#142 Pray for London

Two nights of rioting in London's Tottenham neighborhood erupted following protests over the shooting death by police of a local man, Mark Duggan. Police were arresting him when the shooting occurred. Over 170 people were arrested over the two nights of rioting, and fires gutted several stores, buildings, and cars. The disorder spread to other neighborhoods as well, with shops being looted in the chaos. Collected here are images from the rioting and the aftermath. -- Lane Turner

* Copied from RussiaToday channel on youtube :)

#141 Why are minerals important in our diet.

It goes without saying that the best source of nutrients comes from a healthy, balanced diet. A variety of nutrients are needed in our daily diet to keep fit and healthy. A balanced diet should provide the right proportions of carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals, water and dietary fiber. Vitamins and minerals are crucial in energy metabolism. A diet deficient in minerals can compromise our daily performance.

Minerals are the nutrients that exist in the body, and are as essential as our need for oxygen to sustain life. In the body, only 5% of the human body weight is mineral matter which is vital to all mental & physical processes & for total well being. They are most important factors in maintaining all physiological processes. They are important constituents of the teeth, bones, tissues, blood, muscle, and nerve cells. Minerals can be found in varying amounts in a variety of foods such as meat, cereals (including cereal products such as bread), fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, fruit (especially dried fruit) and nuts.

Minerals are necessary for three main reasons:

• Building strong bones and teeth.
• Performing and maintaining all bodily processes.
• Turning the food we eat into energy.

* Copied from www.lifemojo.com :)

#140 Lailatul Qadar l The night of power l A night greater than 1000 months!

There is night in the month of Ramadhan which is better than a thousand months (83 years, 4 months). This night is called Laitatul Qadr.

According to Hadith, this night occurs during the last ten days of Ramadhan on one of the odd numbered nights. Usually it is celebrated on the 27th night of this holy month. It is a night of great importance and enormous blessings for Muslims.

A night such as Lailatul Qadr was not granted to any religious community (Ummah) before Muslims. Only the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were favoured with a night of huge reward. Once reason, it was granted, was to enable Muslims to equal the worship of any people who lived before us. In the distant past it is said that people lived very long lives of hundreds of years. We, today, live much shorter lives. And so Allah gave us Laitatul Qadr to enable us to do as much worship as a man who lived even hundreds of years longer. If in a lifetime, you only worshipped on Lailatul Qadr ten times, you would have equaled in those ten nights 833 years of worship.

Signs of Laitul Qadr

• There are some signs that reveal which night is Laitatul Qadr.
• The night will be peaceful, neither hot nor cold, with a clear moon shinning but with no rays.
• There will be no shooting stars in the night
• At sunrise the sun will rise as just a disc without and radiant beams of light.
• One companion of the Prophet reported that on Laitatul Qadr he tasted sea water and it was sweet.
  
  
  *Copied from www.islamiccentre.org :)

#139 Fasting Month!

Ramadan 2011 is the Islamic month of fasting, in which Muslims around the world observe Puasa (Fasting) from dawn to sunset, which means that every day during this month, Muslims spend the daylight hours in a complete fast, refraining from eating, drinking, that is in excess or ill-natured. Because of that, Ramadhan 2011 is also referred to as Fasting Month 2011, or Puasa 2011.

When is Ramadhan 2011?
Ramadhan 2011 (Ramadan 2011) is expected to start on Monday, 1st August 2011, and will end around Tuesday, 30th August 2011. Please note that the Ramadhan date is based on moon sighting, thus the exact date will be determined and announced by the Islamic authority on the day itself.

The day after Ramadan 2011 will be celebrated as the Eid 2011, or referred to different names according to local languages, such as Lebaran 2011, Idul Fitri 2011, Hari Raya 2011, or Hari Raya Puasa 2011 in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Happy Ramadhan 2011 ! Happy Ramadan 2011 ! Happy Fasting 2011 !

* Copied from sgholiday.com :)

#138 Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor showing how he sleeps in outer space!

* Copied from islamicshuracouncil channel on youtube :)

#137 Traditional games & Pastimes

Malaysians strong sense of community is reflected in many of their traditional games and pastimes. These activities are usually held during festivities such as before or after the rice harvest season and to usher in the new spring.

Silat
This fascinating Malay martial art is also an international sport and traditional dance form. Existing in the Malay Archipelago for centuries, it has mesmerising fluid movements that are used to confuse opponents. It is believed that practising silat will increase one's spiritual strength in accordance with Islamic tenets. Accompanied by drums and gongs, this ancient art is popularly performed at Malay weddings and cultural festivals.

Sepak Takraw

Sepak takraw, also known as sepak raga, is a traditional ball game in which a ball made by weaving strips of buluh bamboo or rattan together is passed about using any part of the body except the lower arms and hands. There are two main types of sepak takraw: bulatan and jaring. Sepak raga bulatan is the original form in which players form a circle and try to keep the ball in the air as long as possible. Sepak takraw jaring is the modern version in which the ball is passed across a court over a high net.

Wau

A wau is a traditional kite that is especially popular in the state of Kelantan on the East Coast of Malaysia. Traditionally flown after the rice harvest season, these giant kites are often as big as a man - measuring about 3.5 metres from head to tail. It is called wau because its shape is similar to the Arabic letter that is pronounced as 'wow'. With vibrant colours and patterns based on local floral and fauna, these kites are truly splendid sights.

Gasing

A gasing is a giant spinning top that weigh approximately 5kg or 10lbs and may be as large as a dinner plate. Traditionally played before the rice harvest season, this game requires strength, co-ordination and skill. The top is set spinning by unfurling a rope that has been wound around it. Then it is scooped off the ground, whilst still spinning, using a wooden bat with a centre slit and transferred onto a low post with a metal receptacle. If expertly hurled, it can spin for up to 2 hours.

* Copied from www.about-malaysia.com :)

#136 About Ramadan

What is Ramadan? This question comes to our mind many times when we come across the word Ramadan. The answer to this question is, Ramadan is the ninth month of Islamic calander. It is a belief that in the month of Ramadan the Holy book of Muslims, Quran was sent down from heaven as guidance for men and also as a direction and a means to Salvation. Ramadan is the month of fast. The entire month Muslims fast with no water and food during the daytime.Muslims have food only before the sunrises and after the sunsets. The day starts with eating of the suhoor. Suhoor is the meal eaten by the Muslims who fast before the sun rises. Once suhoor is done then Muslims who fast cannot eat or drink the whole day. In the evening when the sun sets then they have another meal called If tar. To open the fast they pray and have Iftar meal. Once Iftar is over Muslims visit their relative’s house and early in the morning sets back to the fast.

copy from google :)