's advice to Maryam. Another matter worth reflecting upon is the little stream created by Allah and His advice for her to eat and drink. Now, scientists inform us that people can survive on dates and water for years, because they contain all of the necessary essentials for human life. In fact, one renowned expert on the subject, V. H. W. Dowson, suggests that one glass of milk and one date per day provides a person's daily nutritional requirements.
Dates contain various vitamins (e.g., A, beta-carotene, B1, B2, B3, and B6) and minerals, (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, iron, sulphur, phosphorus, and chlorine) and are also rich in fiber, fats, and proteins. Some of the ensuing benefits are as follows:
A date's nutritional value is based on the balance between its minerals. During the prolonged period of morning sickness and the altering physiognomy, a shortage of potassium occurs and needs to be supplemented. This fruit's high potassium content is certainly welcome here, as its role in preserving the body's water levels.
Iron controls the red blood cells' synthesis of hemoglobin, which prevents anemia during pregnancy and also regulates the blood's RBC balance, which is so crucial for the baby's development. Due to its high iron content, one-and-a-half dates can meet the body's total iron requirement and thus prevent all complaints caused by a lack of iron.
Calcium and phosphorus are very important elements in developing and balancing the skeleton and the bone structures. Dates protect the body from anemia and weak bones, and thus reduce the risk of such illnesses with their high nutritional value and high phosphorus, calcium, and iron content.
Scientists point out that dates can reduce stress and tension levels. Research done at Berkeley University revealed that dates are rich in vitamin B1 (the &quot;nerve vitamin&quot;) and magnesium (essential for muscle functions), both of which are essential for a strong nervous system. Magnesium is also very important for the kidneys, and two or three dates per day are enough to meet all of the human body's magnesium requirements.
Dates also contain folic acid (vitamin B9), which is essential for pregnant women, due to its important role in forming new blood cells, producing amino acids, and developing new cells. As a result, a pregnant woman needs double the usual daily amount of folic acid. If the body's folic acid levels fall below the required amount, bigger but less functional red blood cells are formed and anemia occurs.
Folic acid, which is crucial to developing the cell's genetic makeup and division, is the only substance that must be doubled during pregnancy. Dates are very rich in folic acid.
During pregnancy, a woman's daily vitamin A requirement increases to 800 ug. Dates are very rich in the foremost vitamin A: beta-carotene.
Most other fruits are protein-poor, but dates have good protein content.
Oxytocin is used in modern medicine to accelerate labor and is often referred as &quot;rapid birth.&quot; It also increases the level of milk production following birth.
Our Prophet (saas) pointed out the benefits of dates in the following hadith: A family that has dates will not be hungry. This is a piece of very good advice.
All of our current information on dates reveals Allah's infinite wisdom and grace upon Maryam, who, inspired by Allah, satisfied all of her nutritional needs by eating dates and thereby eased her child's birth. (Allah knows best.)
Allah Creates a Stream:
Allah told Maryam that He had placed a stream by her feet to eat, drink, and delight her eyes.
Water, like dates, eases labor pains and regulates muscle tension. In fact, some modern birth clinics have pools in which the delivery takes place.
Water, which is necessary for life and one's physical well-being, plays an important role in regulating the body's temperature, transporting nutritional elements and oxygen, and removing waste matter from the body's cells. It also ensures the healthy movement of joints, skin moisture and elasticity, the digestive system, and protects tissues and organs. Water is becoming more widely used in therapy by the day. Contact with water stimulates the immune system, increases anti-stress hormone production, reduces pain, and stimulates blood circulation and metabolism.
Water is important during pregnancy for several reasons. At that time, water intake is especially necessary because the volume of blood increases and because of the developing baby's needs. Women who choose to breast-feed need plenty of water to produce the necessary amount of milk. Considering that 87 percent of this milk is water, we can see how important this production is.
Water also maintains the electrolyte balances in the blood of the mother and the child. Hormones released during pregnancy alter the way various body fluids are used. Toward the end of the woman's pregnancy, blood volume increases 150 percent, and the loss of water through breathing is much greater. The amnion fluid, in which the baby grows, is renewed every three hours. However, it can decrease, as in the case of dehydration caused by insufficient water intake.
Maryam Shakes the Date Tree:
Allah tells Maryam to shake the date tree toward her when she was headed toward it in her labor pains. (Surah Maryam: 25)
Doctors say that pulling something toward oneself during labor can have a positive effect on the muscles. In order to ease labor pains and help bring about a safe delivery, women are advised to do certain exercises that reduce pressure in the body and, therefore, the risk of complications during delivery. They are also thought to quicken the process of giving birth.
Doctors suggest that in the second stage of labor, the woman's head should be slightly raised to take advantage of gravity. Thus, hospital delivery rooms have beds with suitably placed handles and footrests that enable pregnant women to give birth in the most comfortable position.
Other practitioners advise their patients to squat or sit on specially adapted birth chairs. Before recent technological developments, some birth rooms featured a rope hanging from the ceiling, which the expectant mother was to use to try and pull herself up, thus helping the birth process. All of these methods are theoretically and logically helpful. Perhaps this is why Allah told Maryam to pull and shake the date tree. (Allah knows best.)
Maryam Returns to Her Community
When Maryam returned with Prophet 'Isa (as), her people could not comprehend Allah's miracle. Thus, they accused her of indecency and slandered her, even though they knew that she, being a member of 'Imran's family, was devout, held Allah in great fear and respect, had an immaculate character, and always protected her modesty. Allah reveals some of these slanders:

She brought him to her people, carrying him. They exclaimed: &quot;Maryam! You have done an unthinkable thing! Sister of Harun, your father was not an evil man nor was your mother an unchaste woman!&quot; (Surah Maryam: 27-28)

No doubt, this was a trial for Maryam, for she had to face such accusations despite being a chaste woman who held Allah in the greatest respect and awe. These people ignored her impeccable character and honorable conduct, despite her own reputation and that of her family, and so, as always, she turned toward Allah, and trusted in Him, knowing that He would defend her in the best possible way.
Allah, Who always answered her prayers with generosity and compassion, gave her inner peace during this trial. Knowing that Allah would exonerate her completely, Allah inspired her to make a vow: &quot;If you should see anyone at all, just say: 'I have made a vow of abstinence to the All-Merciful, and today I will not speak to any human being'&quot; (Surah Maryam: 26). This is what she told her people.
After this, she only pointed to Prophet 'Isa (as), about whom Allah said through Jibril: &quot;He will speak to people in the cradle and when fully grown, and will be one of the believers&quot; (Surah Al 'Imran: 46), when people confronted and slandered her.
Allah showed her people a great miracle by enabling Prophet 'Isa (as) to speak while he was still a baby in the cradle. Through his words, Allah exonerated his mother Maryam and also introduced Prophet 'Isa (as) as one of His Prophets sent to the Israelites:

She pointed toward him. They asked: &quot;How can a baby in the cradle speak?&quot; He ['Isa] said: &quot;I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am, directed me to perform prayer and give alms [zakat] as long as I live, and to show devotion to my mother. He has not made me insolent or arrogant. Peace be upon me the day I was born and the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive.&quot; That is 'Isa, son of Maryam, the Word of Truth about which they are in doubt. (Surah Maryam: 29-34)

This miracle amazed Maryam's people. By saying: &quot;&hellip; and she who guarded her chastity. We breathed into her some of Our Spirit and made her and her son a Sign for all the worlds&quot; (Surat al-Anbiya': 91), Allah made both of them superior to all other people. Maryam's superior character, honor, and purity were revealed through this speech, and those who had slandered her were defeated.
By saying: &quot;And We made the son of Maryam and his mother a Sign and gave them shelter on a mountainside where there was a meadow and a flowing spring&quot; (Surat al-Mu'minun: 50), He reveals that Prophet 'Isa (as) and Maryam continued to live under His grace after these events. ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>08.07.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>IDEAL CHARACTER OF MUSLIM WOMEN</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ In the Qur'an, Allah informs us how belief benefits a woman:

Do not marry women who associate [others with Allah] until they believe. A slave girl who is one of the believers is better for you than a woman who associates [others with Allah], even though she may attract you. And do not marry men who associate [others with Allah] until they believe. A slave who is one of the believers is better for you than a man who associates [others with Allah], even though he may attract you. Such people call you to the Fire, whereas Allah calls you, with His permission, to the Garden and forgiveness. He makes His Signs clear to people so that, hopefully, they will pay heed. (Surat al-Baqara: 221)

Allah reveals that belief, fear and respect of Allah, and Islamic morality are the foremost causes of the believers' strength of character and virtue. Belief makes all of a person's qualities meaningful. In addition, the Qur'an's morality helps women, and everyone else, to acquire a most strong, solid, and virtuous character. As Allah revealed in the verse, &quot;No indeed! We have given them that by which they are remembered [i.e. their honor, eminence and dignity]&quot; (Surat al-Mu'minun: 71), this morality gives people their dignity and honor. Therefore, women who live by this morality will be respected and enjoy their deserved honor and dignity.
As we mentioned earlier, Allah has not determined separate characters for men and women and therefore calls on all people to abide by one Muslim character. Therefore, Muslims fear and respect Allah, seek His good pleasure, and seek only to win the Hereafter, in the full knowledge that this worldly life is temporary and that he or she will die one day.
Muslim Women Submit to God:
Muslim women believe in Allah with a true heart, submit completely to Him, are aware that there is no other deity, that He is the Lord of every being and thing, and that He is All-Powerful. Therefore, she fears and respects only Him and seeks to win only His good pleasure. She worships only Him, accepts only Him as her closest friend, and seeks only His help. She also knows that only He can direct good and bad toward her, and so lives in the full knowledge that she is dependent on Him. She knows that He keeps her alive, provides and cares for her, and protects and guards her. For these reasons, she has no expectations of other people.
She believes in Allah without the slightest doubt in her heart for her whole life, never losing heart or belief regardless of the circumstances. She knows how to be grateful and content with her closeness to Him both when her life is good and when she is undergoing difficulties. She is in a state of constant submission, certain of our Lord's love, compassion, forgiveness, and providence.
When she encounters a problem, she knows that Allah has provided a solution in the Qur'an, and that what matters most is her continued sincere love, submission, and trust in Allah. She is certain of Allah's promise that He creates everything according to His justice and with wisdom and goodness.
Even if her problems seem to go on forever, she never surrenders to hopelessness or worries when His help will come. Content with what He has sent her way, she maintains her patience and submission, knowing that something good will come out of it. She remembers what the Qur'an says about those who abandon their belief in such times. In addition, she recites &quot;My Lord is with me and will guide me&quot; (Surat ash-Shu'ara': 62), just as the Prophets did when faced with hardship. Throughout her life, her profound faith enables her to see Allah's compassion, closeness, love, help, and friendship at all times.
This superior character becomes even more distinctive when compared with that of unbelieving women. Some unbelieving women do not show the appropriate degree of submission in their encounters, because they ignore the fact that Allah creates everything and inserts much wisdom and goodness hidden therein. One of the best-known characteristics of such women is their impatience, lack of determination, panic, and throwing tantrums when experiencing various hardships.
For this reason, and to save themselves the hassle, men often try to keep women away from potentially troublesome situations. Movies and novels are full of such stories. Since they do not place their trust in Allah and do not submit to Him, they cannot find the patience and resolution to endure hard times. In fact, their strength is in direct proportion to the size of the gain they can expect from working through these difficulties.
Believing women derive their strength from their belief and their determination to win Allah's good pleasure. Therefore, their resistance can be quite powerful. The Qur'an reveals this truth in the following verse: &quot;Allah's guidance, that is true guidance. We are commanded to submit as Muslims to the Lord of all the worlds&quot; (Surat al-An'am: 71). Allah gives good news to those who submit to Him:

Those who submit themselves completely to Allah and do good have grasped the Firmest Handhold. The end result of all affairs is with Allah. (Surah Luqman: 22)
Not so! All who submit themselves completely to Allah and are good-doers will find their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara: 112)

Muslim Women Have Great Ideals:
One of the unbelievers' most misguided character traits is the restrictions that they placed on people's ideals, thoughts, and lifestyle. In the case of women, society tells them that they have certain duties and responsibilities that they are expected to fulfill to the best of their ability. Usually, they are not encouraged to acquire different ideals or develop their personalities. Only when women become aware of this reality do they begin to perceive the need to seek greater ideals, widen their horizon, and develop their personalities.
rimarily, women are expected to provide for and cater to their families' needs and raise their children. Otherwise, they focus on themselves, according to the conditioning they received when young. They concentrate on their physical appearance, hair style, make-up, clothing and fashion in general; keeping their homes clean; and talking with their friends. While there is nothing wrong with such activities, it is wrong to limit their lives just to these tasks without even knowing why this is so.
Allah created men and women for a purpose and revealed their responsibilities in the Qur'an. Most importantly, each woman is responsible to our Lord, for He created her, gave her life, protected and watched over her, and provided for her. Men and women are required to lead the moral life prescribed by Allah, worship and serve Him, and to win His good pleasure. They are required to tell people who are far from the happy and contented life of following the Qur'an's values about Islam's values and to make a genuine effort to help them draw closer to Allah's pleasure, mercy, and Paradise. They must strive to save people from negative frames of mind, and from suffering under the influence of the chaos and disorder, all of which are presented by Satan and thus are devoid of true love, respect, and friendship.
All believers are obliged to help and guide those who are weak and distressed to His path:

What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of Allah-for those men, women, and children who are oppressed and say: &quot;Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!?&quot; (Surat an-Nisa': 75)

Allah further reminds Muslims that they are obliged to assist orphans, people who are stranded, and other needy people:

Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him. Be good to your parents and relatives, orphans and the very poor, neighbors who are related to you and neighbors who are not related to you, and companions, travelers, and your servants. Allah does not love anyone vain or boastful. (Surat an-Nisa': 36)

A Muslim woman is aware of all these responsibilities and so does not focus only on herself. Rather, she does her best to solve the problems around the world, such as helping people who are suffering, fighting infectious diseases, working with children displaced or orphaned by war and conflict, and taking care of the elderly and other women as if they were her own problems.
She gives her full attention to every matter in her daily life, because she knows that the truly important thing is to win Allah's good pleasure, live the Qur'an's morality, and spread this morality in order to bring true contentment and happiness to all others. For this reason, she acts in the knowledge that what she encounters each day is not so important when put into the overall context of what she was created to do.
Muslim Women Are Dignified:

... And the soul and what proportioned and inspired it with depravity or heedfulness; he who purifies it has succeeded, he who covers it up has failed. (Surat ash-Shams: 7-10)

The above verses warn people about the selfish ego that, when not brought under control, will lead them to limitless evil. A person's fear and respect of Allah, as well as his or her belief in the Hereafter, gives each person the strength and reason to resist these temptations.
Without this awareness, people will follow their desires and not worry about their meeting with Allah in the Hereafter, where they will be held accountable for their deeds. If his ego demands anger, jealousy, or ill-treatment of someone else, he will indulge it. If her selfish ego encourages her to vent her anger or jealous frustration with insinuations, mockery, slander, lies, conspiracies, or hypocritical behavior, she will oblige it without giving it a second thought. Such people will commit all of these sins without reservation, because they believe that they will never have to account for their deeds.
Allah, however, reveals that all of these activities are unconstrained evils called for by the selfish ego. When people act on these impulses, things just get worse. People who cannot control their emotions, even when they know that what they are doing is wrong, show that they are both weak and ignore their conscience. In other words, they seem to grow smaller. It is debasing to be unable to act maturely or respond rationally when their selfish egos suggest otherwise. As Allah reveals, the dignifying and rightful response to such evil suggestions is to ignore them and act conscientiously. This character trait needs to be worked on, for eventually it will earn other people's respect and love and raise the person's ranks in His eyes, as well as in the eyes of other people.
Muslim women have enough dignity and character to reject such debasing behavior for small gains. Allah informs us of the conspiring nature of unbelieving women: &quot;He saw the shirt torn at the back and said: 'The source of this is women's deviousness. Without a doubt your guile is very great'&quot; (Surah Yusuf: 28). Unbelieving women often try to resolve situations by conspiring, intriguing, or lying instead of seeking rational solutions. Indulging Satan's suggestions, they fall back on hypocrisy, cowardice, or devious methods. Believing women, on the other hand, resolve their problems by honesty, openness, and sincerity, for their awareness of Allah totally removes them from such inappropriate behavior.
Unbelieving women also are characterized by envy. Allah mentions envious people and warns others about their evil: &quot;Say: 'I seek refuge with the Lord of Daybreak, from the evil of what He has created and from the evil of the darkness when it gathers, and from the evil of women who blow on knots and from the evil of an envier when he envies'&quot; (Surat al-Falaq: 1-5). Some unbelieving women are prone to such behavior, which causes distrust, tantrums, broken relationships, and endless arguments, all of which result in an unfulfilled and unhappy life. In addition, they cause great suffering and damage to themselves and to those around them. Believing women, however, will disregard this aspect of human ego, knowing that it leads to great losses in this life as well as in the next.
Mockery is another character defect of unbelieving women. In the following verse Allah warns them against such behavior: &quot;O you who believe! People should not ridicule others who may be better than themselves; nor should any women ridicule other women who may be better than themselves. And do not find fault with one another or insult each other with derogatory nicknames&quot; (Surat al-Hujurat: 11).
Those women who are shaped by the unbelief that rules their societies do not hesitate to ridicule people for their shortcomings or to mock others, because they do not think of the Hereafter. They do not consider this behavior as wrong, but rather as a kind of humor. Often this mockery is not even verbal, but is expressed by making faces, rolling one's eyes, imitating their mannerisms, or whispering about them. Believing women shun such activities, because they know that Allah requires them to live according to the Qur'an's morality.
In another verse, Allah reminds people not to speculate or gossip about others: &quot;O you who believe! Avoid most suspicion. Indeed, some suspicion is a crime. Do not spy and do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat his brother's dead flesh? No, you would hate it. And have fear of Allah. Allah is Ever-Returning, Most Merciful&quot; (Surat al-Hujurat: 12).
Believing women live dignified lives. Instead of mocking others, they try to help. They compliment people who are successful, instead of succumbing to envy and gossip. And, when in the company of unbelieving people who might somehow offend them, they do not compromise their integrity or dignity. ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>08.07.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>THE PROPHET’S (SAAS) TRUST IN ALLAH</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ Those situations the Prophet (saas) was involved, as they are related in the Qur'an, demonstrate his resignation, and submission to Allah. For instance, the Prophet (saas)'s words when he and his friend were hiding in a cave after leaving Mecca are one of the finest examples of that submission. In the Qur'an, Allah says: 

If you do not help him, Allah did help him when those who disbelieved drove him out and there were two of them in the Cave. He said to his companion, &quot;Do not be despondent, Allah is with us.&quot; Then Allah sent down His serenity upon him and reinforced him with troops you could not see. He made the word of those who disbelieved undermost. It is the word of Allah which is uppermost. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat at-Tawba: 40) 

Whatever the situation might have been, the Prophet (saas) always submitted to Allah, in the knowledge that there was beauty and goodness in all that He created. These words of the Prophet (saas) to his people as related in the Qur'an are a telling instance of that submission: 

If good happens to you it galls them. If a mishap occurs to you, they say, &quot;We made our preparations in advance,&quot; and they turn away rejoicing. Say: &quot;Nothing can happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is Our Master. It is in Allah that the believers should put their trust.&quot; (Surat at-Tawba: 50-51)

The Prophet (saas), by his submission to Allah, was an example to all Muslims, and he warned that people would never have the power to alter anything that came from Allah: 

&quot;Everything is by decree&mdash;even incapacity and ability&quot;&nbsp; 1
&quot;&hellip; When you ask for anything ask it from Allah, and if you seek help in Allah. Know that if the people were to unite to do you some benefit they could benefit you only with what Allah had recorded for you, and that if they were to unite to do you some injury they could injure you only with what Allah had recorded for you. The pens are withdrawn and the pages are dry.&quot;&nbsp; 2

Every believer who abides by the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas) has to face every calamity with the same submission as he, and to have faith that there is beauty and good in everything. We must not forget that the Prophet Muhammad (saas), one of Allah's most God-fearing servants, was also tested with great difficulties and trying circumstances.
There were people ready to create various kinds of difficulty in the communities he addressed. They tried to plot against the Prophet (saas) by behaving hypocritically. Polytheists refused to abandon the religion of their ancestors, others asked the Prophet (saas) to bring them a sign to suit their best interests, they tried to kill, arrest or exile the Prophet (saas), and, basically, placed all kinds of difficulties in his path.

The Prophet (saas) was always patient with the unbelievers. He continued to communicate the religion of Allah and to instruct Muslims in the Qur'an while he protected them from danger. The source of that determination, success and courage lay his strong faith in Allah, his godliness and submission. The Prophet (saas) always knew that Allah was with him, as when he was in the cave, and that every situation was ordained by Allah. He had faith that everything came from Allah and would result in the best possible outcome. The following hadith of the Prophet (saas) is an example of his submission:&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight he thanks [Allah], thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shown resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.&quot;&nbsp; 3

The Prophet (saas) always did his best, whatever the situation, though knowing that the outcome depended on Allah. He relied on and trusted in Him. In return for that submission, Allah granted him strength and success.
Allah instructed the Prophet (saas) to be patient in the face of those who made problems for him, and he was faithful to that prescription throughout his life. Ine one verse Allah says: 

They have the word, &quot;Obedience!&quot; on their tongues but when they leave your presence, a group of them spend the night plotting to do other than what you say. Allah is recording their nocturnal plotting. So let them be and put your trust in Allah. Allah suffices as a Guardian. (Surat an-Nisa': 81) 

The words the Prophet (saas) was commanded to say in another trying situation also reveal his godliness and submission: 

If they argue with you, say, &quot;I have submitted myself completely to Allah, and so have all who follow me.&quot; Say to those given the Book and those who have no Book, &quot;Have you become Muslim?&quot; If they become Muslim, they have been guided. If they turn away, you are only responsible for transmission. Allah sees His servants. (Surah Al &lsquo;Imran: 20) 

One comment by the Prophet (saas) regarding the recompense awaiting those who demonstrate submission is as follows:

&quot;If you put your faith completely in Allah, He will arrange for your sustenance in the same way as He provides for the birds. They go out in the morning with their stomachs empty and return filled in the evening.&quot;&nbsp; 4

The Prophet (saas)'s words and actions are the best possible models for believers. That is why every believer who finds himself faced with a difficulty of any sort, or a situation he does not like, must think of the verses of the Qur'an and the fact that Allah creates everything; adopt the submission of the Prophet (saas) and accept the destiny chosen for him by Allah. (For further reading about the attributes of the Prophet (saas), see &ldquo;The Prophet Muhammad (saas)&rdquo; by Harun Yahya)
1. Malik's Muwatta, Book 46, Number 4
2. Tirmidhi Hadith
3. Sahih Muslim, Book 41, Number 7138
4. Tirmidhi Hadith, Number 20 ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>12.04.2008</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>THE PROPHET (SAAS) RELIEVED MUSLIMS OF DIFFICULTIES</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ The Prophet (saas) lifted burdens from the faithful, and was a guide to them in tasks that they failed to understand properly, which were otherwise had been too difficult. People are easily prone to making their lives difficult, and to imposing rules upon themselves, by which they falsely believe they have solved their problems. This particular human characteristic is one of the reasons why the religion has been distorted through the years. Many societies have dreamed up rules that did not actually exist in the religion, and then made themselves and others believe that they would only be truly god-fearing when they adhered to them. One of the Prophet (saas)'s most important qualities was the way he lifted such burdens that people had imposed on themselves. Allah speaks of that quality of the Prophet (saas) in a verse: 

Those who follow the Messenger, the Ummi, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, permitting them good things and prohibiting them bad things, relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains which were around them. Those who believe in him and honour him and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they are the ones who are successful. (Surat al-A&lsquo;raf: 157)

The &quot;heavy loads and chains&quot; mentioned in the verse are the difficulties people impose upon themselves. The Prophet (saas) was both a model for people in his own lifetime, as well as one who lifted such burdens from people, as the verse indicates, by calling them to righteousness and warning them against wickedness.
One of the subjects in which the Prophet (saas) was a splendid example was godliness, that is, that behavior intended to earn Allah's approval alone. He feared only Allah, and never strayed from the true path, never succumbing to people's whims and desires. This aspect of the morality of the Qur'an is actually a source of great ease and beauty for people. Trying to please others and to make oneself favored by others, trying to win the pleasure of both Allah and others, and seeking praise from them, are great hinderences to whatever one does. Such people are unable to think and behave honestly as they would otherwise like to, and, since they are unable to please everyone all together, they ultimately fail to receive the praise they were looking for. They panic at the slightest mistake, and fear that they have lost the confidence and respect of those they are trying to please when they see that they are not fully happy with them.
On the contrary, Muslims who strive only for the pleasure of Allah, and fear only Him, never suffer the burden of things that will be harmful to them in this world and the next. They do not worry about whether or not people will be pleased with them. They are therefore always at peace. Since they know that, in the event of a mistake they will have to explain themselves only to Allah and need seek forgiveness only from Him, they feel no concern or worry.
By his words and behavior, the Prophet (saas) taught the faithful to live with purity of faith. He thus lifted the heavy weight of &quot;gaining the pleasure of others&quot; from all of humanity. That, of course, is but one of the difficulties believers experienced that he did away with. The Prophet Muhammad (saas) was an example to all Muslims in many matters that will bring good and great blessings in this world and in the hereafter. 
Allah has revealed that someone with purity of faith would not be the same as one who worships others besides Allah: 

Allah has made a metaphor for them of a man owned by several partners in dispute with one another and another man wholly owned by a single man. Are they the same? Praise be to Allah! The fact is that most of them do not know. (Surat az-Zumar: 29)

Idolatry was not the only burden the Prophet (saas) lifted from the shoulders of the faithful. He relieved them of all burdens that made life difficult for them, called them to the best and easiest way of life, and found solutions to all problems. That is why those who abide by the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger (saas) live in comfort and at peace. Some of the hadiths on this subject state:

&quot;The Prophet sent Mu'adh and Abu Musa to Yemen telling them. 'Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion; and love each other, and don't differ'.&quot;&nbsp; 1
&quot;The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not have to choose between two matters, but that he chose the easier of them as long as it was not a wrong action. If it was a wrong action, he was the furthest of people from it.&quot;&nbsp; 2

(For further reading about the attributes of the Prophet(saas), see &ldquo;The Prophet Muhammad (saas)&rdquo; by Harun Yahya)
1. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 275
2. Sahih Bukhari, Book 47, Number 1.2 ]]></description>
<author>Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)</author>
<pubDate>12.04.2008</pubDate>
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