Lifeline 4 Gaza Concert: Break The Seige

A concert by: 
Soutul Harakah (indonesian nasyeed group): http://www.shoutulh arokah.com
Bro Muadz;  http://www.facebook .com/profile. php?id=104680325 7
and introducing a new nasyeed group, Da'ei


Date: 26 March 2010
Venue: Masjid Wilayah, Jalan Duta

Tentative:

7.30PM: Maghrib Prayer at Masjid Wilayah & Solat Hajat

8.30PM: Isya Prayer at Masjid Wilayah

9.00PM: Concert starts

11.45PM: end

Yes, another charity concert for Gaza.  But wait... what is so different in this concert compared to others?  Let me enlighten you on where the money for this concert and collections will go to...

Lifeline 4 Gaza, or Talian Hayat Untuk Gaza as we read it in Bahasa Malaysia, is a collaborative effort between Malaysian NGOs to join an international campaign to break years of Israel siege on Gaza. We are working along with Free Gaza Movement who is based in Cyprus, IHH in Turkey, MERC and Kispa Indonesia, and other NGOs from USA, Greece, France, Germany, Italy, Venezuella and many more. The fortilla is expected to depart Istanbul on 15th May 2010, comprising 20 ships and cargo boats to be laden with building supplies, generators, medical equipment and educational materials. They will sail through the Mediterranean Sea, carrying members of Parliament from countries around the world as well as high-profile journalists and human rights activists. Lets break the siege now, before it’s too late! For the Malaysian charter, the efforts are being carried out by collaborations of, among others, the following NGOs:

* HALUAN Palestin
* Palestine Centre for Excellence (PACE)
* Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
* Aqsa Syarif
* Pertubuhan Mawaddah Malaysia
* Viva Palestina Malaysia
* Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan-pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (MAPIM)

What are YOU waiting for??


For more info, log on to: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=356136838341&ref=mf
or contact:
- lifeline4gazahs@ gmail.com
- http://www.lifeline 4gaza.org/
- Sdr Khalid Al-Walid: 0197341984
- Sdr Muhammad Zakiran Mahmud: 0199390304
- Sdr Anaqi Ahmad Salleh: 0135900750

Letter from A Christian to Muslim Women

Assalamualaikum wbt..


I found this while browsing the internet. Read and ponder with your heart.  And to those who sometimes grumble for the rules Allah gave us to obey - verily those rules are there because Allah knows what is best for his servants.  Also, be thankful that we are Muslims, for without Islam,we are nothing, nothing at all... 

March 7th, 2007
By Joanna Francis
Writer, Journalist - USA


Between the Israeli assault on Lebanon and the Zionist “war on terror,” the Muslim world is now center stage in every American home. I see the carnage, death and destruction that have befallen Lebanon, but I also see something else: I see you. I can’t help but notice that almost every woman I see is carrying a baby or has children around her. I see that though they are dressed modestly, their beauty still shines through. But it’s not just outer beauty that I notice. I also notice that I feel something strange inside me: I feel envy. I feel terrible for the horrible experiences and war crimes that the Lebanese people have suffered, being targeted by our common enemy. But I can’t help but admire your strength, your beauty, your modesty, and most of all, your happiness.


Yes, it’s strange, but it occurred to me that even under constant bombardment, you still seemed happier than we are, because you were still living the natural lives of women. The way women have always lived since the beginning of time. It used to be that way in the West until the 1960s, when we were bombarded by the same enemy. Only we were not bombarded with actual munitions, but with subtle trickery and
moral corruption.

Through Temptation

They bombarded us Americans from Hollywood, instead of from fighter jets or with our own American-made tanks. They would like to bomb you in this way too, after they've finished bombing the infrastructure of your countries. I do not want this to happen to you. You will feel degraded, just like we do. You can avoid this kind of bombing if you will kindly listen to those of us who have already suffered serious casualties from their evil influence. Because everything you see coming out of Hollywood is a pack of lies, a distortion of reality, smoke and mirrors. They present casual sex as harmless recreation because they aim to destroy the moral fabric of the societies into which they beam their poisonous programming. I beg you not to drink their poison. There is no antidote for it once you have consumed it. You may recover partially, but you will never be the same. Better to avoid the poison altogether than to try to heal from the damage it causes.

They will try to tempt you with their titillating movies and music videos, falsely portraying us American women as happy and satisfied, proud of dressing like prostitutes, and content without families. Most of us are not happy, trust me. Millions of us are on anti-depressant medication, hate our jobs, and cry at night over the men who told us they loved us, then greedily used us and walked away. They would like to destroy your families and convince you to have fewer children. They do this by presenting marriage as a form of slavery, motherhood as a curse, and being modest and pure as old-fashioned. They want you to cheapen yourself and lose your faith. They are like the Serpent tempting Eve with the apple. Don't bite.

Self-Value

I see you as precious gems, pure gold, or the "pearl of great value" spoken of in the Bible (Matthew 13: 45). All women are pearls of great value, but some of us have been deceived into doubting the value of our purity. Jesus said: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you" (Matthew 7: 6). Our pearls are priceless, but they convince us that they're cheap. But trust me; there is no substitute for being able to look in the mirror and seeing purity, innocence and self-respect staring back at you. 

The fashions coming out of the Western sewer are designed to make you believe that your most valuable asset is your sexuality. But your beautiful dresses and veils are actually sexier than any Western fashion, because they cloak you in mystery and show self-respect and confidence. A woman's sexuality should be guarded from unworthy eyes, since it should be your gift to the man who loves and respects you enough to marry you. And since your men are still manly warriors, they deserve no less than your best. Our men don't even want purity anymore. They don't recognize the pearl of great value, opting for the flashy rhinestone instead. Only to leave her too!

Your most valuable assets are your inner beauty, your innocence, and everything that makes you who you are. But I notice that some Muslim women push the limit and try to be as Western as possible, even while wearing a veil (with some of their hair showing). Why imitate women who already regret, or will soon regret, their lost virtue? There is no compensation for that loss. You are flawless diamonds. Don't let them trick you into becoming rhinestones. Because everything you see in the fashion magazines and on Western television is a lie. It is Satan's trap. It is fool's gold.

A Woman's Heart

I'll let you in on a little secret, just in case you're curious: pre-marital sex is not even that great. We gave our bodies to the men we were in love with, believing that that was the way to make them love us and want to marry us, just as we had seen on television growing up. But without the security of marriage and the sure knowledge that he will always stay with us, it's not even enjoyable! That's the irony. It was just a waste. It leaves you in tears. 

Speaking as one woman to another, I believe that you understand that already. Because only a woman can truly understand what's in another woman's heart. We really are all alike. Our race, religion or nationalities do not matter. A woman's heart is the same everywhere. We love. That's what we do best. We nurture our families and give comfort and strength to the men we love. But we American women have been fooled into believing that we are happiest having careers, our own homes in which to live alone, and freedom to give our love away to whomever we choose. That is not freedom. And that is not love. 

Only in the safe haven of marriage can a woman's body and heart be safe to love. Don't settle for anything less. It's not worth it. You won't even like it and you'll like yourself even less afterwards. Then he'll leave you.

Self-Denial

Sin never pays. It always cheats you. Even though I have reclaimed my honor, there's still no substitute for having never been dishonored in the first place. We Western women have been brainwashed into thinking that you Muslim women are oppressed. But truly, we are the ones who are oppressed; slaves to fashions that degrade us, obsessed with our weight, begging for love from men who do not want to grow up. Deep down inside, we know that we have been cheated. We secretly admire and envy you, although some of us will not admit it. 

Please do not look down on us or think that we like things the way they are. It's not our fault. Most of us did not have fathers to protect us when we were young because our families have been destroyed. You know who is behind this plot. 

Don't be fooled, my sisters. Don't let them get you too. Stay innocent and pure. We Christian women need to see what life is really supposed to be like for women. We need you to set the example for us, because we are lost. Hold onto your purity. Remember: you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. So guard your "toothpaste" carefully!

I hope you receive this advice in the spirit in which it is intended: the spirit of friendship, respect, and admiration. From your Christian sister – with love…

Source: http://simplymuqmin.blogspot.com/2009/02/letter-from-christian-to-muslim-women.html


The original article can be found on Crescent and the Cross. Joanna Francis is a writer and journalist. She
manages her own blog.

Suffocating Mist

Four walls

Again.

To my left?

Whitewashed pillars

Outside the window

[on my right]

Tall and proud skyscrapers

Nighttime skyscrapers

I walk outside

Again breathing the dusty air

I saw, still,

The same walls

Different colours, perhaps

But still walls of bricks and sand

Staring back at me, emotionless.

I sauntered on

Errands to run

Classes to attend

People to meet

But still

Buildings loom by

The giants stand tall,

Looking down menacingly.

Nonetheless

I pushed my way through

Shutting off the apprehension

Attempting to appreciate the art

Of bricks, stones and pillars

That man are so proud of

The so called mark of civilization

Yet in my heart

I yearn

For fresh air

For green earth

Mt. Kinabalu on clouds... 2008

I long

For the calm and soothing song

Of breeze swirling in the morning

Of birds and insects chirping and whistling

For the smell

Of fresh salty sea air

or the reviving scent of woods and nature

Manukan Island, Sabah 2008

The soothing and peaceful surrounding

Whereby one can really sit down and think

Ponder and recap life's journey

Focus one's self on reasons, and aims

Reflecting the past

And planning for the future

In short,

I crave for Allah's artworks

Nature at its best

This, indeed,

Is works of art better than any other artists, ever.

This entry is not an attempt at a poem. Just trying to express how I currently am feeling. Honestly... it's been a while since I get to appreciate nature. I miss it, very much.

Actually.. the feeling is lurking for a while. But increased due to a few incidents which made me wish i can just push the 'pause' button and escape. Ya Rabb... give us strength to go forward..

Anyway... May Allah bless...

The Cry Is Still On: Do We CARE?

Despite the silence of the media,  amidst the news of politics, the steady buzz of the entertainment world, the cry of scorching heat wave or other environmental disruptions, there is one huge matter.  One matter which we must never, ever forget.  

For this matter is on, still, despite the loss of hype from the newspapers and the mass media.  The matter is ongoing, prolonged, over half a decade already.  Yes, it is the affair of faith, an issue of humanity, and a question of love.  It is the issue regarding Palestine occupation, and the third most important Masjid for Muslims, al-Aqsa.

It had once caught the appeal of the media a few months back.  Yet now they have died down.  But do you think that because the media is quiet, everything is just fine?  Do you think that currently, the Palestinians, who are our brothers and sisters in Islam, are happily enjoying the food as we do, able to study, work, and play as we have, and, most importantly, enjoy the same peace and quiet that we've come to take for granted?

The answer is no, of course not.  They are still under occupation of the cruelest and most heartless man on earth, the Zionists, who not only hate, but try their best, their very best, to make things difficult for the Palestinians.  They not only try to demolish the Palestinian's home, take their lands, but also claim those land to be their own.  But that, my dear brothers and sisters, is not all.  They had done many massacres, again, and again, killing so many innocent lives, children and women alike.

Yes, the media is now relatively quiet of any news of the Land.   How are things there, currently?  What is it that we should, as Muslims and as caring human beings, be aware of?

To know more of the current situation there... do come to the talk by Bro Azman, who had recently came back from Gaza, with the envoy VIVA Palestine.. (click the pic below to enlarge).

found this from a blog.. but the source is from a news article..

Gaza, March 3, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - An increase in birth defects among newborns in the Gaza Strip - first documented in the Palestine Telegraph - has become apparent, despite claims to the contrary by some doctors at Al-Shifa Hospital. Pregnant women say they are living in constant fear. 

Noha Abu Laban, 37, a resident of Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, is in her final month of pregnancy and says: "In the war, I inhaled the smoke of white phosphorus, which was fired on the roof of our house. I have been feeling sick since my pregnancy, and have had heavy bleeding." Noha is currently being treated in the High-Risk Pregnancy Care Unit at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Alaa Al-Tunp, a 25-year-old resident in the Al-Tofah neighborhood, says: "When I heard the stories of deformed fetuses, I became so worried, especially since I miscarried once before, during the war, when I was in my third month of pregnancy. I had inhaled the smoke of the white phosphorus. There are many pregnant women here in the High=Risk Pregnancy Care Unit who had the same experience." Alaa says she is very worried that she will miscarry once again, or that her baby will be deformed.

More than 20 pregnant women interviewed at the High-Risk Pregnancy Care Unit at Al-Shifa reported suffering intermittent bleeding.

Ahlam, a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, indicated that there have been many infants with birth defects, and some die after just a week. Most of the newborns in this condition are not named, since it is believed they will not survive. One of the babies, for example, suffers from deformities in which his head is twice the size of his body, his skin is wrinkled and covered with thick hair, and his respiratory system struggles to function.

Dr. Jehad Hisain, who works at the neonatal intensive care unit at Al-Shifa Hospital, confirmed that these deformities are increasing, adding that the parents often do not visit them in the unit for months, since death is their babies' anticipated fate.

Experts regard the most recent birth defect in Gaza as a result of the last one sided war launched by Israel. The Israeli war "massacre" claimed the lives of thousands while DU weapons and white phosphorous targeted only areas populated by civilians in Gaza.

Mads Gilbert , a Norwegian doctor who worked in Gaza in time of war, revealed that Israel used new close-range explosive (DIME) shells that cause severe injuries and battlefield amputations on the civilians being struck by these weapons.

Previous report of the Palestine Telegraph documented birth defect cases that give strong proofs, that Israel has used such weapons. 

Report/Photos: Eman Jomaa

(source)

Let Us RECAP to ADAPT

When you are HUMILIATED, remember the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in TA'IF.

When you are STARVING, remember the Prophet (Peace be upon him) tying two stones to his stomach in the battle of KHANDAQ.

When becoming ANGRY and SAD, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him)control of anger and sadness on the martyrdom of his beloved Uncle HAMZAH.

When losing a TOOTH, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) tooth in the battle of UHUD.

When BLEEDING from any part of the body, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) body covered in blood stoned by the people of TA'IF.

When feeling LONELY, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) seclusion in Mount HIRA.

When feeling TIRED in salaat, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) bruised feet in TAHAJJUD.

When being PRICKLED with thorns, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him)pain from ABU LAHAB'S wife.

When being TROUBLED by neighbors, remember the old woman who would throw rubbish on the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

When LOSING a child, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) sons, ABDUL QOSIM, ABDULLAH and IBRAHIM,

When BEGINNING a long journey, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him)long journey to MADINAH in Hijrah.

When going AGAINST a Sunnah, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) love towards his ummah in his last words “Ummati, Ummati, Ummati.”

When experiencing POVERTY, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) days of poverty.
When LOSING a family member, remember the Death of Prophet's (Peace be upon him) beloved first wife, Khadijah and Uncle, Abu Muthalib.

When becoming an ORPHAN, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) tough life as an orphan.

When LOVING an orphan, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) love for ZAID IBN HARITHA.

When FEARING an enemy, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) saying to Abu Bakr during HIJRAH.

Whatever SITUATIONS you may find yourself in, REMEMBER your ROLE MODEL, the best of creation: Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) THE CHOSEN ONE.

>> this is actually a post by Br. Amin Misran, taken from his blog.  May we be counted as the Prophet's (PBUH) ummah on the day when our deeds shall be counted.. How strong is our love for Rasulullah?  Is it enough to get us to meet him in Jannah?

may Allah bless..