UstaadKhan Blogs

Food and drink have direct effect on our health. That is why Islam has prescribed regulations about our food and drink. It lays great emphasis on our physical as well as moral health, because both of these are equally important for a healthy society.

The abstention from eating pork is one of the steps taken by Islam to practise hygiene and to attain purity of soul.
Islam, for the cultivation of inner faculties, insists upon the cleanliness of body and the purification of soul through Salaat (prayers) Zikr (remembrance of Allah) and other devotional duties. Islam teaches us how to attain the virtues and how to give up bad habits because both good and bad grow in the man according to his upbringing, education and environment.

A human being has natural desires: food, sleep and sex being the three primary ones. He has also natural emotions: sorrow, happiness, love, fear, disgust and avarice etc. Islam doesn’t recommend the complete abrogation of these impulses but offers a method of controlling them through religious education and discipline.

The prohibition of eating pork in Islam is relevant in this context. There is a saying in English that “a man becomes what he eats.” According to physicians and medical experts, pork is a harmful diet. Consumption of swine-flesh creates lowliness in character and destroys moral and spiritual faculties in a man.

Body & Soul
The life of a man is a compound of body and soul. Anything, which is harmful for the body, hurts the soul as well. Consumption of swine-flesh reduces the feeling of shame and as such the standard of modesty. Those nations, which consume pork habitually, have a low standard of morality with the result that virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing of the past in Europe today. The number of unwed mothers is on the increase despite the use of pills and other contraceptives.

According to a report, 60 to 70% girls in Sweden become mothers before marriage. The formula of “skin to skin is no sin” is having its toll but there is hardly any feeling of shame and remorse over the end-result. Since the European nations have become addicted to wine and pork, sexual freedom with all its attendant evils has got ingrained in their culture. Consequently, homosexuality has been legalised by the British Parliament. (more…)

In 9th century Spain, Muslim inventor Abbas ibn Firnas designed a flying machine -- hundreds of years before da Vinci drew plans of his own

Think of the origins of that staple of modern life, the cup of coffee, and Italy often springs to mind.

But in fact, Yemen is where the ubiquitous brew has its true origins.

Along with the first university, and even the toothbrush, it is among surprising Muslim inventions that have shaped the world we live in today.

The origins of these fundamental ideas and objects — the basis of everything from the bicycle to musical scales — are the focus of “1001 Inventions,” a book celebrating “the forgotten” history of 1,000 years of Muslim heritage.

“There’s a hole in our knowledge, we leap frog from the Renaissance to the Greeks,” professor Salim al-Hassani, Chairman of the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation, and editor of the book told CNN.

“1001 Inventions” is now an exhibition at London’s Science Museum. Hassani hopes the exhibition will highlight the contributions of non-Western cultures — like the Muslim empire that once covered Spain and Portugal, Southern Italy and stretched as far as parts of China — to present day civilization.

Think of the origins of that staple of modern life, the cup of coffee, and Italy often springs to mind.

But in fact, Yemen is where the ubiquitous brew has its true origins.

Along with the first university, and even the toothbrush, it is among surprising Muslim inventions that have shaped the world we live in today.

The origins of these fundamental ideas and objects — the basis of everything from the bicycle to musical scales — are the focus of “1001 Inventions,” a book celebrating “the forgotten” history of 1,000 years of Muslim heritage.

“There’s a hole in our knowledge, we leap frog from the Renaissance to the Greeks,” professor Salim al-Hassani, Chairman of the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation, and editor of the book told CNN.

“1001 Inventions” is now an exhibition at London’s Science Museum. Hassani hopes the exhibition will highlight the contributions of non-Western cultures — like the Muslim empire that once covered Spain and Portugal, Southern Italy and stretched as far as parts of China — to present day civilization.

Here Hassani shares his top 10 outstanding Muslim inventions: (more…)

The Makkah-based TV channel of the Holy Qur’an and Madina-based Prophet’s Sunnah (Traditions) channel are a gift from King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to the Muslim World, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said here Sunday night.
The minister said King Abdullah was keen on launching the two channels at the start of the new Hijra year
In a statement broadcast by Riyadh Radio, Khoja hoped that the new channels will perform the desired role and convey the message intended by the King.
He noted that 15 companies will compete for five licenses for launching broadcasting channels.
The minister said that the topic of transformation of the ministry’s sectors into establishments is being studied by the Administrative Reform Committee.
Khoja recently announced the launch of four new Saudi television channels. The first two channels are dedicated to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah and will be telecast from the two holy cities (Makkah and Madina) while the other two will focus on economy and culture.
As regards the economy channel, Khoja said it would highlight Saudi Arabia’s leading position among global economies. He also noted the importance given by the Kingdom to cultural dialogue. “The new channel for culture will be a platform for academics and intellectuals to air their views on various issues,” he said.
King Abdullah set up the King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center in 2003 to promote a culture of dialogue in the country.
Meanwhile, Khoja also disclosed plans to launch five FM radio stations soon. Research and analysis from the Arab Advisors Group reveals that close to 82 percent of Saudis listen to FM radio – 54 percent of them on a daily basis.

The risk of ADHD was higher among children exposed to tobacco and lead.

More than 94 percent of the world’s people are not protected by laws against smoking, leaving them exposed to the biggest cause of preventable death, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

In a Global Tobacco Epidemic report the WHO said smoke-free policies were crucial to reducing the harm caused by second-hand smoke, which it said kills around 600,000 people prematurely each year and causes crippling, disfiguring illness and economic losses reaching tens of billions of dollars.

The report found some progress had been made, with 2.3 percent of the world’s population, or around 154 million people, newly covered by smoke-free laws in 2008. But it warned of many more early deaths if governments did not act quickly.

“The fact that more than 94 percent of people remain unprotected by comprehensive smoke-free laws shows that much more work needs to be done,” said the WHO’s expert on non-communicable diseases, Ala Alwan.

Scientific evidence has unequivocally established that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability. Over the past four decades, smoking rates have fallen in rich places such as the United States, Japan and western Europe, but they are rising in much of the developing world. (more…)

Ginger root three ways: fresh; dried and ground; and crystalized

On a flavour-to-cost ratio, ginger is one heck of a deal. It’s inexpensive, depending on the form, and just a small amount can add a world of flavour to all sorts of dishes, both savoury and sweet.

Ginger is the tan-coloured, knobby rhizome of a perennial herb officially known as Zingiber officinale. The plant can grow more than a metre tall and when the leaves die, the rhizome, the ginger, is harvested. How the ginger is, or is not, processed determines what form you get.

Fresh ginger

When the rhizomes are harvested and sold as is, you have fresh ginger. When purchasing, look for firm pieces of ginger with fairly smooth skin. If the ginger appears shrivelled or has spongy spots, it’s old or was improperly stored and should be avoided. It will be difficult to peel, cut or grate.

Unpeeled fresh ginger, if placed in a tightly sealed plastic bag, can be kept in your refrigerator crisper for up to three weeks, depending on how fresh it was when purchased. For the freshest ginger taste, though, buy only what you can use in a reasonable length of time.

If, for some reason, you’ve purchased a pile of fresh ginger, it could be placed in a tightly sealed plastic bag and frozen for up to two months.

Another option for longer-term storage is to peel and slice the ginger, place it in a jar, top it with dry sherry or vodka, tightly screw on the lid and place it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a month or more. If you do store ginger in alcohol or freeze it, keep in mind that both processes will alter its flavour.

Fresh ginger can be used in all sort of recipes; today I’ve mixed it into cranberry sauce and yam stew.

Ground ginger

To make a spice called ground ginger, the rhizome is dried and ground into a powder that has a pleasingly pungent aroma and concentrated ginger taste.

This spice is prone to clumping if improperly stored and exposed to moisture. So keep ground ginger in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and always use a dry measuring spoon when getting some. If properly stored, ground ginger will maintain its lively taste for up to six months.

After that, its flavour will begin to diminish.

Ground ginger can be used in a variety of ways, such as being added to spice blends, stirred into preserves or beaten into cookies. The New Food Lover’s Companion says the flavour of dried, ground ginger is very different from that of its fresh form and is not an appropriate substitute in dishes specifying fresh ginger. I don’t totally agree with that, because when I’m making a stir- fry and am out of fresh ginger, I have sprinkled in some ground ginger and the results were good.

If you do try to substitute ground ginger for fresh, the website of the spice and herb company McCormick (mccormick.com), says a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger equals one teaspoon of grated fresh ginger.

Crystallized ginger

To make this form of ginger, sometimes called candied ginger, the fresh root is peeled, cut into pieces or slices, cooked in syrup and dried. You can make a simple but sweet and spicy holiday confection by dipping and coating pieces, slices or strips of crystallized ginger in melted chocolate and letting it set. Sliced or chopped crystallized ginger can also be used in a variety of other sweet ways, such as cookies, steamed puddings and fruitcake. I’ve also used modest amounts of chopped or sliced crystallized ginger to impart a sweet and spicy taste to savoury dishes, such as soups and curries.

Store crystallized ginger in a tight-sealing jar in a cool, dry place. It will keep for many months.

 Cranberry Sauce With Apricots, Ginger and Currants (more…)

77-year-old Richard T. Antoun. The professor was stabbed in his campus office.

The assassination of State University of New York-Binghamton Middle East anthropology professor emeritus Richard Antoun, on Friday, December 4, in which a Saudi Arabian graduate student named Abdulsalam Al-Zahrani has been charged, once again highlights the issue: how to distinguish between Islamist extremists and moderate Muslim believers, both of whom have come to live in the West?

An official British government project titled “Preventing Violent Extremism”–with “Prevent” as its abbreviation, but also known as “PVE”–has received much attention on its home soil, but is seldom mentioned elsewhere. Yet the conception, difficulties, and, finally, the probable destruction of the program by Muslim radicals abetted by “anti-racism” activists, offer numerous lessons to Americans.

In the aftermath of the July 7, 2005, London metro bombings, Labour government officials developed a counter-terrorism strategy called “Contest” (emphasis on the second syllable), intended to mobilize anti-radical elements among British Muslims. “Prevent” was introduced in 2006 as one of four alliterative aims: “Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare.” Early in 2007, the UK Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) specified its goals and methods in a paper titled “Preventing Violent Extremism: Winning Hearts and Minds.” That set of guidelines declared that in contending with terrorism, “while a security response is vital it will not, on its own, be enough. Winning hearts and minds and preventing individuals being attracted to violent extremism in the first place is also crucial.” Definitions of these worthy goals were, however, vague–they comprised little more than “promoting shared values, supporting local solutions, building civic capacity and leadership, and strengthening the role of faith institutions and leaders.” (more…)

Children prepare to sing the Pakistani National Anthem prior to the start of classes in a school in Qutbal, Pakistan, on Oct. 13

Pakistan’s schools closed their doors Wednesday, a day after bombings at an Islamabad university, amid warnings of more attacks on a wider range of targets around the country.

The recent spate of attacks in Pakistani cities has come as the army prepared for, and launched, a military offensive in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan that is seen as a stronghold for Taliban and al Qaeda militants.

Intelligence officials warned that the militants could target foreign-controlled gas stations, banks and food chains.

All schools, universities and student hostels were ordered closed and vacated for an indefinite period, “until appropriate security measures are taken,” said Qamar Zaman Kaira, the federal minister for information.

Many private schools in Islamabad and other major cities had already shut this week after intelligence reports that suggested militants would try to take students hostage to exchange for militants held by the security forces.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the two suicide bomb attacks on International Islamic University, which killed four students and two bombers Tuesday. (more…)

Islam and Christianity are far and away the two largest global religions (1.5 and 2.1 billion). Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population. Today, more than ever before, they co-exist or encounter each other in 57 Muslim countries and in Europe and America and beyond. Despite significant doctrinal differences, they also they share much in common in matters of faith, values and interests. If religion has too often been part of the problem, it must also be part of the solution.

Share much in common in matters of faith, values and interests

In contrast to the past, the world of the 21st century is both transformed and threatened by the impact of globalization, a source of integration and fragmentation in international affairs, economic and social development, and inter-religious or multi-religious affairs. Today, President Barack Obama and European leaders are faced with the fallout from eight years of Bush legacy that led many Muslim critics of the US-UK war on global terrorism to charge it was a war against Islam and Muslims, an attempt to redraw the map of the Muslim world. Obama, in his inauguration and subsequent addresses to Muslims from Ankara and Cairo, has sought to recast America’s image among its Muslim and non-Muslim allies. His commitment to the importance of a multi-lateral approach with its emphasis on diplomacy in the pursuit of peace and justice — in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran, were among the reasons for the recent and surprising award of the Nobel Peace Prize as a recognition and encouragement of Barack Obama’s fresh international vision in American foreign policy. (more…)

Muslims offer prayers at London's Central Mosque

A report from an American think-tank has estimated 1.57 billion Muslims populate the world – with 60% in Asia.

The report, by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, took three years to compile, with census data from 232 countries and territories.

It showed that 20% of Muslims lived in the Middle East and North Africa.

The data also showed that there were more Muslims in Germany than in Lebanon, and more in Russia than in Jordan and Libya together.

Surprise

Researchers analysed approximately 1,500 sources including census reports, demographic studies and general population surveys.

Senior researcher Brian Grim told CNN that the overall figure was a surprise and said: “Overall, the number is higher than I expected.”

The report, published on Wednesday, also found that Ethiopia has nearly as many Muslims as Afghanistan.

Amaney Jamal, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University, told the AP news agency: “This whole idea that Muslims are Arabs and Arabs are Muslims is really just obliterated by this report.” (more…)