*_* Look for your heart in three places

The word "heart" is one of the most commonly used motifs, metaphors, and symbols in human history. It is a term whose definition is broad enough to include the fierceness of strength and courage as well as the tenderness and vulnerability of intense emotion. Traditional science, however, has downplayed the heart as merely a monotonously contracting muscle, while the brain is touted as both the center and originator of intelligence and feeling.

In spite of this, the tendency to ascribe psychological sensitivities to that constantly beating organ continues to haunt contemporary human thought. At the language level, the word "heart" remains a strong conveyer of emotion and meaning. If human beings are discouraged, they are disheartened; if stoic, heartless; if in the best state of energy and enthusiasm, hearty.

In the face of traditional science, why does the collective psyche of humanity continue to fixate upon this same intangible concept of the heart? Perhaps it is because, to this day, the stopping of the heartbeat signifies the coming of death. It might be ascribed to the way that the heart responds so readily to emotional signals, increasing or reducing pace in direct correlation to the human psychological state. Within human consciousness, the heart's meaning extends beyond that of a muscle; within Islam, the role of the heart cannot be understated.

The heart is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur'an. One of the mentioned du`a' (supplications) of Prophet Ibrahim, `alayhi salam (peace be upon him), beseeches to Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (the Exalted and Glorified): "Do not forsake me on the Day of Resurrection, a day where neither money nor children will benefit except whoever meets Allah with a sound heart" (26:87-89). Allah (swt) revealed this powerful supplication about the Day of Resurrection, for the judgment on the eternal fate of each soul is decided by Allah (swt) on that day, rendering a pure heart necessary for entering Paradise.

The Arabic term for the heart, qalb, has a very specific meaning. It refers to what defines the existence of the individual: one's personal center of faith. A most illustrious and beautiful chapter of the Qur'an, Surah Yaseen, is referred to as the heart of the Qur'an. According to the Prophet Muhammad, salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings be upon him), the virtues of reciting this qalb, among others, include receiving benefits of the dunya (earthly life) and the removal of the dread of the akhirah (life after death).

Furthermore, worship of Allah (swt) is divided into four categories, two of which deal with the heart: its sayings and its actions. A true Mu'min (Believer) is said to possess a pure heart that is well-informed in the total belief of Allah (swt) and complete trust in Him-a heart that is true to its Maker (swt) in both its impulses and the carrying out of those impulses. The qalb was created to hold its Creator as its highest Authority, Love, and Loyalty. If the heart is dead, then spiritual (and, eventually, physical) problems would manifest themselves in the individual.

In purifying the heart, a Believer can rest assured that the best of examples is being followed: that of Prophet Muhammad (saws), the most virtuous of the creations of Allah (swt) and the most beloved to Allah (swt). Indeed, despite his perfection in the sight of Allah (swt), the Prophet's heart (saws) was not only cleansed by Angel Jibreel (Gabriel), but was also purified by his own strategies of worship.

One of the greatest interpreters of Shari`ah (Islamic law) of the fourteenth century, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, was greatly concerned with matters of the qalb. According to him, `Abdullah ibn Mas`ood, radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him), one of the closest companions of the Prophet (saws), once presented a diagnostic by which a Believer may determine the state of the qalb. He said: 

"Look for your heart in three places: when listening to the Qur'an, when seeking knowledge (of Allah) and when in privacy. If you cannot find it in these places, then ask Allah (swt) to bless you with a heart, for indeed you have no heart."

A soul with no heart can not even begin to work on increasing its level of submission to its Lord-the very foundation of its purity. A vital conductor of faith must be found and awakened within every loyal slave of Allah (swt). The following exploration of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ood's (ra) mentioned places transcends the mind and body and deals with a site precious to all human beings.

Source: Alkalima - Heina Dadabhoy

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=AK1102-4467

Leadership Of Egypt’s Ruling Party Resigns

By Sarah El Deeb

CAIRO – The top leadership body of Egypt’s ruling party resigned Saturday, including the president’s son, but the regime appeared to be digging in its heels, calculating that it can ride out street demonstrations and keep President Hosni Mubarak in office.
The ruling party leaders who resigned included the country’s most powerful political figures — and its most unpopular among many Egyptians. The move may have been aimed at convincing protesters in the streets that the regime is sincere in implementing democratic reforms they demand.
But State TV, announcing the resignations, still identified head of state Mubarak as president of the ruling party in a sign he would remain in authority. And Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Saturday that stability was returning to the country, appearing confident that a deal on future reforms can be reached with the multiple opposition movements to defuse protests without the 82-year-old Mubarak necessarily leaving power immediately.
Protesters have refused to end their mass rallies in downtown Tahrir Square until Mubarak quits. Tens of thousands gathered Saturday in Tahrir, waving flags and chanting a day after some 100,000 massed there in an intensified demonstration labeled “the day of departure,” in hopes it would be the day Mubarak leaves.
Their unprecedented 12-day movement has entered a delicate new phase. Organizers fear that without the pressure of protesters on the street, Mubarak’s regime will enact only cosmetic reforms and try to preserve its grip on power. So they are reluctant to lift their demonstrations without the concrete gain of Mubarak’s ouster and a transition mechanism that guarantees a real move to democracy afterward.
Mubarak has insisted he will remain in his post until the end of his term in his autumn. In the meantime, the government has sought to draw opposition parties and the youth groups involved in the protests into immediate negotiations on constitutional reforms so presidential elections can be held in September to replace Mubarak.
Protest organizers, wary of a trap, have refused until Mubarak goes. A key question will be whether they can maintain enthusiasm and continue to rally large numbers. Some in Tahrir greeted the new concession of ruling party resignations with with scorn.
Wael Khalil, a 45-year-old activist, said it would “reinforce their (protersers’) resolve and increase their confidence because it shows that they are winning, and the regime is retreating inch by inch.”

For more information:...http://www.muslimworldtoday.com/egypt5.htm

The Muslim Brotherhood is Egypt’s largest opposition.

(CAIRO) - Egyptians have taken to the streets demanding an end to the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak and protesting economic hardship and rampant corruption. Demonstrations in Tunisia brought down the regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, and this inspired tens of thousands of Egyptians to stage a countrywide "Day of Rage" that started on January 25. Ironically, the mass rallies were held on a public holiday honoring the country’s police force.

In central Cairo, protesters carrying banners denouncing Mubarak sang the national anthem, expressing their loyalty to their country. Mothers carried babies and young men waved placards with the word "Out". Demonstrators chanted "Freedom", knowing that most Egyptians live in dire poverty. The demonstration in central Cairo was peaceful until police fired water cannon and tear gas while demonstrators responded with rocks. Scuffles broke out in a few places. It is clear that the Egyptians have had enough and are no longer cowering under the oppression of Mubarak and co.

The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt ’s largest opposition, did not officially take part, but its members assembled alongside the general population all calling for reform. Organisers from the lawyers syndicate defended the right to protest saying the rallies constituted "a day of revolution against torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment, marking the end of silence and submission."

For More information   http://www.salem-news.com/articles/january282011/egypt-mb.php

*_+ ...................My FaMiLY................. *_*

         Let me describe my family. First of all, I would like to thank you to Allah that gives us a warm and nice family. In my family, there are 11 members. There are 5 brothers, 4 sisters, and parents. I am the second child. The person who has a full beard, curly hair, wearing eye-glasses, short and fat is my father. Actually, he is easygoing but sometimes impetuous person. He is a teacher. The person who always takes care of us is my mother. She is a housewife. She doesn’t like wearing eye-glasses because it looks old but it’s necessary for her to use in reading Al-Quran. So, she can’t avoid using them. Her character is medium weight and good looking. My parents are hard-working and kindness person. I really love them because there are good models for me. Our brothers and sisters are studying except my older brother. He got married and had two pretty and charming daughters. His character like my father’s. He always gives consult to us about studying. Although, he didn’t study but he wants his younger brothers and sisters graduated. For my first younger sister, her character likes me in some aspect such as the height, color skin, and voice. She has small eyes like Chinese. It’s our lineage. Everyone always call us as Chinese people. In addition, she is talkative person. My second and third younger sisters have the same character. They have medium weight, straight hair, ovel face, and have tan skin as my father’s. Actually, they are friendly with other. About my younger brothers the first one, he is quite tall and smart. He always wears a shirt and good looking than the other. The second and third, they are short and fat. They like to teach Qira-a-tee for children in the village. The last but not least is my youngest brother. His name is kuamin. If we look at him, sometimes he is not same as the other. He is cheerful, talkative and funny man in the family. He is studious person. He always makes the question to ask when he has doubt in something. We really love him. My parents are pleased with their children. We are very happy living together. These are what I am proud of. Thank you to Allah, that we have a warm and nice family.

   *******........................**********......................*******

The rain

                                                                                            

          When the grass is dry, the tress have lost their leaves, and the river have very little of water. Everyone prays for the coming of rain. The clouds in the sky create a nice cool blanket from the sun. The sound of the drop falling makes me feel like a wet hug. I can smell the rain that was once falling. Looking through the window, I could see the falling rain. A drop of rain can bring a lot of joy to famers and others. Plants and flowers grow easily to make our garden beautiful. I always loved rain. It definitely gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. I would like to have a warm arm to enclose me. Moreover, it makes me feel fresh. Rainy day and night are a wonderful time for me.

Creative Writing - Show, Don't Tell

Many beginning writers make the mistake of telling, rather than showing, their stories. Here are some examples of how to show instead of tell.

For beginning creative writers, it's easy to tell a story. It sometimes takes more practice learning how to show readers what's happening. Think of telling as what one does when writing an essay-it's informative, but it's a technique that doesn't fully engage the reader with all his senses. Showing presents the reader with imagery and a full sensory experience. Readers become fully immersed in the story when they are shown instead of told.

Use Imagery to Evoke Pictures in the Reader's Mind

One thing a creative writer will want to do is show his readers what he sees. He doesn't need to show them every little detail, but what is described needs to evoke what is necessary to the scene. The situation needs to somehow feel real to the reader.
Here is an example of telling:

The girl thought she heard a sound. She looked down the hall, though, and it was nothing. It must have been her imagination.
All the reader "sees" here is a girl and a hall. There's not much else to picture.
Here is the same passage, rewritten to show instead of tell:
Marcie's ears seemed to stretch toward the slight shuffling and scraping down the dark hall. Her teeth clenched, and she turned her head toward the noise.

The reader can see more in this rewritten passage because the writer has presented images that the reader can see in her mind. The writer must give the reader images-he must show what's happening. Strong nouns and verbs can help with this task. The word thought doesn't necessarily conjure up an image, but the phrase "ears seemed to stretch" does.

Fully Engage All the Senses to Absorb the Reader

When a beginning imaginative writer does start noticing how imagery can shift a piece of writing from academic and technical to creative, he will often only engage the sense of sight. It's sometimes simpler to describe the way something looks, but engaging all the senses will pull in the reader all the way.
So how can a writer engage one's sense of sound, for example? He can start by describing what a character hears. In the above example, "shuffling and scraping" indicate something a person can hear (as well as see). Evoking sound can be even simpler than that. Saying that a country song was playing in the background, describing the clack of the cue ball hitting the others, or hearing the doorbell are all small ways a writer can involve sound in his work.
Other senses are also important, though. Smell matters, and it doesn't have to be complicated. Saying a character smelled the freshly-cut lawn, for example, or writing about the smell of cooked onions in the kitchen are enough for a reader to understand.
Touch and even taste can also help a reader engage in a story. A writer can invoke touch simply by saying a character is wearing an angora sweater (or wool, cotton, or polyester, because each fabric feels different). What about the feel of sand under one's feet? Writing that a character is eating a hot dog slathered in mustard will engage a reader's sense of taste, just as describing vanilla ice cream dripping with chocolate syrup.

Showing Readers Makes for Effective Creative Writing

The best way to absorb one's readers-whether one is writing a poem or a short story-is by showing instead of telling. Shifting one's writing from a telling perspective to a showing one can be simple if a writer uses imagery and engages all the reader's senses.

Related articles:
Getting Excited About Creative Writing
Routines and Location Can Help Creative Writers

Tips and tricks for creative writer

• Do some short exercises to stretch your writing muscles – if you’re short of ideas, read the Daily Writing Tips article on “Writing Bursts”. Many new creative writers find that doing the washing up or weeding the garden suddenly looks appealing, compared to the effort of sitting down and putting words onto the page. Force yourself to get through these early doubts, and it really will get easier. Try to get into the habit of writing every day, even if it’s just for ten minutes.
• If you’re stuck for ideas, carry a notebook everywhere and write down your observations. You’ll get some great lines of dialogue by keeping your ears open on the bus or in cafes, and an unusual phrase may be prompted by something you see or smell.
• Work out the time of day when you’re at your most creative. For many writers, this is first thing in the morning – before all the demands of the day jostle for attention. Others write well late at night, after the rest of the family have gone to bed. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
• Don’t agonize over getting it right. All writers have to revise and edit their work – it’s rare that a story, scene or even a sentence comes out perfectly the first time. Once you’ve completed the initial draft, leave the piece for a few days – then come back to it fresh, with a red pen in hand. If you know there are problems with your story but can’t pinpoint them, ask a fellow writer to read through it and give feedback.
• HAVE FUN! Sometimes, we writers can end up feeling that our writing is a chore, something that “must” be done, or something to procrastinate over for as long as possible. If your plot seems wildly far-fetched, your characters bore you to tears and you’re convinced that a five-year old with a crayon could write better prose … take a break. Start a completely new project, something which is purely for fun. Write a poem or a 60-word “mini saga”. Just completing a small finished piece can help if you’re bogged down in a longer story.