Alcohol Causes More Deaths than HIV/AIDS

A University of Oxford researcher is calling on the World Health Organization to put in place policies that would regulate alcohol use.

Devi Sridhar, a lecturer in global health politics, wrote that WHO should treat dangerous drinking as a global public health crisis, just as the agency treats disease outbreaks and tobacco use.  WHO, she said, requires countries to report outbreaks of certain diseases and also institutes policies requiring member nations to take measures designed to curb tobacco’s supply and demand.

“About 2.5 million deaths a year, almost 4 percent of all deaths worldwide, are attributed to alcohol — more than the number of deaths caused by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria,” Sridhar wrote in her commentary, published in the journal Nature.

In 2010, WHO published a document, the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce Harmful Use of Alcohol, that included strategies such as prohibiting “unlimited drinks” promotions and instituting a minimum age to purchase alcohol.  These recommendations, Sridhar argued, should become legal requirements.

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What is the Aim of Fasting?

Babikir Ahmed, the Imam and spiritual director of Islamic School Center in London explains the Aim of Fasting.

To be honest, for everything we do, we need to plan. We need to ask ourselves, what is the aim of fasting? Everyone needs to understand that fasting is to perfect ourselves. Looking at it from spiritual point of view, a person fasts in order to restrain himself not from the Haraam (the unlawful) but from Halal (the lawful) for a whole month. For what reason? To perfect himself.

The aim is to restrain ourselves and perhaps reach piety. What is piety; it is the highest peak of faith.

Many people think Taqwa (piety) is to act or dress like a Muslim. Taqwa is to restrain ourselves from Haram (what is unlawful) and Taqwa is to use Halaal (what is lawful) with modesty and refrain from overspending. Muslims need to make themselves better before Ramadan through Taqwa.

There is a beautiful Hadith that says, "The beginning of Ramadan is mercy, and its middle is forgiveness and its end is salvation from the fires of hell."

Therefore, I always thought, if that is the case, then the mercy is to get you indulged yourself in finding the ways of pulling yourself away from what is unlawful. You ask Allah to forgive your shortcomings before Ramadan and even in Ramadan.

So, the best thing to do just before Ramadan is to try to follow the Prophets. Ask yourself, what the Prophet did. He [the prophet] used to fast a month before Ramadan and also enjoyed sharing what he had with those who did not have. He never used to eat alone; he brought people together.

Before Ramadan, look at the people around you, share with them what you have because Ramadan is a month of service and we have to learn how we can serve other people.

For us living in the West, one of the best things we need to look into is when we drive our cars and we see people lying in the street, we have to remember that Allah is testing him through us. He is passing his test by accepting his condition. However, are you passing your test to be believer in God by showing mercy? We should share our food, bring to those people to our mosque, and give them something because Islam says we share what we have. The best culture is one where other people invite you to share with them what they have.

Beware of Pizzas

Salam All

I have been thinking of sending this email for quiet a few years but finally decided to send one today.
Famous Pizza Outlets viz. Dominos and Pizza Hut in India are serving Pork Pizza (named as pepperoni pizza ). Many Muslim think that this is beed pepperoni but their website as well as resturant menu clearly states that this is Pork(100%)
I urge people not eat at these outlets as your pizza would be baked in the same oven or may be in the same pan in which a Pork Pizza was baked before.
I know most of you guys might be aware of this and might be avoiding it as well but would you prefer to eat a pizza baked in a same pan which is used to bake PORK Pizza .
Please check http://www.pizzahut.co.in and http://www.dominos.co.in/ to see it for yourself

Please pass this message on to other muslim and spread the message.

Request for Dua
Majid Syed 

Note: Click image to enlarge

When in Hajj one will find these common words spell out loudly; shirk, haraam, bid'at, kufr, etc. Specially these are heard in Madina, in Masjidun Nabawi and Jannatul Baqi. If you face the green tomb from outside Masjid and recite Ziyarat of Paighambar (s.a.), or inside the Masjid from Riyazul Jannah facing the Zareeh or in Jannatul Baqee facing the graves of A'immah. In these places a bearded man comes from nowhere and showers the above mentioned words and forcefuly makes you face the qiblah. This ignorant man thinks that the Zaer is a practicing Mushrik, a Kaafir and a disobedient Muslim. These people are religous police called "Mutawwa". The self appointed and chosen ones of Allah.

But, certain times these Mutawwas are helpless or they speechless. See the photo above, it is of the King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah, who is facing towards the grave of the Messenger (s.a.), not towards qiblah. The king seemed to be asking something from the Prophet. His action is not a Shirk nor a Bid'at nor a Kufr and not Haraam. Because a Muslim king is Zillul Laah (shadow of Allah) (sic). He is above shari'at.