Tuesday, December 30, 2008
EVERYTHING YOU POSSESS IS A FAVOR FROM ALLAH
By Harun Yahya
In the world in which we live, Allah bestows many favours on man. All the needs of each living being are benevolently met; no detail is forgotten.
Let's think about ourselves as examples. From the moment we wake in the morning, we need many things and encounter many situations. In brief, we survive due to the many favours bestowed upon us.
We can breathe as soon as we wake up. We never experience difficulty in doing this, thanks to our respiratory systems functioning perfectly.
We can see as soon as we open our eyes. The sharp and distant images, all three-dimensional and fully coloured, are perceived by our eyes, and indeed owe their existence to the unique design of eyes.
We taste delicious flavours. The relative proportions of the vitamin, mineral, carbohydrate or protein content of the food we eat, or how the excess of these nutrients are stored or utilised in the body never concern us. Moreover, we are mostly never aware that such complicated operations take place in our body.
When we hold some material in our hands, we immediately know if it is soft or hard. What is more, we need no mental effort to do this. Numerous similar minute operations take place in our body. The organs, responsible for these operations, have complicated mechanisms. The human body functions almost like a factory of enormous complexity and ingenuity. This body is one of the major favours given to man since man leads his existence on earth with it.
At this point, a question remains to be answered: how are the raw materials necessary to operate this factory supplied? To put it another way, how do water, air, and all the other nutrients essential for life come into existence?
Let's think about fruits and vegetables. Melons, watermelons, cherries, oranges, tomatoes, peppers, pineapples, mulberries, grapes, eggplants… all grow in soil from seeds, and the seed has a structure sometimes as hard as wood. However, while considering these, we should avoid habitual ways of thinking and employ different methods. Visualise the delicious tastes and odours of strawberries or the ever-changing odour of melon. Think about the time and energy spent in laboratories to produce similar odours and about the repeated trials that resulted in failure. Indeed, results obtained by scientists in laboratories prove to be no better than the unsuccessful imitations of their natural counterparts. The varieties of taste, odour and colour in nature bear indeed matchless attributes.
That all vegetables and fruits have distinct tastes and odours and carry individual colours is the result of the design particular to them. They are all favours Allah bestows upon man.
Similarly, animals, too, are created specially for human beings. Apart from serving as food, man finds their physical appearances appealing. Fish, corals, star-fishes decorating the depths of oceans with all their beautiful colours, all kinds of birds adding charm to their habitat or cats, dogs, dolphins and penguins… they are all favours from Allah. Allah stresses this fact in many verses:
And He has made everything in the heavens and everything on the earth subservient to you. It is all from Him. There are certainly signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat al-Jathiyah: 13)
If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Allah is Ever -Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl: 18)
He has given you everything you have asked Him for. If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Man is indeed wrongdoing, ungrateful. (Surah Ibrahim: 34)
The living beings mentioned above are only a tiny part of the favours and beauties Allah bestows. Wherever we turn, we come across creations reflecting the attributes of Allah. Allah is ar-Razzaq (the Ceaseless Provider), al-Latif (the Subtle One, He who creates things most subtly), al-Karim (the Generous One), al-Barr (the source of all goodness).
Now, take a look around you and think. And never plead ignorance of the fact that everything you possess is a favour to you from your Creator:
Any blessing you have is from Allah. Then when harm touches you, it is to Him you cry for help. (Surat an-Nahl: 53)
In the world in which we live, Allah bestows many favours on man. All the needs of each living being are benevolently met; no detail is forgotten.
Let's think about ourselves as examples. From the moment we wake in the morning, we need many things and encounter many situations. In brief, we survive due to the many favours bestowed upon us.
We can breathe as soon as we wake up. We never experience difficulty in doing this, thanks to our respiratory systems functioning perfectly.
We can see as soon as we open our eyes. The sharp and distant images, all three-dimensional and fully coloured, are perceived by our eyes, and indeed owe their existence to the unique design of eyes.
We taste delicious flavours. The relative proportions of the vitamin, mineral, carbohydrate or protein content of the food we eat, or how the excess of these nutrients are stored or utilised in the body never concern us. Moreover, we are mostly never aware that such complicated operations take place in our body.
When we hold some material in our hands, we immediately know if it is soft or hard. What is more, we need no mental effort to do this. Numerous similar minute operations take place in our body. The organs, responsible for these operations, have complicated mechanisms. The human body functions almost like a factory of enormous complexity and ingenuity. This body is one of the major favours given to man since man leads his existence on earth with it.
At this point, a question remains to be answered: how are the raw materials necessary to operate this factory supplied? To put it another way, how do water, air, and all the other nutrients essential for life come into existence?
Let's think about fruits and vegetables. Melons, watermelons, cherries, oranges, tomatoes, peppers, pineapples, mulberries, grapes, eggplants… all grow in soil from seeds, and the seed has a structure sometimes as hard as wood. However, while considering these, we should avoid habitual ways of thinking and employ different methods. Visualise the delicious tastes and odours of strawberries or the ever-changing odour of melon. Think about the time and energy spent in laboratories to produce similar odours and about the repeated trials that resulted in failure. Indeed, results obtained by scientists in laboratories prove to be no better than the unsuccessful imitations of their natural counterparts. The varieties of taste, odour and colour in nature bear indeed matchless attributes.
That all vegetables and fruits have distinct tastes and odours and carry individual colours is the result of the design particular to them. They are all favours Allah bestows upon man.
Similarly, animals, too, are created specially for human beings. Apart from serving as food, man finds their physical appearances appealing. Fish, corals, star-fishes decorating the depths of oceans with all their beautiful colours, all kinds of birds adding charm to their habitat or cats, dogs, dolphins and penguins… they are all favours from Allah. Allah stresses this fact in many verses:
And He has made everything in the heavens and everything on the earth subservient to you. It is all from Him. There are certainly signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat al-Jathiyah: 13)
If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Allah is Ever -Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl: 18)
He has given you everything you have asked Him for. If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Man is indeed wrongdoing, ungrateful. (Surah Ibrahim: 34)
The living beings mentioned above are only a tiny part of the favours and beauties Allah bestows. Wherever we turn, we come across creations reflecting the attributes of Allah. Allah is ar-Razzaq (the Ceaseless Provider), al-Latif (the Subtle One, He who creates things most subtly), al-Karim (the Generous One), al-Barr (the source of all goodness).
Now, take a look around you and think. And never plead ignorance of the fact that everything you possess is a favour to you from your Creator:
Any blessing you have is from Allah. Then when harm touches you, it is to Him you cry for help. (Surat an-Nahl: 53)
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
COULD THE CRISIS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY BE ONE OF THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES?
by Harun Yahya
The beginning of October saw the beginning of a historic crisis in the world economy, and in the USA in particular, that had long since been sending signals of its impending arrival. A number of experts and analysts predict that this crisis could even dwarf the Great Depression that began in the 1920 and continued throughout the 1930s.
However, in addition to its economic aspect, there is another side to this crisis that is prompting various countries to take joint decisions and implement precautionary measures. This crisis may be a sign of important events due to take place in the next period of world history. (Allah knows the truth.)
The hadith of our Prophet (saas) contain much detailed information and many signs about the End Times that will take place close to Doomsday. According to the information provided by our Prophet (saas), a great many significant events will take place – one after the other – in this period. The growth of corruption, unlawful things being regarded as lawful, worldwide confusion and chaos, the Iran-Iraq War and the invasion of Afghanistan are some of these signs reported in the hadith and that have recently been taking place.
The economic crisis that will take place at a specific time in the End Times is, according to various accounts, a most significant portent that will take place immediately before the return to Earth of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) and the coming of the blessed Mahdi and the Dajjal. Indeed, the economic collapse that has been anticipated for some time and that has affected the whole world economy, starting from America in early October, shows that another portent of the End Times we are living in has taken place. (Allah knows the truth.)
As revealed in the hadith of our Prophet (saas), the worsening of the global economic outlook is one of the portents of the End Times that are currently taking place one after the other.
“What are they awaiting but for the Hour to come upon them suddenly? Its Signs have already come. What good will their Reminder be to them when it does arrive?” (Surah Muhammad, 18)
How Do the Hadith of Our Prophet (saas) State That the Economic Outlook Will Worsen?
Economic problems are one of the most discussed issues today. A great many people in the world are living at the poverty threshold and many countries of the world could not survive without external aid. But aid by itself is not enough, because the countries in question face greater problems due to an inability to pay the interest accruing from that aid.
There is an economic bottleneck in all countries today, from the richest to the poorest, and unemployment is on the rise. On the one hand there is great wealth, waste and squandering, and all forms of degeneration resulting from this, while on the other hand people come to blows over a crust of bread. Articles are always being written and symposiums and meetings held on the subject, but no permanent answer can be found; indeed, hunger and poverty are increasing by the day.
The continuing collapse of global markets despite the precautionary measures in central banks and rescue packages announced in various regions of the world, from Frankfurt to Washington, and from Hong Kong to London, caused a loss of more than $4 trillion in the financial markets within one week. www.patronlardunyasi.com/ news_detail.php?id=51295
The crisis that began in the USA in October has not affected that country alone; it has turned into a global crisis that has rocked all the economic markets across the world, from Britain to Germany and from France to Russia and the Far East. Poverty has stopped being a problem of concern to only certain countries in the world and has become a danger threatening societies in modern countries, too. But this latest instability in the global economy has a far greater importance than that of the economic. Some 1400 years ago, our Prophet (saas) revealed in the hadith that the economy would be generally impaired during the End Times, and described this as a portent that would take place before the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (a.s.) and the Mahdi. The hadith say:
Before the Mahdi appears, trade and roads between nations will be severed, and strife between people will grow. [i]
"Everyone complaining of low earning... The rich being respected for their money..."[ii] "The markets being stilled, a decrease in earnings..." [iii]
What Is the Main Reason for the Crisis in Countries’ Economies?
The world has gone through several crises since that of 1929, in which business lost 72% of its value, or 60% of volume. The last 20 years (1990-2008) in particular have seen major crises closely connected to the economy today; the 1992 European crisis, the Mexican crisis, the Asian crisis, the Russian and Brazilian crises, the Argentinean crisis and the latest US crisis...
The factor triggering a crisis may differ from country to country, and may be internal or external. For example, a significant change in the domestic political balance, or an economic collapse in a field such as real-estate or the banking sector, which previously enjoyed an unlimited flow of capital, may trigger a crisis inside a country. However, whether it be the latest U.S. crisis or the crises in the economies of the other countries of the world, the fundamental cause of all crises is moral degeneration.
Moral degeneration such as corruption , unequal distribution of income, bribery, and people tending to – rather than production – based revenue (the interest system, in other words) lies at the heart of all such crises. These are all things forbidden by Allah.
People with no fear of Allah, who do not live according to His commandments, have no hesitations about going down unlawful paths. In a society that knows no moral bounds, that fails to admister justice and that acts solely for the sake of its own interests, the climate of confidence essential if the economy is to remain healthy disappears.
Crises will naturally follow on one another’s heels when there is no climate of confidence. In addition, the post-crisis period bring with it a time full of injustices. As with Argentina, which suffered an economic crisis in 2001, mass protests on the streets, acts of looting and pillaging and even the deaths of many people are all fundamentally the result of moral deficiencies.
The true solution, therefore, lies in abiding by the moral values of the Qur’an, which prohibits injustice, corruption and bribery and instead commands people to help one another, to aid the poor and orphaned, to give alms and to compete with one another in performing good deeds.
Everything is under the control of Allah. Believers who know this and have a sincere faith in Him submit to our Lord under all circumstances, material and physical, in the awareness that they are following their destinies. Allah has flawlessly created every detail from the creation of the world right up to Doomsday. Everything, including the latest economic crisis, is recorded in the book known as the "Lawh al-Mahfuz" [the Tablet of Allah’s Decrees]. Everything has already happened in a single moment in the sight of Allah, Who is unfettered by time and space. The timing and place of every event has already been ordained, as set out in the verse, “communication has its time, and you will certainly come to know.” (Surat al-An’am, 67)
THE GLOBAL IMPACTS OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
* In the middle of September (2008) the 158-year-old Lehman Brothers, America’s fourth largest investment bank, filed for bankruptcy as it was unable to weather the difficult conditions of the economic crisis.[iv]
* Merrill Lynch, the world’s largest investment bank, suffered losses of around $46 billion because of the global crisis. As a consequence of those losses, it was bought by Bank of America, the second-largest US bank.[v]
* Following the collapse of investment banks, the USA’s largest savings bank, Washington Mutual, filed for bankruptcy at the end of September (2008). This brought the number of banks folding in the USA since the beginning of 2008 to 13.[vi]
* According to a report by the US Department of Employment, the number of those losing their jobs in August stood at 73,000, compared to 159,000 in September. This figure, the worst redundancy level for the last 5 years, brought the total number of job losses for the preceding 9 months to 760,000.[vii]
* Japan, the world’s second-largest economy, has also been affected by the global crisis. Yamato Life Insurance, an insurance company dating back 98 years with debts totaling $2.7 billion, declared bankruptcy in October 2008. [viii]
* Iceland, standing in third place on the United Nations’ List of Most Prosperous Countries, has been severely affected by the economic crisis. The country was unable to meet its external debt, and its three largest banks, with total debts of 44 billion euros, were taken over.[ix] Long queues began forming in front of Icelandic bank branches.
* A public opinion poll in Belgium showed that 57% of the public were worried about their savings.[x]
* The Hertie retail chain, with 4,100 employees and 73 branches across Germany, declared bankruptcy in July 2008. The finance company affiliated to Hertie announced losses of 30 million euros. [xi]
* XL, Britain’s third largest tourism company with a fleet of 21 planes, went bankrupt in September 2008. British Airways also cited the crisis as the reason for making 1,200 employees redundant. [xii]
Natural Disasters Also Point to the End Times
It is a statistical fact that there has been an increase in the number and intensity of natural disasters in recent years. Disasters caused by the climate changes over the last 10 years are regarded as a turning point. It is very probable that the increasing numbers of natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, lightning strikes and floods are also portents of the End Times that will take place, according to the hadith of our Prophet (saas) near to Doomsday. (Allah knows best.)
Doomsday will not take place until 10 portents are seen. The tenth is a storm that will hurl people into the sea...[xiii]
Doomsday will not happen until these events occur ... earthquakes will increase... [xiv]
Doomsday will not happen until a fierce rain pours down that leaves no house or home standing. [xv]
Lightning strikes will so multiply as Doomsday approaches that people will say (to one another): “Who did it strike yesterday?” and they will answer, “It struck so-and-so yesterday.” [xvi]
Some of the natural disasters of the last 5 years:
* Various disasters have occurred in Asia and the Far East throughout the course of history. Terrible destruction has been caused by these, and vast numbers of people have lost their lives in them. However, the worst of these was the tsunami that struck South Asia on 26 December, 2004, costing the lives of more than 225,000 people.
* Hurricane Katrina that struck the US Gulf of Mexico in August 2005 wreaked terrible destruction in the region. The hurricane cost the lives of 1,836 people and caused damage estimated at $81.2 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster in American history.
* On 8 October, 2005, an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck 95 kilometers to the east of Islamabad in Pakistan, costing 73,320 lives. A further 1,244 people lost their lives due to the quake in the Indian region of Kashmir.
* In June and July 2007, 1,750 died due to monsoon flooding in Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan.
* The tropical storm Nargis that struck Myanmar in May 2008 resulted in the deaths or disappearance of more than 134,000 people. Another 2.5 million people were left in need by the storm.[xvii]
* Sixty-five thousand people were killed, 23,000 disappeared, 360,000 were injured and 5 million left homeless in an earthquake measuring 8.0 in China’s Sichuan province. The earthquake also caused damage totaling $9.6 billion in Sichuan alone.
The profound economic troubles caused by the interest system have manifested themselves in many countries, and the peoples of those countries are having to pay the heavy bill for them. Allah has made the solution to these difficulties, caused by personal interests and immoral earnings and that continue to plague many countries, quite clear in the Qur’an. Allah has made the unfair consumption of assets and wasteful use of existing resources unlawful, and forbids us to regard other people as worthless and inflict troubles upon them for the sake of our own interests. The solution to the problems in the economy is for an efficient, just and entrepreneurial social system in which everyone lives according to the moral values of the Qur’an.
As noted in this report, there are certainly very many apparent causes for the recent economic crisis. But the important thing here is that the dire state of the economy may be a portent of the End Times revealed in the hadith. (Allah knows the truth.) Because as with all events that take place in the world, it is Almighty Allah Who created the conditions and causes of the economic crisis happening today.
Some Hadith of our Prophet (saas) Regarding the Impairment of the Economy in the End Times:
· Revenues will revolve around a few people, and those with limited incomes will fall into hunger and trouble. [xviii]
· Everyone will complain of “being unable to earn and make ends meet.” [xix]
· The poor will grow in number. [xx]
· “Hunger and high costs of living will spread to the fullest extent.”[xxi]
· When trade and roads are severed and corruption multiplies... [xxii]
· Business becomes stagnant. Everyone will complain, “I cannot sell, or buy or earn anything.”[xxiii]
The great majority of Muslim countries both enjoy a geo-strategic advantage and also possess valuable energy resources and natural wealth, especially oil and natural gas.
Yet these resources and strategic advantages have not been properly exploited for hundreds of years, and Islamic countries have been unable to assume a leading role in the global economy, despite all the means at their disposal. Yet as economists have recently noted, this state of affairs is changing rapidly and the economic center of power is shifting from the West to the East. By Allah’s leave, the 21st century will see the strengthening of the economy in the Islamic world and Islamic countries shaping the global economy.
Qur’anic Moral Values Are the Only Source of Social Justice and Economic Stability
Since people who take the moral values of the Qur’an as their guide, act out of a fear of Allah, they strive not only for their own interests but for the interests and well-being of everyone. Because unity, togetherness, mutual aid and solidarity are very important in Islamic moral values. Nobody trespasses on anyone else’s rights, because Allah has forbidden such ugly behavior. No bounds are transgressed. No system that exhibits the injustice of atheism, that is based on self-interest, in which the strong oppress the weak and in which people misappropriate what rightfully belongs to others is possible in a society that lives by the moral values of the Qur’an. There is no waste nor wasteful consumption of resources in a society guided by the Qur’an. Thanks to solidarity and justice, people’s economic strength grows. A wealthy society emerges. This is one of the clearest proofs of the Age of Happiness, when people lived by Qur’anic moral values, and which is renowned for its wealth and well-being.
It must not be forgotten that various temporary solutions to poverty may be proposed. But the important thing is to believe that the true solution, as with all problems, is to live by the moral values of the Qur’an. Because the superior moral virtues revealed in the Qur’an, such as feeding the poor and orphaned even though one is in need oneself, never giving other people things one would not want oneself, and helping others without making them feel a sense of obligation, can only emerge when people fully live by Qur’anic moral values. Allah has revealed in Surat an-Nur how materially powerful people should behave:
Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and those who have emigrated in the way of Allah.* They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nur, 22)
To What Is Social Justice Ascribed in the Risale-i Nur Collection?
In his Risale-i Nur Collection, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, one of the greatest Islamic scholars of the 13th century (Hegira style), noted that social problems such as economic injustice and huge financial gulfs arise when two concepts prevail in society. The first is selfishness, that disregards others’ situations and says, “So what if others die of hunger as long as I am full?” [xxiv]The second is the mindset that thinks, “You labor so that I can rest; you work, so that I can eat.”[xxv] These are the main causes underlying the economic crisis today. Moral and economic collapse is inevitable in societies in which people enjoy financial interest even though this is forbidden in the Qur’an, in which they think only of themselves because they fail to abide by the moral values of the Qur’an, in which they feel no unease about hurting others for the sake of their own interests and in which they have no qualms about oppressing others and making use of their labor.
The beginning of October saw the beginning of a historic crisis in the world economy, and in the USA in particular, that had long since been sending signals of its impending arrival. A number of experts and analysts predict that this crisis could even dwarf the Great Depression that began in the 1920 and continued throughout the 1930s.
However, in addition to its economic aspect, there is another side to this crisis that is prompting various countries to take joint decisions and implement precautionary measures. This crisis may be a sign of important events due to take place in the next period of world history. (Allah knows the truth.)
The hadith of our Prophet (saas) contain much detailed information and many signs about the End Times that will take place close to Doomsday. According to the information provided by our Prophet (saas), a great many significant events will take place – one after the other – in this period. The growth of corruption, unlawful things being regarded as lawful, worldwide confusion and chaos, the Iran-Iraq War and the invasion of Afghanistan are some of these signs reported in the hadith and that have recently been taking place.
The economic crisis that will take place at a specific time in the End Times is, according to various accounts, a most significant portent that will take place immediately before the return to Earth of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) and the coming of the blessed Mahdi and the Dajjal. Indeed, the economic collapse that has been anticipated for some time and that has affected the whole world economy, starting from America in early October, shows that another portent of the End Times we are living in has taken place. (Allah knows the truth.)
As revealed in the hadith of our Prophet (saas), the worsening of the global economic outlook is one of the portents of the End Times that are currently taking place one after the other.
“What are they awaiting but for the Hour to come upon them suddenly? Its Signs have already come. What good will their Reminder be to them when it does arrive?” (Surah Muhammad, 18)
How Do the Hadith of Our Prophet (saas) State That the Economic Outlook Will Worsen?
Economic problems are one of the most discussed issues today. A great many people in the world are living at the poverty threshold and many countries of the world could not survive without external aid. But aid by itself is not enough, because the countries in question face greater problems due to an inability to pay the interest accruing from that aid.
There is an economic bottleneck in all countries today, from the richest to the poorest, and unemployment is on the rise. On the one hand there is great wealth, waste and squandering, and all forms of degeneration resulting from this, while on the other hand people come to blows over a crust of bread. Articles are always being written and symposiums and meetings held on the subject, but no permanent answer can be found; indeed, hunger and poverty are increasing by the day.
The continuing collapse of global markets despite the precautionary measures in central banks and rescue packages announced in various regions of the world, from Frankfurt to Washington, and from Hong Kong to London, caused a loss of more than $4 trillion in the financial markets within one week. www.patronlardunyasi.com/ news_detail.php?id=51295
The crisis that began in the USA in October has not affected that country alone; it has turned into a global crisis that has rocked all the economic markets across the world, from Britain to Germany and from France to Russia and the Far East. Poverty has stopped being a problem of concern to only certain countries in the world and has become a danger threatening societies in modern countries, too. But this latest instability in the global economy has a far greater importance than that of the economic. Some 1400 years ago, our Prophet (saas) revealed in the hadith that the economy would be generally impaired during the End Times, and described this as a portent that would take place before the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (a.s.) and the Mahdi. The hadith say:
Before the Mahdi appears, trade and roads between nations will be severed, and strife between people will grow. [i]
"Everyone complaining of low earning... The rich being respected for their money..."[ii] "The markets being stilled, a decrease in earnings..." [iii]
What Is the Main Reason for the Crisis in Countries’ Economies?
The world has gone through several crises since that of 1929, in which business lost 72% of its value, or 60% of volume. The last 20 years (1990-2008) in particular have seen major crises closely connected to the economy today; the 1992 European crisis, the Mexican crisis, the Asian crisis, the Russian and Brazilian crises, the Argentinean crisis and the latest US crisis...
The factor triggering a crisis may differ from country to country, and may be internal or external. For example, a significant change in the domestic political balance, or an economic collapse in a field such as real-estate or the banking sector, which previously enjoyed an unlimited flow of capital, may trigger a crisis inside a country. However, whether it be the latest U.S. crisis or the crises in the economies of the other countries of the world, the fundamental cause of all crises is moral degeneration.
Moral degeneration such as corruption , unequal distribution of income, bribery, and people tending to – rather than production – based revenue (the interest system, in other words) lies at the heart of all such crises. These are all things forbidden by Allah.
People with no fear of Allah, who do not live according to His commandments, have no hesitations about going down unlawful paths. In a society that knows no moral bounds, that fails to admister justice and that acts solely for the sake of its own interests, the climate of confidence essential if the economy is to remain healthy disappears.
Crises will naturally follow on one another’s heels when there is no climate of confidence. In addition, the post-crisis period bring with it a time full of injustices. As with Argentina, which suffered an economic crisis in 2001, mass protests on the streets, acts of looting and pillaging and even the deaths of many people are all fundamentally the result of moral deficiencies.
The true solution, therefore, lies in abiding by the moral values of the Qur’an, which prohibits injustice, corruption and bribery and instead commands people to help one another, to aid the poor and orphaned, to give alms and to compete with one another in performing good deeds.
Everything is under the control of Allah. Believers who know this and have a sincere faith in Him submit to our Lord under all circumstances, material and physical, in the awareness that they are following their destinies. Allah has flawlessly created every detail from the creation of the world right up to Doomsday. Everything, including the latest economic crisis, is recorded in the book known as the "Lawh al-Mahfuz" [the Tablet of Allah’s Decrees]. Everything has already happened in a single moment in the sight of Allah, Who is unfettered by time and space. The timing and place of every event has already been ordained, as set out in the verse, “communication has its time, and you will certainly come to know.” (Surat al-An’am, 67)
THE GLOBAL IMPACTS OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
* In the middle of September (2008) the 158-year-old Lehman Brothers, America’s fourth largest investment bank, filed for bankruptcy as it was unable to weather the difficult conditions of the economic crisis.[iv]
* Merrill Lynch, the world’s largest investment bank, suffered losses of around $46 billion because of the global crisis. As a consequence of those losses, it was bought by Bank of America, the second-largest US bank.[v]
* Following the collapse of investment banks, the USA’s largest savings bank, Washington Mutual, filed for bankruptcy at the end of September (2008). This brought the number of banks folding in the USA since the beginning of 2008 to 13.[vi]
* According to a report by the US Department of Employment, the number of those losing their jobs in August stood at 73,000, compared to 159,000 in September. This figure, the worst redundancy level for the last 5 years, brought the total number of job losses for the preceding 9 months to 760,000.[vii]
* Japan, the world’s second-largest economy, has also been affected by the global crisis. Yamato Life Insurance, an insurance company dating back 98 years with debts totaling $2.7 billion, declared bankruptcy in October 2008. [viii]
* Iceland, standing in third place on the United Nations’ List of Most Prosperous Countries, has been severely affected by the economic crisis. The country was unable to meet its external debt, and its three largest banks, with total debts of 44 billion euros, were taken over.[ix] Long queues began forming in front of Icelandic bank branches.
* A public opinion poll in Belgium showed that 57% of the public were worried about their savings.[x]
* The Hertie retail chain, with 4,100 employees and 73 branches across Germany, declared bankruptcy in July 2008. The finance company affiliated to Hertie announced losses of 30 million euros. [xi]
* XL, Britain’s third largest tourism company with a fleet of 21 planes, went bankrupt in September 2008. British Airways also cited the crisis as the reason for making 1,200 employees redundant. [xii]
Natural Disasters Also Point to the End Times
It is a statistical fact that there has been an increase in the number and intensity of natural disasters in recent years. Disasters caused by the climate changes over the last 10 years are regarded as a turning point. It is very probable that the increasing numbers of natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, lightning strikes and floods are also portents of the End Times that will take place, according to the hadith of our Prophet (saas) near to Doomsday. (Allah knows best.)
Doomsday will not take place until 10 portents are seen. The tenth is a storm that will hurl people into the sea...[xiii]
Doomsday will not happen until these events occur ... earthquakes will increase... [xiv]
Doomsday will not happen until a fierce rain pours down that leaves no house or home standing. [xv]
Lightning strikes will so multiply as Doomsday approaches that people will say (to one another): “Who did it strike yesterday?” and they will answer, “It struck so-and-so yesterday.” [xvi]
Some of the natural disasters of the last 5 years:
* Various disasters have occurred in Asia and the Far East throughout the course of history. Terrible destruction has been caused by these, and vast numbers of people have lost their lives in them. However, the worst of these was the tsunami that struck South Asia on 26 December, 2004, costing the lives of more than 225,000 people.
* Hurricane Katrina that struck the US Gulf of Mexico in August 2005 wreaked terrible destruction in the region. The hurricane cost the lives of 1,836 people and caused damage estimated at $81.2 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster in American history.
* On 8 October, 2005, an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck 95 kilometers to the east of Islamabad in Pakistan, costing 73,320 lives. A further 1,244 people lost their lives due to the quake in the Indian region of Kashmir.
* In June and July 2007, 1,750 died due to monsoon flooding in Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan.
* The tropical storm Nargis that struck Myanmar in May 2008 resulted in the deaths or disappearance of more than 134,000 people. Another 2.5 million people were left in need by the storm.[xvii]
* Sixty-five thousand people were killed, 23,000 disappeared, 360,000 were injured and 5 million left homeless in an earthquake measuring 8.0 in China’s Sichuan province. The earthquake also caused damage totaling $9.6 billion in Sichuan alone.
The profound economic troubles caused by the interest system have manifested themselves in many countries, and the peoples of those countries are having to pay the heavy bill for them. Allah has made the solution to these difficulties, caused by personal interests and immoral earnings and that continue to plague many countries, quite clear in the Qur’an. Allah has made the unfair consumption of assets and wasteful use of existing resources unlawful, and forbids us to regard other people as worthless and inflict troubles upon them for the sake of our own interests. The solution to the problems in the economy is for an efficient, just and entrepreneurial social system in which everyone lives according to the moral values of the Qur’an.
As noted in this report, there are certainly very many apparent causes for the recent economic crisis. But the important thing here is that the dire state of the economy may be a portent of the End Times revealed in the hadith. (Allah knows the truth.) Because as with all events that take place in the world, it is Almighty Allah Who created the conditions and causes of the economic crisis happening today.
Some Hadith of our Prophet (saas) Regarding the Impairment of the Economy in the End Times:
· Revenues will revolve around a few people, and those with limited incomes will fall into hunger and trouble. [xviii]
· Everyone will complain of “being unable to earn and make ends meet.” [xix]
· The poor will grow in number. [xx]
· “Hunger and high costs of living will spread to the fullest extent.”[xxi]
· When trade and roads are severed and corruption multiplies... [xxii]
· Business becomes stagnant. Everyone will complain, “I cannot sell, or buy or earn anything.”[xxiii]
The great majority of Muslim countries both enjoy a geo-strategic advantage and also possess valuable energy resources and natural wealth, especially oil and natural gas.
Yet these resources and strategic advantages have not been properly exploited for hundreds of years, and Islamic countries have been unable to assume a leading role in the global economy, despite all the means at their disposal. Yet as economists have recently noted, this state of affairs is changing rapidly and the economic center of power is shifting from the West to the East. By Allah’s leave, the 21st century will see the strengthening of the economy in the Islamic world and Islamic countries shaping the global economy.
Qur’anic Moral Values Are the Only Source of Social Justice and Economic Stability
Since people who take the moral values of the Qur’an as their guide, act out of a fear of Allah, they strive not only for their own interests but for the interests and well-being of everyone. Because unity, togetherness, mutual aid and solidarity are very important in Islamic moral values. Nobody trespasses on anyone else’s rights, because Allah has forbidden such ugly behavior. No bounds are transgressed. No system that exhibits the injustice of atheism, that is based on self-interest, in which the strong oppress the weak and in which people misappropriate what rightfully belongs to others is possible in a society that lives by the moral values of the Qur’an. There is no waste nor wasteful consumption of resources in a society guided by the Qur’an. Thanks to solidarity and justice, people’s economic strength grows. A wealthy society emerges. This is one of the clearest proofs of the Age of Happiness, when people lived by Qur’anic moral values, and which is renowned for its wealth and well-being.
It must not be forgotten that various temporary solutions to poverty may be proposed. But the important thing is to believe that the true solution, as with all problems, is to live by the moral values of the Qur’an. Because the superior moral virtues revealed in the Qur’an, such as feeding the poor and orphaned even though one is in need oneself, never giving other people things one would not want oneself, and helping others without making them feel a sense of obligation, can only emerge when people fully live by Qur’anic moral values. Allah has revealed in Surat an-Nur how materially powerful people should behave:
Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and those who have emigrated in the way of Allah.* They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nur, 22)
To What Is Social Justice Ascribed in the Risale-i Nur Collection?
In his Risale-i Nur Collection, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, one of the greatest Islamic scholars of the 13th century (Hegira style), noted that social problems such as economic injustice and huge financial gulfs arise when two concepts prevail in society. The first is selfishness, that disregards others’ situations and says, “So what if others die of hunger as long as I am full?” [xxiv]The second is the mindset that thinks, “You labor so that I can rest; you work, so that I can eat.”[xxv] These are the main causes underlying the economic crisis today. Moral and economic collapse is inevitable in societies in which people enjoy financial interest even though this is forbidden in the Qur’an, in which they think only of themselves because they fail to abide by the moral values of the Qur’an, in which they feel no unease about hurting others for the sake of their own interests and in which they have no qualms about oppressing others and making use of their labor.
THE ERROR OF 'FOLLOWING THE CROWD'
by Harun Yahya
Allah (God) has created people to be tested in this world. Some of these people believe, while the majority insist on not doing so. But Allah has also revealed that people should not be misled by the majority in the verse, “If you obeyed most of those on earth, they would misguide you from Allah’s Way…” (Surat al-An‘am, 116)In the verse “We created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts they do not understand with. They have eyes they do not see with. They have ears they do not hear with. Such people are like cattle. No, they are even further astray! They are the unaware.” (Surat al-A’raf, 179), we are told that many people are created for Hell. Therefore, the fact that there are a large number of unbelievers must not lead to laxity. That is because most of these people may have been created for Hell. (And Allah knows the truth.)The characteristics of the people described in the verse as being created for Hell reveals the difference between them and believers. Unbelievers literally seem to have no souls. “They have eyes they do not see with,” in other words, they fail to grasp the flawless might of Allah. “They have ears they do not hear with,” in other words, calls to believe have no effect on their hearts. In another verse, Allah reveals the hardness of soul of those who deny Him as follows:
Then your hearts became hardened after that, so they were like rocks or even harder still. There are some rocks from which rivers gush out, and others which split open and water pours out, and others which crash down from fear of Allah… (Surat al-Baqara, 74)The awe-filled fear of the believers, on the other hand, is very strong, resembling rocks “which crash down from fear of Allah,” as described in the above verse. They live by the Qur’an for His approval, thinking only of His existence and not following the crowd. For that reason, their consciences are most transparent. Since they display moral values compatible with the Qur’an, Allah creates a deep love and joy in their hearts. They have “eyes” with which to see and appreciate the beauties created by Allah and “hearts” with which to increase their love of Him. Since they are aware that they will have to account for themselves to Allah all on their own, they spend every moment of their lives seeking His approval.
Allah (God) has created people to be tested in this world. Some of these people believe, while the majority insist on not doing so. But Allah has also revealed that people should not be misled by the majority in the verse, “If you obeyed most of those on earth, they would misguide you from Allah’s Way…” (Surat al-An‘am, 116)In the verse “We created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts they do not understand with. They have eyes they do not see with. They have ears they do not hear with. Such people are like cattle. No, they are even further astray! They are the unaware.” (Surat al-A’raf, 179), we are told that many people are created for Hell. Therefore, the fact that there are a large number of unbelievers must not lead to laxity. That is because most of these people may have been created for Hell. (And Allah knows the truth.)The characteristics of the people described in the verse as being created for Hell reveals the difference between them and believers. Unbelievers literally seem to have no souls. “They have eyes they do not see with,” in other words, they fail to grasp the flawless might of Allah. “They have ears they do not hear with,” in other words, calls to believe have no effect on their hearts. In another verse, Allah reveals the hardness of soul of those who deny Him as follows:
Then your hearts became hardened after that, so they were like rocks or even harder still. There are some rocks from which rivers gush out, and others which split open and water pours out, and others which crash down from fear of Allah… (Surat al-Baqara, 74)The awe-filled fear of the believers, on the other hand, is very strong, resembling rocks “which crash down from fear of Allah,” as described in the above verse. They live by the Qur’an for His approval, thinking only of His existence and not following the crowd. For that reason, their consciences are most transparent. Since they display moral values compatible with the Qur’an, Allah creates a deep love and joy in their hearts. They have “eyes” with which to see and appreciate the beauties created by Allah and “hearts” with which to increase their love of Him. Since they are aware that they will have to account for themselves to Allah all on their own, they spend every moment of their lives seeking His approval.
Mindless in Malaysia by M. Bakri Musa
It is disheartening to note that while world leaders from Gordon Brown to Barack Obama are consumed with the evolving global economic crisis – the worse since the Great Depression – Malaysian leaders are obsessed with such trivialities as whether yoga would undermine our faith in Islam, and on such silly issues as Malay special privileges.
This is not just my observation. The Sultan of Selangor recently took the unprecedented step of publicly upbraiding our elected leaders for harping on such trivial matters. His Highness was right; he went further. For the first time he will not be awarding Datukships to politicians on the occasion of his upcoming royal birthday. That is as public a humiliation as it gets. Now if only the other rulers and the Agong would follow in this sultan’s fine example, it might just shame our political leaders to take their responsibilities seriously.
As for these politicians “concerns” with the fate of Islam, consider this. If brutal dictators like Stalin and Mao Zeedong could not suppress the faith, rest assured that a little bit of calisthenics in the park would not erode our faith in Islam. Nonetheless I am “touched” by the concerns of these self-professed defenders of our faith. I would have more confidence if they were the paragon of all things Islamic, like advocating a fatwa against corruption and having some respect for basic human rights.
As for the special status of Malay customs, institutions, and language, this is also the favorite cause for these Hang Tuah wannabes. Never mind that those rights are enshrined in our constitution; only those Malays who are pathologically paranoid or inherently insecure would need to be incessantly reassured of this fact. To alter it would require amending the constitution, a process requiring a two-third majority vote in Parliament. It is beyond me why we Malays have to worry about this.
The crux of the issue is not with the fact of the special privilege clause in the constitution rather how to execute that to benefit the Malay masses. That is a challenge beyond the capacity of current Malay leaders; hence their preoccupation with these distracting trivialities.
Malays are not the only ones in need of constant reassurance. There are those who, despite having their ancestors born in this country, going ballistic whenever an idiot makes references to their foreign origin. They too are plagued by their persistent paranoia and incessant insecurity as to their rightful status in this country.
Depressing Comparison
My sense of disappointment is more keenly felt as I am currently witnessing President-elect Obama unrolling his new leadership team. To a person his nominees are all accomplished individuals, having made their mark in academia, the professions, public service, or the corporate world. They not only look competent but also speak with confidence and considerable authority. Most of all they talk sense. That is very reassuring, at a time when the public needs it badly.
. Then there are the assorted characters now vying for leadership positions in UMNO, and thus aspiring to lead our nation. To begin with, there is Najib Razak, unopposed to be the next leader of UMNO, and thus the next Prime Minister. With the country afflicted by rampant crime, the best that he could offer was for citizens to change our perception of it!
As for his supposed knowledge of economics, his major as an undergraduate at a provincial British university decades ago, he is nonchalant about the threatening global economic crisis. Even FELDA farmers have a better grasp of threat of this global crisis, having seen their livelihood destroyed with the plummeting price of palm oil.
Then there are the three candidates for UMNO Deputy Leader. Muhyyiddin Yassin is more upset with his former cabinet colleague Zaid Ibrahim attending Pakatan Rakyat’s party convention. I would have expected as Trade Minister, Muhyyiddin would be consumed with the ongoing free trade negotiations with America rather than be bothered with what Zaid is doing in his spare time. At the very least Muhyyiddin should be busy drumming up foreign investments or finding new markets for our palm oil, especially during these trying economic times.
The second candidate, Malacca’s Chief Minister Ali Rustam, is too enthralled with Bollywood studs, having just awarded one of them with a Datukship. The song and dance of the Hindi movie is more his style. What a contrast in values between that state and Selangor!
. The third aspirant, the double Muhammad Taib, was the fellow who was arrested at an Australian airport a few years back with literally millions in cash in his back pocket. Nobody, least of all Prime Minister Abdullah, has ever asked this former school teacher how he acquired his fabulous wealth. In a display of courage borne of stupidity, he publicly took on Raja Petra of Malaysia-Today accusing him of insulting Islam. Raja Petra mercilessly humiliated Muhammad Taib into silence by exposing this politician’s sordid past.
These are the best of Malay leadership that we could offer for the world to preview. Obviously what Malays need most in the constitution is not the current “special privileges” provision rather a clause to protect us from these inept and corrupt leaders.
The veteran political observer David Broder observed that Americans have a lot to be thankful for at this Thanksgiving. At a time of severe economic crisis they have as a leader someone as brilliant, capable and inspiring as Barack Obama. He has thus far lived up to his promise by picking a team to match his considerable talent.
All this talent and experience will not guarantee success, of course. Kennedy’s “best and brightest” gave America its Bay of Pigs debacle and near nuclear confrontation with Russia at the height of the Cold War. Later they bequeathed the Vietnam War.
There is one certainty however; corrupt and incompetent leaders are a sure recipe for the destruction of a society. Unfortunately that is what Malaysia has in abundance today. That thought is enough to depress me, as well as many Malaysians.
Malaysiakini December 8, 2008
M. Bakri Musa
This is not just my observation. The Sultan of Selangor recently took the unprecedented step of publicly upbraiding our elected leaders for harping on such trivial matters. His Highness was right; he went further. For the first time he will not be awarding Datukships to politicians on the occasion of his upcoming royal birthday. That is as public a humiliation as it gets. Now if only the other rulers and the Agong would follow in this sultan’s fine example, it might just shame our political leaders to take their responsibilities seriously.
As for these politicians “concerns” with the fate of Islam, consider this. If brutal dictators like Stalin and Mao Zeedong could not suppress the faith, rest assured that a little bit of calisthenics in the park would not erode our faith in Islam. Nonetheless I am “touched” by the concerns of these self-professed defenders of our faith. I would have more confidence if they were the paragon of all things Islamic, like advocating a fatwa against corruption and having some respect for basic human rights.
As for the special status of Malay customs, institutions, and language, this is also the favorite cause for these Hang Tuah wannabes. Never mind that those rights are enshrined in our constitution; only those Malays who are pathologically paranoid or inherently insecure would need to be incessantly reassured of this fact. To alter it would require amending the constitution, a process requiring a two-third majority vote in Parliament. It is beyond me why we Malays have to worry about this.
The crux of the issue is not with the fact of the special privilege clause in the constitution rather how to execute that to benefit the Malay masses. That is a challenge beyond the capacity of current Malay leaders; hence their preoccupation with these distracting trivialities.
Malays are not the only ones in need of constant reassurance. There are those who, despite having their ancestors born in this country, going ballistic whenever an idiot makes references to their foreign origin. They too are plagued by their persistent paranoia and incessant insecurity as to their rightful status in this country.
Depressing Comparison
My sense of disappointment is more keenly felt as I am currently witnessing President-elect Obama unrolling his new leadership team. To a person his nominees are all accomplished individuals, having made their mark in academia, the professions, public service, or the corporate world. They not only look competent but also speak with confidence and considerable authority. Most of all they talk sense. That is very reassuring, at a time when the public needs it badly.
. Then there are the assorted characters now vying for leadership positions in UMNO, and thus aspiring to lead our nation. To begin with, there is Najib Razak, unopposed to be the next leader of UMNO, and thus the next Prime Minister. With the country afflicted by rampant crime, the best that he could offer was for citizens to change our perception of it!
As for his supposed knowledge of economics, his major as an undergraduate at a provincial British university decades ago, he is nonchalant about the threatening global economic crisis. Even FELDA farmers have a better grasp of threat of this global crisis, having seen their livelihood destroyed with the plummeting price of palm oil.
Then there are the three candidates for UMNO Deputy Leader. Muhyyiddin Yassin is more upset with his former cabinet colleague Zaid Ibrahim attending Pakatan Rakyat’s party convention. I would have expected as Trade Minister, Muhyyiddin would be consumed with the ongoing free trade negotiations with America rather than be bothered with what Zaid is doing in his spare time. At the very least Muhyyiddin should be busy drumming up foreign investments or finding new markets for our palm oil, especially during these trying economic times.
The second candidate, Malacca’s Chief Minister Ali Rustam, is too enthralled with Bollywood studs, having just awarded one of them with a Datukship. The song and dance of the Hindi movie is more his style. What a contrast in values between that state and Selangor!
. The third aspirant, the double Muhammad Taib, was the fellow who was arrested at an Australian airport a few years back with literally millions in cash in his back pocket. Nobody, least of all Prime Minister Abdullah, has ever asked this former school teacher how he acquired his fabulous wealth. In a display of courage borne of stupidity, he publicly took on Raja Petra of Malaysia-Today accusing him of insulting Islam. Raja Petra mercilessly humiliated Muhammad Taib into silence by exposing this politician’s sordid past.
These are the best of Malay leadership that we could offer for the world to preview. Obviously what Malays need most in the constitution is not the current “special privileges” provision rather a clause to protect us from these inept and corrupt leaders.
The veteran political observer David Broder observed that Americans have a lot to be thankful for at this Thanksgiving. At a time of severe economic crisis they have as a leader someone as brilliant, capable and inspiring as Barack Obama. He has thus far lived up to his promise by picking a team to match his considerable talent.
All this talent and experience will not guarantee success, of course. Kennedy’s “best and brightest” gave America its Bay of Pigs debacle and near nuclear confrontation with Russia at the height of the Cold War. Later they bequeathed the Vietnam War.
There is one certainty however; corrupt and incompetent leaders are a sure recipe for the destruction of a society. Unfortunately that is what Malaysia has in abundance today. That thought is enough to depress me, as well as many Malaysians.
Malaysiakini December 8, 2008
M. Bakri Musa
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Keadilan
Saya rasa terpanggil untuk menulis mengenai berita yang saya dengar di corong radio. Tiga orang rakayat Malaysia telah ditahan di bawah ISA. Mereka ialah Raja Petra (Malaysia Today), wartawan akhbar Sin Chiew dan Theresa Kok (ADUN Selangor). Ketiga-tiga nya di tahan kerana isu perkauman.
Persoalan saya ialah wartawan Sin Chiew telah ditahan kerana menulis di akhbar mengenai kenyataan Dato Ahmad (Umno Bukit Bendera) yang berbau perkauman. Dato Ahmad tidak di tahan bawah ISA cuma digantung keahlian UMNO selama tiga tahun. Sedangkan wartawan tersebut di tahan di bawah ISA.
Mana keadilan nya???
Persoalan saya ialah wartawan Sin Chiew telah ditahan kerana menulis di akhbar mengenai kenyataan Dato Ahmad (Umno Bukit Bendera) yang berbau perkauman. Dato Ahmad tidak di tahan bawah ISA cuma digantung keahlian UMNO selama tiga tahun. Sedangkan wartawan tersebut di tahan di bawah ISA.
Mana keadilan nya???
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Umrah
Pada 24hb Jun 2008 aku di KLIA bersiap sedia untuk bertolak mengerjakan ibadah umrah, aku sempat bergambar dengan isteri dan anak sulong ku.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
to ponder....
A difficult crisis can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.
John C, Maxwell.
John C, Maxwell.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
to ponder....
We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing; others judge us by what we have done.
Henry Wadworth Longfellow
Henry Wadworth Longfellow
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
to ponder....
Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
George Washington Carver.
George Washington Carver.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
to ponder....
Your attitude is the eye of your soul. If your attitude is negative, then you see things negatively. If it's positive, then you see things positively.
John C. Maxwell.
John C. Maxwell.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
to ponder....
Our strength is seen in the things we stand for; our weakness is seen in the things we fall for.
Theodore Epp.
Theodore Epp.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Minyak petrol naik lagi....
Harga minyak petrol naik lagi hari ini. Naik sampai 78sen menjadi RM 2.70. Tiada perkataan yang boleh ku katakan akan kekesalan aku.....
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Kursus Induksi
Bermula pada tarikh 14 Mei sehingga 29 Mei aku menghadiri kursus induksi untuk pengesahan jawatan ku sebagai pensyarah di UiTM. Selama tepmoh itu aku tidak dapat untuk update blog ini, kecuali hari ini dimana ada peluang aku untuk menulis di blog ini. Pasti banyak sekali cerita yang boleh ku cerita disini tetapi tidak untuk kali ini, tetapi akan ku nukilkan apabila ada kelapangan sekembali aku dari kursus ini.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
to ponder....
If people respect you but don't like you, they won't stay with you.
If they like you but don't respect you, they'll stay with you, but they won't follow you.
To be an effective leader, you must earn both from your people.
John C. Maxwell.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
to ponder....
Edison failed ten thousand times before he perfected the incandescent electric lamp. The average man would have quit after the first failure, which explains why there are so many "average" men and but one Edison.
Anonymous.
Anonymous.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
to ponder....
Most of us must learn a great deal every day in order to keep ahead of what we forget.
Frank A. Clark.
Frank A. Clark.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Kelas Terakhir BMD4D7
People are changed, not by coercion or intimidation but by example.
John C. Maxwell.
John C. Maxwell.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
E-mail dari student
Hari ini aku terima email dari student mengucapkan terima kasih, beserta dengan gambar2 ini:
Monday, April 7, 2008
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