That is life

#1
God created the donkey

and said to him.
"You will be a donkey. You will work un-tiringly from sunrise to sunset carrying burdens on your back. You will eat grass, you will have no intelligence and you will live 50 years."
 

The donkey answered:
"I will be a donkey, but to live 50 years is much. Give me only 20 years"
God granted his wish.
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# 2

God created the dog



and said to him:
"You will guard the house of man. You will be his best Friend. You will eat the scraps that he gives you and you will live 30 years. You will be a dog. "

The dog answered:
"Sir, to live 30 years is too much,give me only 15 years.
" God granted his wish.

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# 3

God created the monkey

and said to him:
"You will be a monkey. You will swing from branch to branch doing tricks. You will be amusing and you will live 20 years. "
 

The monkey answered:
"To live 20 years is too much, give me only 10 years." God granted his wish.
*********************************************************************************
# 4
Finally God created man...

and said to him:
"You will be man, the only rational creature on the face of the earth. You will use your intelligence to become master over all the animals.You will dominate the world and you will live 20 years."

Man responded:
"Sir, I will be a man but to live only 20 years is very little, give me the 30 years that the donkey refused, the 15 years that the dog did not want and the 10 years the monkey refused.
" God granted man's wish .

And since then, man lives
20 years as a man ,

marries and spends
30 years like a donkey,
working and carrying all the burdens on his back.

Then when his children are grown,
he lives 15years like a dog taking care of the house
and eating whatever is given to him,

so that when he is old,
he can retire and live 10 years like a monkey,
going from house to house and from one son or
daughter to another doing tricks to amuse his grandchildren.

That's Life

A Wave of Conversion to Islam in the U.S. Following September 11

CAIR chairman Nihad Awad told the Saudi paper 'Ukaz that "34,000 Americans have converted to Islam following the events of September 11, and this is the highest rate reached in the U.S. since Islam arrived there."

 Muslim American reports in the Arab press indicate that Muslim proselytizing efforts have been unusually successful since the September 11 attacks. 'Alaa Bayumi, Director of Arab Affairs at the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), wrote in the London daily Al-Hayat that "non-Muslim Americans are now interested in getting to know Islam. There are a number of signs...: Libraries have run out of books on Islam and the Middle East... English translations of the Koran head the American best-seller list... The Americans are showing increasing willingness to convert to Islam since September 11... Thousands of non-Muslim Americans have responded to invitations to visit mosques, resembling the waves of the sea [crashing on the shore] one after another... All this is happening in a political atmosphere that, at least verbally, encourages non-Muslim Americans' openness towards Muslims in America and in the Islamic world, as the American president has said many times in his speeches...

According to Dr. Walid A. Fatihi, instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston has recently become a center of Islamic proselytizing aimed at Christians. On September 22, 2001, Al-Fatihi sent a letter to the Egyptian weekly Al-Ahram Al-Arabi, in which he described the unfolding of events since September 11: "...From the first day, the media began to insinuate that Muslim Arab hands were behind this incident. At noon, the directors and administration of the Islamic Center of Boston held an emergency meeting, and I stayed on the line with them from my clinic. We decided to hold a blood drive, and we set up a committee to contact the Red Cross and organize it for us. We invited the media to cover the event..."
 
"All of us tried to grab onto every scrap of information that would indicate that Muslim Arab hands were not involved in the loathsome crime. Yes, my brothers and sisters, we tried to prove our humanity on the day we found ourselves attacked from all sides. Our hearts bled and our spokesman said that proselytizing in the name of Allah had been set back 50 years in the U.S. and in the entire world..."
"On Saturday, September 15, I went with my wife and children to the biggest church in Boston, [Trinity Church in] Copley Square, by official invitation of the Islamic Society of Boston, to represent Islam by special invitation of the senators of Boston. Present were the mayor of Boston, his wife, and the heads of the universities. There were more than 1,000 people there, with media coverage by one of Boston's main television stations. We were received like ambassadors. I sat with my wife and children in the front row, next to the mayor's wife. In his sermon, the priest defended Islam as a monotheistic religion, telling the audience that I represented the Islamic Society of Boston."
"After the sermon was over, he stood at my side as I read an official statement issued by the leading Muslim clerics condemning the incident [i.e. the attacks]. The statement explained Islam's stance and principles, and its sublime precepts. Afterwards, I read Koran verses translated into English... These were moments that I will never forget, because the entire church burst into tears upon hearing the passages of the words of Allah!!"
 
"Emotion swept over us. One said to me: 'I do not understand the Arabic language, but there is no doubt that the things you said are the words of Allah.' As she left the church weeping, a woman put a piece of paper in my hand; on the paper was written: 'Forgive us for our past and for our present. Keep proselytizing to us.' Another man stood at the entrance of the church, his eyes teary, and said, 'You are just like us; no, you are better than us.'" 
"On Sunday, September 16, the Islamic Society of Boston issued an open invitation to the Islamic Center in Cambridge, located between Harvard and MIT. We did not expect more than 100 people, but to our surprise more than 1,000 people came, among them the neighbors, the university lecturers, members of the clergy, and even the leaders of the priests from the nearby churches, who invited us to speak on Islam. All expressed solidarity with Muslims. Many questions flowed to us. Everyone wanted to know about Islam and to understand its precepts."
"Of all the questions, not a single one attacked me; on the contrary, we saw [the people's] eyes filling with tears when they heard about Islam and its sublime principles. Many of them had never heard about Islam before. Well, they had heard about Islam only through the biased media. That same day, I was invited again to participate in a meeting in the church, and again I saw the same things. On Thursday, a delegation of 300 students and lecturers from Harvard visited the center of the Islamic Society of Boston, accompanied by the American Ambassador to Vienna. They sat on the floor of the mosque, which was filled to capacity. We explained to them the precepts of Islam, and defended it from any suspicions [promulgated in the media]. I again read to them from the verses of Allah, and [their] eyes filled with tears. The audience was moved, and many asked to participate in the weekly lessons for non-Muslims held by the Islamic Center..."
 
"On Friday, September 21, the Muslims participated in a closed meeting with the governor of Massachusetts. In the meeting, a discussion was held on introducing Islam into the school curriculum, to inform the [American] people and to fight racism against Muslims arising from the American people's ignorance regarding the religion. With the governor's support, measures to examine implementation of this goal were agreed upon..."
 
"These are only some of the examples of what happened and is happening in the city of Boston, and in many other American cities, during these days. Proselytizing in the name of Allah has not been undermined, and has not been set back 50 years, as we thought in the first days after September 11. On the contrary, the 11 days that have passed are like 11 years in the history of proselytizing in the name of Allah. I write to you today with the absolute confidence that over the next few years, Islam will spread in America and in the entire world, Allah willing, much more quickly than it has spread in the past, because the entire world is asking, 'What is Islam!'
 
Fatihi's reports of American Christians' crying upon hearing Koranic verses have an historical context. This type of narrative is about part of the ethos of Islamic proselytizing. It comes from the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad's invitation to the Christian community of Najran, located in what is today North Yemen, to visit the mosque. When the Christians of Najran were exposed to the verses of the Koran, the tradition says they burst into tears and converted to Islam.

Fatihi also published an article in the London daily Al-Hayat:
"...There are initial signs that the intensive campaign of education about Islam has begun to bear fruit. For example, the rate of converts to Islam since September 11 has doubled… There is solidarity with the Muslims on the part of many non-Muslims in American universities. For example, dozens of non-Muslim American women students at Wayne [State] University… have put on veils as a symbol of identification with the Muslim women students at the university and at the other universities of America."
"One of the most important topics [in an NPR broadcast] was an interview with several young women at American universities who recently converted to Islam through the Islamic Society of Boston. They hold advanced degrees from universities in Boston, such as Harvard, and they spoke of the power and the greatness of Islam, of the elevated status of women in Islam, and of why they converted to Islam. The program was broadcast several times across the entire U.S..." 

Notes and references:
(1) Al-Hayat (London), November 11, 2001
(2) Al-Ayyam (London), November 12, 2001
(3) The phenomenon of sincere Christians shedding tears as they recognize the truth and beauty of Islam is mentioned in the Qur'an:

Rewards, Benefits and Virtues of Quran and its Recitation

Rewards, Benefits and Virtues of Quran and its Recitation

1. Quran on Quran

To begin with, there are many verses in the Quran itself that underscore the majesty of Allah’s verses and the Quran itself –

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):


Say: ‘If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another’”[Quran Al-Israa’ 17:88]

Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect. [Quran Al-Hashr 59:21]

“This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon [the pious] [Quran Al-Baqarah 2:2]

2. The Rewards of Reciting Quran in Qiyaam Al-Layl (Night prayers before Fajr)

We all know from the Quran and the Ahadeeth about the countless rewards and benefits of praying and reciting Quran during the nightly prayers (last one third of the night)

As is stated in the hadeeth narrated by ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:


Whoever recites ten aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will not be recorded as one of the forgetful. Whoever recites a hundred aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will be recorded as one of the devout, and whoever prays a thousand aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will be recorded as one of the muqantareen (those who pile up good deeds).” (Reported by Abu Dawood and Ibn Hibbaan. It is a hasan report. Saheeh al-Targheeb, 635).

Imaam al-Bukhaari used to pray qiyaam and tahajjud at night until the time of suhoor, and he would read between a half and a third of the Quran, and complete it at suhoor every third night.

3. Reciting Quran in Ramadan

Quran has even more of an important significance in the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):


The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong) [Quran al-Baqarah 2:185]

Jibreel used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) every night in Ramadaan, and study the Quran with him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5; Muslim, 4268.

Hence the salaf used to read Quran a great deal during Ramadan, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Qataadah (may Allah have mercy on him) used to complete the Quran every seven nights all the time, and every three nights in Ramadaan, and every two nights during the last ten days of Ramadaan.

Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i used to complete the Quran in Ramadaan every three nights, and in the last ten days every two nights.

4. General Rewards of Reciting Quran

The rewards of reciting the Quran are many. An authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee states:


Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well.

In another hadeeth, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:


Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This hadith proves that people who are not well versed in the Arabic languge or have other difficulties in reciting the Quran, get even a higher reward for reciting the Quran in Arabic for their extra effort.

5. Quran as intercessor in the day of judgment

The Prophet said:


The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]

6. Benefits of reciting certain Quranic surahs (chapters)

The following are authentic Ahadeeth regarding the benefits of certain Soorahs.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:


There is a soorah of the Quran containing thirty verses which have interceded for a man until he was forgiven. It is the soorah Tabaarak alladhi bi yadihi’l-mulk. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2891; Ahmad, 7634; Abu Dawood, 1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786. This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi and by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 3/6.

Regarding the healing power of The S?rah al-F?tiha


It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “A group of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey and traveled until they stopped in (the land of) one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they refused to welcome them. The chief of that tribe was stung by a scorpion and they tried everything but nothing helped them. Some of them said, ‘Why don’t you go to those people who are camped (near us), maybe you will find something with them.’ So they went to them and said, ‘O people, our chief has been stung by a scorpion and we have tried everything but nothing helped him. Can any of you do anything?’ One of them said, ‘Yes, by Allah, I will recite ruqyah for him, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not welcome us, so I will not recite ruqyah for you until you give us something in return.’ Then they agreed upon a flock of sheep.’ Then he went and spat drily and recited over him Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen [Soorat al-Faatihah]. (The chief) got up as if he was released from a chain and started walking, and there were no signs of sickness on him. They paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the ruqyah said, ‘Do not divide them until we go to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, then wait and see what he tells us to do.’ So they went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, ‘How did you know that it (al-Faatihah) is a ruqyah?’ Then he added, ‘You have done the right thing. Share out (the flock of sheep) and give me a share too.’ And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) smiled.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2156; Muslim, 2201

A note about certain fabricated Ahadeeths narrating the benefits of some Quran Soorahs

Although there are authentic Ahadeeth regarding the rewards and benefits of reciting certain Quranic Soorahs, unfortunately there are even more fabricated Ahadeeth that highlight the benefits of other Soorahs. Therefore, not all Ahadeeth highlighting the benefits of reciting all Soorahs are authentic, even though some of those Ahadeeth mention a chain of narrators. Many scholars have proven the weakness of the narration chain of those Ahadeeth. As quoted at islam-qa.com, “Many ahaadeeth were fabricated about the virtues of various soorahs of the Quran. Their fabricators’ intention was to encourage people to read Quran and devote themselves to that, and they claimed that they were doing good thereby. But their intentions were misguided because that is undoubtedly subject to the stern warning contained in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Whoever tells a lie about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 10; Muslim, 4. It makes no difference whether the lie is intended for good or for evil.”

7. A Muslim’s Status is Raised by the Quran

A Musilm’s status is raised by the Quran – the more he recites, follows its commandments and makes Quran part of his or her life, the more Allah will elevate his or her status in this life and hereafter.

Saheeh Muslim mentions a story where some men came to question Umar ibn Al-Khattaab during his khilaafah about the leadership of Makkah, they asked, “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said, “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed slave in charge of the people of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered them, “Verily he is a reader of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it.”

‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:


The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]

Narrated Aisha: The Prophet said,


Such a person who recites the Quran and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” (book #60, Hadith #459)

8. Healing Power of The Quran

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):


And We send down of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) nothing but loss” [Quran Al-Isra’ 17:82]

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:


We and others have tried this on many occasions and we have seen that it works in ways that physical remedies do not. Indeed we now regard physical medicine as the doctors regard folk medicine. This is in accordance with the law of divine wisdom, not contrary to it, but the causes of healing are many and varied. When the heart is in contact with the Lord of the Worlds, the Creator of the disease and the remedy, the Controller of nature Who directs it as He wills, he has other remedies apart from the remedies that are sought by the heart that is far away from Him and that turns away from Him. It is known that when a person’s spirits are high and his body is in good shape, they cooperate in warding off disease and suppressing it, so if a person is in high spirits and physical good shape, finds comfort in being close to his Creator, loving Him, enjoying remembrance of Him (dhikr), devoting all his strength and power for His sake and focusing on Him, seeking His help, putting his trust in Him, how can anyone deny that this is the greatest medicine or that this spiritual power gives him the means to ward off pain and defeat it completely? No one would deny this but the most ignorant of people, those who are furthest away from Allah and the most hard-hearted and unaware of human nature.

It is well known in the Shareeah regarding the use of Ruqyah for physical and spiritual healing. “Ruqyah” is an incantation or prayer for healing – usually from the Quran or Dua prescribed by the Prophet (SAWS). Ruqyah is one of the greatest remedies that the believer should use regularly. The greatest of Ruqyah are Soorah al-Faatihah and al-Mi’wadhatayn ( the last two surahs of the Quran – Surah Al-Falaq and Surah Al-nas). There is nothing wrong with the Muslim reciting ruqyah for himself. That is permissible; indeed it is a good Sunnah, for the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited ruqyah for himself, and some of his companions recited ruqyah for themselves. (islam-qa.com)

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:


When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was ill, he would recite al-Mi’wadhatayn over himself and spit drily. When his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped him with his own hand, seeking its barakah (blessing).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4728; Muslim, 2192 (al-Mi’wadhatayn are the last two surahs of the Quran – Surah Al-Falaq and Surah Al-nas)

9. Virtues of reciting the Quran

Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said,


The example of a believer who recites the Qur’an is that of a citron (a citrus fruit) which is good in taste and good in smell. And the believer who does not recite the quran is like a date which has a good taste but no smell. And the example of an impious person who recites the Qur’an is that of Ar-Rihana (an aromatic plant) which smells good but is bitter in taste. And the example of an impious person who does not recite the quran is that of a colocynth which is bitter in taste and has no smell.” (Book #93, Hadith # 649)

10. Dispelling worries and regret

Ibn al-Qayyim summed fifteen ways through which Allah may dispel worries and regret. In describing one of the ways, he mentions.
Letting one’s heart wander in the garden of the Quran, seeking consolation in it from every calamity, seeking healing in it from all diseases of the heart, so that it will bring comfort to his grief and healing for his worries and distress.

One of the means of treating them is mentioned in the saheeh hadeeth from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him):


There is no-one who is afflicted by distress and grief, and says: (O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant; my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, that You make the Quran the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety),’ but Allah will take away his distress and grief, and replace it with joy.” This is one of the remedies prescribed in sharee’ah. (The original Dua in Arabic is: ‘Allahumma inni ‘abduka ibn ‘abdika ibn amatija naasyati bi yadika, maada fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka. As’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghayb ‘indaka an taj’al al-Qurana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’ huzni wa dhihaab hammi

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):


Those who believe [in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism], and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of f Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur ‘an 13: 28)