When a tree speaks

When a tree speaks

06Junaid.jpg
Sabithulla Khan

Young Junaid was exhausted after a game of football with friends and was returned to find some shade under a mango tree, in the playground. As a 10 year old, who had just finished exams, (he hadn’t done too well), his best friend was cross with him, his mother sick with fever. Nothing seemed quite right around him to ward off all worries; he had joined his friends for sporting activity.

The shade was all that Junaid needed to relax, cool breeze added to the delight and he soon found himself dozing off to sleep. Suddenly, some one was calling out “Junaid, wake up! Get started!” He rose up to find the sound coming from the Mango tree. He couldn’t believe it! He asked the tree: “Mango tree, is it you?” “Yes, Junaid it’s me!” Came the reply. Astonished, he continued the talk. All sorts of questions came into his mind. What was the Tree’s age? How could he speak? Etc.... He kept a tight control over his mouth.

I wanted to tell you something.” Said the mango tree. Junaid’s curiosity grew all the more. What did the Mango tree want to tell him? He listened patiently as the mango tree went on: “ Junaid, I see you everyday, playing here amongst friends and also know that you are quite unhappy right now.

“ Juniad, I am 100 years old,” the tree continued, “and look how deep my roots have run. The deeper my roots run, the finer I become. I have to brace all kinds of weather. Good and bad to survive. I cannot complain about my fate.” “Grow up to be strong” the mango tree said, and provide quite shelter to others who come to you, give good to others even if they don’t give you anything in return, and never despair, every bad situation is a test of your courage. Face it boldly.” The tree said and suddenly the voice stopped.

Junaid felt some water on his face; he wiped it off and felt he had just been awakened. So, was the talk with the Mango tree a dream? Or reality. He’d never know, but for one thing he had been truly invigorated by this dream ...

Top
The Minister and the Fisherman

06Hill.jpg
A. I. Makki

It was not too long ago, that the fishermen from the coast of Ratnagiri had elected a person from their area for the parliament. The candidate had promised the fishermen that he would look into all their problems like school for their children, provide free medical aid to them, and secure them finance to see them through their lean times. He promised to help them buy new boats, new fishing nets and fishing rights from the government throughout the year. The poor, honest fishermen had believed all that he had said and got him elected. When the election results came the fishermen danced in joy and distributed sweets to all the passers by for they believed that unlike other politicians, this candidate would genuinely solve all their problems.

No sooner was the person elected, the game of rough and tumble of Politics made him a minister. As a minister, he enjoyed a lot of facilities all at the government’s expense. The government had allotted him a huge bungalow atop a small hill near the seashore. He was provided other luxuries that go with the position of a minister, a huge car, bodyguards, servants and the whole works.

From here, he could look down on the fishing villages under his area, the houses of all those fishermen and the town who had elected him to this high office. On one of the sides, he had a perfect view of all their fishing boats, as they sailed out into the sea, like dots on an endless blue ribbon stretching out far into the horizon. It formed a beautiful view from his bungalow.

It was his third year in politics. The minister became very influential in the corridors of power. Nobody could afford to displease him even for the smallest reason.

Everybody wanted his friendship and to be on his good books. When in his bungalow, the minister would spend a lot of time peering out of the window, looking at the view below. Both the town and the seafaring people looked to him, from a distance, both contended and happy. The minister was also happy with his job and he imagined everyone down the town lived as happy a life as he himself did. He had been kept extremely busy discharging his ministerial duties and he had never once ventured into the town to enquire about the welfare of the people. He decided that they could wait for another two years, at the end of which would be election time before he would visit them again seeking their votes. But for now, they had to wait, he could not be bothered over petty matters of the people of the town. There were more important things that demanded his attention immediately. (What happened later, read next month)

Top
Life Sketch
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
Dr. Syed Abdul Zahir

The meaning of the word Muhammad and Ahmed, derived from Hamd is worthy of praise. His father’s name was Abdullah and grandfather was Abdul Muttalib. He was born on Monday in the 2nd week of Rabiul Awal. It was that year when King of Yemen Abraha raided Makkah with an army of elephants. The young Muhammad was milk fed by Halima Sadia. When he was about five, she handed over the child to his mother Amina, who died one year later. Next he came under the care of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib. But he died after two years and his uncle Abu Talib took care of him. He used to take him to Palestine and Syria for purpose of trade. Looking at the bright face of the youth a few religious and knowledgeable people warned his Abu Talib that the youth would be a Prophet and to special care need be taken of him. When he was 25, he married Hazrath Khadija, who was 40 years and a widow. When he was 40 years old, angel Jibreel brought the message from Allah and declared that he was chosen Prophet (Nabi). When he was about 52 he had the honour of going to Meraj (ascension). Hazrath Khadija too died. He lost a big supporter, comforter and a friend and he missed the mother of his children, as such he was forced to marry again. When infidels made his stay and preaching difficult he was compelled to migrate to Madinah -the starting of the Hijrah calendar. Nearly 35 wars, small and big ones were fought against the infidels.

He married eleven wives, two of them Hazrath Khadija and Hazrath Zainab died during his lifetime. His eleven wives in order were : 1. Hazrath Khadija, 2. Hazrath Sauda, 3. Hazrath Aisha, 4. Hazrath Hafsa, 5. Hazrath Zainab, 6. Hazrath Umme Salma, 7. Hazrath Zainab Jahash, 8. Hazrath Umme Habeeba, 9. Hazrath Jaweria, 10. Hazrath Maymuna and 11. Hazrath Safia.

He had four daughters, all from Hazrath Khadija. They were Hazrath Zainab, Hazrath Ruqqaiya, Hazrath Umme Kulsoom and Hazrath Fathima. He had about three to five, sons all from Hazrath Khadija named Hazrath Khasim, Hazrath Abdullah or Tayab, Hazrath Taher. Another son Hazrath Ibrahim was from a slave. All the other wives did not have issues from the prophet.

He stayed for 10 to 11 years in Madinah, He started feeling unwell during the end of the month of Safar. He passed away on the 12th of Rabiul Awal, Monday, in the morning. He was buried the next day. He was about 63 years (about 61 English years).

Top
Census
Counting the Heads
Sabithullah Khan

Planning is important for development. In order to fulfill the needs, one should first know the needs. A mother cooks the meal only after making out the number of people who are going to be at the dining table. Census precisely does the same for the countries. The governments of the modern day look towards Census figures in order to make out the needs of the people. It is held every tenth year. We had the Census during February this year. During Census the people appointed by the Government fan out in all the villages, towns and cities of the country to know the exact number of people, their age, their ability to read, write and count, their standard of living, the nature of houses they live in and about their health. They may even collect the information as to what fuel the people use, how much they earn, what kind of toilets they have or what material has been used for constructing their houses.

The vital information available through the Census is then used for preparing development plans and schemes. The vital data reflects the needs as to how many schools, hospitals, railway stations, roads, markets etc. would be required.

Census has been conducted since 3000 BC in countries such as China and Egypt. But the main reason for Census was to know the size of the armies. The first modern census was conducted in 1749 in Sweden. And the first Census in India took place in 1881.

The census conducted in 2001 was the 14th so far in India and it has revealed a few interesting facts:
India’s total population - 1,027,015,247
Number of males - 531,227,078
Number of females - 495,738,169
Literacy (Number of persons among each hundred who can read and write): 76 for males and 54 for females
Density of Population (No. of people living in a sq. kilometre area): 324
Life expectancy ( No. of years a person may live) 62 years for males, 61 years for females
Sex ratio (No. of males per 1000 females): 1050 males per 1000 females
Infant mortality (No. of children dying just after birth): 65 per 1000 live births.

Top
Dar-e-Arqam
Safe Sanctuary of Early Faithfuls
Mohammed Suhail Akbari

During the days when Islam was just beginning to be accepted and Prophet (Pbuh) did not want Muslims to be harassed by the disbelievers, it was difficult for Muslims to gather in a common place and offer namaz in groups. Though the Quraish were aware that Muslims had started praying in a new way as preached by Islam, they were always on the look out for an opportunity to oppose them and also harass them.

At this juncture a handsome young man approached the Prophet (Pbuh) during the third year of Prophethood and offered his house. It was a lonely place close to the Kaabah and the hill of Safaa. It was safe to carry on the work of preaching or to offer namaz in congregation. This young man was Arqam-bin-Abdul Arqam. He was just 18 and had already embraced Islam.

The Prophet (Pbuh) was delighted at this offer and prayed for the man and requested Allah to accept his sacrifice.

This place then became the centre and this house, Dar-e-Arqam became Darul-Islam. In Arabic Dar mean House. So Dar e Arqam means ‘House of Arqam’. It was here that great events like acceptance of Islam by the Prophet’s uncle Hamza and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), took place. This went on till the sixth year of Islam when the Prophet and his people had to shift to the Valley of Abi-Taleb and were confined there for three years.

In the last century Dar-e-Arqam came under the precincts of Haram Sharif when it was expanded.

Top
Steam Locomotive

06Locomotive.jpgWagons that are pulled along tracks have been used to carry goods since the 16th century, but these trains were drawn by men or horses until the invention of steam locomotives. But Steam Engines changed the very shape of railway system and it came to be most popular transport system very soon. In 1894, Richard Trevithick built the world ‘s first steam working locomotive in the South Wales in England. It was not entirely successful. But it encouraged others to develop new designs.

By 1829, the British engineer Robert Stephenson had built the “Rocket”. It was the first engine. The “Rocket” was self-sufficient unit, carrying coal to heat the boiler and a water supply for generating the steam. Steam passed from the boiler to force the pistons back and forth, and this movement turned the driving wheels, pushing the train forward. Used steam was then expelled in characteristic “chuffs”. Later steam locomotives like “Ellerman Lines” and the “Mallard”, worked in a similar way, but on a much larger scale. The simple design and reliability of the steam locomotives ensured that they changed very little in 120 years of use, before being replaced from the 1950s by more efficient diesel and electric power engines. (Courtesy:Visual Encyclopedia)

Top
People Cursed

The Prophet (Pbuh) cursed the following types of people:
* The professional mourners (usually women)
* The leader of a nation who is hated by his people
* The wife who passes the night while her husband is angry with her
* The one who hears (in the Adhan), “Come to prayer, come to success,” and does not act on it
* The one who slaughters an animal in the name of anyone other than Allah
* The one who insults the Companions of the Prophet
* The effeminate men and masculinised women
* The women who imitate men and men who imitate women
* The men who wear women’s clothing and women who wear men’s clothing
* The one who defecates on a path or a roadway
* The one who incites a wife against her husband or a slave against his master
* The man who has sexual intercourse with a menstruating women
* The one who threatens his (Muslim) brother with a weapon

Top
Software on Internet
Kaboom Organizer
Syed Azimuddeen.

This organizer contains a diary section where you record all the events in a day, a To do list which will remind you about the things to be done for the day, a Scheduler to fix the appointments, a calendar and its also has a user friendly shopping list with which you could plan your shopping in advance with the cost of individual items. Other section which you may not find in other personal organizers is a Converter which converts units. This also offers a notebook to scribble the random thoughts and to keep vital information which should be available at a click. To those who want to know the number of days between two dates there is a Date Calculator. An address book to manage all of your contacts is also included.

A very useful program for those who want to get organized in life. The above software is available free, from
1. Go to web page www.win4win.com
2. Click on ‘Free Organizer’
3. Download kaboom organizer
4. Install the same with winzip

Top
Don't Believe it!
Fibs And Facts About Animals

An Ostrich hides its head in the sand
Ostrich is the largest living bird (weight 300 pound, 8 feet tall). It actually lowers its head and neck on the ground. People think it is putting its head in the sand. In reality it is not. The bird is just holding its head on the land.

Birds stay away from scare-crows because they look like people
Farmers put scare-crows in their fields to scare away crows and other birds. They make scare-crows out of old clothes. Have you ever wondered why birds stay away from scare-crows? Is it the shape? No. Is it the way wind blows the scare-crow. No. It is because old clothes smell like humans. When the smell wears off, the birds are no longer afraid. (See some more of these next month.)

Compiled by Shafia Ahmed
Top
Gems from the Prophet

The Prophet used to tell his friends: “He who is not trustworthy has no faith, he who does not keep his word has no religion.”

(Anas, Baihaqi)

The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: “Let him who believes in God and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent, let him who believes in God and the Last Day honour his neighbour, and let him who believes in God and the Last Day honour his guest.”

(Abu Hurairah: Bukhari, Muslim)
Top
Arab Proverbs
06Arab Proverbs


la yuldagah al mu'min min juhrin marratayn

A wise man will not be bitten from a hole twice
Once bitten, twice shy

Courtesy : Primrose Arnander & Ashkhain Skipwith, Stacey International, London.


Top
Dua ( Supplication)
When Someone Does a Good Deed for Another

Jazaaku-llaahu khairan

May Allah reward you well.
[Recorded by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi.]

Top