Take Care of Our Akhlak(Morals)

Nowadays the message of Islam can be spread very fast to all over the world especially when people invented computer,internet,mobile phone and so on.We know that many people among us can talk very well about Islam.They able to memorize many verses of Holy Quran and Hadis(saying of prophet Muhammad PBUH),then recite and explain to the other people.Unfortunately, most of us don’t ever do what they have memorized and recited the contents of Quran and Hadis.Even they don’t understand what they have read.This is our big problem today in Muslims’ community.

There’re so many verses in Quran and Hadis that ordered us to become good in our akhlak(manners/morals).One of the most well-known Hadis said that:“I(Muhammad PBUH) have been sent to perfect noble manners”(Reported by Ahmad and others).However,when you see the reality of Muslims’ community today,they done the other thing.A lot of problem about morals are related to us.We are the people who speak very rude,not polite,not take care about cleanliness,not punctual in time,not fulfill our promise and lots more.Why this happens?

Do we think that akhlak is separated and not included in our religion?If you say yes,you’re wrong.But I think,we all know that Islam has been sent by Allah as a complete way of life to all mankind including akidah(belief),ibadah,akhlak,muamalah(interaction with people),politics,economy and munakahat(wedding).As the Hadis mentioned above,stated clearly that the primary purpose of sending of prophet Muhammad PBUH is to complete and perfect noble manners among the mankind.The job of prophet PBUH will not be fulfilled unless he corrected all bad manners in Arab’s community at that time such as killing their daughter,drinking wine,zina and so on.

In addition,akhlak is very closely related to our iman(faith).It is proof and fruit of belief.One’s faith has no value if it is void of morality.This is referred to saying of prophet Muhammad PBUH:”Faith cannot be attained by mere wishes;however,it’s attained when it is implanted in one’s heart and is proven by deeds“(Reported by Ad-Dailami in his Musnad).

Furthermore,akhlak is also related to our ibadah such as in solat(prayers),fasting and Hajj(pilgimage).These ibadah prevent and teach us not doing bad attitude.If we can’t prevent ourselves from bad manners,our ibadah may be not accepted by Allah.Nauzubillah min zaalik!

Prophet (PBUH) said:”A prayer that does not prevent the one who performs it form immorality and bad conduct will only make him more distant from Allah“(Reported by At-Tabarani)

Prophet (PBUH) also said:”If one of you is fasting,he should avoid sexual relation with is wife and quarelling,and if somebody fights or quarrel with him,he should say,’I am fasting‘”.(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

From now,we must take care our morals whether we’re alone or with other people.Don’t make our words as a reason for not-yet Muslim to run away from Islam.Don’t make our manners as a point for not-yet Muslim to not follow this religion.Otherwise,you will be asked by Allah in the Day of Judgement.

History of Insulin Administration For Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

On 11 January 1922 insulin was first used successfully in the treatment of diabetes.

Insulin was discovered by Sir Frederick G Banting , Charles H Best and JJR Macleod at the University of Toronto in 1921 and it was subsequently purified by James B Collip.

Sir Frederick G. Banting

Before 1921, it was exceptional for people with Type 1 diabetes to live more than a year or two. One of the twentieth century’s greatest medical discoveries, it remains the only effective treatment for people with Type 1 diabetes today.

N.B. :Diabetes Mellitus (DM) type 1 is also termed insulin dependent DM (IDDM) or juvenile onset diabetes.It usually occurs before the age of 20 years.Most probably, it is an autoimmune disease causing destruction of pancreatic B cells.Abput 80% of new-onset patients have islet cell antibodies (ICA) or insulin antibodies.Also,virus infections as a causative factor are considered.The amounts of insulin secreted is markedly reduced and the only treatment is insulin injection.Patients are more liable to develop ketosis than type 2(Reference:Cairo University Textbook of Basic Medical Biochemistry Volume 11,Dr Emad Zaki Abbas,page 126)

First successful use

On 11 January 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy with diabetes, who lay dying at the Toronto General Hospital, was given the first injection of insulin. However, the extract was so impure that Thompson suffered a severe allergic reaction, and further injections were cancelled.

Over the next 12 days, James Collip worked day and night to improve the ox-pancreas extract, and a second dose was injected on the 23 January. This was completely successful, not only in having no obvious side-effects, but in completely eliminating the glycosuria sign of diabetes.

Insulin is administered whether by intravenous injection(must be administered together with glucose or others depend on case as insulin may cause severe hypoglycemia),intramuscular & subcutaneous injection but not by oral administration as insulin will be digested by oral digestive enzyme

A dramatic moment

Children dying from diabetic ketoacidosis were kept in large wards, often with 50 or more patients in a ward, mostly comatose. Grieving family members were often in attendance, awaiting the (until then, inevitable) death.

In one of medicine’s more dramatic moments Banting, Best, and Collip went from bed to bed, injecting an entire ward with the new purified extract. Before they had reached the last dying child, the first few were awakening from their coma, to the joyous exclamations of their families.

Uncontrolled diabetic patient may suffer gangrene that lead to amputation

Source : Medical News Today

When Ukhuwwah Islamiah Becomes Eroded (English Translation)

1. “The Believers are but a single Brotherhood,so make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that you may receive Mercy.”(Surah al-Hujurat verse 10)
2. Allah clearly mentions in the verse above that those who believe in Allah and the Hereafter are indeed brothers. Brotherhood mentioned here based on shared faith that is belief and surrender to Allah.
3. Therefore, it is not surprising if in the sirah Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he migrated to Medina he has  united Muhajirin and  Ansar.As narrated by Ibn Qayyim the Prophet (pbuh) held a meeting for uniting Muhajirin and Ansar at Anas ibn Malik’s home.At that time, about 90 men attended whereby half of the them are Muhajirin and the other half are Ansar. What make me so astonished is the values of brotherhood shown between Muhajirin and Ansar although they are just united by the Prophet (pbuh) and on first acquaintance.For example,narrated by al-Imam Bukhari r.h. that the Prophet (pbuh) has united Abdul Rahman ibn Auf with  Sa’d  ibn Al-Rabi’  in Madinah.Sa’d  ibn Al-Rabi’ said to Abdul Rahman ibn Auf:”Actually I am the most wealth Ansar , here I want to divide into two, my wife is two,select which one of those who consented to the your heart, and I want to divorce her, after her  iddah you can marry with her.“(Ar-Rahiqul Makhtum translation edition ,al-Mubarakfuri, page 247-248)

Admit Your Faults And Do Not Be Arrogant

Be careful not to be from those who rectify others while corrupting their own souls. Such people go around in circles with their faults like a donkey going around a mill.

Hence, if you ever are in a position to advise others or be an example to them, such as a teacher with his students, a father or a mother with his or her children, then think as if you are under the watch of your customers. Everyone is monitoring you. Always discipline yourself as much as possible. The same applies to a couple dealing with each other.

Beware Of Chest Pain

*This article is just for medical students and practitioners.I’m sorry for the others,insya ALLAH next time I will post general information about health too.

1. This is my first article corcerning medical information although I’m now second year medical student at Cairo University.This was not because I didn’t want to share anything about it but admitting my knowledge limit about medicine had stopped my intention to do that.However,after I read the article ‘Hinakah Bersama PERUBATAN?’ posted by akhi Hafiz Adam,it changes my mind.There’s some points in this article that I agree especially when he said that almost medical students’ blogs not contain any medical articles.Lots of them only posted articles about religion,criticism,story and many more.But,I also didn’t agree with some points stated by him.
2. Therefore,I have taken decision from now to post anything about medical information every Tuesday,insya ALLAH.I choose to post them in English because most of these information are in English as well as to enhance my English improvement.At this time I will focus on the famous disease and problem in health among the people.I hope many of us will try to share or even write by ourselves about medicine particularly fourth year medical students and above after this.This week,I would like to share with you about Chest Pain.

Misconception About Heat and Temperature

At this time,I would like to share with you two articles about what is differences between heat and temperature?Are they same or not?This articles below will give you the right answers.

1)There is a fundamental difference between temperature and heat. Heat is the amount of energy in a system. The SI units for heat are Joules. A Joule is a Newton times a meter. A Newton is a kilogram-meter per second squared. Heat is transferred through radiation, conduction and convection. The amount that molecules are vibrating, rotating or moving is a direct function of the heat content. Energy is transported by conduction as molecules vibrate, rotate and/or collide into each other. Heat is moved along similar to dominos knocking down their neighbors in a chain reaction. An increase of electromagnetic radiation into a system causes the molecules to vibrate, rotate and/or move faster. With convection, higher energy molecules are mixed with lower energy molecules. When higher energy molecules are mixed with lower energy molecules the molecular motion will come into equilibrium over time. The faster moving molecules will slow down and the slow moving molecules will speed up.

Islamic Economics:An Alternative To Solve World Financial Crisis?

By

Dr.Hussein Shehatah

Consultative Expert on the Islamic Financial Transactions

and Professor at Al-Azhar University.

Signs of the collapse of the world financial system have emerged, causing great panic to people all over the world. Many governments called upon economists and experts to find a way out. Financial institutions and their agents began to think about rescue plans.

Many people rushed to draw their deposits from banks. At the same time, several financial institutions have frozen the process of granting loans to companies and individuals for fear that it might be difficult to take them back.

The drop in the circulation of money among individuals, companies and financial institutions has given rise to a sharp slowdown in the economic activity. As a consequence, debtors have become unable to pay back their debts.

Wall Street meltdown dealt a severe blow to the level of exchanges in money and exchange markets causing indexes to fluctuate. Furthermore, used capacities in companies were decreased due to the decrease in financial flow and the inability to take loans from financial institutions, except at high interest rates with heavy guarantees.

This shortage of financial flow decreased consumption of certain commodities, like cars and real estate sector. The drop in consumption decreases savings, investment projects, and hence increases unemployment which is eerily climb as many companies become bankrupt threatening many employees to lose their jobs.

Causes of the Crisis

Maurice Allais, an expert on world economy and a Nobel Prize laureate in economics, said, “The world economic system is based on some concepts and rules that will be the very cause of its destruction unless treated and rectified quickly.”

In fact, many economists argue that the neo-capitalist world economic system rests on principles that will lead to its ruin.

It can be argued that among the reasons that led to the crisis is the spread of moral economic corruption, such as exploitation, lying, circulation of prejudiced rumors, cheating, monopoly and the engagement of nominal transactions, with no real value. In this way, the wealthy and creditors oppress the poor and debtors who, as a consequence of being unable to bear such oppression anymore or pay back these debts and loans, will grumble and be resentful.

Also, wealth has become a weapon used to dominate and control politics around the world. Money has become the idol the capitalist economy.

Interest-backed banking system inflicts mounting debts on consumers by working within the framework of the system of trading debts, either by selling, buying or brokerage.

The more the interest rate on deposits increases, the more the interest rate on the loans granted to individuals and companies will also increase. Only banks and stockbrokers benefit from this, whereas the debtors, who take loans for consumption or production purposes, bear this heavy burden alone.

Credit card debt inflicts high costs on the consumer, and when one can not pay back his debts, the interest rate is continuously increased. Ultimately, consumer’s property will be confiscated in order to guarantee security. This has actually happened to many holders of such credit cards, causing an imbalance of their house budgets.

Indeed, banks impose additional burdens on the borrower who is not able yet to discharge the first loan due to the increasingly higher rate of interest. This is similar to usurers in the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance who would say to a debtor, “Either you repay or augment.”

Furthermore, Stock brokerage firms deceives those in need of loans as they claim high commission payment if there are potential risks, leaving the poor debtors to bear their burden and attributed negative consequences.

Actually, Some economists believe that no real development or wise employment of the means of production could be achieved unless the interest rate is zero. This view was held by Adam Smith, the Father of modern economics.

Furthermore, economists think that the alternative is based on participating in profit and loss, because it brings about stability and security. In addition, interest-based system results in the accumulation of wealth in the hands of few people who will thus be in control of the world’s fortunes.

In addition, The world financial system rests on the basis of the financial derivatives system that depends mainly on nominal transactions, with no real exchanges of goods or services. What is even worse is that most of these transactions are based on credits taken from banks in the form of loans, and when things develop unfavorably all that collapses triggering the financial crisis.

Islamic Economics

The current financial crisis debunks the myths of Capitalism, opening the way for alternative economic systems to emerge, among which is the Islamic finance and economy.

Yet, instead of just reacting to the crisis, scholars of Islamic economics ought to explain the concepts and principles of the Islamic financial and economic system and present its reference and applications to wider audience.

The Islamic economic and financial system is based on a set of values, ideals, and morals, such as honesty, credibility, transparency, clear evidence, facilitation, co-operation, complementarity ,and solidarity.

These morals and ideals are fundamental because they ensure stability, security, and safety for all those involved in financial transactions. Furthermore, the Islamic Shari`ah prohibits the economic and financial transactions that involve lying, gambling, cheating, gharar (risk-taking), gahalah (unawareness), monopoly, exploitation, greed, unfairness, and taking people’s money unjustly.

In addition, Islamic economy  promotes participation in profit, loss, and actual exchanges of money and assets. In fact, there should be real interaction between the wealthy, employers, the employees, and financial experts.

There is no party who is a constant winner or a constant loser; yet profit and loss is mutually shared.

Based on Shari`ah regulations, economic contracts entail mudarabah, sharing, murabaha, istisnaa`, salm, igarah, and sharecropping. Shari`ah prohibits all forms of investment-based contracts of funding that involve interest loans forbidding financial transactions that involve gharar (risk-taking) and gahalah (unawareness).

Actually, economic experts assert that the system of financial derivatives can not bring about real development. Financial derivatives create only money, with no real value, causing inflation and price rise ,as well as moral decadence. For example, financial derivatives caused quick collapse of  East Asian financial institutions.

Regarding debts, Shari`ah prohibits all forms of selling debts, like discounting promissory notes and checks with postponed payments. Also forbidden under the Shari`ah is the scheduling of debts at a higher interest rate. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the sale of debts. In fact, economists contend that selling debts has exacerbated the financial crisis.

Actually, the Islamic economic and financial system makes it easier for the borrower to repay debts. Almighty Allah says: “And in case any person is under difficulty, then he should (be granted) a respite to (the time of) ease…” (Chapter 2: Verse 280).

Shari`ah allows for a system of funding and investment based on participation in both profit and loss and interaction between capital and labor. Shari`ah calls on the parties involved in transactions to behave in a truthful, honest, clear and transparent way by prohibiting gharar, gahalah, cheating, gambling, lying, rumors, exploitation and taking people’s money unjustly.

In a word, the only way out of this crisis can be found in the principles and regulations of the Islamic economics

Ready For The Last Ten Nights?

As salamu alaykum wa’ rahmatullahi wa’ barakatuhu!

Narrated by Aisha (ra), Allah’s Apostle (saws) said, “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhan” [Bukhari n.1896]

Are you ready for the last ten nights then? I think I’m …. or maybe I’m not. You know, you often think you are not doing enough to please Allah and feel guilty if you forget to do something. So I’m planning this year, maybe trying to read some more Qur’an in arabic…(maybe only the Surahs that I know), doing more dhikr during those nights.. and most important thing, I think, it’s to go to sleep straight after taraweeh and wake up for the night prayer insh’Allah!

Narrated by Aisha (ra), “With the start of the last ten days of Ramadhan, the Prophet (saws) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers” [Bukhari n. 1903]

Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (ra), “Allah’s Apostle used to practise Itikaf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan” [Bukhari n. 1904]

I’ve never met a sister who did Itikaf, I really wish to meet one insh’Allah. It must be a wonderful experience mash’Allah, you alone with Allah and nothing else to think about, nothing bothering you about the dunya. One day insh’Allah I hope to experience it myself!. Maybe we think too much about the world around us and our daily duties at home, so we don’t give ourselves a chance to try it, just following our imaan! Don’t know, I really think it shouldn’t be that difficult if planned in advance then Allahu a’alam!

So lets get started for our chance of Laylat al Qad’r, insh’Allah!