Membersihkan Ginjal cuma dengan 1000 Rupiah Saja

bertahun-tahun berlalu dalam hidup dan ginjal kita setia menyaring darah dengan menyaring garam, racun dan zat yang tidak diinginkan masuk ke dalam tubuh kita. Dengan berjalannya waktu, garam terakumulasi dan ini sebuah perawatan pembersihan sangat diperlukan. Bagaimana kita bisa melakukannya?

Caranya sangat mudah, cukup dengan daun seledri :
Pertama, ambil seikat daun seledri (parsley/mallileaves/kothimbir/dhaniya) dan cuci sampai bersih.Kemudian potong kecil-kecil dan masukkan ke dalam panci berisi air. Rebus selama sepuluh menit dan dinginkan. Kemudian saring, masukkan ke dalam botol yang bersih dan masukkan ke dalam kulkas.

Minum satu gelas setiap hari dan Anda akan melihat bahwa semua garam dan racun yang menumpuk akan keluar melalui air seni. Anda juga akan merasakan sebuah perbedaan dalam tubuh yang belum pernah Anda rasakan sebelumnya. Daun seledri dikenal sebagai bahan pembersih yang terbaik untuk ginjal dan ini adalah sebuah cara yang alami!

Selain itu, daun seledri jg bisa mencegah penyakit seperti :
- Reumatik
- Mata Kering (XEROFTALMIA)
- Tekanan darah Tinggi
- Batuk
- Alergi dan lain-lain

Segitu dulu boi tips kesehatan dari ane, selamat mencoba dan sayangi kesehatan aboi' semua...semoga bermanfaat



SUMBER

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Tips Agar Marah Cepat Menghilang

Meluapkan kemarahan yang ada di dalam tubuh mungkin membuat seseorang terlihat lebih kuat pada awalnya, tapi dalam jangka panjang kondisi ini bisa menimbulkan efek negatif baik bagi diri sendiri atau orang lain.

Ketika sedang marah, bagian otak amigdala (pusat emosional di dalam otak) akan merangsang adrenalin yang membuat jantung memompa darah lebih cepat, sulit bernapas, pupil membesar dan tubuh berkeringat.

Orang bisa marah karena akumulasi dari ketegangan atau stres yang memucak. Kemarahan bisa muncul akibat adanya masalah di tempat kerja, sekolah, stres, kemacetan lalu lintas, kekhawatiran akan masalah finansial serta konflik dalam suatu hubungan.

Marah mungkin baik buat diri karena bisa melepaskan stres, tapi tidak baik buat orang lain dan lingkungan yang akan merasakan ketegangan.

Ada beberapa strategi atau cara sehat yang bisa dilakukan untuk mengatasi rasa marah agar cepat menguap, seperti dikutip dari HuffingtonPost, Senin (21/2/2011) yaitu:

1. Saat marah cobalah untuk diam sejenak dan hitung secara perlahan sampai 10
Ketika sedang marah terjadi lonjakan adrenalin, karena itu penting untuk melatih diri sendiri dalam mengatasi lonjakan ini.

Ambilah napas panjang beberapa kali secara perlahan sambil menghitung sampai 10 (atau 50 jika memang perlu). Dalam kondisi tenang ini cobalah pikirkan kembali apa yang harus dikatakan atau dilakukan agar tidak menyesal nantinya.

2. Ambilah waktu untuk menenangkan diri
Cobalah mengambil waktu untuk membuat neurotransmitter di otak menjadi lebih tenang serta menurunkan tingkat stres yang ada. Kurangi stimulasi eksternal dari lingkungan sekitar, misalnya dengan meredupkan lampu, mendengarkan musik yang tenang atau melakuakn yoga untuk mengusir kemarahan dari dalam tubuh.

3. Jangan melampiaskan kemarahan secara terburu-buru
Pastikan seseorang sudah memiliki waktu yang cukup untuk mengetahui apa yang telah membuatnya menjadi marah. Usahakan untuk tidak melampiaskan kemarahan secara terburu-buru, karena hal ini tidak akan menyelesaikan masalah tapi justru bisa meningkatkan ketegangan di otak.

4. Jangan berusaha mengatasi kemarahan ketika tubuh sedang lelah atau sebelum tidur
Mencoba mengatasi kemarahan di malam hari bisa mengganggu waktu tidur dan menyebabkan insomnia, untuk itu lupakan kemarahan yang ada ketika malam hari terutama menjelang waktu tidur sehingga seseorang tetap bisa mendapatkan waktu untuk istirahat. Lakukanlah beberapa hal yang bisa membuat tubuh lebih tenang dan rileks sebelum tidur.

5. Melakukan olahraga ringan
Olahraga atau latihan fisik ringan seperti berjalan, jogging, berenang atau bersepeda adalah cara alami untuk mengurangi stres dan kemarahan. Hal ini karena saat berolahraga tubuh akan melepaskan zat kimia di dalam otak yang membantu seseorang untuk santai atau rileks, serta memberikan waktu untuk berpikir sehingga seseorang memiliki lebih banyak energi.

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Waspada Makan Gorengan

Makanan yang digoreng atau populer disebut gorengan, ternyata bukan hanya meningkatkan kadar kolesterol darah serta menyebabkan terjadinya peningkatan risiko terkena stroke dan penyakit jantung koroner. Makanan gorengan juga menghasilkan zat pemicu kanker (karsinogenik) dengan nama akrilamida.

Hampir setiap orang menyukai makanan gorengan, seperti kentang, pisang, ubi, tempe dan tahu goreng. Makanan jajanan ini makin sedap rasanya jika dikonsumsi saat masih dalam keadaan panas. Menemukannya pun amat gampang, mulai dari pinggir jalan hingga mal.

Itu sebabnya kita kerap membawanya ke rumah, sebagai makanan ringan di sore hari, sambil minum kopi atau teh manis. Namun, kebiasaan menyantap makanan gorengan untuk sementara waktu harus kita kurangi atau paling tidak perlu diwaspadai.

Sebab, kebiasaan ini mengandung risiko buruk bagi kesehatan. Eden Tareke dkk., peneliti dari jurusan kimia lingkungan Universitas Stockholm, Swedia, memaparkan hasil penelitiannya bertajuk Analysis of Acrylamide, a Carsinogen Formed in Heated Foodstuffs yang dimuat di majalah ilmiah Agricultural and Food Chemistry edisi Juli 2002.

Masyarakat dunia pun gempar dibuatnya. Hasil penelitian yang didanai Dewan Riset Swedia untuk Lingkungan dan Ilmu Pertanian ini menunjukkan bahwa makanan yang kaya karbohidrat, seperti kentang yang mengalami penggorengan, dapat merangsang pembentukan senyawa karsinogenik (pemicu kanker) bernama akrilamida.

Hampir 100 jenis makanan gorengan yang lazim disantap manusia di jagad raya ini, antara lain rotirotian, biskuit, ikan, hingga daging, dinyatakan positif mengandung akrilamida. Makanan gorengan yang menjadi andalan restoran cepat saji (fast food) seperti keripik kentang (potato chip) dan kentang goreng (french fries) disebut-sebut sebagai yang paling buruk karena kandungan akrilamidanya lebih banyak.

Lalu, patutkah kita menjadi panik dengan informasi yang membuat heboh ini, sehingga memantang segala jenis makanan gorengan, khususnya keripik kentang dan kentang goreng?

Mengenal Akrilamida
Akrilamida termasuk salah satu senyawa kimia berbahaya yang kini diduga memiliki potensi kuat sebagai mesin pemicu kanker. Penelitian terhadap tikus percobaan menunjukkan bahwa senyawa yang satu ini menimbulkan tumor, merusak DNA alias materi genetika, merusak saraf, mengganggu tingkat kesuburan, dan mengakibatkan keguguran.

Secara umum sifat akrilamida (2-propenamide) adalah tidak berwarna dan tidak berbau dengan berat molekul 71. Senyawa ini berupa kristal putih, meleleh pada suhu 84,5 derajat Celcius, dan mendidih pada suhu 125 derajat.

Senyawa yang larut dalam air, aseton dan etanolini, pada proses pembakaran menghasilkan zat-zat yang berbahaya bagi kesehatan, seperti amonia, karbonomoksida, dan nitrogen oksida (Friedman, 2003).

Kini yang menjadi pertanyaan, berapa dosis minimum akrilamida yang bisa ditoleransi tubuh manusia? Hingga sekarang belum ada jawaban yang memuaskan untuk itu. Namun, masyarakat Uni Eropa dan organisasi kesehatan PBB (WHO) menetapkan standar maksimum akrilamida pada air minum 0,5 mikrogram per liter. Pada kadar itu, saluran pencernaan mampu menyerap dan mengeluarkannya dari tubuh melalui urin dalam beberapa jam kemudian.

Dosis tinggi akrilamida pernah dilakukan uji toksisitas. Hasil yang diperoleh adalah dosis antara 800- 2.700 mikrogram per hari bagi orang dewasa merupakan yang terendah, tapi di sisi lain sudah mampu meningkatkan mutasi gen pada tikus percobaan.

Proses Penggorengan
Penelitian yang dilakukan Eden Tareke dkk. menemukan bahwa bahan pangan yang tidak mengalami proses penggorengan atau pemanggangan ternyata hanya mengandung senyawa akrilamida dalam jumlah yang amat sedikit, sehingga tak menimbulkan keraguan untuk menyantapnya.

Demikian juga penelitian tidak menemukan adanya akrilamida pada produk pagan mentah dan makanan rebusan atau kukus. Sementara itu, kentang goreng mengandung senyawa akrilamida yang amat tinggi, yakni 2.500 mikrogram pada suhu penggorengan 220 derajat Celcius.

Dengan kanduangan sebesar ini kita patut waspada. Jika setiap hari menyantap akrilamida yang berasal dari kentang goreng, lama kelamaan dalam tubuh kita akan terjadi penimbunan senyawa yang menimbulkan kanker. Dan pada suatu saat dapat memicu munculnya penyakit yang bisa mematikan manusia itu.

Barangkali, kini ada pertanyaan yang mengganjal dalam benak kita, mengapa makanan rebus atau kukus tidak mengandung senyawa akrilamida, tapi dalam makanan gorengan jumlahnya banyak? Hingga sekarang untuk soal yang sulit ini belum ada jawaban yang memuaskan.

Namun, peneliti dari Swedia itu menjelaskan bahwa hadirnya senyawa akrilamida pada makanan gorengan di picu oleh proses penggorengan itu sendiri. Penggorengan dengan suhu yang relatif tinggi, sekitar 190 derajat Celcius (seperti lazimnya suhu penggorengan dalam minyak), dapat menyebabkan senyawa karbohidrat pada kentang terurai atau terlepas.

Menurut penelitian itu, sebagian karbohidrat yang terlepas kemudian ditangkap atau bereaksi dengan asam amino, senyawa penyusun protein, hingga terbentuklah akrilamida. Mekanisme ini secara umum biasa terjadi pada proses memasak. Sebab, asam amino dan gula dapat bereaksi lewat apa yang dikenaldalam bahasa kimia pangan sebagai reaksi Maillard.


Imbangi dengan buah dan sayur
Ada ungkapan lama menyebutkan lebih baik mencegah daripada mengobati. Jika sudah tahu bahwa suatu jenis makanan dapat menyebabkan penyakit kanker, lebih baik tak usah dikonsumsi secara berlebihan.

Bukti menunjukkan bahwa penyakit kanker muncul karena pola makan yang salah. Sekitar 40 persen lebih resiko kanker disebabkan oleh gaya hidup dan pola makan yang tak benar, termasuk sembarangan mengonsumsi makanan gorengan. Satu hal yang patut disadari, sehat itu akan tiba-tiba menjadi begitu mahal ketika kita sudah jatuh sakit.

Jika Anda terpaksa harus menyantap kentang goreng di restoran cepat saji misalnya karena enggan menolak ajakan baik teman lama, makanlah secukupnya dengan menghilangkan rasa khawatir bahwa besok sudah terserang kanker. Namun, jalan keluar yang paling baik adalah dengan membuat sendiri makanan gorengan di rumah, sehingga kita bisa melakukan beberapa tindakan pencegahan guna mengurangi terbentuknya senyawa karsinogenik.

Misalnya, kita bisa menggunakan suhu penggorengan yang lebih rendah dengan api kecil. Sebab, tinggi rendahnya suhu berpengaruh terhadap jumlah senyawa akrilamida pada hasil gorengan. Kebiasaan buruk lain, yakni menggunakan minyak lebih dari tiga kali untuk menggoreng makanan, harus ditinggalkan.

Pada proses penggorengan, bahan makanan akan menyerap sebagian minyak goreng pada suhu sekitar 180-200 derajat Celcius. Kualitas makanan gorengan yang dihasilkan pun, sedikit banyak dipengaruhi kualitas minyak yang digunakan. Selama proses penggorengan, terjadi pengeluaran air dari bahan pangan yang menyebabkan proses hidrolisis pada minyak goreng, sehingga terbentuk senyawa radikal bebas yang karsinogenik. Cirinya,

minyak goreng warnanya cokelat kehitaman dan berbau tengik. Makanan gorengan yang sudah dituduh mengandung senyawa akrilamida pencetus kanker, hanyalah salah satu jenis dari beragam makanan yang harus kita waspadai. Persoalannya, di tengah zaman yang makin maju ini, kita kerap tak bisa menghindar dari jenis makanan yang berlimpah zat kimia, seperti pemanis dan pewarna sintesis.

Lalu, apa jalan keluarnya? Jurus gizi yang tepat adalah meningkatkan frekuensi mengonsumsi buah dan sayur segar sampai lima kali dalam satu hari. Berbagai vitamin antioksidan yang bersemayam dalam makanan nabati ini amat bermanfaat bagi tubuh. Selain Itu pencegahan dengan mengkonsumsi Herbal seperti Kunir Putih dan Daun Dewa yang sarat dengan antioksidan juga bermanfaat memperkecil risiko terkena kanker.

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Khasiat Bawang Merah

Pada tahun 1919 ketika flu membunuh 40 juta orang, ada seorang dokter yang mengunjungi banyak petani untuk melihat apakah ia dapat membantu mereka memerangi flu. Banyak petani dan keluarga mereka telah tertular dan banyak yang meninggal. Dokter ini mengunjungi satu keluarga petani, dan yang mengejutkannya, ternyata semua orang sangat sehat. Ketika dokter bertanya apa yang dilakukan petani yang membuatnya berbeda, sang istri menjawab bahwa ia telah menaruh bawang merah yang telah dikupas dalam sebuah piring pada setiap kamar di rumah itu (mungkin hanya dua kamar waktu itu).

Dokter itu tidak percaya dan bertanya apakah ia dapat memiliki salah satu dari bawang merah itu untuk melihatnya di bawah mikroskop. Istri petani itu memberinya satu dan ketika dia melakukan hal ini, ia menemukan virus flu di bawang merah itu. Bawang merah ini jelas menyerap bakteri, oleh karena itu, menjaga keluarga ini tetap sehat.

Cerita ini dari penata rambut di AZ.
Dia mengatakan bahwa beberapa tahun lalu banyak dari karyawan yang datang bekerja dengan sakit flu dan begitu juga banyak dari pelanggannya. Tahun berikutnya ia meletakkan beberapa mangkuk bawang merah di sekitar tokonya. Yang mengejutkan, tak satu pun stafnya sakit. Ternyata berhasil.

Belilah beberapa bawang merah dan tempatkan dalam mangkuk di sekitar rumah Anda. Jika Anda bekerja di dalam kantor, tempatkan satu atau dua di kantor atau di bawah meja Anda atau bahkan di atas suatu tempat. Cobalah dan lihat apa yang terjadi. Kami melakukannya tahun lalu dan kami tidak pernah terserang flu.

Hal ini membantu Anda dan orang-orang yang Anda cintai dari sakit, dan semua menjadi lebih baik. Jika Anda terkena flu, itu hanya mungkin menjadi satu kasus yang ringan ..

Ada sebuah P.S., ketika hal dikirimkan ke seorang teman di Oregon yang secara teratur memberikan kontribusi materi masalah kesehatan, dia menjawab dengan pengalaman yang paling menarik tentang bawang merah, “Terima kasih untuk mengingatkan. Aku tidak tahu tentang kisah petani itu. Tapi, aku tahu bahwa saya terkena pneumonia dan tidak perlu untuk mengatakan aku sangat sakit. Aku menemukan sebuah artikel yang mengatakan untuk memotong kedua ujung sebuah bawang merah, lalu letakkan salah satu ujungnya pada sebuah garpu dan kemudian tempatkan ujung garpu pada sebuah stoples kosong. Letakkan stoples itu di sebelah pasien yang sakit pada waktu malam hari. Dikatakan bahwa bawang merah akan menjadi hitam di pagi hari karena kuman2. Tentu saja hal itu terjadi persis seperti itu. Bawang merah itu berantakan dan aku mulai merasa lebih baik.”

Hal lain di artikel itu bahwa bawang merah dan bawang putih yang ditempatkan di sekitar ruangan menyelamatkan banyak orang dari wabah hitam tahun yang lalu. Bawang merah dan bawang putih mempunyai kekuatan antibakteri, peralatan antiseptik.

Ini adalah catatan lain:

SISA BAWANG MERAH BERACUN
Bawang merah adalah sebuah magnet besar untuk bakteri, terutama bawang mentah. Anda seharusnya jangan pernah berencana untuk menyimpan sebagian dari irisan bawang merah. Hal ini tidak aman bahkan jika Anda memasukkannya ke dalam tas zip-lock dan memasukkannya ke dalam kulkas Anda.

Bawang merah sudah cukup terkontaminasi hanya dengan dipotong dan dibiarkan terbuka untuk sebentar saja, sehingga hal itu dapat membahayakan Anda (dan perlu lebih waspada lagi terhadap bawang merah yang Anda masukkan ke dalam hotdog Anda di taman bisbol!). Jika Anda mengambil sisa bawang merah dan memasak seperti orang gila, anda mungkin akan baik-baik saja, tetapi jika Anda memotong sisa bawang merah dan menaruh pada sandwich Anda, Anda sedang mencari masalah. Baik bawang merah dan kentang basah dalam salad kentang, akan menarik dan menumbuhkan bakteri bahkan lebih cepat daripada mayones komersial yang akan mulai rusak. Selain itu, anjing tidak boleh makan bawang merah. Perut anjing tidak dapat mengolah bawang merah.

Harap diingat!!! Adalah berbahaya untuk mengiris bawang merah dan mencoba menggunakannya untuk memasak pada hari berikutnya, bawang merah menjadi sangat beracun bahkan untuk satu malam dan menciptakan bakteri beracun yang bisa menyebabkan infeksi lambung yang buruk dikarenakan kelebihan sekresi empedu dan bahkan keracunan makanan.

Mungkin kita harus mulai meletakkan bawang merah di meja kita.

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Hati-hati Untuk Anda Yang Suka Duduk Menyilangkan Kaki

Mereka yang gemar menyilangkan kaki ketika duduk dalam waktu lama, akan merasakan hal-hal yang tidak menyenangkan (tidak sehat) a.l. :

1. Tulang belakang mereka perlahan2 menjadi bengkok membentuk huruf C
2. Mereka akan mengalami sakit leher dan punggung pada 1 sisi
3. Untuk wanita, pundaknya akan condong ke satu sisi dan menyebabkan tali pengikat Bra turun pada bagian pundak yang miring

Usahakan untuk tidak menyilangkan kaki ketika anda duduk untuk jangka

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Jam Piket Organ Tubuh Manusia

Ternyata organ tubuh manusia masing-masing bekerja keras pada jam-jam tertentu.

LAMBUNG
Jam 07.00 – 09.00
Jam piket organ lambung sedang kuat, sebaiknya makan pagi untuk proses pembentukan energi tubuh sepanjang hari. Minum jus atau ramuan sebaiknya sebelum sarapan pagi, perut masih kosong sehingga zat yang berguna segera terserap tubuh.

LIMPA
Jam 09..00 – 11.00
Jam piket organ limpa kuat, dalam mentransportasi cairan nutrisi untuk energi pertumbuhan. Bila pada jam-jam ini mengantuk, berarti fungsi limpa lemah. Kurangi konsumsi gula, lemak, minyak dan protein hewani.

JANTUNG
Jam 11.00 – 13.00
Jam piket organ jantung kuat, harus istirahat, hindari panas dan olah fisik, ambisi dan emosi terutama pada penderita gangguan pembuluh darah.

HATI
Jam 13.00 – 15.00
Jam piket organ hati lemah, bila orang tidur, darah merah berkumpul dalam organ hati dan terjadi proses regenerasi sel-sel hati. Apabila fungsi hati kuat maka tubuh kuat untuk menangkal semua penyakit.

PARU-PARU
Jam 15.00 – 17.00
Jam piket organ paru-paru lemah, diperlukan istirahat, tidur untuk proses pembuangan racun dan proses pembentukan energi paru-paru.

GINJAL
Jam 17.00 – 19.00
Jam piket organ ginjal kuat, sebaiknya digunakan untuk belajar karena terjadi proses pembentukan sumsum tulang dan otak serta kecerdasan.

LAMBUNG
Jam 19.00 – 21.00
Jam piket organ lambung lemah sebaiknya tidak mengkonsumsi makan yang sulit dicerna atau lama dicerna atau lebih baik sudah berhenti makan

LIMPA
Jam 21..00 – 23.00
Jam piket organ limpa lemah, terjadi proses pembuangan racun dan proses regenerasi sel limpa. Sebaiknya istirahat sambil mendengarkan musik yang menenangkan jiwa, untuk meningkatkan imunitas.

JANTUNG
Jam 23.00 – 01.00
Jam piket organ jantung lemah. Sebaiknya sudah beristirahat tidur, apabila masih terus bekerja atau begadang dapat melemahkan fungsi jantung.

HATI
Jam 01.00 – 03.00
Jam piket organ hati kuat. Terjadi proses pembuangan racun/limbah hasil metabolisme tubuh. Apabila ada gangguan fungsi hati tercermin pada kotoran dan gangguan mata. Apabila ada luka dalam akan terasa nyeri.

PARU-PARU
Jam 03.00 – 05.00
Jam piket organ paru-paru kuat, terjadi proses pembuangan limbah/racun pada organ paru-paru, apabila terjadi batuk,bersin- bersin dan berkeringat menandakan adanya gangguan fungsi paru-paru. Sebaiknya digunakan untuk olah nafas untuk mendapatkan energi paru yang sehat dan kuat.

USUS BESAR
Jam 05.00 – 07.00
Jam piket organ usus besar kuat, sebaiknya biasakan BAB secara teratur.

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Jangan Minum Air Putih Sesaat Sebelum Makan

Untuk mengurangi makan berlebih banyak orang minum air terlebih dahulu sesaat sebelum makan. Sebaiknya hilangkan kebiasaan itu, jika ingin minum sebelum makan lakukanlah satu jam sebelum waktu makan.

Mengonsumsi air terlalu banyak tepat sebelum makan memang membuat Anda kehilangan nafsu makan karena lambung menjadi penuh. Tapi minum air sesaat sebelum makan akan membuat proses penyerapan makanan oleh enzim menjadi lebih sulit, karena air yang diminum butuh waktu 30 menit mengalir dari lambung menuju usus. Sehingga jika minum sesaat sebelum makan, belum sempat air menuju usus sudah ditambah dengan makanan yang membuat enzim bekerja lebih sulit.

Profesor Hiromi Shinya MD, pakar enzim yang juga guru besar kedokteran di Albert Einstein College of Medicine AS, seperti dikutip dari karangannya, ‘The Miracle of Enzyme’, Sabtu ( 20/2/2010 ), menyarankan agar minum air putih dilakukan 1 jam sebelum waktu makan. Seperti halnya tanaman, menurutnya ada periode yang baik untuk minum karena pengairan yang berlebihan pada tanaman akan membuat tanaman menjadi busuk dan layu. Sehingga ada periode waktu yang sesuai untuk tubuh minum air.

Cara ideal untuk mencukupi kebutuhan air untuk tubuh adalah:
1 – 3 gelas saat bangun tidur pada pagi hari
2 – 3 gelas, 1 jam sebelum makan siang
2 – 3 gelas, 1 jam sebelum makan malam.

Menurutnya yang harus diperhatikan adalah minum air setelah bangun tidur, karena cairan yang hilang harus cepat diganti saat bangun tidur.

Profesor Hiromi tidak menyarankan minum air sebelum tidur, tapi jika sangat haus bisa dilakukan satu jam sebelum waktu tidur. Minum air sesaat sebelum tidur bisa mencegah terjadinya aliran balik. Walaupun hanya air, jika bercampur dengan asam lambung bisa memasuki tenggorokan dan terhirup ke dalam paru-paru yang dikhawatirkan risiko menderita pneumonia.

Biasakanlah tidur dengan perut kosong karena tenggorokan dirancang agar tidak ada yang masuk ke dalamnya selain udara. Jika masih ada makanan atau minuman, isi lambung akan meluap naik menuju kerongkongan saat Anda merebahkan diri. Saat itu terjadi, tubuh akan menyempitkan saluran pernapasannya dan menghentikan pernapasan Anda untuk mencegah isi lambung memasuki tenggorokan.

Banyak kejadian orang meninggal akibat serangan jantung pada dini hari. Penyebabnya adalah karena asam yang mengalir balik sebagai akibat makan atau minum larut malam, dan berakhir pada tertutupnya saluran pernapasan, kemudian napas jadi tidak teratur, kadar oksigen dalam darah berkurang dan akhirnya kurang persediaan oksigen menuju otot jantung.

Diakuinya, kebutuhan minum tiap orang berbeda, tapi biasakan untuk minum air 6 – 8 gelas per hari ( 1,5 – 2 liter ) untuk orang dewasa. Jika cuaca sangat panas misalnya maka orang akan membutuhkan minum yang lebih banyak. Sebaliknya orang yang mengalami sistem pencernaan lemah dapat mengalami diare jika minum terlalu banyak.

Banyaknya air yang dibutuhkan seseorang berbeda-beda tergantung pada ukuran tubuh orang tersebut dan apa yang dianggap sesuai untuk tubuhnya. Hanya saja tetap perhatikan waktu-waktu untuk minum yang ideal, di luar kebutuhan minum lainnya.

Jika kebutuhan air terpenuhi dengan baik, maka Anda akan jarang terkena sakit. Saat kebutuhan air terpenuhi, air akan melembabkan area-area dalam tubuh yang mudah diserang oleh bakteri dan virus seperti daerah bronkus (pipa saluran pernapasan), mukosa lambung dan usus. Dengan begitu sistem kekebalan tubuh menjadi aktif sehingga area-area tersebut menjadi sulit diserang virus atau bakteri.

Sebaliknya jika air yang dikonsumsi kurang, membran mukus pada bronkus akan mengalami dehidrasi dan mengering, dimana dahak dan lendir diproduksi dalam bronkus. Jika tidak ada air yang cukup, maka dahak dan lendir akan menempel pada bronkus, yang kemudian menjadi tempat berkembangbiaknya virus dan bakteri.

Air penting bagi tubuh. Jika tidak ada air orang tidak hanya kekurangan gizi, tapi kotoran dan racun juga akan terkumpul di dalam sel dan tidak dapat dikeluarkan. Efek buruknya, racun yang terakumulasi itu akan merusak sel-sel gen yang salah satunya bisa menyebabkan berubahnya gen menjadi sel kanker.

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Logic Puzzles To Test You

Many people are looking for the right past time that they will get to enjoy. Some would want to have some sports as their means of activities and some would want to have other activities that could test their mind. They want something that could test their mental skills and want to know on how good they are. There are now many ways that you can test their capabilities. They can have some logic puzzles to test their skills. You can buy some books that contain these types of games or you may try. If you don’t want to go too far, then you may also try the internet because there are already many games or riddles that can be use. There are also many available IQ test if you really want to know your capacity.

Some logic puzzles that you may try is the crossword puzzle. The crossword puzzle is a very good past time. You may find one at the newspaper or some magazines or you may also buy a whole set in just one book. There will be numbers that has the definition of the word that you are going to guess for each box that corresponds to it. There are numbers that corresponds to across and down. Make sure that they will fit appropriately because there will be some words that may fit to the boxes but will not fit to the meaning or it is not the word that is looking for. If you are good in numbers, then you may also try sudoku. The sudoku can be in many different levels. It consists of boxes. The most common type is the three by three subsection of a nine by nine square. The aim is to fill in the squares with numbers from one to nine and there should not be any numbers that are repeating. You should fill in numbers one to nine from across and down and the three by three matrixes.

There are still many logic puzzles available and you may choose on these different puzzles that you think will try on your skills and capabilities. There are still lot in the market as well as in the internet.

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Benefits Of Fiber Nutrition

Fiber nutrition in your diet have many benefits to your health. Your digestive system will function at its highest potential. Fiber nutrition may help prevent many diseases. What are the benefits of fiber nutrition?

Including fiber into your diet has many benefits to your health. Dietary fiber is foods that are high in roughage. Your digestive system can not break down these types of food. Therefore these foods pass through your body cleaning out your stomach,intestines and colon. In order to better understand what kind of fiber we need is to know the difference between the types of fiber. There are two types, Insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber such as, whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and vegetables, move through your digestive system cleaning them out. People who struggle with constipation or irregular stools need this type of fiber. Soluble fibers dissolve in water and is better absorbed by your body. Soluble fiber is excellent in lowering your blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Some types of food labeled as soluble fiber include oats, beans, peas, citrus fruits, carrots, and barley. Keeping a healthy digestive system would include eating a wide variety of these types of foods.

Maintaining a high fiber diet normalizes and maintains a healthy bowel movement. Fiber softens your stool allowing it to pass more easily. It may also help prevent hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon. If you suffer from watery stools, fiber may help to solidify your stool as well, decreasing your chance for constipation. Fiber in your diet also is great for your heart health. It may also lower your LDL levels in your blood. LDL is the bad cholesterol that many people suffer from. Epidemiologic studies have shown that increased fiber in the diet can reduce blood pressure and inflammation. Blood sugars levels can also be effected, for a person who suffers from Diabetes, this can help them maintain healthier levels. Benefits also include weight loss. Fiber foods have fewer calories and in most cases take a longer time to chew. This allows the body to sense it has had enough food. You are less likely to over eat. Studies have also indicated that eating a high fiber diet can greatly reduce your chance of developing some cancers. However at this time those studies have not been concluded.

Maintaining fiber nutrition can be done in different ways, but the best way is by consuming high fiber foods. It is recommended that an average person should consume 25-30 grams of fiber. In our world today it can both be challenging to incorporate fiber into our diets. Many people start off their days with eggs and meat with white processed bread and continue through the day without getting the proper amount of fiber. A lot of this has to do with how we do our shopping. Take the time to buy high fiber cereal. Replace the normal breakfast routine with this type of food and you will be on the right path to receiving your required amount of fiber. Vegetables, beans, nuts, and citric fruits contain the best fiber for your body. Eating processed foods like white bread should be replaced with multigrain or whole wheat flour based products. The same can be said for noodles or any type of pastas. Replacing your lunch with a large plate of salad instead of the local fast food joint can be very beneficial to your health. There are steps we can take to get our daily amount of fiber. If you looked real hard at your grocery list and just simply replaced a few items with these suggestions, your fiber intake will be made.

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Computer and Internet Privacy Basics

The Computer Privacy protection is a very serious issue to be ignored these days."Everything you do online and offline is monitored by someone.", say many people out there and they are right not because of their paranoia but because the Private Information is too valued for its owner. But is it possible to protect our Computer Privacy without plugging the cable?

See how somebody could steal your Private Information. Reveal what is the difference between Computer Privacy and Internet Privacy. Read how to generate Secure Passwords that hackers can not break.

1. What is Computer Privacy?

This is the power to control what computer information you reveal about yourself and to control who can access this personal information.

2. What is Internet Privacy?

It is a part of the computer privacy. It is the power to control what information you reveal about yourself in Internet, the power to control which web sites, remote scripts and web applications can access this personal information, and the power to know if these web sites, scripts, and web applications are enough trustworthy.

3. What is Private Information?

No doubt, your computer keeps tons of information about:

* all web sites you have visited

* all documents, folders, pictures, videos, files you have opened and created

* all e-mail, forum names and passwords you have

* all bank and credit card information you have saved

* all Skype-to-Skype calls and ICQ chats you have made

* all technology, writing or art you have invented

* your online shopping activities: when you visit the online store order page of some web site

* your shared photos, videos, age data, hobbies, preferences, even thoughts with everyone out there

* generally all your computer habits and things-to-do

All computer and web data you consider to private is your private information.

4. How to Generate Secure Passwords that Hackers can not break?

We use passwords every day to access our computer accounts, e-mail accounts, bank accounts, Facebook and Twitter accounts and hundreds of other services. There is great temptation to use one password for all accounts and to make it short and easy to remember. However, this has devastating effect on our security and privacy. If you think that you have nothing to hide, think again.

In most cases the passwords are hacked to use your computer as spam bot, to steal your money and private information, to infect your computer with computer viruses and spyware and so on.

Learn to avoid the following weak and easy to crack passwords:

* Generic passwords and default passwords. Examples: admin, administrator, user, guest, pass, password, iloveyou, 2010, etc. These are the first passwords that are tried by the password cracking software.

* Meaningful words or names. Examples: sandbox, NY, lion, john, mary, USA, love, myspouse, dragon, etc. Easily cracked by the dictionary-assisted cracking tools.

* Words or names with added numbers. Examples: john123, pass123, 123456, number1, abc123, 654321, etc. Easily cracked by the automated cracking tools.

* Personal names, birthdates or similar information. These are used a lot as passwords and are very easily cracked. For example, if the password is a birthday, there are only hundreds or few thousands (if the year is included) possible combinations, which is very weak for a password.

Learn to generate strong random passwords through these rules:

* Choosing "randomly" letters and numbers. It appears random but only at first sight. Numerous research studies have proven that humans are not very good at random picks - they always try to spread the things too evenly, which is not random behavior.

* "Random" typing on the keyboard with closed eyes. This is slightly better than random choosing but still nowhere random enough.

* Online random password generators. Much better than the previous two alternatives but have 2 major drawbacks. The first is the possibility that the generated password may be saved on the website with malicious purposes or someone may eavesdrop on your connection and intercept the generated passwords. The second major problem is the quality of the random number generators, which very often is not up to the task. Many of them are naively implemented and provide a lot fewer combinations than theoretically possible (no more that tens or hundreds of millions, which is not strong password by any means - see the table in the previous chapter).

* Specialized random password generator programs. The best option as long as they are implemented properly and come from trusted source.

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Diabetes and Sedentary Lifestyle

The number of people with type 2 diabetes has been rising rapidly since the last fifty years. In addition, more and more people have blood glucose levels, although they have not been categorized as diabetes, are too high for good health. This condition is known as glucose intolerance or pre-diabetes.

health examination at a hospitalThe increase in the number of people suffering type 2 diabetes around the world is mostly caused by sedentary lifestyle or a way of life that does not excel much physical activities.

In the morning after waking up, we open the faucet of water container to fill it. In the past, people had to walk for several meters to take the water in a river and bring it home in containers. After taking a bath and getting changed, we do not have to walking to paddy fields for working with hoes on our shoulders. Comfortable public transportation or our private cars will take us to our offices. Arriving at work, we do not need to climb the stairs to floor 3 or 4. By pressing buttons, the lift doors will open and the lift will take us up to our workplaces. There are no hoeing and plowing works which the traditional farmers do that we do in our workplaces. Most of us spend the whole day typing in front of the computer and answering telephone calls.

In the afternoon, when we get home, there are not many physical activities that we do. After taking a shower, most of us will sit on a sofa with a cup of sweet tea or coffee on the table. We will watch tv until dinner time. After that probably we will read books or talk to our spouses before going to bed.

These sedentary lifestyle have been going on and on for years without us realizing that our bodies are getting heavier. We are now overweight due to the lack of sports and finally our blood sugar levels reach more than 200 mg/dL when examined using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. And at the very moment we’ve just realized that we suffer from Diabetes Type 2.

Listen, before all the above things happen, let’s change our lifestyle by being physically more active and by eating healthy foods.

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Controlling Stress and Blood Sugar by Eating Healthy Foods

Blood glucose level always goes up when patients of diabetes face stress. When in stress, the pituitary gland at the base of our skull stimulates the adrenal glands by the kidneys to release adrenaline. This triggers the muscles and liver to break down the glycogen stores into glucose. It then is released into the tissues to enable the body to fight or flight the potential danger. This release increases the blood sugar level which sometimes exceeds the normal range.

So, diabetes is closely related to our emotional condition. City dwellers always live in the environment that will inevitably create stress. Traffic jams, pollution, overwhelming workloads, and selling targets and problems in personal relationships are some of the causal factors for stress. So, it is easy to say to everybody that stress is unavoidable.

The easiest way is through recreation. Unfortunately, we cannot always do that. City dwellers who are in stress condition usually try to relax their emotional condition by going out and eating out with friends.

Eating more food and drinking alcohol or coffee are the typical reactions which we usually experience. To reduce the negative effects of stress, we must try to avoid foods that are bad to our body. Even though we can do that, the food and drinks that we consume in general contain excessive fat, salt, sugar, and alcohol and cafein. These deplete vital nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin B5 – the nutrients that are important in combating stress.

healthy food is important for normalizing our blood sugarEating foods that contain fiber can help improve our blood sugar. We will feel full due to the volume of the food but the calories intake is lower. In addition, our body cannot digest fiber. Fiber binds cholesterol and lowers its absorption. Food that contains fiber reduces our blood sugar as it slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream.

To minimize the negative effects of stress, we need nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin C as well as vitamin B. They are essential in supporting our body especially the adrenal glands to bust the stress. Foods that are rich in magnesium are almonds, cod, soya beans, sunflower seeds, nuts, dark leafy vegetables, blackstrap molasses. Foods that are rich in vitamin c are citrus fruit, strawberries, potatoes, berries, peppers, blackcurrants, kiwi fruit, cauliflowers, guavas, mangoes, and papaya. Foods that contain vitamin B are green vegetables, brown rice, dairy products, eggs, liver, wheatgerm, lentils and corn

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The Relation Between Diabetes and Blood Sugar

The most important thing which patients of diabetes must do is learning how to control their blood sugar. Food consists of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and also fiber. All of us have to combine these elements in ratio that is suitable for our bodies. Everybody has his or her own food ratio. Next time, if we want to eat something, we can start making changes in our food intake ratio. One or two hours after eating our foods, we can measure our blood glucose level. Make sure that it is within the allowable range. If it is always above 200 mg/dl, it means we have suffered from diabetes.

Glucose always exists in our blood. Our body needs it as fuel to function well. Glucose is a simple form of sugar. It is derived from the food which we consume everyday. When the food has reached the stomach, it will be digested and processed. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat from our food are processed by our digestive system to generate energy. Excessive energy is changed into fat. Glucose can easily be obtained from carbohydrates.

Foods that are categorized as the source of carbohydrates are bread, rice, grains, pasta and fruit. Some foods such as palm sugar and refined sugar are classed as simple carbohydrates whereas others such as grains and tubers are classed as complex carbohydrates. Foods such as honey, white rice, French bread release their energy quickly. They have high glycaemic value. If we plan to work hard during the day, we will need such foods to supply us with sufficient energy so that we will not become weak during and after work. However, if what we do are typing and filing, we should choose foods which contain low glycaemic value such as oats, basmati rice and raw carrots.

When we eat foods of high glycaemic value but we don't work hard, the excessive amount of sugars that are released will be stored in our body. To do this we need the insulin. This hormone is produced by pancreas. Insulin maintains our blood sugar to an acceptable level. If we always eat high glycaemic foods, we will need more insulin. More insulin is also needed if we frequently drink alcohol. Eating fast-releasing energy foods such as cereal, a cup of coffee or apple juice will cause our blood sugar rises rapidly. It will trigger the release of insulin.

Pancreas may become exhausted. Failure of insulin producing cells in the islets of Langerhans of pancreas leads to diabetes. To avoid this disease, we need to balance our foods so that they will not always bring pressures to pancreas. Our meal should be the combination of foods that contain complex carbohydrates, fiber and some protein.

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Google and Facebook interested in buying Twitter

That’s right, Twitter might get sold, and the two main competitors that are interested in Twitter’s purchase are Google and Facebook – hardly surprising. It seems that both companies had their low level takeover talks with Twitter’s staff, and according to the Wall Street Journal, it seems that Twitter will be sold for $10 billion.

Speaking of Twitter’s value, we have to mention that Twitter’s value increased for $200 million in last December, and after that incensement, Twitter is valued at $3.7 billion. Besides great value, Twitter has more than 175 million users so it’s quite obvious why the leading search engine and the most popular social network are interested in its purchase.

So far, both Google and Facebook are keeping information about this undisclosed, so we can’t say which of the two companies will acquire Twitter and when.

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Introduction To Islam

Allah
Islam is the complete submission and obedience to Allah (God). The
name Allah (God) in Islam never refers to Muhammad (pbuh), as many
Christians may think; Allah is the personal name of God.
What do Muslims believe about Allah?
• He is the one God, Who has no partner.
• Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His
creation.
• He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
• There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship
besides Him.
• He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be
when nothing else remains.
• He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful, the Supreme, the Sovereign.
• It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
• He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
• He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all
mankind.
• His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in the
world that has been kept without change.
• Allah knows what is in our hearts.
These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge
of God:
• Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their
conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite
similar labels or appellations.
• Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
• Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His
names and attributes.
• Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe
in some and disbelieve the others.
• One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes,
i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - 'The Living' and then say that He is
without life.
• Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is
being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human
arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is
nothing like human speech, etc.
• Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus may
be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in
accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are
acceptable.

Cleanliness
Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both its physical and spiritual
aspects. On the physical side, Islam requires the Muslims to clean their
bodys, clothes, houses, and the whole community, and they will be
rewarded by God for doing so. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, for
example:
"Removing any harm from the road is charity (that will be
rewarded by Allah)." [Bukhari]
While people generally consider cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam
insists on it, making it an indispensable fundamental of the faith. A Muslim
is required to be pure morally and spiritually as well as physically.
Through the Qur'an and Sunnah Islam requires sincere believers to sanitize
and purify their entire way of life.
In the Qur'an Allah commends those who are accustomed to cleanliness:
"Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those
who keep themselves pure and clean." [2: 22]
In Islam the Arabic term for purity is Taharah. Books of Islamic
jurisprudence often contain an entire chapter with Taharah as a heading.
Allah orders the believer to be tidy in appearance:
"Keep your clothes clean." [74:4]
The Qur'an insists that the believer maintain a constant state of purity:
"Believers! When you prepare for prayer wash your faces, and your
hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water) and
(wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are ritually impure
bathe your whole body..." [5: 6]
Ritual impurity refers to that resulting from sexual release, menstruation
and the forty days after childbirth. Muslims also use water, not paper or
anything else to clean after ejecting body wastes.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised the Muslims to appear neat and tidy in
private and in public. Once when returning home from battle he advised
his army:
"You are soon going to meet your brothers, so tidy your saddles
and clothes. Be distinguished in the eyes of the people." [Abu
Dawud]
On another occasion he said:
"Don't ever come with your hair and beard disheveled like a
devil." [Al-Tirmidhi]
And on another:
"Had I not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would
have ordered them to brush their teeth for every prayer." [Bukhari]
Moral hygiene was not ignored, the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged the
Muslims to make a special prayer upon seeing themselves in the mirror:
"Allah, You have endowed me with a good form; likewise bless me
with an immaculate character and forbid my face from touching the
Hellfire." [Ahmad]
And modesty in dress, for men as well as for women, assists one in
maintaining purity of thought.
Being charitable is a way of purifying one's wealth. A Muslim who does
not give charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5%
alms-tax, has in effect contaminated his/her wealth by hoarding that which
rightfully belongs to others:
"Of their wealth take alms so that you may purify and sanctify
them." [9: 103]
All the laws and injunctions given by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are
pure; on the other hand, man-made laws suffer from the impurities of
human bias and other imperfections. Thus any formal law can only be
truly just when it is purified by divine guidance - as elucidated by the
Qur'an and the Sunnah - or if it is divinely ordained to begin with - the
Shari'ah.

Muslims Contribution To Science
Muslims have always had a special interest in astronomy. The moon and the
sun are of vital importance in the daily life of every Muslim. By observing
the moon, Muslims determine the beginning and the end of the months in
their lunar calendar. By observing the sun the Muslims calculate the times
for prayer and fasting. It is also by means of astronomy that Muslims can
determine the precise direction of the Qiblah, to face the Ka'bah in
Makkah, during prayer. The most precise solar calendar, superior to the
Julian, is the Jilali, devised under the supervision of Umar Khayyam.
The Qur'an contains many references to astronomy.
"The heavens and the earth were ordered rightly, and were made
subservient to man, including the sun, the moon, the stars, and
day and night. Every heavenly body moves in an orbit assigned to
it by God and never digresses, making the universe an orderly
cosmos whose life and existence, diminution and expansion, are
totally determined by the Creator." [Qur'an 30:22]
These references, and the injunctions to learn, inspired the early Muslim
scholars to study the heavens. They integrated the earlier works of the
Indians, Persians and Greeks into a new synthesis. Ptolemy's Almagest (the
title as we know it is Arabic) was translated, studied and criticized. Many
new stars were discovered, as we see in their Arabic names - ALGOL,
Deneb, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Aldebaran. Astronomical tables were compiled,
among them the Toledan tables, which were used by Copernicus, Tycho
Brahe and Kepler. Also compiled were almanacs - another Arabic term.
Other terms from Arabic are zenith, nadir, albedo, azimuth.
Muslim astronomers were the first to establish observatories, like the one
built at Mugharah by Hulagu, the son of Genghis Khan, in Persia, and they
invented instruments such as the quadrant and astrolabe, which led to
advances not only in astronomy but in oceanic navigation, contributing to
the European age of exploration.

• Geography
Muslim scholars paid great attention to geography. In fact, the Muslims'
great concern for geography originated with their religion. The Qur'an
encourages people to travel throughout the earth to see God's signs and
patterns everywhere. Islam also requires each Muslim to have at least
enough knowledge of geography to know the direction of the Qiblah (the
position of the Ka'bah in Makkah) in order to pray five times a day.
Muslims were also used to taking long journeys to conduct trade as well as
to make the Hajj and spread their religion. The far-flung Islamic empire
enabled scholar-explorers to compile large amounts of geographical and
climatic information from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Among the most famous names in the field of geography, even in the West,
are Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Batuta, renowned for their written accounts of
their extensive explorations.
In 1166, Al-Idrisi, the well-known Muslim scholar who served the Sicilian
court, produced very accurate maps, including a world map with all the
continents and their mountains, rivers and famous cities. Al-Muqdishi was
the first geographer to produce accurate maps in color.
It was, moreover, with the help of Muslim navigators and their inventions
that Magellan was able to traverse the Cape of Good Hope, and Da Gama
and Columbus had Muslim navigators on board their ships.

• Humanity
Seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam for every Muslim, man and
woman. The main sources of Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophet
Muhammad's traditions), encourage Muslims to seek knowledge and to be
educated, since this is the best way for people to know Allah (God), to
appreciate His wondrous creations and be thankful to Him. Muslims were
therefore eager to seek knowledge, both religious and secular, and within a
few years of Muhammad's mission, a great civilization sprang up and
flourished. The outcome is shown in the spread of Islamic universities; Al-
Zaytunah in Tunis, and Al-Azhar in Cairo go back more than 1,000 years
and are the oldest existing universities in the world. Indeed, they were the
models for the first European universities, such as Bologna, Heidelberg,
and the Sorbonne. Even the familiar academic cap and gown originated at
Al-Azhar University.
Muslims made great advances in many different fields, such as geography,
physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, pharmacology, architecture,
linguistics and astronomy. Algebra and the Arabic numerals were
introduced to the world by Muslim scholars. The astrolabe, the quadrant,
and other navigational devices and maps were developed by Muslim
scholars and played an important role in world progress, most notably in
Europe's age of exploration.
Muslim scholars studied the ancient civilizations from Greece and Rome to
China and India. The works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Euclid and others were
translated into Arabic. Muslim scholars and scientists then added their own
creative ideas, discoveries and inventions, and finally transmitted this new
knowledge to Europe, leading directly to the Renaissance. Many scientific
and medical treatises, having been translated into Latin, were standard text
and reference books as late as the 17th and 18th centuries.

• Mathematics
It is interesting to note that Islam so strongly urges mankind to study and
explore the universe. For example, the Holy Qur'an states:
"We (Allah) will show you (mankind) Our signs/patterns in the
horizons/universe and in yourselves until you are convinced that
the revelation is the truth." [Qur'an, 14:53]
This invitation to explore and search made Muslims interested in
astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, and the other sciences, and they had a
very clear and firm understanding of the correspondences among
geometry, mathematics, and astronomy.
The Muslims invented the symbol for zero (The word "cipher" comes from
Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal system - base
10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an unknown quantity,
i.e. variables like x.
The first great Muslim mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the
subject of algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others, most
notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin translation,
brought the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to Europe,
through Spain. The word "algorithm" is derived from his name.
Muslim mathematicians excelled also in geometry, as can be seen in their
graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also in the fields
of natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who established
trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other Muslim
mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.

• Medicine
In Islam, the human body is a source of appreciation, as it is created by
Almighty Allah (God). How it functions, how to keep it clean and safe,
how to prevent diseases from attacking it or cure those diseases, have been
important issues for Muslims.
Prophet Muhammad himself urged people to "take medicines for your
diseases", as people at that time were reluctant to do so. He also said,
"God created no illness, but established for it a cure, except for
old age. When the antidote is applied, the patient will recover
with the permission of God."
This was strong motivation to encourage Muslim scientists to explore,
develop, and apply empirical laws. Much attention was given to medicine
and public health care. The first hospital was built in Baghdad in 706 AC.
The Muslims also used camel caravans as mobile hospitals, which moved
from place to place.
Since the religion did not forbid it, Muslim scholars used human cadavers
to study anatomy and physiology and to help their students understand how
the body functions. This empirical study enabled surgery to develop very
quickly.
Al-Razi, known in the West as Rhazes, the famous physician and scientist,
(d. 932) was one of the greatest physicians in the world in the Middle Ages.
He stressed empirical observation and clinical medicine and was unrivaled
as a diagnostician. He also wrote a treatise on hygiene in hospitals. Khalaf
Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawi was a very famous surgeon in the eleventh
century, known in Europe for his work, (Kitab al-Tasrif).
Ibn Sina (d. 1037), better known to the West as Avicenna, was perhaps the
greatest physician until the modern era. His famous book, Al-Qanun fi alTibb,
remained a standard textbook even in Europe, for over 700 years.
Ibn Sina's work is still studied and built upon in the East.
Other significant contributions were made in pharmacology, such as Ibn
Sina's Kitab al-Shifa' (Book of Healing), and in public health. Every major
city in the Islamic world had a number of excellent hospitals, some of them
teaching hospitals, and many of them were specialized for particular
diseases, including mental and emotional. The Ottomans were particularly
noted for their building of hospitals and for the high level of hygiene
practiced in them.

Definition
The word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God.
This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to submit to
the one Almighty God. One must consciously and conscientiously give
oneself to the service of Allah. This means to act on what Allah enjoins all
of us to do (in the Qur'an) and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad
(pbuh) encouraged us to do in his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings
personifying the Qur'an).
Once we humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit totally
to Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we will surely feel
peace in our hearts. Establishing peace in our hearts will bring about peace
in our external conduct as well.
Islam is careful to remind us that it not a religion to be paid mere lip
service; rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be practiced
continuously for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice the five pillars
of the religion: the declaration of faith in the oneness of Allah and the
prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh), prayer, fasting the month of Ramadan,
alms-tax, and the pilgrimage to Makkah; and believe in the six articles of
faith: belief in God, the Holy Books, the prophets, the angels, the Day of
Judgment and God's decree, whether for good or ill.
There are other injunctions and commandments which concern virtually all
facets of one's personal, family and civic life. These include such matters as
diet, clothing, personal hygiene, interpersonal relations, business ethics,
responsibilities towards parents, spouse and children, marriage, divorce
and inheritance, civil and criminal law, fighting in defense of Islam,
relations with non-Muslims, and so much more.
Human Rights
Islam has been from its inception very concerned with issues of human
rights. Privacy, freedom, dignity and equality are guaranteed in Islam.
The holy Qur'an states clearly:
"There is no compulsion in religion."
And there are no reliable reports to confirm the old accusations that when
the Muslim armies were expanding into Asia, Africa and Europe the people
were put to the sword if they failed to convert to Islam. The best proof is
that not only did the Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Hindus in those
areas not perish or otherwise disappear, they actually flourished as
protected minority, and many individuals rose to prominent positions in the
arts, sciences, even in government.
The lives, property and privacy of all citizens in an Islamic state are
considered sacred, whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-Muslims
have freedom of worship and to practice their religions, including their
own family laws and religious courts. They are obliged to pay a different
tax (Jizyah) instead of the Zakah, and the state is obligated to provide both
protection and government services. Before the modern era it was
extremely rare to find a state or government anywhere in the world that
was as solicitous of its minorities and their civil rights as the Islamic states.
In no other religion did women receive such a degree of legal and moral
equality and personal respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism are
incompatible with Islam, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the
following terms:
"Mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that you may come to know one
another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the
greatest of you in piety."

Jesus
Islam honors all the prophets who were sent to mankind. Muslims respect
all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the
prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad. Muslims, too, await the
second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's
prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus,"
but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.
No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does.
The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled
"Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in
all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:
"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you,
and chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives
you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the
Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the
Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to
the people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the
righteous. She said: "My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man
has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God creates what He will. When
He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!' and it is." [3:42-47]
Muslims believe that Jesus was born immaculately, and through the same
power which had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a father
or a mother.
"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam.
He created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was."
[3:59]
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an
tells us that he said:
"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out
of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and
it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the
lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave." [3:49]
Muhammad and Jesus, as well as all other prophets, were sent to confirm
the belief in ones God. This is referred to in the Qur'an when Jesus is
reported as saying that he came:
"To attest the law which was before me, and to make lawful to you
part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign
from your Lord, so fear God and obey me." [3:50]
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying:
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without
partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant
and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit
emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be
received by God into Heaven. [Bukhari]

Knowledge
Islam urges people to read and learn on every occasion. The verses of the
Qur'an command, advise, warn, and encourage people to observe the
phenomena of nature, the succession of day and night, the movements of
stars, the sun, moon, and other heavenly bodies. Muslims are urged to look
into everything in the universe, to travel, investigate, explore and
understand them, the better to appreciate and be thankful for all the
wonders and beauty of God's creations. The first revelation to Muhammad
showed how much Islam cares about knowledge.
"Read, in the name of your Lord, Who created..." [96:1]
Learning is obligatory for both men and women. Moreover, education is
not restricted to religious issues; it includes all fields of knowledge,
including biology, physics, and technology. Scholars have the highest status
in Islam, second only to that accorded to prophets.
Almost from the very beginnings of the Islamic state Muslims began to
study and to master a number of fields of so-called secular learning,
beginning with linguistics and architecture, but very quickly extending to
mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, medicine, chemistry and
philosophy. They translated and synthesized the known works of the
ancient world, from Greece, Persia, India, even China. Before long they
were criticizing, improving and expanding on that knowledge. Centuries
before the European Renaissance there were Muslim "Renaissance" men,
men who were simultaneously explorers, scientists, philosophers,
physicians and poets, like Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Umar Khayyam, and others.
Main Pillars

• Shahadah
The first pillar of Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his faith by
saying the Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), also known as the Kalimah:
La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no god but
Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'
This declaration contains two parts. The first part refers to God Almighty,
the Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the second part refers
to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a human being, who
received the revelation through the Archangel Gabriel, and taught it to
mankind.
By sincerely uttering the Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as the
sole Creator of all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and
everyone in the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her heart and
mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in, reliance on, and
worship of anything or anyone other than Allah. This rejection is not
confined merely to pagan gods and goddesses of wood and stone and
created by human hands and imaginations; this rejection must extend to all
other conceptions, superstitions, ideologies, ways of life, and authority
figures that claim supreme devotion, loyalty, trust, love, obedience or
worship. This entails, for example, the rejection of belief in such common
things as astrology, palm reading, good luck charms, fortune-telling and
psychic readings, in addition to praying at shrines or graves of "saints",
asking the dead souls to intercede for them with Allah. There are no
intercessors in Islam, nor any class of clergy as such; a Muslim prays
directly and exclusively to Allah.
Belief in the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the
guidance brought by him and contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his
sayings and actions), and demands of the Muslim the intention to follow his
guidance faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human being, a man
with feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and slept, and was born and
died, like other men. He had a pure and upright nature, extraordinary
righteousness, and an unwavering faith in Allah and commitment to Islam,
but he was not divine. Muslims do not pray to him, not even as an
intercessor, and Muslims abhor the terms "Mohamedan" and
"Mohamedanism".

• Salah (Prayer)
Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam.
Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five
times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon
('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha'). Ritual cleanliness and
ablution are required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location, and
the removal of shoes. One may pray individually or communally, at home,
outside, virtually any clean place, as well as in a mosque, though the latter
is preferred. Special is the Friday noon prayer, called Jum'ah. It, too, is
obligatory and is to be done in a mosque, in congregation. It is
accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah), and it replaces the normal Dhuhr
prayer.
There is no hierarchical clerical authority in Islam, no priests or ministers.
Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the Qur'an and is chosen
by the congregation. He (or she, if the congregation is all women) is called
the imam. There is also no minimum number of congregates required to
hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of verses from the Qur'an and
other prayers, accompanied by various bodily postures - standing, bowing,
prostrating and sitting. They are said in Arabic, the language of the
revelation, though personal supplications (Du'ah) can be offered in one's
own language. Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah in
the city of Makkah.
The significance of prayer lies in one's maintaining a continuous link to
God five times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if he/she
performs the prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes discipline, Godconsciousness
and placing one's trust in Allah alone, and the importance of
striving for the Hereafter. When performed in congregation it also
provides a strong sense of community, equality and
brotherhood/sisterhood.

• Sawm (Fasting)
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all
able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth
month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon.
Exempted from the fast are the very old and the insane. On the physical
side, fasting is from first light of dawn until sundown, abstaining from
food, drink, and sexual relations. On the moral, behavioral side, one must
abstain from lying, malicious gossip, quarreling and trivial nonsense.
Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are
menstruating, pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast, but
must make up an equal number of days later in the year. If physically
unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day missed.
Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from puberty, although
many start earlier.
Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a
method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly pleasures
and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting person gains true sympathy
for those who go hungry regularly, and achieves growth in his spiritual
life, learning discipline, self-restraint, patience and flexibility.
In addition to the fast proper, one is encouraged to read the entire Qur'an.
In addition, special prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the mosque every
night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz') is
recited, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur'an has been
completed. These are done in remembrance of the fact that the revelation
of the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was begun during Ramadan.
During the last ten days - though the exact day is never known and may not
even be the same every year - occurs the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).
To spend that night in worship is equivalent to a thousand months of
worship, i.e. Allah's reward for it is very great.
On the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been
sighted, a special celebration is made, called 'Id al-Fitr. A quantity of staple
food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone has bathed and put on
their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the
early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends.
There are other fast days throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged to
fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays and
Thursdays, and the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of Muharram, the
first month of the year. The tenth day, called Ashurah, is also a fast day for
the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah commanded the Muslims to fast two
days to distinguish themselves from the People of the Book.
While fasting per se is encouraged, constant fasting, as well as monasticism,
celibacy, and otherwise retreating from the real world, are condemned in
Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, 'Id al-Fitr and 'Id al-Adha, the feast
of the Hajj, is strictly forbidden.

• Zakah (Charity)
The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth,
payable on various categories of property, notably savings and investments,
produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and precious metals,
and is to be used for the various categories of distribution specified by
Islamic law. It is also an act of purification through sharing what one has
with others.
The rationale behind this is that Muslims believe that everything belongs to
God, and wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must be discharged,
moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our wealth legally
belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we refuse and hoard
this wealth, it is considered impure and unclean. If, for example one were
to use that wealth for charity or to finance one's pilgrimage to Makkah,
those acts would also be impure, invalid, and of course UN-rewarded.
Allah says:
"Of their wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify them."
[9:103]
The word Zakah means purification and growth. Our possessions are
purified by setting aside that portion of it for those in need. Each Muslim
calculates his or her own Zakah individually.
For most purposes this involves the payment each year of 2.5% of one's
capital, provided that this capital reaches a certain minimum amount that
which is not consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay more than
this amount, though it is treated and rewarded as voluntary charity
(Sadaqah). This amount of money is provided to bridge the gap between
the rich and the poor, and can be used in many useful projects for the
welfare of the community.
Historically the pillar of Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the
second year after the Hijrah, 622 CE. It is mentioned more than thirty
times in the Qur'an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So important is
this pillar that one is not considered a part of the Islamic brotherhood if
one ignores this obligation.

• Hajj (Pilgrimage)
The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi
Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every
Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially
able to do so. Prerequisites for performing the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to
be free, to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have
the ability to afford the journey and maintain one's dependents back home
for the duration. The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.
The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the
other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique
occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet one
another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special
clothes (Ihram) - two, very simple, UN-sewn white garments - which strips
away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together
and equal before Allah (God).
The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built
the Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day
of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites
include circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawwaf), and going between the
mountains of Safa and Marwah, as Hajjar (Abraham's wife) did during her
search for water for her son Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on
the wide plain of Arafah and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what
is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also
cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends
with a festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the
sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim
communities everywhere.

Muhammad
Muhammad (pbuh) was an illiterate but wise and well-respected man who
was born in Makkah in the year 570 C.E., at a time when Christianity was
not yet fully established in Europe. His first years were marked by the
deaths of his parents. Since his father died before his birth, his uncle, Abu
Talib, from the respected tribe of Quraysh, raised him. As Muhammad
(pbuh) grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and
sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes.
His reputation and personal qualities also led to his marriage, at the age of
twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow whom he had assisted in business.
Thenceforth, he became an important and trusted citizen of Makkah.
Historians describe him as calm and meditative.
Muhammad (pbuh) never felt fully content to be part of a society whose
values he considered to be devoid of true religious significance. It became
his habit to retreat from time to time to the cave of Hira', to meditate near
the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the "Mountain of Light", near Makkah.
At the age of 40, while engaged in one such meditative retreat, Muhammad
(pbuh) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel.
This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the
Qur'an, the faithful recording of the entire revelation of God. The first
revelation read:
"Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot (of
blood). Recite: Your Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen,
taught man what he did not know." [96:1-5]
It was this reality that he gradually and steadily came to learn and believe,
until he fully realized that it is the truth.
His first convert was Khadijah, whose support and companionship provided
necessary reassurance and strength. He also won the support of some of his
relatives and friends. Three basic themes of the early message were the
majesty of the one, unique God, the futility of idol worship, the threat of
judgment, and the necessity of faith, compassion and morality in human
affairs. All these themes represented an attack on the crass materialism and
idolatry prevalent in Makkah at the time. So when he began to proclaim the
message to others the Makkans rejected him. He and his small group of
followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year
622 C.E., God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijrah
(migration), in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260
miles to the north, marked the beginning of a new era and thus the
beginning of the Muslim calendar. During his suffering, Muhammad
(pbuh) drew comfort from the knowledge revealed to him about other
prophets, such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, each of whom had also
been persecuted and tested.
After several years and some significant battles, the Prophet and his
followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies
and established Islam definitively. By the time the Prophet died, at the age
of 63, the greater part of Arabia had accepted Islam, and within a century
of his death, Islam had spread as far west as Spain and as far east as China.
It was clear that the message was not limited to Arabs; it was for the whole
of humanity.
The Prophet's sayings (Hadith), are also believed to be revelation. The
number of sayings collected by his followers and scholars is about 10,000.
Some typical examples of his sayings are as follows:
"To pursue knowledge is obligatory on every believing (man and
woman)." [Ibn Majah]
"Removing a harmful thing from the road is charity." [Bukhari,
Muslim]
"Those who do not show tenderness and love cannot expect to have
tenderness shown to them." [Bukhari]
"Adore Allah (God) as though you see Him; even if you do not see
Him, He nonetheless sees you." {Bukhari, Muslim]
Although Muhammad is deeply loved, revered and emulated by Muslims as
God's final messenger, he is not an object of worship.

Other Religions
Islam is the religion of all prophets. Muslims believe that all the prophets
were sent to their respective peoples from God (Allah). They all had the
same mission and message - guiding people to the right path.
The three revealed, monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and
Judaism, go back to Abraham. The prophets of these religions were
directly descended from him - Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but
Muhammad from Isma'il. It was Prophet Abraham who had established
the settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and with his son Isma'il
built the Ka'bah, which Muslims all over the world face when they pray.
Christians and Jews hold a special place in Islam. They are called the
People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel
were also divinely revealed and they shared in the prophetic tradition.
Islamic states have nearly always shown their religious minorities tolerance
and respect and those communities flourished under Islamic rule. God says:
"...[T]hose who believe (in the message of Islam), and the Jews,
the Sabaeans, and the Christians - all those who believe in Allah
and the Last Day, and act righteously - no fear shall come upon
them..." [5:69]
Setting up the Islamic state in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) further
warned:
"Whoever oppresses any Dhimmi (non-Muslim citizen of the Islamic
state), I shall be his prosecutor on the Day of Judgment."
In setting up the Islamic state, Prophet Muhammad made it inclusive of the
Arabian Jews and Christians. Their persons, properties, churches and
synagogues were protected, freedom of worship was guaranteed, and they
controlled their own community affairs with their own civil and religious
laws and courts. For most of the first century of the Islamic state, in fact,
the majority of the citizens were Christians, enjoying peace and liberty
such as they had not had even under Christian Rome or Byzantium.
The Jews, from the very beginning in Madinah, and later everywhere else,
were lifted from the burden of being clients of individual Arab tribes to
being citizens of the state, thus freeing them to focus on their Jewishness.
When the Islamic state expanded outside Arabia the Jews of other lands
were treated for the first time as liberated citizens. Judaism flourished as
never before, with Jews even serving in Muslim armies and administrations
while their culture bloomed in the arts, sciences, medicine and philosophy.
This knowledge they transmitted to their brethren in the hostile climate of
Christian Europe. Even Jewish mysticism originated under the influence of
sufism and spread to northern Europe.
When Islam reached Persia the concept of People of the Book was extended
to the Zoroastrians as well. Later, when the Muslims conquered parts of
India and encountered Buddhists and Hindus, who appeared to worship
idols, the question was referred to the ulema (council of scholars), who
judged that even they could have the same protected status as the Jews and
Christians, so long as they did not fight Islam and they paid the Jizyah tax.

Peace
"Peace" is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two
people meet, they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace be
upon you." But peace cannot prevail except through justice. Since the
concept of justice may differ from one man to another, or from one society
to another, Muslims believe that real justice is that which is specified by
Allah (God).
Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of the religion, or by
those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the same time,
Islam requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully. It lays down strict rules
of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against
destroying crops, trees, and livestock. Islam also requires that if an enemy
declares his desire to end hostilities and seek peace, the Muslims must do
the same.
The concept of Jihad (struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in the
Qur'an. Allah said: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do
not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors." [2:19] Jihad is
never to be waged to force anybody to choose a particular religion. On the
contrary, it is to waged to protect his right to choose freely. Therefore, if
there is a force in the world that tries to prevent a person from practicing
this right, Jihad may lead to fighting the force that is trying to prevent him
from exercising free will.

Relevance
Since Islam is the last religion revealed by Allah, it possesses some
elements that make it unique. One of these is its relevance for human
beings regardless of place and time.
This means that Islam - submission to God - is a comprehensive institution
which includes all the guidelines necessary for all aspects of life.
Therefore, the best way to understand Islam is to look at it as more than a
religion - as a complete way of life. In other words, it is a system which
regulates every aspect of life, dealing with all issues - social, economic,
educational, judicial, health, and even military. Thus, it is suitable for all
human beings and for all times, since it is the final religion. Islamic law
aims to achieve five goals for human beings in life: protecting the religion,
protecting one's self, protecting one's possessions, protecting one's mind,
and protecting one's offspring.

Therefore, God (Allah) decided on two main domains of law:
1. If the domain always requires change and progress, Allah
legislated comprehensive yet flexible rules and gave people the
chance to create and develop the necessary laws to satisfy the
specific needs of a certain period of time. For example, in the
rule of consultation (Shura), Allah decided that it should be the
general rule for any government; however, its form and style are
left open for people to choose and decide according to their
needs.
2. If the domain does not require or lend itself to change or
progress, Allah legislated fixed and detailed laws that govern all
issues related to a specific area. Thus, there is no way for man
to change or develop those laws, which were made for the welfare
of all mankind. For example, the area of worshipping God contains
fixed details which cannot be changed at all. These regard prayer,
fasting, making pilgrimage, etc. Another example is in family
matters, such as the laws of marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
To show how Islam cares for the environment, one can cite the many laws
that protect the environment. About fourteen hundred years ago. Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"The world is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you as
His stewards over it. He sees how you acquit yourselves."
Muhammad showed how important plants and trees are by saying:
"Whoever plants a tree and looks after it with care until it matures
and becomes productive will be rewarded in the Hereafter."
Even in the territory of an enemy, Islam's care for plants, animals, and
trees is profound. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, or successor, to Muhammad
(pbuh), instructed his troops that he was sending into battle not to cut down
any trees or kill any animals except for food.
These are but a few examples of how Islam remains relevant in the modern
world.
Two Sources

• Qur'an
The ultimate manifestation of God's grace for man, the ultimate wisdom,
and the ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the word of God. This is
how the German scholar, Muhammad Asad, once described the Qur'an. If
one were to ask any Muslim to depict it, most likely they would offer
similar words. The Qur'an, to the Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable
Word of God. It was revealed by God Almighty, through the instrument of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) himself had no role in
authoring the Qur'an, he was merely a human secretary, repeating the
dictates of the Divine Creator:
"He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less
than an Inspiration sent down to him." [53:3-4]
The Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a
period of twenty-three years. It is composed in a style so unique, that it
cannot be deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture of both.
The Qur'an is imimitable; it cannot be simulated or copied, and God
Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an endeavor if he thinks he
can:
"Or do they say he forged it? Say: Bring then a chapter like unto
it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God, if it be
you speak the truth." [10:38].
The Qur'an's language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one non-
Muslim scholar noted, it was like other cadence of my heartbeat. Due to its
unique style of language, the Qur'an is not only highly readable, but also
relatively easy to remember. This latter aspect has played an important role
not only in the Qur'an's preservation, but in the spiritual life of Muslims as
well. God Himself declares,
"And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and
remember; then is there anyone that will receive admonition?"
[54:17]
One of the most important characteristics of the Qur'an is that it remains
today, the only holy book which has never changed; it has remained free
from any and all adulterations. Sir William Muir noted, "There is probably
in the world no other book which has remained (fourteen) centuries with
so pure a text." The Qur'an was written down during the lifetime and
under the supervision of the Prophet, who himself was illiterate, and it was
canonized shortly after his death by a rigorous method which scrutinized
both written and oral traditions. Thus its authenticity is unblemished, and is
its preservation is seen as the fulfillment of God's promise:
"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will
assuredly guard it from corruption." [15:9]
The Qur'an is a book which provides the human being the spiritual and
intellectual nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the oneness
of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-consciousness, the
Hereafter and its significance. The Qur'an also lays a heavy emphasis upon
reason and understanding. In these spheres of human understanding, the
Qur'an goes beyond just satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to
reflect on implications. There are Qur'anic challenges and prophecies. One
of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the discovery that, of
the significant amount of scientific information in the Qur'an, including the
event of the Big Bang, embryological data, and other information
concerning astronomy biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has
not been borne out by modern discoveries In short, the Qur'an fulfills the
heart, the soul, and the mind.

Perhaps the best description of the Qur'an was given by Ali, the cousin of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he expounded upon it as,
"The Book of God. In it is the record of what was before you, the
judgment of what is among you, and the prophecies of what will
come after you. It is decisive, not a case for levity. Whoever is
a tryant and ignores the Qur'an will be destroyed by God. Whoever
seeks guidance from other than it will be misguided. The Qur'an is
the unbreakable bond of connection with God; it is the remembrance
full of wisdom and the straight path. The Qur'an does not become
distorted by tongues. nor can it be deviated by caprices; it never
dulls from repeated study; scholars will always want more of it.
The wonders of the Qur'an are never ending. Whoever speaks from
it will speak the truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and
whoever holds fast to it will be guided to the straight path."
[Al-Tirmidhi]

• Sunnah
The term Sunnah comes from the root word sanna, which means to pave
the way or make a path easily passable, such that it becomes a commonly
followed way by everyone afterwards. Thus sunnah can be used to describe
a street or road or path on which people, animals, and cars travel.
Additionally, it can apply to a prophetic way, i.e. the law that they brought
and taught as an explanation or further clarification of a divinely revealed
book. Normally, the prophetic way includes references to his sayings,
actions, physical features and character traits.
From the Islamic standpoint, Sunnah refers to anything narrated or related
about the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), authentically traced to him
regarding his speech, actions, traits, and silent approvals, before and after
the revelation.
Each narration is composed of two parts: the isnad and the matn. The isnad
refers to a chain of people who narrated a particular narration. The matn is
the actual text of the narration. The isnad must comprise upright and
sincere individuals whose integrity is unquestionable.
The Speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
The speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) refers to his sayings. For
example, he said:
"Actions are judged by their intentions; everyone will be rewarded
according to his/her intention. So whoever migrates for the sake
of Allah and His Prophet then his migration will be noted as a
migration for the sake of Allah and His Prophet. Conversely, one
who migrates only to obtain something worldly or to marry a
woman, then his migration will be worth what he had intended."
[Bukhari].
The Prophet (pbuh) also said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the
Last Day, should say something good or keep quiet.
The above two accounts clearly show that the Prophet (pbuh) spoke these
words. Consequently, these are known as his speech.
The Actions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
His actions pertain to anything he did, as authentically reported by the
Sahabah (Companions). For instance, Hudhayfah reported that whenever
the Prophet (pbuh) got up at night, he would clean his teeth with a toothstick.
Also A'ishah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) loved to do
everything starting with the right side - putting on shoes, walking, cleaning
himself, and in all his affairs generally.
The Silent Approvals of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
His silent approvals on different issues meant his not opposing or minding
what he saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his Companions.
On one occasion, for example, the Prophet (pbuh) learned of actions of
some of his Companions from other Companions. Soon after the battle of
Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the order to the Companions to
move quickly to surround the tribe of Banu Quraydah, encouraging them
to hurry so that perhaps they would pray 'Asr (the late afternoon prayer)
there. Some of the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) responded
immediately and left without praying 'Asr. They arrived after sunset,
pitched camp and prayed 'Asr- after sunset. At the same time another
group of Companions formulated their judgment differently. They thought
that the Prophet (pbuh) was merely encouraging them to hasten to their
destination, rather than to delay 'Asr until after sunset. Consequently, they
decided to stay in Madinah until they had prayed 'Asr. Immediately
thereafter, they hastened towards the tribe of Banu Quraydhah. When the
Prophet (pbuh) was told of how each group responded differently to his
announcement, he (pbuh) affirmed both judgments.
Physical and Moral Traits of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Everything authentically narrated concerning the Prophet's complexion and
the rest of his physical features is also included in the definition of sunnah.

Umm Ma'bad described what she saw of the great Prophet (pbuh). She
said:
"I saw a man, his face radiant with a bright glow, not too thin or
too fat, elegant and handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue with
long eyelashes. His voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a
thick beard. His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and
connected to each other. In silence, he remained dignified,
commanding utmost awe and respect. When he spoke, his speech was
brilliant. Of all people he was the most handsome and the most
pleasant, even when approaching from a distance. In person, he was
unique and most admirable. Graced with eloquent logic, his speech
was moderate. His logical arguments were well organized as though
they were a string of gems. He was not too tall or too short, but
exactly in between. Among three, he appeared the most radiant and
most vibrant. He had companions who affectionately honored him.
When he spoke, they listened to him attentively. When he gave
orders, they were quick to execute them. They rallied around him
guarding him. He never frowned or spoke frivolously." [Hakim]
Along with his physical features, his Companions also described his habits
and behavior with people. Once Anas reported:
"I served the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) for ten years. Never once
did he so much as express any bit of displeasure nor did he ever
ask 'Why did you do it?' for something I did or 'Why didn't you do
it?' for something I didn't do."
From the above we can clearly see that when the term sunnah appears in a
general context referring to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) it comprises
anything narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) and authentically traced to him.
Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any narration, he/she is obliged
to follow and obey it accordingly. Such obedience is mandated by Allah as
He declares
"...and obey Allah and His Prophet and do not turn away when you
hear (him speak)." [8:20]
At times, some Muslims are perplexed when people say that sunnah is
something only recommended and is not mandatory. Thus they conclude
that we are only required to follow the Qur'an and not the Sunnah. Such an
argument results from a gross misunderstanding. Scholars of Islamic
jurisprudence use the term sunnah to denote what is authentically
established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in deeds which were not
subsequently made mandatory by Allah.
They further hold that this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to do a particular task and
compliments those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term
sunnah denotes what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) in deeds which he did voluntarily and which were not subsequently
made mandatory by Allah. They further hold that this includes any saying
of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to do a
particular task and compliments those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to
them, the term sunnah refers to what is "recommended" and is not
mandatory (fard or wajib).
From the above, we can clearly see that the term sunnah takes on different
meanings when used by different Islamic disciplines.

Tolerance
Freedom of belief is guaranteed in Islam. It should be very clear that Islam
tolerates not only other faiths but even its enemies. This is stated clearly in
the Qur'an:
"God forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for
(your) faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly
and justly with them, for God loves those who are just." [60:8]
It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of
minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished
all over the Islamic world. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities
to set up their own courts to implement family laws drawn up by the
minorities themselves and to govern their own affairs.
History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths.
When the great leader and second Caliph, Umar, entered Jerusalem in the
year 634, Islam guaranteed freedom of worship to all religious
communities in the city. In fact, so careful was Umar in setting an example
for his people that he not only went to a church to pray, he prayed outside
in the courtyard, lest his followers after his death be tempted to convert the
church into a mosque.
Islam teaches that the closest to Allah and the most beloved of Allah are
those who are the best in piety. Thus all people, male and female, and
regardless of race, color, nationality or ethnicity, are considered and
treated as equal before Allah and before the law. This concept of tolerance
did not reach the West even in theory until the 18th century, and in
practice not until the 20th century.

Universality
In the Qur'an, Allah says:
"We have sent you (Muhammad) as a mercy for all nations."
[21:107]
Thus Islam is not restricted to any particular race or nation, as many other
religions are, but is universal, meaning that its message applies to all
humanity, at all times, in all places.
Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last prophet and messenger, his
message applies to all future generations. All previous prophets, from
Adam, Noah and Abraham to Moses and Jesus, were also Muslims:
"Not a single messenger did We send before you without this
inspiration sent by Us to him - that there is no god but I,
therefore worship and serve Me." [21:25]
Since the Qur'an is the final testament, with every word and every letter
unadulterated and unchanged, and protected by Allah from any change or
tampering, it is the final revelation, and no other law will ever supersede
it.
It applies, moreover, to every aspect of one's daily life, including personal,
social, legal, economic, political, even military. Furthermore, Islam affects
every part of the individual - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Women
At a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India and
China, considered women as no better than children or even slaves, with no
rights whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's equality with men in a
great many respects. The Qur'an states:
"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you form
yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He
ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs
for people who reflect." [30:21]
Prophet Muhammad said:
"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in
manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]
Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both
were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and both were
forgiven by Allah. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the
fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah, the wife of
Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite wife after
Khadijah's death, A'isha, became renowned as a scholar and one of the
greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the female Companions
accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic
history there have been famous and influential scholars, jurists and mystics.
With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and
obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:
"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]
This implies men and women.
A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to
be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own
property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has
the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses.
She has the right to inherit from her father, mother, and husband. A very
interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a
woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of
women.
A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations
pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc.,
apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with
female physiology.
Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law
is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for
marriage. A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride for her
own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her
husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her
husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce
and custody of young children. She does not return the dowry, except in a
few unusual situations.
Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have
not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the
ideal has been there for 1,400 years, while virtually all other major
civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change their negative
attitudes until the 19th centuries, and there are still many contemporary
civilizations which have yet to do so.

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