Mental Ilness or Jinn? Watching a Faith Healer at Work , #fb

A Doctor in Iraq, Watching a Faith Healer at Work
By AMIR A. AFKHAMI, M.D.

Published: December 27, 2010

"Moreover, blaming the jinn allowed the family to see the young woman’s misbehavior as aberrant and shifted responsibility from her to a supernatural being. My Iraqi colleague agreed that despite his own strongly secular perspective, he still believed that honest faith healers fulfilled an important role in a war-ravaged country with a severe shortage of mental health professionals. "
Read more....

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/health/28cases.html?_r=1

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Why Are People So Divided When It Comes To Children's Mental Health?

Why Are People So Divided When It Comes To Children's Mental Health?
Dr. Harold Koplewicz.
National leading child and adolescent psychiatrist; president,
The Child Mind Institute


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-harold-koplewicz/mental-health-being-openminded_b_791706.html

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Blessed --Why I love my messy house

Blessed --Why I love my messy house



By Tammy Laws Lawson

Reprinted courtesy of "Chicken Soup for the Christian Family Soul."

A friend and I were standing in line at the grocery store the other day, and I was telling her how lazy my children were. I had come in from work that morning, and like most times, my house was wrecked.

"I believe children nowadays are just out for what they can get. I bend over backwards for them, and they can't even help keep our house clean. It wouldn't bother me so, but it's the woman who looks bad if the house is a mess.""Do you know how blessed you are?" a woman behind us asked. "I would love to go home and find my house a mess. I wouldn't mind my carpet being ruined or the dishes left everywhere. I wouldn't mind the dirty clothes being piled high or the many socks to match. I wouldn't even mind anyone talking about my dirty home. Matter of fact, I would love it. I would dearly love to kick my way through the house just to get to my kids and be able to hug them, kiss them and tell them how much I love them.

You see, my two children were killed in an auto accident and now it's just my husband and me. My house stays clean, my clothes stay put up, the dishes are done. There are no fingerprints on my walls, no mysterious spots on my carpets. There are no sounds of arguing, no slamming doors, no laughter, no 'I love you Mom.' So you see, you are very blessed. What I would give to be going through what you are right now. How I would love to be able to hold my kids, wipe away their tears, share their dreams. Just to watch them play. If I had my children, I wouldn't care how my house looked. I would be happy just to have them."

Now if you come into my house and see a big old mess, you can think bad thoughts if you want, but I feel greatly blessed.

MY SUNKEN EYES , #fb

MY SUNKEN EYES


The men sitting there grossly stuff their famous faces.
Their plates piled high as ant hills
Voluminous glasses of drinks as tall as small infants
They sit there eating and
Talking about the world’s problems.

They slurp and gulp their king size beers
Bellies expanding and belts popping open
They feast and gobble up uncaringly OINK OINK.

Little do they know that I sit there with my sunken eyes
Craving through the gleaming glass window
I shiver like a leaf with my empty belly growling
I can see the feast, I can imagine the taste
But can’t get it into my belly.

I am so weak I am struggling to survive.
I manage to wave my coffee cup high above the window.
Maybe I am invisible to them.

I wonder what they are talking about
Are they talking about the homeless problem outside?
Those WONDERFUL Politicians
With Words And NO ACTIONS.

by: Ontario, Canada  Grade 9 Student (2008)

On The Passing of the Acclaimed Translator - Muhtar Holland

To God we belong and to Him we will return. I regret to inform you of the passing of our beloved brother, and acclaimed translator, Muhtar Holland. Many of you have been touched in some form or another by the works Muhtar has translated. From Imam Ghazali's "Duites of brotherhood" and "Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship" to the works of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Jilani, Muhtar has connected us with the great luminaries of the past shaping our spiritual lives for years to come. .....

Read More....
http://www.almadinainstitute.org/news/on-the-passing-of-acclaimed-translator-muhtar-holland/

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Peace

Peace

Sick Leave as National Policy

Trying to Live Without It in the US

Sick Leave as National Policy

By DAVID MACARAY

http://www.counterpunch.org/macaray10252010.html

In addition to the 163 countries that guarantee employees paid sick leave, here are some social service/public health statistics (provided by the Institute for Health and Social Policy) that should make Americans blush:

177 nations guarantee paid leave for new mothers; the U.S. does not.
74 nations guarantee paid leave for new fathers; the U.S. does not.
132 nations guarantee breastfeeding breaks at work; the U.S. does not.
48 nations guarantee paid time off to care for children’s health issues; the U.S. does not.
41 nations provide leave that can be used for child education needs; the U.S. does not.
33 nations provide paid leave to care for adult family members; the U.S. does not.

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Parents Love of Education and Philosophy

By: Ellen Roseman  of the Toronto Star

How I honoured my parents’ love of education - thestar.com

"In my case, I was a liberal arts student who stumbled into a philosophy class and was entranced. After getting my BA, I left my home in Montreal to take a master’s degree in philosophy at the University of Toronto...

"Today, philosophy classes fill up quickly at the university’s three campuses. Students want to learn how to think logically and analyze clearly – skills that will help them in any career they choose.


“We’re more popular than ever,” Ainslie tells me. “Philosophy is the ideal preparation for almost anything in the contemporary world. You learn how to make a persuasive case for your position.”......

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Divorced parents ordered to read books and write summaries by Justice David Price , #fb

Ontario Superior Court Justice David Price told the separated couple, who are bickering over money and access to children, that the books “may improve their ability to communicate and resolve some of the issues that are troubling them.”


The couple has until Nov. 30 to read the books and provide “proof they have done so, together with the one-page summary, for each book, of one insight that they have gained from it and one strategy, if any, they are prepared to adopt based on it.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/882776--judge-orders-warring-parents-to-read-report-on-three-books

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Lord Illume my heart with your light

Lord illume my heart with your light

Daily Notes: Learn about the issues, be part of the solution .....

Daily Notes: Learn about the issues, be part of the solution .....: "Toronto Community Foundation http://www.tcf.ca/index.html"

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A person's true nature, #fb

If in the darkness of ignorance,you dont recognize a person's true nature, look to see whom he has chosen for his leader. -Rumi, Mathnawi [IV, 1640

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The Jane bus became a global village

Fiorito: The Jane bus and the vale of tears
"It was as if the Jane bus had become a mobile village, and each of us had a stake in the raising of that boy; our future depended on him, and if we let him learn to be a problem now, he’d be a problem for the rest of our lives......

Joe Fiorito

Joe is a great observer of the minutiae of the city's underbelly. He is a masterful storyteller.

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Sainthood

• DiManno: Long, winding road to sainthood
• DiManno: Sainthood's not for sissies
• DiManno: The long, strange road to sainthood
• Medical miracles a must for saints
• DiManno: Miracles and saints find room in Rome

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Learn about the issues, be part of the solution .. #fb

Toronto Community Foundation
http://www.tcf.ca/index.html

Brain cancer tied to heavy cellphone use, says author

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/article/870363--brain-cancer-tied-to-heavy-cellphone-use-says-author

Children are vulnerable for three reasons. Their skulls are thinner so signals can penetrate deeper. Their brains contain more fluid; the more fluid, the more affected by microwave radiation. Finally, the brains of children continue to develop and grow. We know from modern neuroscience that their brains are not fully mature until their mid-20s, and later for boys than girls.

• Kid caution: Children, especially preadolescents, should use land lines when possible and cellphones only for essential purposes, limiting the length of calls to five or 10 minutes and using headsets, according to a Toronto Public Health advisory in 2008. Health officials in Britain have also discouraged cellphone use by children and have urged the industry not to market their products to children

Video preview: Is multiculturalism fantastic or a failure?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/multiculturalism/video-preview-is-multiculturalism-fantastic-or-a-failure/article1735384/

Quote #fb

Our children may learn about heroes of the past. Our task is to make ourselves architects of the future..-Jomo Kenyatta

 

Mental Illness - Ontario - Links

Useful Links
GAPS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM: IMPACTS AND THE ROLE OF POLICE
CFACT: A Voice For Change
Parents for Children's Mental Health
Schizophrenia Fact Sheet

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Freedom to be sick leaves families feeling chained

Caregivers who can't get mentally ill loved ones to seek help grapple with laws designed to protect civil rights
ANDRE PICARD

From Friday's Globe and Mail

Vani Jain, manager of policy and community relations at the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario, which runs the innovative Justice and Mental Health Program to support parents, says: “The No. 1 question we get here is, ‘How do I get help for my loved one who doesn't want it?' .....
http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081127.wmhcriminals1128/BNStory/mentalhealth/


November 27, 2008 at 10:03 PM EDT

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Film peers into the mind of the mentally ill

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Film peers into the mind of the mentally ill
Eyes Beyond based on filmmaker's bipolar experience

Daniel Reininghaus's new film lifts the veil on mental illness.

The charismatic twentysomething wrote, directed, produced and is the lead actor in Eyes Beyond, an award-winning 28-minute independent social drama/horror/thriller based on the Etobicoke man's personal experience with bipolar disorder....
http://www.insidetoronto.com/community/health/article/876230--film-peers-into-the-mind-of-the-mentally-ill

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Reyal Jardine-Douglas

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Why did mentally ill man have to die? - Published On Sun Sep 19 2010
Brendan Kennedy

The cases are strikingly similar: a man with mental illness who has stopped taking his medication wields a makeshift weapon, such as a hammer or kitchen knife, and is confronted by police.


He refuses to drop the weapon or threatens the officers and is shot dead.

The latest killing happened three weeks ago, when Reyal Jardine-Douglas was shot by police while fleeing a TTC bus allegedly armed with a knife. His death came virtually on the eve of a coroner’s inquest into Byron Debassige’s similarly deadly confrontation with Toronto police two years ago.


Starting Monday, a jury of five ordinary people will try to answer the same questions at Debassige’s inquest that were asked at the inquests for Lester Donaldson, Edmond Yu, Wayne Williams and seven other men with mental illness who were killed by Toronto police officers over the last two decades: Why was this person killed and what can be done to avoid similar deaths in the future?.....

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http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters/article/857076--we-must-learn-from-shooting
Re: Police knew of mental illness before fatal shooting: Family, Sept. 1


Once again a mentally-ill man is gunned down by those whose job it is to protect public safety. Everyone can agree that no one should be allowed to harm the public and that officers have a right to defend themselves, especially when facing an armed assailant.

Nonetheless, we also need to recognize that the mentally ill must not be treated like criminals. Their condition is directing their actions. There is no intent to commit violence. The police should make every effort to defuse the situation, including avoiding the type of lethal confrontation that killed Reyal Jardine-Douglas.

Something broke down in the system that is supposed to prevent these incidents. Whether the officers were not properly apprised of Jardine-Douglas’s condition, whether they forgot some piece of their training, or whether their training was not adequate for this situation, a young man lies dead.

Jardine-Douglas could have been anyone’s brother — yours or mine. Please, let’s try to ensure this is the last time lethal force is used against the mentally ill.

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/andre-picard/ontarios-mental-health-system-needs-to-be-fixed-now/article1692785/  - Sept 01

Ontario’s mental-health system needs to be fixed now

Andre Picard

Published on Wednesday, Sep. 01, 2010 2:25PM EDT

What a cruel juxtaposition of events.


Last Thursday, a committee of the Ontario Legislature released a hard-hitting report on the need to fundamentally transform the province’s mental-health and addictions system.

Then, on Sunday, as if to underscore the urgency of implementing their recommendations, Toronto Police shot to death 25-year-old Reyal Jensen Jardine-Douglas. The shooting is still under investigation, but his “crime” seems to have been to suffer from mental illness.

The scenario is depressingly familiar: Young man has a psychotic episode, police are called (usually by a concerned family member), the agitated individual (screaming threats and sometimes brandishing a weapon) refuses to obey police orders. Bullets fly. Another “crazy” person dies. Then we are all left to wonder why.

Invariably, police and families are put in this untenable situation because the sick individual was untreated. The shooter, the ill person and the grieving family are all victims – of a broken system.

Mr. Jardine-Douglas is a case in point. Suffering from severe paranoia, he was taken to the family doctor on Aug. 27. His condition worsened so, the next day, his family took him to a hospital, where he was turned away because no psychiatrist was available. Help was sought at a second hospital, but the man refused treatment (not unusual for people with severe mental illness) and fled. Police were called because the family feared for his life. Not long after, Mr. Jardine-Douglas was making a scene on a city bus, then he was shot. He is dead because he didn’t get timely, appropriate care.

“We are convinced that a radical transformation of mental-health and addictions care is necessary if Ontarians are to get the care they need and deserve,” the committee headed by MPP Kevin Flynn wrote in a report tabled a few days earlier.

The MPPs heard many heart-wrenching stories about families’ inability to get care for their loved ones in a byzantine system, and about the frustrations of caregivers who have one hand tied behind their backs by senseless laws. To their credit, the politicians proposed some sensible, no-nonsense solutions.

First and foremost, they called for the creation of a new umbrella organization, Mental Health and Addictions Ontario.

Hold on, you might say, the last thing we need is more bureaucracy. But the single biggest problem with the mental-health system is that there is no system, only a muddled patchwork of services.


MHAO would be modelled on Cancer Care Ontario, which has been revolutionary by organizing cancer care in the province. Mental health needs the same medicine.

Currently, getting medical treatment, particularly for acute problems such as psychotic episodes, is nearly impossible. Emergency-room protocols are uneven at best; 24/7 mobile crisis-intervention teams work marvellously, but they are few and far between. There is an acute lack of treatment beds, particularly in psychiatric hospitals. While these institutions have fallen out of favour, they are essential for the sickest of the sick.

Most people suffering from mental illness live in the community, but getting appropriate care in the real world is dizzyingly complex. They need housing as much as medication and they need income as much as counselling, but our social welfare system operates in silos.

Mental-health and addiction services are funded or provided by 10 different provincial ministries. Community care is delivered by 440 children’s mental-health agencies, 330 adult mental-health agencies, 150 substance-abuse treatment groups and 50 problem-gambling centres. There are many well-meaning programs, but there is no co-ordination and little collaboration.

The lack of leadership and accountability is disturbing, and sometimes deadly.

The legislature committee pointed out, quite astutely, that while mental illness and addictions are medical conditions, they have become criminalized to a troubling degree. More than one-third of people in custody in Ontario suffer from a diagnosed mental illness and substance abuse is a factor in half of all criminal offences.

“Far too many Ontarians experience their first contact with the mental-health system through the justice system,” the MPPs wrote.

Police need to be better trained to deal with people suffering from mental illness and these sick individuals need to be sentenced to care, not jail.

One of the most compelling aspects of the report – and one that will probably prove to be the most controversial – is the call to broaden the criteria for involuntary admission (and, by extension, limit the right of severely mentally ill people to refuse treatment.) “The right to autonomy must be balanced by the right to be well,” the committee wrote.

It is a travesty that families have trouble getting care for family members who are clearly very ill, yet refuse treatment or are too quickly discharged.


This is not freedom, it’s a death sentence.

Similarly, privacy laws create perverse situations where families are emotionally and financially invested in caring for a loved one but are denied even the most basic information about their condition.

The recommendations made by the all-party committee are not new, but they are stated plainly, concisely and with an appropriate sense of urgency. Given the unanimity, there should not be a moment’s hesitation to act.

As the MPPs said succinctly in the report’s conclusion: “The necessary changes have yet to be made and individuals continue to suffer.”

Implementing the recommendations would launch a new era of compassion, care and safety for mentally ill people and their families. Inaction will leave us all with blood on our hands.

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Aug 31, 2010
Brendan Kennedy

Reyal Jardine-Douglas’s family called police to get him help. Later on, after a confrontation with officers, he was dead.

The family of the 25-year-old Pickering man fatally shot by police on Sunday says he suffered from mental illness, including paranoia, and that they had called police to get him admitted to hospital.


In a statement released Tuesday through their lawyer, Jardine-Douglas’s family said they phoned 911 early Sunday afternoon from Lawrence Ave. E. and Victoria Park Ave. to get him help. “He was not exhibiting any violent behaviours at the time,” the statement noted.

The family told 911 that Jardine-Douglas had boarded a southbound Victoria Park bus, informing the dispatcher of his mental state “on more than one occasion.” The family’s lawyer, Glenn Stuart, said they believed that message had been communicated to the attending officers.

Jardine-Douglas was shot by an officer after he fled from the bus when it was pulled over by police at about 3:10 p.m.


Witnesses said police cruisers boxed in the bus and a man bolted through the rear as officers boarded through the front door. According to one witness, three shots were fired in a confrontation.

A knife was recovered at the scene.

The revelation has reignited criticism of the police three weeks before a coroner’s inquest opens into a similar police shooting two years ago.

On Feb. 16, 2008, 28-year-old Byron Debassige, who had schizophrenia, was shot dead by police in Oriole Park after he stole lemons from a local grocery store armed with a 10-centimetre knife.

Officers were cleared of wrongdoing by the Special Investigations Unit, which said Debassige “advanced” toward them and ignored repeated commands to drop the knife. But Debassige’s family and Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto say the officers needlessly escalated the situation.

Police knew of mental illness before fatal shooting, family says - thestar.com

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Josh's struggles resonate with readers - Parentcentral.ca

One mother's lonely journey to help a son struggling through school was, it turns out, not so lonely after all.


March 14, 2009


Josh's struggles resonate with readers - Parentcentral.ca

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Pearls of Wisdom

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The eye of a small person makes small things look large. And the eye of a great person makes great calamities look small. [Mutanabbih]
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“It is astonishing how people can influence others, simply by keeping their company. Don’t take a companion unless their state elevates you, and that they take you closer to God. Don’t have friends that complain all the time. There’s nothing worse than to be around a complainer. Be around people that uplift you, that are positive, optimistic. Help people with their problems, but put yourself in environments that help you move forward. And don’t be of the people out there that don’t want to see others succeed.”
- Ustadh Yahya Rhodus

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Aug
Eda LeShan:


Becoming responsible adults is no longer a matter of whether children hang up there pajamas or put dirty towels in the hamper, but whether they care about themselves and others -- and whether they see everyday chores as related to how we treat this planet.

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Aug 22, 2010
"I focus on what's really important in life. Quality rather than appearance...ethics rather than rules...integrity rather than domination...knowledge rather than achievement...serenity rather than acquisitions." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
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Aug 22, 2010
‎'The loving, innocent world of animals serves as a good example for me.' The more you stop to observe animals and learn from them, the healthier and more peaceful your life will be. - Dr. Wayne Dyer

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Aug 19, 2010
"The world is not
dangerous because of those who do harm but because of those who look at
it without doing anything” Albert Einstein"

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Aug 05, 2010
"It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is better still to sit with the good than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words." (Bukhari)

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July 17,2010
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death”

~ Thomas Paine
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July 12,2010
Imam Zaid Shakir - "True religion shines from the face of the believer and impresses itself on others without words. It is subsequently followed by words that are uplifting and beneficial."

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July 12,2010
Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The most blessed nikah is the one with the least expenses.” [Bayhaqi]

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Jul 08 , 2010
How to Be Curious?Cultivate a habit of asking good questions. Understand that we can experience miracles if we're inquisitive.
Realize that we know very little and there's discovery and adventure around every corner.
Inquire into new ideas, people, situations, places.
Open our minds to others' points of view. Unleash our inner child, who is naturally inquisitive.
Suspend judging and evaluating?there's always time for that later.

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Jul 04 , 2010
The hypocrite looks for faults; the believer looks for excuses”- Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

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Jul 01 2010
Friendship takes many years to establish; so do not fall out with a friend over a single disagreement.-Sadi, 'Gulistan

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"I try to teach my children that being successful isn’t necessarily about performing a specific task, being in a certain occupation, or living in a particular location. It’s about sharing yourself in a creative, loving way using the skills and interests that are inherently part of you." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

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Derision, ridiculing people, making jest at their expense, mocking them is a form of ignorance, whether it is lampooning, caricaturing, or name calling. Humour and levity are important in human life. But levity as a way of life harms the spiritual heart. And laughter and amusement at the expense of the dignity of others is wholly inappropriate.

Ali ibn Abi Talib said, "Do not belittle anyone, for he may be a saint of God." Imam al-Qurtubi once said, "When he was bowing down to idols in Makkah, Umar ibn al-Khattab was still beloved to God." Only God knows the seal of people and their destinies. A Moroccan proverb says, "Never mock any creature of God, for it might be beloved to He who created it."

Compiled From:

"Purification of The Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 141,142

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"People with wisdom know that it is important to correct their own mistakes, while people without wisdom find it necessary to point out the mistakes of others. People with strong faith know that it is important to clear their own hearts, while those with unsteady faith seek to find fault in the hearts and prayers of others." M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen

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Top 200 Universities in the World

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html

University of Toronto is Rank 19

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THE World University Rankings 2010 World Rank Institution Country Overall score change Teaching change International mix change Industry income change Research change Citations change


1 Harvard University United States 96.1 99.7 72.4 34.5 98.7 98.8

2 California Institute of Technology United States 96.0 97.7 54.6 83.7 98.0 99.9

3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology United States 95.6 97.8 82.3 87.5 91.4 99.9

4 Stanford University United States 94.3 98.3 29.5 64.3 98.1 99.2

5 Princeton University United States 94.2 90.9 70.3 Data not supplied 95.4 99.9

6 University of Cambridge United Kingdom 91.2 90.5 77.7 57.0 94.1 94.0

6 University of Oxford United Kingdom 91.2 88.2 77.2 73.5 93.9 95.1

8 University of California Berkeley United States 91.1 84.2 39.6 Data not supplied 99.3 97.8

9 Imperial College London United Kingdom 90.6 89.2 90.0 92.9 94.5 88.3

10 Yale University United States 89.5 92.1 59.2 Data not supplied 89.7 91.5

11 University of California Los Angeles United States 87.7 83.0 48.1 Data not supplied 92.9 93.2

12 University of Chicago United States 86.9 79.1 62.8 Data not supplied 87.9 96.9

13 Johns Hopkins University United States 86.4 80.9 58.5 100.0 89.2 92.3

14 Cornell University United States 83.9 82.2 62.4 34.7 88.8 88.1

15 Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Switzerland 83.4 77.5 93.7 Data not supplied 87.8 83.1

15 University of Michigan United States 83.4 83.9 53.3 59.6 89.1 84.1

17 University of Toronto Canada 82.0 75.8 Data not supplied Data not supplied 87.9 82.2

18 Columbia University United States 81.0 73.8 90.9 Data not supplied 73.8 92.6

19 University of Pennsylvania United States 79.5 71.8 32.9 43.7 82.7 93.6

20 Carnegie Mellon University United States 79.3 70.3 39.1 53.7 79.3 95.7

21 University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 79.2 68.4 91.4 56.5 71.4 96.1

22 University College London United Kingdom 78.4 74.0 90.8 39.0 81.6 80.6

23 University of Washington United States 78.0 68.2 49.0 32.8 77.1 95.9

24 Duke University United States 76.5 66.8 49.4 100.0 71.5 92.3

25 Northwestern University United States 75.9 64.5 60.5 Data not supplied 68.8 95.3

26 University of Tokyo Japan 75.6 87.7 18.4 Data not supplied 91.9 58.1

27 Georgia Institute of Technology United States 75.3 67.9 73.2 95.1 72.6 83.2

28 Pohang University of Science and Technology Republic of Korea 75.1 69.5 32.6 100.0 62.5 96.5

29 University of California Santa Barbara United States 75.0 56.6 64.3 89.8 68.0 98.8

30 University of British Columbia Canada 73.8 65.1 93.3 42.6 74.8 80.3

30 University of North Carolina United States 73.8 70.9 21.5 50.2 75.1 85.0

32 University of California San Diego United States 73.2 59.8 31.6 51.8 76.3 90.8

33 University of Illinois - Urbana United States 73.0 68.1 55.9 Data not supplied 80.9 72.9

34 National University of Singapore Singapore 72.9 65.5 97.8 40.5 72.6 78.7

35 McGill University Canada 71.7 69.0 85.9 Data not supplied 74.9 69.0

36 University of Melbourne Australia 71.0 58.7 88.0 47.7 69.2 83.3

37 Peking University China 70.7 76.4 68.6 98.6 61.3 72.2

38 Washington University Saint Louis United States 69.9 58.9 56.4 Data not supplied 63.0 88.6

39 Ecole Polytechnic France 69.5 57.9 77.9 Data not supplied 56.1 91.4

40 University of Edinburgh United Kingdom 69.2 59.9 67.3 42.2 61.9 86.8

41 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong 69.0 50.4 97.4 64.1 51.8 98.2

42 Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris France 68.6 66.8 44.9 30.7 48.2 95.7

43 Australian National University Australia 67.0 51.9 93.9 Data not supplied 62.4 81.0

43 University of Göttingen Germany 67.0 57.3 44.5 31.7 55.9 92.5

43 Karolinska Institute Sweden 67.0 65.8 Data not supplied 73.3 72.7 62.3

43 University of Wisconsin United States 67.0 55.5 43.7 Data not supplied 64.6 83.4

47 Rice University United States 66.9 57.4 31.2 29.2 50.6 99.1

48 École Polytechnique Federale of Lausanne Switzerland 66.5 55.0 100.0 38.0 56.1 83.8

49 University of Science and Technology of China China 66.0 57.5 Data not supplied 30.3 48.6 92.7

49 University of California Irvine United States 66.0 49.4 66.3 Data not supplied 54.7 91.6

51 Vanderbilt University United States 65.9 64.9 22.1 84.2 59.5 78.1

52 University of Minnesota United States 65.6 57.6 23.0 Data not supplied 69.1 76.4

53 Tufts University United States 65.2 64.1 28.3 Data not supplied 52.3 83.9

54 University of California Davis United States 65.0 57.3 60.5 48.0 70.7 68.8

55 Brown University United States 64.9 59.7 60.5 Data not supplied 57.0 77.7

56 University of Massachusetts United States 64.7 61.3 22.6 53.9 72.6 67.9

57 Kyoto University Japan 64.6 78.9 18.4 67.1 77.7 46.3

58 Tsinghua University China 64.2 74.9 43.0 97.8 66.6 52.7

59 Boston University United States 64.0 53.6 38.1 29.6 51.9 91.4

60 New York University United States 63.9 62.0 31.8 Data not supplied 50.7 82.9

61 University of Munich Germany 63.0 59.1 43.1 40.4 57.5 76.4

61 Emory University United States 63.0 63.4 52.3 Data not supplied 48.4 77.8

63 University of Notre Dame United States 62.8 56.4 35.6 Data not supplied 45.1 89.1

64 University of Pittsburgh United States 62.7 58.5 25.2 37.9 58.3 78.3

65 Case Western Reserve University United States 62.2 67.2 56.5 Data not supplied 53.8 66.0

66 Ohio State University United States 62.1 63.5 64.0 Data not supplied 54.9 67.2

67 University of Colorado United States 61.6 46.4 31.7 Data not supplied 58.1 83.4

68 University of Bristol United Kingdom 61.4 49.6 67.2 36.2 53.1 80.9

68 University of California Santa Cruz United States 61.4 38.3 16.7 Data not supplied 50.4 99.6

68 Yeshiva University United States 61.4 63.5 53.3 Data not supplied 46.7 74.4

71 University of Sydney Australia 61.2 49.8 89.6 90.8 61.9 64.3

72 University of Virginia United States 61.1 62.0 42.2 Data not supplied 55.4 68.6

73 University of Adelaide Australia 60.7 46.5 87.5 52.7 38.8 90.5

73 University of Southern California United States 60.7 65.4 31.2 Data not supplied 48.7 71.9

75 William & Mary United States 60.4 53.1 20.9 Data not supplied 36.1 95.6

76 Trinity College Dublin Ireland 60.3 47.7 84.2 31.6 45.3 84.4

77 King's College London United Kingdom 59.7 48.5 85.9 44.1 54.5 72.1

78 Stony Brook University United States 59.6 48.5 52.2 Data not supplied 43.6 85.8

79 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Republic of Korea 59.5 71.3 36.7 100.0 63.4 45.5

79 University of Sussex United Kingdom 59.5 42.4 72.8 29.1 42.4 91.6

81 University of Queensland Australia Australia 59.1 51.8 74.2 57.1 53.4 69.0

81 University of York United Kingdom 59.1 47.9 66.6 36.2 46.2 81.9

83 Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg Germany 59.0 59.2 63.4 39.1 47.5 70.3

83 University of Utah United States 59.0 55.8 22.5 Data not supplied 54.2 72.0

85 Durham University United Kingdom 58.9 39.8 65.7 33.9 44.1 91.0

86 London School of Economics and Political Science United Kingdom 58.3 62.4 99.5 38.4 56.2 51.6

87 University of Manchester United Kingdom 58.0 56.5 79.1 39.0 56.2 59.2

88 Royal Holloway, University of London United Kingdom 57.9 37.7 92.9 30.5 36.2 93.2

89 Lund University Sweden 57.8 46.3 56.8 33.2 60.8 67.6

90 University of Zurich Switzerland 57.7 56.6 87.9 43.8 47.0 65.0

90 University of Southampton United Kingdom 57.7 50.8 69.0 37.7 47.8 72.9

90 Wake Forest University United States 57.7 54.6 24.4 Data not supplied 42.9 79.2

93 McMaster University Canada 57.6 44.7 Data not supplied Data not supplied 58.7 68.5

94 University College Dublin Ireland 57.5 42.4 87.0 Data not supplied 36.6 86.3

95 University of Basel Switzerland 57.3 50.2 91.3 45.8 37.1 78.3

95 George Washington University United States 57.3 60.6 39.6 Data not supplied 43.1 70.2

95 University of Arizona United States 57.3 52.4 21.9 84.2 52.2 70.1

98 University of Maryland College Park United States 57.2 45.4 35.4 Data not supplied 48.6 79.2

99 Dartmouth College United States 57.1 44.7 31.0 Data not supplied 49.2 79.7

100 ENS De Lyon France 57.0 51.1 37.6 26.1 34.4 88.8

101 Technical University of Munich Germany 56.9 50.4 85.3 Data not supplied 43.2 71.2

102 University of Helsinki Finland 56.6 49.0 24.2 30.2 51.4 75.4

103 University of St. Andrews United Kingdom 56.5 44.8 85.7 32.6 47.7 72.9

104 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute United States 56.4 50.5 48.0 Data not supplied 54.6 64.9

105 Rutgers the State University of New Jersey United States 56.3 53.4 26.8 Data not supplied 64.7 55.7

106 Purdue University United States 56.2 57.0 62.6 Data not supplied 67.8 43.9

107 University of Cape Town South Africa 56.1 36.6 83.3 Data not supplied 42.1 82.8

107 National Tsing Hua University Taiwan 56.1 52.2 34.1 50.2 52.6 66.9

109 Seoul National University Republic of Korea 56.0 62.3 44.9 43.0 54.1 54.6

109 Pennsylvania State University United States 56.0 46.3 19.9 44.0 49.2 77.6

111 Hong Kong Baptist University Hong Kong 55.6 32.9 71.8 26.7 32.5 97.6

112 Tokyo Institute of Technology Japan 55.4 62.9 24.8 60.5 63.4 45.5

112 Bilkent University Turkey 55.4 34.3 47.7 32.4 36.1 95.7

114 Eindhoven University of Technology Netherlands 55.3 55.4 44.9 99.8 51.7 56.9

115 National Taiwan University Taiwan 55.2 50.3 29.2 35.7 59.0 61.6

115 University of Hawaii United States 55.2 38.3 34.2 Data not supplied 47.6 81.0

117 University of California Riverside United States 55.1 38.6 63.0 30.5 47.4 78.3

118 University of Geneva Switzerland 55.0 46.6 95.7 32.7 49.7 63.1

119 Catholic University of Leuven Belgium 54.8 57.7 29.6 97.7 62.9 45.2

120 Nanjing University China 54.6 52.2 50.2 43.4 46.2 66.0

120 Queen Mary, University of London United Kingdom 54.6 39.7 91.0 38.9 44.1 73.5

122 Technical University of Denmark Denmark 54.5 46.2 64.0 95.5 46.9 64.6

122 Michigan State University United States 54.5 50.4 30.4 Data not supplied 52.7 63.7

124 Ghent University Belgium 54.4 52.8 24.7 97.1 59.1 52.8

124 Leiden University Netherlands 54.4 47.3 40.0 100.0 54.9 59.3

124 Lancaster University United Kingdom 54.4 43.5 73.8 28.8 41.9 74.9

127 University of Alberta Canada 54.3 53.7 71.6 44.5 58.0 49.7

128 University of Glasgow United Kingdom 54.2 45.6 55.1 61.0 50.3 65.1

129 Stockholm University Sweden 54.0 36.9 Data not supplied 31.7 49.2 75.9

130 University of Victoria Canada 53.4 32.9 Data not supplied 27.4 48.3 79.1

130 Osaka University Japan 53.4 61.7 20.1 73.4 63.4 40.0

132 University of Freiburg Germany 53.3 52.4 46.2 79.8 41.4 64.3

132 Tohoku University Japan 53.3 60.3 20.1 82.3 62.5 41.2

132 University of Iowa United States 53.3 48.6 31.7 Data not supplied 59.8 54.8

135 University of Bergen Norway 52.7 39.9 66.6 41.5 42.1 73.1

136 University of Lausanne Switzerland 52.6 43.1 84.1 42.5 50.5 59.1

137 University of Sheffield United Kingdom 52.5 48.9 62.7 40.3 49.2 58.4

138 University of Montreal Canada 52.4 56.1 Data not supplied Data not supplied 49.4 51.9

139 VU University Amsterdam Netherlands 52.3 47.6 30.6 81.4 51.6 58.5

140 Pierre and Marie Curie University France 52.2 51.9 30.7 26.4 37.2 71.5

140 University of Dundee United Kingdom 52.2 34.1 54.4 49.3 41.0 79.3

142 University of Barcelona Spain 52.1 34.1 22.3 30.0 33.7 91.9

143 Utrecht University Netherlands 52.0 43.4 52.6 55.3 53.0 58.8

144 Wageningen University and Research Center Netherlands 51.9 58.5 24.3 Data not supplied 48.8 53.0

145 University of Auckland New Zealand 51.8 34.8 94.3 61.1 39.2 71.8

145 University of Birmingham United Kingdom 51.8 50.3 73.8 34.8 50.7 52.1

147 Alexandria University Egypt 51.6 29.5 19.3 36.0 28.0 99.8

147 Uppsala University Sweden 51.6 49.6 77.9 39.5 62.2 40.7

149 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong 51.4 39.4 82.9 57.2 45.7 62.4

149 University of Aberdeen United Kingdom 51.4 37.8 86.1 47.0 45.2 64.6

151 Delft University of Technology Netherlands 51.3 55.5 47.4 99.4 67.7 29.0

152 University of New South Wales Australia 51.2 49.5 70.7 60.0 48.9 51.2

152 Birkbeck, University of London United Kingdom 51.2 41.2 88.5 27.4 35.8 70.6

152 Newcastle University United Kingdom 51.2 42.7 80.5 31.1 42.8 63.6

155 Pompeu Fabra University Spain 51.1 35.0 44.1 40.0 33.0 84.7

156 Indiana University United States 51.0 48.5 37.7 Data not supplied 42.5 63.2

156 Iowa State University United States 51.0 49.3 23.2 49.6 49.6 58.2

158 Medical College of Georgia United States 50.7 67.3 16.3 50.1 41.7 48.9

159 Erasmus University Rotterdam Netherlands 50.4 39.4 58.6 Data not supplied 43.6 65.5

159 University of Delaware United States 50.4 38.4 16.8 100.0 51.9 61.3

161 Arizona State University United States 50.3 43.0 24.1 Data not supplied 44.1 66.9

161 Boston College United States 50.3 40.1 31.6 Data not supplied 33.6 78.0

163 National Sun Yat-Sen University Taiwan 50.2 46.1 21.3 37.5 50.6 58.9

164 Georgetown University United States 50.1 65.1 24.7 Data not supplied 44.7 45.0

165 University of Amsterdam Netherlands 50.0 42.5 38.2 38.8 49.2 60.2

165 University of Liverpool United Kingdom 50.0 40.8 59.8 40.6 47.8 59.6

167 Aarhus University Denmark 49.9 38.1 33.4 61.5 55.6 57.3

168 University of Würzburg Germany 49.8 48.7 40.3 Data not supplied 40.9 60.4

168 University of Leeds United Kingdom 49.8 46.2 50.0 38.3 48.0 55.6

170 University of Groningen Netherlands 49.7 41.7 35.5 34.2 56.4 54.1

171 Sun Yat-sen University China 49.6 46.2 29.3 41.2 34.7 70.2

172 Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main Germany 49.4 39.2 56.1 41.6 37.3 69.5

173 Bielefeld University Germany 49.3 39.9 Data not supplied Data not supplied 35.7 70.4

174 Nanyang Technological University Singapore 49.0 43.6 96.3 40.0 51.7 45.0

174 University of East Anglia United Kingdom 49.0 42.1 62.8 29.7 40.4 62.8

174 University of Nottingham United Kingdom 49.0 46.8 74.8 38.4 44.1 52.5

177 University of Copenhagen Denmark 48.8 44.1 45.8 26.1 45.7 58.3

178 Monash University Australia 48.5 39.4 87.1 40.8 38.8 60.5

178 Humboldt University of Berlin Germany 48.5 50.9 46.1 27.8 44.5 52.0

178 University of Bonn Germany 48.5 46.8 46.8 29.4 33.8 65.3

181 National Chiao Tung University Taiwan 48.3 53.2 57.9 98.7 54.4 32.9

182 RWTH Aachen University Germany 48.2 50.0 63.8 56.6 42.5 48.9

183 Middle East Technical University Turkey 47.7 39.5 27.2 43.9 39.5 66.4

184 University of Exeter United Kingdom 47.6 40.4 62.8 32.2 42.5 57.9

185 University of Twente Netherlands 47.5 49.9 62.4 49.8 48.3 42.0

186 University of Konstanz Germany 47.3 42.7 93.6 Data not supplied 40.1 51.3

187 University of Innsbruck Austria 47.2 37.9 99.5 35.0 34.8 60.2

187 Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Germany 47.2 45.0 47.3 40.0 35.4 60.7

189 Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen Germany 47.0 45.9 57.8 32.3 36.3 57.3

190 Yonsei University Republic of Korea 46.9 43.0 28.0 40.4 48.7 52.2

190 Drexel University United States 46.9 45.0 60.6 27.4 35.9 58.2

190 University of Cincinnati United States 46.9 43.6 18.9 32.5 40.4 61.5

193 Dalhousie University Canada 46.8 41.6 44.9 Data not supplied 50.2 48.8

193 Royal Institute of Technology Sweden 46.8 49.1 64.2 100.0 56.2 29.2

195 University of Vienna Austria 46.7 47.6 63.2 27.0 45.7 45.6

196 Kent State University United States 46.5 33.5 15.9 26.3 33.3 76.8

197 Zhejiang University China 46.4 54.6 29.6 70.3 41.3 44.3

197 University of Illinois - Chicago United States 46.4 57.8 51.8 Data not supplied 46.8 34.7

199 Simon Fraser University Canada 46.2 32.9 51.9 37.9 44.2 60.2

199 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Sweden 46.2 43.3 Data not supplied 99.9 49.5 41.7

Times Higher Education's World University Rankings for iPhone and iPod touch

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After Salafeeyah, Dreams of Sheikh Gilani, and the Path to Sufism

http://umarlee.com/2010/07/27/after-salafeeyah-dreams-of-sheikh-gilani-and-the-path-to-sufism/

"So I recognized at the same time they offered a spiritual void and a social void for the community. They recruit to their flock but do not address spiritual needs or practice the science of Islamic spirituality. Sunnah is studied and followed but it is in the spirit of the hated Pharisees and not in the true spirit of the Sunnah. Love for the Prophet (s.a.s.) is claimed but no time is spent expressing your love. Love for Allah is claimed but little time is spent in dhikr..."

"From this day on I will seek to practice the Sunnah in a complete way and I am on a new path of knowledge today and I pray Allah blesses me to grow. I have no affiliation with any organization or group as of yet, but inshaAllah I pray that I am blessed to be in the future, I am just writing these words as a humble servant of Allah praying to make up for some of the misguidance I have shared over the years with readers...."

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When Conversion goes awry: The strange case of Umar Lee
Nazim Baksh

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Stephen Hawking says universe not created by God•

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Stephen Hawking says universe not created by God• Physics, not creator, made Big Bang, new book claims

Professor had previously referred to 'mind of God'

Chief rabbi challenges Stephen Hawking in row over origins of universe, Lord Sacks accuses astrophysicist of logical fallacy in book excluding possibility of supernatural creation


Stephen Hawking can't use physics to answer why we're here- Modern belief in God is not about covering the gaps in  our knowledge, but about answering different types of questions

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Rumi's Masnavi

Rumi's Masnavi guardian.co.uk
 
Rumi's Masnavi, part 1: World figure or new age fad?- Rumi's influence has long been felt throughout the Muslim world. Will his recent success in the west prove as long lasting?

Rumi's Masnavi, part 2: Under the surface - For Rumi, the reality accessible to our senses often obscures the true meaning that lies beneath



Rumi's Masnavi, part 3: Knowledge and certaintyCan learning lead to God? - For Rumi, knowledge is always




Rumi's Masnavi, part 4: Rumi's Sufism -Sharia and the external observance of religious rules are only the beginning for the seeker after truth

Rumi's Masnavi, part 5: On loveFor Rumi, - love is the astrolabe of God's mysteries and the animating force of creation


Rumi's Masnavi, part 6: Unity of being- In Rumi's theology of love, the 'death' of the baser self is the only way to achieve union with the divine


Rumi's Masnavi, part 7: God's graceFor Rumi, - God's grace allows us to be judged on our intentions, and to recognise our common dependence on him


Rumi's Masnavi, part 8: Echoes of celestial music -Rumi's teaching transcends the petty human squabbles that keep us divided. His words are a path to the divine

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Eyewitness: The poor and the dead

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AUTISM

Sorbara advised jail for aggressive autistic teen, mom claims - Aug 27, 2010


Genes provide key to autism  ---Dr. Stephen Scherer, senior scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children, co-led an international research team to find the genetic roots of autism

Study links autism to dozens of missing genes


Autism: Making sense of a confusing world
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/02/f-autism.html

http://jacobfreeman.blogspot.com/
Spectrum of Hope - Our journey as a family through the autism spectrum

This blog has been created as a way of letting others in on our journey with our son's autism spectrum disorder

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AL- I'TIROOF - Cinta Rasul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_vMCfhKr54

with English -Subtitles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hSqdjKaMto

English Translation

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DUA

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The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that one should say, “Allahumma ajirni min an-nar,” (‘O Allah, save me from the Fire!’) seven times after Maghrib and Fajr prayers. He told us (Allah bless him and give him peace) that saying it at Maghrib would grant one protection from the Fire if one died at night; and saying it at Fajr would grant one protection from the Fire if one died during the day. [Sunan Abi Dawud]

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Golden Dua
http://goldenduas.com/down/Arabic_English.pdf

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Allahumma innaka ‘Afuwun Karimun tuhib ul ‘afwa fa ‘afu’ anni, Allahumma inni as’aluka al-afu, wa al-afiyah wa al-mu’afat ad-daimah fi ad-dini wa ad-duniya wal-akhirah.

O Allah! You are Pardoning and Generous and You love to pardon, so pardon me. O Allah! I ask you for pardoning, good health (in body), and to be (spiritually) healthy always in my religion and in this life and the hereafter. Amin ya Rabb!

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Dua for Noor:
Allahumma-al fi qalbi noor'an wa fi lisani noor'an wa fi basri noor'an wa fi sam'i noor'an wa 'an yamini noor'an wa'an yasaari noor'an min fawqi noor'an wa mintahti noor'an wa min amaami nooa'an wa min khalfi noor'an wa-jal li fi nafsi noor'an wa'a zim li noor'an.

O Allah! Make a light (noor) in my heart a light, and in my tongue a light. and in my sight a light, and in my hearing alight, and on my right a light, and on my left a light, and over me a light, and under me a light, and in front of me a light, and behind me a light, and make for myself a light, and grant me a great light.)..Ameen

Lord, illumine my heart with your light
My eyes with your effulgence
My ears with your radiance
Your light to my right, light to my left
Light above, light below
Light before me, light behind me
Allow your light to surround me , Lord

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as reported by And'Allah ibn Abbas , Sahih al-Bukhari
(The Bounty of Allah, Compiled and Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed)

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Guyana minister: Rum may be fun, but don't glorify

Guyana minister: Rum may be fun, but don't glorify
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100821/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_guyana_rum_lyrics

Sat Aug 21, 2:29 pm ET


GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana's top health official is urging popular singers to stop soaking their lyrics in rum.

Health Minister Leslie Ramsammy says recent radio hits such as "Bring De Rum" and "Rum Till I Die" are undermining efforts to reduce alcohol abuse in Guyana.

The health ministry is conducting surveys to evaluate alcohol's influence on popular culture, including chutney, a style of dance music laced with Caribbean and East Indian rhythms.

Ramsammy said Saturday that he was not suggesting a ban on rum-drinking songs but called for artists to focus more on positive messages.

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Gandhi and Islam

Gandhi and Islam
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the spiritual and political leader of India, worked tirelessly to make India independent of British rule. His teaching was based on the power of love.


He organized campaigns to defy the government by peaceful means because he did not believe in the use of force. He once said: "An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind." His belief in non-violence was based on his faith that truth is God. India became independent in 1947 largely as a result of his leadership......

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The Weddings Today - Rev. Dr Giles Fraser

The Weddings Today - Rev. Dr Giles Fraser

"But the truth is: most clergy I know prefer taking funerals to taking weddings. And this isn't because we're essentially miserable or mawkish. Modern funerals - however painful - still have a beauty, a quiet dignity and a moral seriousness that is quite absent from many of the weddings that we get to take...."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/thought/documents/t20100804.shtml

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Girl, 14, forced to be prostitute in Greater Manchester

Disgusting.....

Nine men convicted at Manchester Crown Court in connection with the abuse were:

Aftab Khan, 31, of Tarporley Avenue, Fallowfield pleaded guilty to one count of controlling a child prostitute and one count of sexual activity with a child. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. This was later reduced to seven years on appeal

Abid Khaliq, 30, of Shrewsbury Street, Stretford was sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting perverting the course of justice

Noorzai Ahmed, 29, of Royce Court, Hulme was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of paying for the sexual services of a child

Mohammed Anwar Safi, 29, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 31 months in prison after admitting paying for the sexual services of a child

Mohammed Khan, 26, of Royce Court, Hulme was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of facilitating child prostitution

Najibullah Safi, 33, of Reabrook Avenue, West Gorton was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to sexual activity with a child

Asad Yousaf Hassa, 28, of Rivington Street, Rochdale was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting two counts of sexual activity with a child

Mohammed Basharat, 28, of Prospect Street, Rochdale was sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child under 16

Mohammed Atif, 29, of Rivington Street, Rochdale was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to sexual activity with a child

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-10844915

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7 Must Read Success Lessons from Dale Carnegie:

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/08/7-must-read-success-lessons-from-dale.html

7 Must Read Success Lessons from Dale Carnegie:


1. Inaction Breeds Fear

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Get busy today! If you have a good idea, put it to the test. Inaction breeds further inaction, and action breeds further action. One thing is sure: if you’re going to succeed, you’re going to have to take massive action, so get busy today!

2. Make Good Use of Your Time

"Instead of worrying about what people say of you; why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire.”

Spending time thinking about how people perceive you is a vast waste of valuable time. Concentrate your time in making a difference, and people will surely admire you.

3. Failure is the Stepping Stone to Success

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

Often those with the greatest defeats also have the greatest victories. You must use discouragement and failure as tools to move you from the pit to the palace.

4. We Determine Our Happiness

"Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions; it is governed by our mental attitude.”

Happiness is a decision; it is not based on what’s going on around us. It’s based solely on what’s going on inside of us. Our happiness is based on the thoughts that we choose to give our attention to; the thoughts that we choose to harbor. Dale Carnegie said, “It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”

5. Remember That Everything You Do Sends a Message

"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.”

Everything you do sends a message. The way you dress sends a message, the way you comb your hair sends a message.

Determine the message you want to send to the world, and then package yourself to ensure that message is being sent. Send a message of success and the world will receive it.

6. Do What You Enjoy

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

If you want to succeed, don’t do it for the money. Money is not a sufficient enough motivation to pull you over the many hurdles that are requisite for you to achieve success. If you want to succeed, spend your time doing what you enjoy. This way, when you succeed, you will enjoy your success.

7. Take a Chance

"The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.”

You have to take chances! You have to sometimes risk being embarrassed or risk failure in order to succeed.

Success requires everything that you are; you have to put it all out there. Dare to be different, dare to succeed. Carnegie said, “We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't even dream we can do.” But if you never dare, you will never know your potential

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Canada leads in Higher Education

The College Completion Agenda 2010

http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/sit/default/files/reports_pdf/Progress_Report_2010.pdf

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Reading "Have a little Faith" by Mitch Albom..

Reading "Have a little Faith" by Mitch Albom..


Rabbi asked the child what he thought about his parents. He said, "They weren't perfect, but...they don't need improvement". The Rabbi told him that his answer was very insightful and that that his answer show that he is willing to accept people aS they are. Nobody is perfect. Not even Mom and Dad. That's okay. The Rabbi then smiled and put his hand on the child's head. he recites a blessing "May the Lord cause his countenance to shine upon you.."

Halal and Organic- Blossom Pure

http://blossompure.wordpress.com/

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Vinaayagar Chariot Festival

http://thestar.blogs.com/photoblog/2010/07/vinaayer-chariot-festival.html

Maytha Alhassen: The Liquor Store Wars

Maytha Alhassen: The Liquor Store Wars
"Liquor stores, or more colloquially “corner stores,” in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Washington, and other major metropolitan cities located in economically under-served, urban, majority-black neighborhoods have been purchased by Arab American and Arab immigrants over the last two decades. In order to understand the relationship of place to religion and race, I intend to examine the dynamics of the encounter between African-American Muslims and Arab and Arab-American Muslims (mostly Yemeni) at various liquor stores in Oakland, where, according to the US Census (2000), African Americans compose 64 percent of the population. Complicated by an ethno-religious component, Yemeni Muslim liquor store ownership concentrated in Oakland’s highest density, crime-ridden, black-dominant, and economically poorest neighborhoods, although aided by literature, requires a new theoretical arsenal for approaching the conflict. .....

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Notes and Thoughts-2010

July 21, 2010
They helped each other

I was at the subway station waiting when all of a sudden the blind man appeared. He looked a little lost and I thought to myself there is no way he will able to board the train on his own. After a few seconds I went up to him to offer some help and he politely refused so I then went ahead into the train and sat down and started to get something to read. I looked up and saw the blind man pushing another man in a wheelchair. They got into the train right before the door closed.

Allah does find a way to help the disabled.

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July 21, 2010
Children
I was sitting on the subway in Toronto. Little girl in a stroller sucking her thumb. Mom was  holding the stroller and mom and dad chatting. The dad was about to get off at the next stop and he kissed his daughter. The little girl told her dad, "Now kiss Mommy". The dad kissed his wife on the cheeks and left the subway.

This made me realise that kids don't just want to be loved, they want their parents to love each other too.

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Harsh
Feb 05, 2010
Don't be harsh on people, everyone evolve emotionally and spiritually at different rates.

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Integrity

Integrity is another word for honesty, with a twist. It means being true to what you know is right and being honest with everyone, including yourself. You don't cheat on tests, you don't lie to your parents about what you did last night, you don't talk nice to someone's face and rip on them behind their back. People with integrity are whole or complete, like an integer in your math book. They know where they stand and stand there.

How is integrity a source of self-worth? Having it leads to inner peace. And if you have inner peace you can handle most anything, even mean girls, heart-wrenching breakups, and major embarrassments.

Now, if you're like most other teens, you'll make mistakes and have to work on this integrity thing. No one's perfect. So, if you mess up, make up. Never try to cover up a mistake. It only makes things worse. NBA coach Rick Pitino said: "Lying makes a problem part of the future; truth makes a problem part of the past."

Compiled From:

"The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make" - Sean Covey, p. 277

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Kaberi Chatterjee - Falling in Love ( CanadianImmigrant.ca)
I read this article in Canadian Immigrant. I have the same sentiments about Canada. I truly love this country, because I feel very safe here.

Kaberi said after she came here she was very homesick, she felt her only companions were the little squirrels. Within a month she realised that she was judgemental about this beautiful counry. She said everything worked like clockwork, only because there were very honest sincere honet people behind it. She mentioned about the sidewalks when she walked down how meticulously the cars and pedestrian followed the rules.

Honesty is rewarded and promises kept. A 10 o'clock appointment meant a 10 o'clock .

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Bittersweet: A Spiritual Perspective on Special Needs Parenting | MuslimMatters.org

Bittersweet: A Spiritual Perspective on Special Needs Parenting MuslimMatters.org

"It has taken me some time, but I can finally thank Allah for Khalid’s autism. It may save him from accountability , and it has definitely saved me from living in the unreal world – one where I care more about my child’s postgraduate degree than his iman. And while I have an entire lifetime of challenges to look forward to, I am keeping faith that Allah intends nothing but good for Khalid and I. If that means waiting until the resurrection to see my son as a normal young man, then so be it. Khalid and I will meet again at Al-Kauthar, and sit in Jannah with an eternity of ease to make up for one small lifetime of hardship....

Human right Canada rejects: Access to clean water

A human right Canada rejects: Access to clean water Contrary to what Ottawa says, UN convention would not compel exports to U.S.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/835040--a-human-right-canada-rejects-access-to-clean-water

Nearly 2 billion people live in water-stressed areas of the world and 3 billion have no running water within a kilometre of their homes. Every eight seconds, a child dies of water-borne disease, in every case preventable if their parents had money to pay for water.


And it is getting worse as the world runs out of clean water. A new World Bank report says that by 2030, global demand for water will exceed supply by 40 per cent, a shocking prediction that foretells of terrible suffering.

For several years, international and local community groups fighting for water justice have been calling for a binding UN convention that clarifies once and for all that no one should be denied water for life because of an inability to pay, especially in light of the water markets now being set up that allow the wealthy to appropriate dwindling water supplies for private profit.......

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/835040--a-human-right-canada-rejects-access-to-clean-water

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A human right Canada rejects: Access to clean water - thestar.com

A human right Canada rejects: Access to clean water - thestar.com

The Deep Pit of My Inner Mind | MuslimMatters.org

The Deep Pit of My Inner Mind MuslimMatters.org

SUFISM

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Suffer the Sufis in Pakistan and the world.
Until our "mirrors are polished," and we see our own reflection in others and are attuned with the multifaceted characteristics of the Divine, even to the point of realizing that there is no "other," that is, no duality but only unity in God,(6) suffer the Sufis in Pakistan and the world.


Dallas Darling - darling@wn.com

(Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John's Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.worldnews.com. You can read more of Dallas' writings at http://www.beverlydarling.com/ and wn.com//dallasdarling.)

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Muslims: The threat from within
By AIJAZ ZAKA SYED

ARAB NEWS
Friday 09 July 2010

Friday, Rajab 27, 1431

Contrary to the relatively recent but widespread fiction, Islam took roots and spread in much of South Asia not at gunpoint.


Rather, it was embraced by the masses who were bowled over by the stark simplicity and honesty of Arab merchants and traders and the power of love and faith exemplified by saints and Sufis like Khaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi and Syed Abul Hasan Hajvery of Lahore.

They might not have been great scholars of the religion. But they promoted and demonstrated the liberating message of Islam and its teachings of love, peace, universal brotherhood and equality before God with their actions and conduct........

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/subdivisions/sufism_1.shtml

Sufism

Muslims travelling to a Sufi gathering Sufism, or Tasawwuf as it is known in the Muslim world, is Islamic mysticism (Lings, Martin, What is Sufism?, The Islamic Texts Society, 1999, pg 15).

Non-Muslims often mistake Sufism as a sect of Islam. Sufism is more accurately described as an aspect or dimension of Islam. Sufi orders (Tariqas) can be found in Sunni, Shia and other Islamic groups. Ibn Khaldun, the 14th century Arab historian, described Sufism as:

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The Amazing Life

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The Life of the Brain: Beginnings - thestar.com , By Megan Ogilvie  -- July 09, 2010
Scientists who study the brain, even those who have been at it for decades, remain in awe of the astounding pace of development. It is incredible: a newborn's brain has 20 billion neurons and a trillion synaptic connections, and the fetal brain must create a profusion of brain cells during intrauterine life — about 250,000 each minute — to meet those demands.

“It's the most fascinating thing, ever,” says Morshead with a broad grin. “People should be thinking about how a baby's brain develops all the time. You start with a single cell, and look what you get. It's unbelievable.”.......

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BOOKS

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July 2010
The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam (Hardcover)
By G. Willow Wilson
The extraordinary story of an all-American girl's conversion to Islam and her ensuing romance with a young Egyptian man, "The Butterfly Mosque" is a stunning articulation of a Westerner embracing the Muslim world.

Praise for The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam…

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CAIR Travel Advisory Warns U.S. Muslims of 'Forced Exile'

CAIR Travel Advisory Warns U.S. Muslims of 'Forced Exile'


http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cair-travel-advisory-warns-us-muslims-of-forced-exile-98114349.html

Mental health care for kids 'fractured' - Healthzone.ca

Mental health care for kids 'fractured' - Healthzone.ca

I love Canada because....

I love Canada because I feel safe in this beautiful country. May God always keep Canada safe.

I really do believe it is the most multicultural country in the world. Sitting on the subway in Toronto (TTC), it is possible to see people from so many different parts of the world around you. So many languages being spoken...

Proud Canadian..This sister looks so happy to be part of this beautiful celebration. May Canada always respect her for being a Muslim.

 The Queen said , "


"This nation has dedicated itself to being a caring home for its own, a sanctuary for others and an example to the world"

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/07/01/canada-day001.html#ixzz0svcyBtGS

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Canada Day at Masjid Noor ul Haram, Oakville Ontario Canada

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Fake Muslims to Christianity

Skeptics challenge life stories offered by high-profile Muslim converts to Christianity

In recent months, however, skeptical bloggers, such as London-based Mohammad Khan of FakeExMuslims.com, and Oklahoma-based Debbie Kaufman of the Ministry of Reconciliation blog, began unearthing documents and statements by Caner contradicting his claims. ..

"You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants."

Brooklyn residents awoke Thursday to the sight of two "Stop the Sag" billboards - and more were on the way, organizers said. The signs show two men in jeans low enough to display their underwear. The billboards were bankrolled by state Sen. Eric Adams, who also made an online video to send his message: "You can raise your level of respect if you raise your pants." .....
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/02/pressing-the-low-pants-issue/

BP OIL SPILL

God created this beautiful planet and we are destroying it because of greed and consumerism...

"The original peoples of the North American continent understand that we are all connected, and that harm to one part of the sacred circle of life harms the whole. Scientists, both the ecological and physical sorts, know the same reality, expressed in different terms. The Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) also charge human beings with care for the whole of creation, because it is God's good gift to humanity. Another way of saying this is that we are all connected and there is no escape; our common future depends on how we care for the rest of the natural world, not just the square feet of soil we may call "our own." We breathe the same air, our food comes from the same ground and seas, and the water we have to share cycles through the same airshed, watershed, and terra firma.".....A Lesson from the Gulf Oil Spill: We Are All Connected


Oil reaches Louisiana shores - The Big Picture - Boston.com

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/picture/2010/jun/14/bp-oil-spill-oil-spills

Watch CBS News Videos Online

MentalHealth4Muslims | "No blessing other than faith is better than well-being"

MentalHealth4Muslims | "No blessing other than faith is better than well-being"

Park renamed in honour of Major Abbas Ali

McLevin Community Park is being renamed in honour of a man who gave back to the community in Scarborough and beyond.


Scarborough Community Council supported a recommendation to rename the park at 180 McLevin Ave. after Muhammad Abbas Ali, a British Indian Army veteran of the Second World War and an officer in Pakistan's army who dedicated the rest of his life to serving the poor and needy including through the Muslim Welfare Centre he founded on McLevin Avenue in 1993.

He passed away last April at age 88.........


InsideToronto Article: Park renamed in honour of Major Abbas Ali

Markham’s farm belt plan enters final round of talks - thestar.com

Phinjo Gombu


Urban Affairs Reporter A controversial Markham plan to become the first GTA municipality to freeze expansion on prime farmland to make way for a permanent food belt, made its way to one last debate at council Tuesday.


Markham’s farm belt plan enters final round of talks - thestar.com

Secondary Schools Rank Ontario Canada - The Fraser Institute

Secondary Schools Rank Ontario Canada - The Fraser Institute

http://ontario.compareschoolrankings.org/secondary/SchoolsByArea.aspx

Be a better boss by being a better person - Metro News

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/work/article/513031--be-a-better-boss-by-being-a-better-person

The most important attribute that will most likely determine your success or failure as a manager is the ability to be a good person, one who is incredibly kind-hearted, controls their most destructive human emotions, tells the truth, does what’s right and always looks for the good along the road of life,” he asserts. “If you want employees to be decent and honourable, you must be decent and honourable. It is too often missing in a person and a manager....

Instead, respected leaders need only focus on six basic principles common to the most effective managers: Like what you do, be knowledgeable about your job/industry, possess solid organizational abilities, work hard, make work fun and, most importantly, be a good person.

Do we really need Mother's & Father's Days to show our appreciation?

Do we really need Mother's & Father's Days to show our appreciation?

Being a mother or father is a blessing. Do we really need a day set aside for recognition? I personally don't think so.


Mothers and fathers choose to be parents. All of the things that are done for children are because it is the responsibility of being a parent. When a person decides to have a child, it should be with the understanding that the care of that child is part of being a parent....

http://www.helium.com/items/1490326-do-we-really-need-mothers-day-and-fathers-day-to-show-appreciation

Across the faiths, a look at the Good Mother - KansasCity.com

Mothers


Their stories may differ. Their faiths may vary. But qualities of a good mother are found in all faiths.
Who are these women? Why are they revered? Why are they examples of motherhood?

As the country prepares for Mother’s Day Sunday, read about mothers from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu traditions.

Across the faiths, a look at the Good Mother - KansasCity.com

Coyle: Ruth’s Daughters launched to unite women of faith against domestic violence - thestar.com

Coyle: Ruth’s Daughters launched to unite women of faith against domestic violence - thestar.com

Do you think psychiatry can “cure” an evildoer?

Religion and mental illness

Do you think psychiatry can “cure” an evildoer?


ABDUL RASHID is a member of the Ottawa Muslim community, the Christian-Muslim Dialogue and the Capital Region Interfaith Council.

My limited understanding of psychiatry is that it is a medical condition primarily related to some form of mental difficulty or disorder. And an evil act is one that results in harm, be it to an individual or another living being or even the environment. I assume the answer to the posed question is to bring into discussion the religious dimension.

Religion and faith are very important in most people’s lives. However, faith is not a magic wand that would guarantee the absence of difficulties, losses and illness. These problems are part of life (Holy Qur’an, 2:155).

The Islamic view is that when a medical problem is diagnosed, it creates a dual responsibility. On the one hand, it is the responsibility of the society to search for an appropriate cure and treatment. On the other hand, it is a religious obligation on person suffering from the disease to seek proper treatment.

It is also important to point out that Islam does not partition individual personality into compartments. There is an inherent unity of the human person, where spiritual and mundane are interactive elements in life. Therefore, treatment is also supplemented by prayer to the Creator of all life for the removal of medical and other difficulties. We are also told that we should never give up in the benevolence and mercy of God Almighty.

Another important principle in Islamic jurisprudence is that a person suffering from mental disorder cannot be held accountable for an act that is a direct result of this has resulted from his or her affliction