It is not surprising for me to see Hong Kong as worlds top financial hub. This indicates two things. The first thing is world order is changing. The old power house are now old horses impaired with many diseases, they can not win a race. Betting on such horses are use less.
USA has its own financial mess to manage. It has lived on others money for long time. China, Japan along with other countries invested in USA debt and finance the luxuries of life. This luxury financing has created two problems. The first is USA asset bubble, USA spent money on which they can not afford, this luxurious spending is hounding USA and others. I do not see any solution to this problem in foreseeable future. The solution is cleaning the toxic from the system, which no one wants. There is no alternative, cleaning the system from crooks, which is impossible. When there is no will to implement solution, the only alternative left is slow and painful death of US economy.
The second problem is the financing of surplus economy to USA has deprived the needy, underdeveloped and least developed and developing economies of this money. Which may have used to grow these economies. This financing has increased poverty in world. When it will be stopped then definitely a new economic order will emerge.
These least developed, under developed and developing economies will get surplus money to grow and reduce poverty. The change in direction of money flow will change everything. More employment is created and will get better healthcare.
The Asia with its population, China and India along with their neighbors and east Asian economies will see a major shift in near future.
Indonesia, Malaysia along with Saudi Arabia will play a major role in global financial markets.Singapore which is already a major financial hub for east asia, Mumbai, Dubai, Qatar are other financial hubs which are in contest to change the landscape of world order.
It may take some time but the process has started and soon it will pick up. With China coming with its own Sovereign Wealth Fund of USD 300 billion, along with SWF of Malaysia, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Kuwait and other OPEC countries will see a major change.
Let us make this change a positive, to reduce poverty, and improve justice and equality in this world.
When I saw this headline today, I am really surprised, American Secretary of State has offered 41 million USD in aid to Libya. Who need aid? This is biggest question came to my mind?
Why America is so generous with this Islamist today? Suppose to be arch enemies of America. The fact of matter is that today Libya's sovereign wealth fund is worth 156 Billion USD and Libya has gold in Central bank 150 ton to 180 ton and most important it has oil.
In last 40 years American companies did not secure any major contract in Libya? This is because of hostilities between two countries, today the renovation for oil sector will be 30 billion USD opportunity and yes many benefits.
To get American interest moving in hostile Libya, this is what Mrs. Hillary Clinton is shaking hand warmly with Islamist, she can do further, as American history shows and fact it is same today, she can offer many more things to Islamist in Libya. Everything on offer is game of if, if they promise to toe the line of USA policy and give all kinds of concessions and opportunities to American companies. This is well known fact, in Iran - Iraq war, America supplied missiles and many hardware and software to Iran, back door politics. Still American is playing same game. Arab should understand double game of America.
America is not friend of anybody except ITSELF.
What Mrs. Clinton offered is not aid but what called in good word " facilitation charges", lobbying and promotion of American interest, some call it protecting American interest. I call it bribe given to exploit all kind of social, political and business opportunities in Libya. Otherwise America is bankrupt and do not have enough money to pay for it's own citizens healthcare.
Many people may hate him. Does that mean he is wrong? No, he is not wrong? In this world you will find very few people who are straight and talk justice. Those who talk for change are hated most. This is called history.
I love him, because of his cause. He fought whole life for this? If he is suddenly out of favor from any one does not mean that he is wrong.
Advocates of change needs people who stand firm on their feet and stand tall? If many hates him? There may be many who admires him and loves him.
Those who hate him does not understand philosophy of peace. The peace can not come without justice. Nation needs to stand tall for justice for those who can not afford and can not get it.
So I support and love Prashant Bhushan, Medha Patkar and Arundhati Roy. This does not mean I support all their views. These should be enough space in society to dis agree on certain issues, that does not make a person to be hated.
Make a point to love.
Baapu to fought for country, got Killed and many hated him that time, and still many hates him. The history shows, those who speak truth are hated by those who do not want change and peace in the society.
This is horror story of developing India. In this so called developed world we are killing daughters.
Islam has given them right and stopped the practice 1450 years ago. But still today we are living in world of Jahiliya.
The time of America imposing sanctions against the countries are gone. Now one should thinks what will happen when India, China and Brazil Decides sancins against America.
UBS Trader in $2 Billion Loss on Unauthorized Trade
Switzerland's
UBS said on Thursday it had discovered unauthorized
trading by a trader in its investment bank had caused a loss of some $2
billion.
"The matter is still being
investigated, but UBS's current estimate of the loss on the trades is in the
range of $2 billion," the bank said in a brief statement just before the stock
market opened."It is possible that this could lead UBS to report a loss for the
third quarter of 2011.No client positions were affected."
UBS shares immediately tumbled 8
percent at the open and were trading down 5.8 percent at 10.30 francs at 0714
GMT, compared with a flat European banking sector index [.SX7P127.231.40(+1.11%)]
.
"It is amazing that this is still
possible," said ZKB trading analyst Claude Zehnder. "They obviously have a
problem with risk management. Even when the amount isn't so high it is once more
a loss of confidence that casts UBS in a poor light."
"With this they are losing a lot
of credit that they had regained with effort," he added.
UBS had started to see client
confidence return this year after it had to be rescued by the Swiss state in
2008 following massive losses on toxic assets held by its investment bank.
UBS AG announced last month it is
to axe 3,500 jobs to shave 2 billion Swiss francs ($2.3 billion) off annual
costs as it joins rival investment banks in reversing the post-crisis hiring
binge and preparing for a tough few years.
Investment banks worldwide have
been hit by slow trading due to the debt problems in the euro zone and United
States, as well as regulations aimed at forcing banks to hold more capital to
protect them from future shocks after the 2008 global financial crisis.
UBS expects to book a
restructuring charge due to the job cuts of some 550 million francs, and around
450 million francs of this will be booked in the second half of the year, with
the majority recognized in the third quarter.
Everybody want to change, change towards good and better. This can only happen when Heart is changed. A clean heart, clear of all malice and sin can change to good. One can clean his heart with repentance. The Doors of Most Merciful And Most Beneficent are never closed. Just one has to walk the path towards Allah, the change will come, your prayers will be answered and success will be awarded in both world here and Here-after.
All praise is for Allah, Lord of all that exists. 0 Allah, send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad,
his family, his companions, and all those who follow his way until the Last Day.( Peace Be Upon Him) PBUH
Allah (Most Exalted and Most Powerful) said: "Say: '0 'Ibadi' (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, Verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Of-Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Indeed, Allah (Azza Wa Jalla ) has opened the door of repentance to every sinner. The Prophet ( PBUH)said : “Oh People repent to Allah for indeed, I repent to Allah 100 times everyday.”
It is truly encouraging to know that the door to repentance is always open, but what is more, Allah ( Azza Wa Jalla ) is actually happy when one of His slaves repents. It is important to note here that the keys to repentance are that a sinner must desist from his sin, feel regret for having perpetrated it, and then make a firm resolve not to return to it. Who among us does not sin? And who among us does all that is required of him in the religion? It is an undeniable fact that we all have shortcomings; what distinguishes some of us from the others, what raises some of us above the others, is that the successful ones among us are those who repent their sins and ask Allah ( ) to forgive them. Sadly, some people are guilty of thinking in this manner: "Those I see around me perpetrate minor sins, while I am guilty of perpetrating major sins, so what is the use of repenting!" True, such a person does well by finding fault with his own self, yet he makes a grave, ruinous error when he loses hope, when he underestimates Allah's Forgiveness and Mercy.
To be sure, the door of repentance is open both to the perpetrator of minor sins and to the perpetrator of major sins. In regard to repentance, the following beautiful Hadith should inspire hope in us all: Ibn Mas'iid ( RA )narrated that the Prophet (PBUH ) said: "Indeed, Allah is more happy with the repentance of His slave than a man who stops in a barren, desolate land; with him he has his riding animal. He then goes to sleep. When he wakes up, he realizes that, his mount is gone. He searches out for it until he is on the verge of dying because the mount was carrying his supplies and provisions. He then says, 'I will return to the place wherein I lost it, and I will die there.' He went to that place, and he was then overcome by sleep. When he woke up, his mount was (standing) right beside his head, on it (still) was his food, his drink, his provisions, and the things he needed. Allah (Azza wa Jalla)is more happy with the repentance of his believing slave than the aforementioned man when (he finds) his mount and his provisions. "
This Hadith clearly illustrates that no one should become so hopeless that he refrains from repenting to Allah (Azza wa Jalla).
The Mercy of Allah To all confused and hopeless souls do I present this Hadith, which makes clear to us the vast Mercy of Allah (Azza wa Jalla ) and encourages us to repent to Him: Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri ( RA) narrated that the Prophet ( PBUH) Said "Among those who came before you was a man who killed 99 people. He then asked to be guided to the most prolific worshiper from the inhabitants of earth, and he was directed to a monk. He went to him and told him that he had killed 99 people, and he asked whether it was possible for him to repent. The Monk said, 'No.' The man killed him, thus making him his 100th (victim). He then asked to be directed to the most knowledgeable of earth's inhabitants, and he was guided to a scholar. He went to him and told him that he had killed 100 people, and he asked whether it was possible for him to repent. The scholar said, 'Yes, and who will stand between you and repentance. Go to such and such land, for in it dwell a people who worship Allah (Azza Wa Jalla ), So go and worship Allah (Azza Wa Jalla ) with them. And do not return to your land, for it is indeed a land of evil. He left and when he reached the half way point of his journey, he died. The angels of Mercy and the angels of Punishment disputed with one another (in regard to his case). The angels of Mercy said, 'He came to us repentant, advancing with his heart towards Allah ( Azza Wa Jalla ).' But the angels of Punishment said, 'Indeed, he never performed any good deeds.' Then an angel came in the form of a human being, and both groups of angels asked him to judge between them. He said, 'Measure the distance between the two lands. Whichever land he is closer to is the land that he is closer to (in terms of being of its people). They then measured the distance and found that he was closer to the land that he was heading towards, and so it was the angels of Mercy who then took his soul. "
[Al-Bukhari: 3470 and Muslim: 2766.]
The Messenger ( PBUH) attested to His Sincerity
When one repents sincerely for one's sin, one takes the best path to achieving the pleasure of Allah (Azza Wa Jalla ). The following Hadith illustrates an example of a true and sincere repentance. A woman from Juhainah once came to
the Messenger of Allah (PBUH )and d confessed that she had committed adultery. She did not come simply to acknowledge her mistake; rather, she came, seeking to purify herself from her sin. She said, "0 Messenger of Allah, I have committed an offense that requires a specific punishment, so execute it upon me." The punishment for adultery is stoning, but it is rarely applied, for it can only be applied when four witnesses see a person not just kissing or hugging someone else, but actually being engaged in the act of adultery. But this woman came herself and confessed her sin. After she was stoned to death, the Prophet ( PBUH) prayed over her. 'Umar ( RA) said, "0 Messenger of Allah, you prayed over her despite the fact that she has committed adultery?
'He (PBUH ) said: "She has indeed performed a repentance that, were it to be distributed among 70 people from the inhabitants of Madinah, would have been sufficient for them all. And have you ever found anyone that is better than a person who generously gives her soul for Allah (the Possessor of might and majesty)."
The Close Link Between Repentance and Worldly Blessings
Rain had not fallen for a long time, and as a result, the crops had withered away and the livestock had died. This was a specific time in the history of the Children of Israel, during the era of Moosa (Alaihisalam). The situation had become quite dire, and so, along with the common people, Moosa ( Alaihisalam) and 70 men from the descendants of Prophets ( PBUH) left the city to invoke Allah (Azza Wa Jalla ) for rain. If one could have seen them all
gathered there in the desert, I am sure that he would have witnessed quite a moving scene: people raising their
hands with humility and invoking Allah with tears flowing down their cheeks, in a prayer session that lasted for three days. But even after three days of constant prayer, no rain fell from the sky. Moosa(Azza Wa Jalla ) said, "0 Allah, You are the One Who says: Invoke Me, and I will answer you. I along with Your slaves have indeed invoked you, and we are in a state of need, poverty, and humiliation." Allah (Azza Wa Jalla ) then inspired Moosa (Alaihusalam ) with the information that among them was he whose nourishment was unlawful (Haram), and among them was he whose tongue was constantly busy with slander and backbiting. And in so many words, Allah (Azza wa Jalla ) said: These deserve that I should send My anger down upon them, yet you demand mercy for them! Moosa ( Alaihisalam)said, "And who are they, my Lord, so that we can banish them from among ourselves?" Allah (Azza wa Jalla ),the Most Merciful of the merciful ones said: "0 Musa, I am not One Who exposes (those who sin). Instead, 0 Musa, let all of you repent with sincere hearts, for perhaps they will repent with you, so that I will then be generous with My Blessings upon you."
Musa (Alaihisalam )announced that everyone should gather around him. When everyone was gathered together, Musa (Alaihisalam ) told them what Allah ( Azza wa Jalla ) had revealed to him, and the sinners referred to above listened attentively to his words. They committed grave sins, yet Allah ( Azza wa Jalla) protected them from exposure and shame. Their eyes swelled with tears, and they raised their hands, as did the rest of the people who were there. They said, "0 our God, we have come to You, fleeing from our sins, and we have returned to Your door, seeking out (Your help); so have mercy on us, 0 Most Merciful of the merciful ones." They continued to repent in that manner until relief came and rain descended from the sky.
The governments efforts to save the banks is basically paying poor people's money ( stealing and extorting) and giving it to rich to enjoy life. The whole exercise of QE1 and QE2 are just efforts in saving the funding lobbies and their interest so that they can get funding for next elections. All these easing has made life more difficult for the poor. It has made basic staple food affordability not only in poor countries but also in USA. More than 15% are poor who can have healthcare, housing and education.
Unless and until government change its policies and methods how so called free market work( there is no free market in fact, there are many interventions and QE which really distorted it.)
Let us clean the system, remove the toxic, stop all types of gambling( derivatives, futures and options).
Then and then we can see peace in this world, where poor gets justice.
By Don Lee, Noam Levey and Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles
Times September 14,
2011
Reporting from Washington—
In a grim portrait of
a nation in economic turmoil, the government reported that the number of people
living in poverty last year surged to 46.2 million — the most in at least half a
century — as 1 million more Americans went without health insurance and
household incomes fell sharply.
The poverty rate for all Americans rose
in 2010 for the third consecutive year, matching the 15.1% figure in 1993 and
pushing many more young adults to double up or return to their parents' home to
avoid joining the ranks of the poor.
Taken together, the annual income
and poverty snapshot released Tuesday by the U.S.
Census Bureau underscored how the recession is casting a long shadow well
after its official end in June 2009.
And at the current sluggish pace of
economic growth, analysts don't expect many of these indicators of economic and
social well-being to turn better soon.
Census officials wouldn't say
definitively what caused the surge in poverty, but it was evident that the root
of the continuing misery was the nation's inability to create jobs.
The
total number of Americans who fell below the official poverty line last year
rose from 43.6 million in 2009. Of the 2.6-million increase, about two-thirds of
the people said they did not work even one week last year.
Those with
jobs were much less likely to be poor, but the recession and weak recovery have
wiped out income gains of prior years for a broad spectrum of workers and their
families. Inflation-adjusted median household income — the middle of the
populace — fell 2.3% to $49,445 last year from a year ago and 7% from
2000.
"It's a lost decade for the middle class," said Sheldon Danziger, a
poverty expert at the University
of Michigan.
The number of poor children younger than 18 reached its
highest level since 1962, said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings
Institution.
Poverty reached a record high for Latino children, who Frey
said accounted for more than half the overall increase in poor children last
year.
Blacks had the highest child poverty rate at 39%, up more than 3
percentage points from last year.
Overall, poverty was generally higher
than the national rate in states with high unemployment and in the South.
Mississippi had the highest poverty rate last year, at 22.7%, and New Hampshire
had the lowest, 6.6%.
The share of Californians who fell below the
poverty line rose last year to 16.3%, up a full percentage point from
2009.
The state's median household income, meanwhile, plunged 4.6% to
$54,459 — marking the largest single-year decline on record, according to the
California Budget Project.
Christopher Noack, 25, had little choice last
year but to move back into his parents' home in the Central California town of
Salida. The high school graduate tried to support himself on retail jobs and,
for a while, lived in an apartment with a friend, even taking on extra household
chores to pay a lower share of rent. But that wasn't enough.
"It feels
like life is on hold," said Noack.
"Every now and then, I will see
someone who I used to know in high school, who I know got a job. They will be
having a business lunch or be on the way to the airport, and one out of 10 times
I will get a twinge of jealousy because, just simply, I don't know anybody who
could get me on a path like that."
Noack's frustrations are shared by
many others in his age group, including college graduates.
Overall, the
number of 25- to 34-year-old men and women who were living with their parents
last spring totaled 5.9 million — a 25.5% increase since the recession began in
2007.
Nearly half of this group would have been counted as among the poor
had they been out on their own, according to Trudi Renwick, chief of poverty
statistics for the Census Bureau.
"The next generation is going to be
terribly punished if we don't find more jobs," said Timothy M. Smeeding,
director of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University
of Wisconsin. Studies have shown the effects of recessions and job losses
can hurt a worker's earnings for many years into the future.
The census
report, coming shortly after President
Obama unveiled a proposed $447-billion package of tax cuts and spending to
revive job growth and the recovery, was seen as intensifying the debate over the
government's role in helping the poor and unemployed at a time of budget
deficits and painful cutbacks in public services.
Unemployment benefits,
the Census Bureau said, helped lift about 3 million people above the poverty
line, and Obama's latest proposal includes continuing the aid.
The report
"underscores yet again why these programs must be maintained to rebuild the
economy," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment
Law Project, referring to unemployment insurance and Social Security
benefits.
But conservative groups expressed their concerns about
Americans' growing reliance on such programs, including government health
insurance.
"It raises the issue of whether we can afford this," said Nina
Owcharenko, director of health policy studies at the Heritage Foundation. "These
entitlement programs are unsustainable."
The census report found more
Americans again lost health insurance in 2010, continuing a decade-long erosion
in coverage that pushed the percentage of uninsured to 16.3%, the highest ever
recorded.
But the decline in health coverage slowed from 2009 to 2010 and
was not statistically significant, according to census analysts.
The
number of young people ages 18 to 24 who had insurance increased significantly,
possibly reflecting the effect of the new healthcare law, which allows
dependents up to age 26 to remain on their parents' health plans.
The
decline in insurance coverage was fueled largely by employers dropping health
benefits as healthcare costs continued to rise, a trend that has reduced the
percentage of Americans who get health benefits through work from a peak of
65.1% in 2000 to 55.3% last year.
During that period, the average annual
premium for an employer-provided family health plan more than doubled to $13,770
from $6,438, according to surveys by the nonprofit Kaiser Family
Foundation.
As Americans lost coverage through work, they have
increasingly relied on government programs such as Medicaid.
"The
real policy take-away is the importance of protecting the safety net," said
Families USA Chief Executive Ron Pollack, a leading consumer advocate. "Medicaid
is the lifeline."
By the Census Bureau's latest measure, the poverty
threshold last year was an income of $11,139 for one person and $22,314 for a
family of four.
Lorenzo Williams, 25, of Hesperia is well below that
threshold.
After his hours as a store clerk at the local Salvation Army
had been cut twice, reducing his monthly earnings of about $1,500 to about $600,
the high school graduate had to move from his one-bedroom apartment to a small
two-bedroom unit to share costs with a roommate. With $166 a month in food
stamps, he barely gets by.
Williams said he goes to job fairs, but the
lines are long, the competition tough. He now plans to begin Bible studies next
year and become a pastor.
The official poverty rate doesn't count food
stamp benefits and low-income tax credits as income
If those programs,
which totaled about $150 billion last year, were included, millions more people
would have been counted as being above the poverty line.
At the same
time, analysts said, other factors understate the extent of people struggling to
meet their basic needs.
Experts agree that the government's poverty
thresholds, designed in the early 1960s, don't reflect people's spending and
living needs in today's economy.
The Census Bureau is scheduled to
release alternative measures of poverty in October.
America Should Pull Out of Basel - Because they are Anti American
America is Out of Kyoto - Because they are Anti America
America is Out of ICC - It is illegitimate
What suits to America is Americanism - What suits to World and Principle of Justice is Anti America - This is what exactly Americanism
New international bank capital
rules are “anti-American” and the US should consider pulling out of the Basel
group of global regulators, Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, has
said.
In an interview with the Financial
Times, Mr Dimon said he was supportive of forcing banks to have more capital but
argued that moves to impose an additional charge on the largest global banks
went too far, particularly for American banks
The Basel III capital rules are
designed to make the financial system safer by making banks build up
risk-absorbent “core tier one” capital to at least 7 percent of risk-weighted
assets. The biggest, including JPMorgan[JPM32.08-1.43(-4.27%)]
, have to reach 9.5 percent.
“I’m very close to thinking the
United States shouldn’t be in Basel any more. I would not have agreed to rules
that are blatantly anti-American,” he said. “Our regulators should go there and
say: ‘If it’s not in the interests of the United States, we’re not doing
it’.”
Mr Dimon also criticised global
liquidity rules, arguing that regulations that viewed covered bonds – a European
market feature – as highly liquid but discounted government-backed
mortgage-backed securities in the US were unfair and that other details hit
investment banking activity core to US banks hardest.
Regulators say all countries
compromised on agreeing the rules, which put eight banks – five from outside the
US – in the top level of capital. But Mr Dimon said there was a threat that
Asian banks, in particular, could take US market share because of the
combination of US domestic and global rules.
“I think any American president,
secretary of Treasury, regulator or other leader would want strong, healthy
global financial firms and not think that somehow we should give up that
position in the world and that would be good for your country,” said Mr Dimon.
“If they think that’s good for the country then we have a different view on how
the economy operates, how the world operates.”
US banks are struggling to deal
with new regulations and litigation, both stemming from the financial crisis. Mr
Dimon said it could be “three to 10 years” before the industry emerged from
lawsuits brought by investors looking for compensation for the losses incurred
on structured products underpinned by bad mortgages.
He said he was ready to agree a
settlement over lax servicing and foreclosure standards that is expected to see
the industry pay $20 billion in penalties. But he said banks could not be placed
in “double jeopardy” and needed an appropriate release from legal
liability
The Market is Jittery......... Peoples and Leaders are Worried
I don't know know why they are worried? Whom these leaders really represents? The billions of poor who voted them to power or few millions who finance their election bids. These leaders always looks at the lobbies for financing their election bids and these comes with price. This price tag is many times very high and at the cost of those voted them to power. This is why they care and financed the gambling of rich, the rescue of banks and the different measures to avoid the crash is nothing more than the sucking blood of poor. More and more people are getting hungry and poorer. The basic necessity of life Food is becoming more and more non affordable to them.
Let their be crash and this will start of cleaning of toxic in the system. This will make food more affordable for poor.
This crash will not solve the problem unless and until we remove the causes from the system which made this crisis.
The financial system needs cleaning and this is painful. There is no other solution.
Let there be crash.......... it will be good for market.
With 47 USD in commitment, will it be any solution. With all best efforts, there is only one way to go, stop playing. Stop playing with live lives of innocent people. This paying for rich is making more people hungry. There is only one solution, clean all toxic from system. Clean the system of poison and then only it can start growing.
Stop all such products which created these toxic in the system. Make the system more clean, transparent and accountable. No one is above the boards, every one should be held accountable including USA and its nationals for destroying the global financial system, and putting millions of poor to death for increasing food prices. This finanial system and fiat money is at core of problem.
The real problem is no body wants solution, they just want patch up, so that they can continue playing without accountability and governance. The present financial system will and can not do a solution.
Change is needed?
Change is awaited?
Let us Change this world........... for better and peaceful tomorrow.
What I see from here......... how the things will look like........
There is no currency against which dollar can go down, everyone in this world is fighting to lower the value of currency including Japan and Swiss and China. When there is no bench mark and free market as believed then what remains?
The dollar will be benchmarked against commodities, and specially food which no one will stop eating.
The commodities in general and food in particular will see very high price rise.
Oil ----------- 150 -170 USD next three years..............200-250............ 5 years. Food ...........30%..50% up 3 years.........100% ...... 5 years Commodities............ 30%........70% depending on type.
This will bring 30% new poor who can not efffort food. ( peoples without basic nessicities) Millions more will die because of this............
Please if any one in this world has answer , please let me know,
Who is accountable for death of these millions ?
And Many more millions hungr?
Are these not criminals? Criminals of worst kind?
Let them all held accountable for their deeds?
Even if they are free and not held here, they will be punished there in final day of judgment? HERE AFTER?
Even though they are activist, they are Now activist on Government Pay Role ( They are members of Sonia's NIC, whose bills are accepted and not of others.
Unfortunately still after 60 years we do not have system to fight corruption.
We divide religion to rule, then caste's to rule and now civil society to rule, this congress alias British Congress, Divide and Rule. Dhruthrashtra is clean but can not see and can not control Kaurava's unfortunately.
BS REPORTER New Delhi, 20 August
A section of the civil society came out in the open today, criticising Team Anna and its method of enforcing its views on the Lok Pal Bill.
Coming together at the platform of the National Council for Promotion of Right to Information (NCPRI) in support of NGO members Aruna Roy, Harsh Mander, Shekhar Singh and Nikhil De, the section said it supported Anna’s protest but opposed the intention of Hazare’s team to sidestep democratic systems in its hurry to bring forth its version the Bill.
It also criticised the team for being intolerant to other views in the civil society, notably those of NCPRI — of which Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan still are “sleeping members” in the words of Aruna Roy.
There even emerged an appeal to broaden the discussion on Lok Pal, with NCPRI member Aruna Roy crediting Hazare and his movement as the single reason for making the Lok Pal a success today, while maintaning that they were drifting away from the democratic methods.
Harsh Mander, another NCPRI member said: “I am worried about people on the streets, who are dreaming of a better country. How can we reduce it to just one view and one issue? Let us deepen the debate and struggle for a better India.” He said more views should be taken into account and the best possible solution should be provided to these people.
However, Justice A P Shah was harsh in his criticism of the insistence of the Anna team on having only their version of the Bill passed. “Anna is not civil society and civil society is not Anna,” he said. He said that ombudsmen in no country is given power over judiciary and this was very dangerous.
The differences between the NCPRI and its supporters and Anna supporters on the Lok Pal Bill are just a few. But, it is what is seen as the intolerant attitude of the Anna team which has annoyed NCPRI members and supporters like Anhad to organise the press conference.
Roy added that actions of the team were tantamount to hijacking the democratic system. Democracy is for the poor and it is our responsibility to make it work. We can remove rotten parts in a system, but, we cannot throw away the system itself.
“I can sit on the streets and demand that the collector delivers, but I cant go and sit in the collector’s chair. What the Anna team wants is almost that,” she said.
She said the government Lok Pal Bill was not only weak but also dangerous and if it was not changed, then even we will come out in the streets in protest.
The two main differences in Anna’s Bill and Aruna Roy’s Bill are the non-inclusion of the judiciary in the latter’s version and the replacement of a single Lok Pal with a threelevel structure to investigate corruption at different levels of the society.
But, it is not the differences in the Bill that is causing concern to those who differ from Anna Hazare.
Roy said, “If Anna has a right to dissent, he should also acknowledge and admit the right of other people in the country to have differences with him on the Lok Pal”.
She said it was solely because of Anna Hazare and his team that Lok Pal has today become such a big issue.
Arvind Kejriwal, member of the Anna Hazare team said it was a misunderstanding that they were holding the Parliament to ransom on the Bill. He also dismissed the differences with Aruna Roy on the Bill as very minor.
“Multiple agencies to deal with corruption would lead to confusion. When a complaint is filed, we don’t know if a higher official or a lower official is involved. So it cannot work,” said Prashant Bhushan, another memeber of Hazare’s team.
American Default is sure The concept of capitalism is spending beyond means by borrowing on assuming future flows, when it does not happen then defaulting, going to bankruptcy. This is what exactly many individuals are doing. Peoples are being lured into spending beyond their means. American in general are deep into debts apart from government debt.
The Biggest Types of Personal Debt In today’s economy, massive consumer debt has crippled the personal balance sheets of individuals around the country, making a tough economy even tougher. With foreclosures on the rise and many Americans crippled by over-extended credit cards, personal debt is becoming a major player in the economic crisis. Payday Advances - $40 billion A payday advance is a small, unsecured short-term loan, normally between $100-$500 with typical interest rates between 15-20 percent and maturities of about 14 days. However, because of the short term of maturities, APR for payday loans can be anywhere between 400 and 700 percent and, if not immediately paid in full, individuals can get themselves into serious financial trouble. Small Business Loans - $68 billion SBA Loans Oustanding (As of 2/28/09) 7(a) – 317,358 loans, $45.93 billion 504: - 52,217 loans, $22.08 billion Farm Loans - $114.2 billion Auto Loan Debt – $313.8 billion Tax Debt Owed to IRS - $345 billion Student Loan Debt Outstanding - $556 billion Revolving Home Equity Credit - $577.8 billion Revolving Consumer Credit Outstanding - $953.1 billion Major Holders (in billions) Pools of securitized assets: $440.3* Commercial Banks: $382.0 Finance Companies: $55.8 Savings Institutions: $39.0 Credit Unions: $32.2 Non-Finance Businesses: $3.8 Residential Mortgage Debt Outstanding: $14.64 trillion Breakdown of Total Outstanding Mortgages: One- to four- family residences: $11.03 trillion Nonfarm, nonresidential: $2.59 trillion Multifamily residences: $895.79 billion Farm: $111.15 billion
Biggest Holders of US Gov't Debt This borrowing adds to the national debt, which has recently surpassed the $14 trillion mark and is rising every day. The amount of debt is quickly approaching the federal debt ceiling, a legal limit to borrowing which currently stands at $14.294 trillion. Much of that debt is held by private sector, but about 40 percent is held by public entities, including parts of the government. Here's who owns the most. 15. Canada For the first time in recent history, Canada's holdings of US debt has broken into the top 15, surpassing Taiwan by about $3.6 billion in November 2010. 14. Hong Kong US debt holdings: $138.9 billion 13. Caribbean Banking Centers US debt holdings: $146.3 billion 12. Brazil US debt holdings: $184.4 billion 11. Oil Exporters US debt holdings: $210.4 billion Included in the group of oil exporters are Ecuador, Venezuela, Indonesia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Gabon, Libya, and Nigeria. 10. Insurance Companies US debt holdings: $261.8 billion 9. Depository Institutions US debt holdings: $269.8 billion 7. (Tied) United Kingdom US debt holdings: $511.8 billion 7. (Tied) State and Local Governments US debt holdings: $511.8 billion 6. Mutual Funds US debt holdings: $637.7 billion 5. Pension Funds US debt holdings: $706.4 billion 4. Japan US debt holdings: $877.2 billion 3. China US debt holdings: $895.6 billion 2. Other Investors/Savings Bonds US debt holdings $1.458 trillion 1. Federal Reserve and Intragovernmental Holdings US debt holdings: $5.351 trillion About a decade ago, the total government holdings were "only" $2.5 trillion.
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"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)." [Soorah al-Baqarah (2):183]
'Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, then Allah is not in need of his abstinence of food and drink." (Reported by AI-Bukhari)
"All the deeds of the son of Adam (people) are for them. Every good deed will be multiplied to ten it’s like, up to seven hundred times. Allah, the Exalted, said, ‘Except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it. He left his lust, food, and drink for My sake.'
There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. The unpleasant smell coming from the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk. “(Reported by Muslim)
Know that to truly attain closeness to Allah, the Exalted, by giving up, while fasting, these permissible worldly desires is not complete unless one comes closer to Him by giving up what Allah has forbidden in all circumstances, such as lying, injustice, and transgression against people in their blood, property, and dignity. Due to this the Prophet said,
The underlying reason behind this is that to gain closeness to Allah by abandoning the permissible things is not complete, except by giving up the forbidden things. Thus, whoever does the forbidden acts and then [tries to] get closer to Allah by giving up the permissible things, is like the one who does not do the obligatory acts and worships Allah through the voluntary acts. If he intends by eating and drinking to strengthen his body for standing [for prayer] and fasting, he would be rewarded for that. Likewise, if he intends by sleeping in the night and day, to strengthen himself for good deeds, his sleep would then be an act of worship.
Thus, a Muslim partakes in worship during the day and the night. His prayers are answered while fasting and when breaking the fast. So he is, during the day, fasting and being patient and in the night, eating and being thankful.
The conditions for that include that he breaks his fast with permissible things. If he breaks his fast with a forbidden thing, he would be from those who fasted from what Allah made lawful for him, and broke his fast with what Allah made forbidden to him, and his supplication would not be answered. Know that two types of struggles are combined for the believer in the month of Ramadan: the struggle with himself during the day time over fasting, and the struggle in the night-time over standing in prayer. So whoever combines between these two struggles and fulfills all of their rights and is steadfast in that-Allah will fulfill his reward over them without limit.
Some of The Means to Forgiveness in Ramadan There are many means for forgiveness in the month of Ramadan. The means to forgiveness in it include fasting and standing for prayer; [specifically] standing in prayer on the Night of Qadr (Power, Decree, or High Rank). Included in that is giving someone food to break his fast and lightening the burdens of slaves. Also, included in that is asking for forgiveness; the supplication of the fasting person is answered while fasting and while breaking the fast.
Since there are many means for forgive-ness during Ramadan, the person for whom forgiveness passes by is deprived to the utmost. When will the person who is not forgiven in this month be forgiven? When will the person who was rejected on the Night of Qadr be accepted? When will the person who is not upright in Ramadan ever be upright?
The Muslims used to say, when the month of Ramadan would come, "0 Allah, the month of Ramadan has caste over us and has come, so safeguard it for us and safeguard us for it; provide for us that we fast in it and stand in it for prayer; provide us in it diligence, strength, and vigor, and protect us in it from trials and tribulations."
Some of the Etiquettes of Fasting
Know that the fast is not complete unless six things are fulfilled:
The first: lowering the gaze [from forbidden things]; withholding it from extensively looking at everything which is dispraised and disliked.
The second: safeguarding the tongue from senselessness, backbiting, spreading evil rumors, and lying. The third: refraining from listening to everything that is forbidden and disliked.
The fourth: restraining the rest of the limbs from sins.
The fifth: not overeating. The sixth: one's heart is, after breaking the fast, between a state of fear [of Allah's punishment] and hope [for Allah's mercy]; as he does not know whether his fast is accepted; thus being one who was brought closer [by it] or [it is] rejected from him, so that he is one who simply received his sustenance (i.e. the food he broke his fast with). That must be during the end of every act of worship.'
o Allah, make us from those who fasted the month, received the full reward, made to experience the Night of Qadr, and won the Lord's prize, Blessed and Exalted is He, Aamin, 0 Lord of the worlds. May Allah grant mercy and peace on Muhammad, and on his family and companions altogether?
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿2:183﴾
(2:183) O Believers, the Fast has been made obligatory on you just as it was prescribed for the followers of the Prophets before you. It is expected that this will produce piety in you. *183
*183. Like most other injunctions of Islam those relating to fasting were revealed gradually. In the beginning the Prophet (peace be on him) had instructed the Muslims to fast three days in every month, though this was not obligatory. When the injunction in the present verse was later revealed in 2 A.H., a degree of relaxation was introduced: it was stipulated that those who did not fast despite their capacity to endure it were obliged to feed one poor person as an expiation for each day of obligatory fasting missed (see verse 184). Another injunction was revealed later (see verse 185) and here the relaxation in respect of able-bodied persons was revoked. However, for the sick, the traveller, the pregnant, the breast-feeding women and the aged who could not endure fasting, the relaxation was retained. (See Bukhari, 'Tafsir al-Qur'an', 25; Tirmidhi, 'Sawm', 21; Nasai, 'Siyam', 51, 62, 64; Ibn Majah, 'Siyam', 12; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, p. 104; vol. 4, pp. 347 and 418; vol. 5, p. 29 - Ed.)
أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿2:184﴾
(2:184) The Fast is to be observed for a fixed number of days. If, however, anyone of you be sick or on a journey, he should fast the same number of other days. As for those who can fast (but do not), the expiation of this shall be the feeding of one needy person for one fast day, and whoso does more than this *184 with a willing heart does it for his own good. But if you understand the thing, it is better for you to observe the Fast. *185
*184. This act of extra merit could either be feeding more than the one person required or both fasting and feeding the poor. *185. Here ends the early injunction with regard to fasting which was revealed in 2 A.H. prior to the Battle of Badr. The verses that follow were revealed about one year later and are linked with the preceding verses since they deal with the same subject.
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآَنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿2:185﴾
(2:185) Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down : this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of clear teachings which show the right way and are a criterion of Truth and falsehood. Therefore from now on whoever witnesses it, it is obligatory on hire to fast the whole month, but if one be ill or on a journey, he should make up for the same number by fasting on other days. *186 Allah desires to show leniency to you and does not desire to show any hardship. "therefore this method is being shown to you so that you may complete the number of Fast days and glorify Allah for the Guidance He has shown to you and be grateful to Him. *187
*186. Whether a person should or should not fast while on a journey is left to individual discretion. We find that among the Companions who accompanied the Prophet on journeys some fasted whereas others did not; none objected to the conduct of another. The Prophet himself did not always fast when travelling. On one journey a person was so overwhelmed by hunger that he collapsed; the Prophet disapproved when he learned that the man had been fasting. During wars the Prophet used to prevent people from fasting so that they would not lack energy for the fight. It has been reported by 'Umar that two military expeditions took place in the month of Ramadan. The first was the Battle of Badr and the second the conquest of Makka. On both occasions the Companions abstained from fasting, and, according to Ibn 'Umar, on the occasion of the conquest of Makka the Prophet proclaimed that people should not fast since it was a day of fighting. In other Traditions the Prophet is reported to have said that people should not fast when they had drawn close to the enemy, since abstention from fasting would lead to greater strength. (See Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, p. 329, and vol. 5, pp. 205 and 209: Darimi, ' Sawm', 41; Muslim, 'Siyarn', 92; Nasai, 'Siyam', 47; Bukhari, 'Maghazi', 71; Muslim, 'Siyam', 102; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 21, 35, 46; Tirmidhi, 'Sawm', 18, Nasa'i. 'Siyam', 52; Bukhari , 'Jihad', 29; Muslim, 'Siyam', 98; Abu Da'ud, 'Sawm' 42; Muslim, 'Siyam', 102, 103, 105; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad vol. 2, 99; Tirmidhi, : 'Sawm', 19 - Ed.) The duration of a journey for which it becomes permissible for a person to abstain from fasting is not absolutely clear from any statement of the Prophet, (cf. relevant Traditions Abu Da'ud, 'Sawm', 46, 47; Nasai , 'Siyam', 54, 55; Malik, Muaatta', 'Siyam', 21, 27 - Ed.) In addition the practice of the Companions was not uniform. It would seem that any journey which is commonly regarded as such, and which is attended by the circumstances generally associated with travelling, should be deemed sufficient justification for not fasting. Jurists agree that one does not have to fast on the day of commencing a journey; one may eat either at the point of departure or after the actual journey has commenced. Either course is sanctioned by the practice of the Companions. Jurists, however, are not agreed as to whether or not the residents of a city under attack may abstain from fasting even though they are not actually travelling. Ibn taymiyah favours the permissibility of abstention from fasting and supports his view with vcry forceful arguments. *187. This indicates that fasting need not be confined, exclusively, to Ramadan. For those who fail to fast during that month owing to some legitimate reason God has kept the door of compensation open during other months of the year so that they need not be deprived of the opportunity to express their gratitude to Him for His great bounty, in revealing the Qur'an. It should he noted here that fasting in Ramadin has not only been declared an act of worship and devotion and a means to nourish piety but has also been characterized as an act of gratefulness to God for His great bounty of true guidance in the form of the Qur'an. In fact, the best way of expressing gratitude for someone's bounty or benevolence is to prepare oneself, to the best of one's ability, to achieve the purpose for which that bounty has been bestowed. The Qur'an has been revealed so that we may know the way that leads to God's good pleasure, follow that way ourselves and direct the world along it. Fasting is an excellent means by which to prepare ourselves for shouldering this task. Hence fasting during the month of the revelation of the Qur'an is more than an act of worship and more than an excellent course of moral training; it is also an appropriate form for the expression of our thankfulness to God for the bounty of the Qur'an.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿2:186﴾
(2:186) And if My servants ask you, O Prophet. concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls to Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. *188 Convey this to them, O Prophet; perhaps they may be guided aright. *189
*188. Even though people can neither see God nor subject Him to any other form of sense perception this should not make them feel that God is remote from them. On the contrany, He is so close to each and every person that whenever any person so wishes he can communicate with his Lord. So much so that God hears and responds even to the prayers which remain within the innermost recesses of the heart. People exhaust themselves by approaching false and powerless beings whom they foolishly fancy to be their deities but who have neither the power to hear nor to grant their prayers. But God, the omnipotent Lord and the absolute Master of this vast universe, Who wields all power and authority, is so close to human beings that they can alway's approach Him without the intercession of any intermediaries, and can put to Him ther prayers and requests. *189. This announcement of God's closeness to man may open his eyes to the Truth, may turn him to the right way wherein lies his success and well-being.
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَائِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَهُنَّ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنْكُمْ فَالْآَنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آَيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿2:187﴾
(2:187) It has been made lawful for you to go to your wives during the nights of the fast days. They are as a garment to you and you are as a garment to them. *190 Though Allah knew that you were secretly dishonest to yourselves, He has pardoned your guilt and forgiven you. NOW you are permitted to have intercourse with your wives and enjoy what Allah has made lawful for you. *191 You are also pemitted to eat and drink during the nights of the Fast months. *192 until you can discern the white streak of dawn from the blackness of night. *193 " Then (abstain from all these things and) complete your fast till night-fall. *194 But you should not have intercourse with your wives while you confine yourselves to mosques. *195 These are the bounds set by Allah; so do nut go near them. *196 In this way Allah makes His Commands clear to mankind. It is expected that they will guard themselves against wrong ways.
*190. Just as nothing intervenes between a person's body and his clothes, so nothing can intervene between a man and his wife; it is a relationship of inalienable intimacy. *191. Although there was no categorical ordinance in the early days prohibiting sexual intercourse between husband and wife during the nights of Ramadan, people generally assumed that this was not permissible. Despite the feeling that their action was either not permitted or was at least disapproved of, they did at times approach their wives. Such a betrayal of conscience can encourage a sinful disposition. God, therefore, first reproaches them with their lack of integrity, for this is what was objectionable. As for the act itself, God makes it clear that it is quite permissible. Henceforth they might engage in sexual intercourse as a perfectly lawful act unencumbered by feelings of guilt. *192. In this connection, too, there was a misapprehension at first. Some thought that eating and drinking were absolutely prohibited after the performance of the 'Isha' (Night) Prayer. Others thought that one could eat and drink so long as one had not fallen asleep, but that if one had it was not permissible to eat on reawakening. These were people's own fancies and often caused great inconvenience. This verse seeks to remove all such misconceptions. It clearly lays down the duration of the fast: from dawn until sunset. Between sunset and dawn it is permissible to eat, to drink, and to indulge in the legitimate gratification of sexual desires. At the same time the Prophet introduced the pre-fasting repast, recommending a good meal just before dawn. *193. In fixing the time of obligatory rites, Islam has been mindful that these timings should be so clear and simple that people, at all stages of development, should be able to follow them. This is why Islam bases its timing on conspicuous natural phenomena and not on the clock. Some people object that this principle of timing is untenable in areas close to the poles, where night and day each last for about six months. This objection is based on a very superficial knowledge of geography. In point of fact neither day nor night lasts for six months in those areas - not in the sense in which people living near the Equator conceive of night and day. The signs of morning and evening appear at the poles with unfailing regularity and it is on this basis that people time their sleeping and waking, their professional work, their play and recreation. Even in the days before watches were common, the people of countries like Finland, Norway and Greenland used to fix the hours of the day and night by means of various signs that appeared on the horizon. Just as those signs helped them to determine their schedules in other matters, so they should enable them to time their various Prayers, the pre-fast meal and the breaking of the fast. *194. 'Complete your fasting until night sets in' means that the time of fasting ends with nightfall, i.e. sunset marks the breaking of the fast. The precise time of the end of the pre-dawn repast is when a lean strip of aurora appears at the eastern end of the horizon and begins to grow. The time to break one's fast starts when the darkness of night seems to have begun to appear over the eastern horizon. In our own time, some people have adopted an attitude of extreme caution with regard to the time of both the end and start of fasting. The Law has not fixed these schedules with rigid precision. If a person wakes up just at the crack of dawn it is proper for him to eat and drink hastily. According to a Tradition the Prophet said: 'If anyone of you hears the call for [the morning] Prayer while he is eating he should not stop immediately, but should finish eating to the extent of his bare need.' (Abu Da'ud. Siyam', 14 - Ed.) Similarly, one need not wait for the light of day to disappear fully before breaking the fast. The Prophet, for instance, used to ask Bilil to bring him something to drink as soon as the sun had set. Bilil expressed his astonishment, pointing out that the light of day could still be observed. To this the Prophet replied that the time of fasting came to an end when the darkness of night began to rise from the east. (Muslim, 'Siyam', 10; Abu Da'ud, 'Siyam', 15; etc. - Ed.) *195. 'On retreat in the mosque' refers to the religious practice of spending the last ten days of Ramadan in the mosque, consecrating this time to the remembrance of God. In this state, known as i'tikaf, one may go out of the mosque only for the absolutely necessary requirements of life, but one must stay away from gratifying one's sexual desire. *196. The directive here is neither to exceed nor draw near the limits set by God. This means that it is dangerous for a man to skirt the boundaries of disobedience; prudence demands that one should keep some distance from these lest one's steps inadvertent lead one to cross them. The same principle has been enunciated in a Tradition in which the Prophet said: 'Even sovereign has an enclosed pasture and the enclosed pasture of God consists of His prohibitions. So, whosoever keeps grazing around that pasture is likely to fall into it.' (Bukhari, 'lman', 36; 'Buyu'', 3; Muslim, 'Musaqah', 107; Abu Da'd, 'Buyu", 3; Tirmidhi, 'Buyu", 1; Nasa'i, 'Buyu?, 3; 'Ashribah', 50; Ibn Majah, 'Fitan', 14 - Ed.) It is a pity that many people. who are not conversant with the spirit of the Shari'ah (Islamic law), insist on using these boundaries to the limits. Many religious scholars exert themselves in finding out arguments to justify this attitude, and a point is thus reached where only a hair's breadth separates obedience from disobedience. Consequently many people fall prey to disobedience, even to downright error and wrong-doing. For once a man arrives at this point he is seldom capable of discerning between right and wrong, and maintaining the absolute self-control needed to keep within the lawful limits.
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا فَرِيقًا مِنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالْإِثْمِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿2:188﴾
(2:188) Do not usurp one another's property by unjust means nor offer it to the judges so that you may devour knowingly and unjustly a portion of the goods of others. *197
*197. One meaning of this verse is that people should not try to seek illegitimate benefits by bribing magistrates. Another meaning is that when a person is aware that the property, he claims rightfully belongs to someone else, he should not file a judicial petition either because the other party lacks the evidence to support their case or because by trickery and cunning the petitioner can usurp that property. It is possible that the judicial authority would decide the case in favour of the false claimant on the basis of the formal strength of the claim, but as this judicial verdict would merely be the result of the chicanery to which the claimant had resorted he would not become its rightful owner. In spite of the judgement of the court the property would remain unlawful for him in the sight of God. It has been reported in a Tradition that the Prophet said: 'I am merely a human being and you bring to me your disputes. It is possible that some of you will be more impressive in argument than others, so that 1 may give judgement in favour of one on the basis of what 1 hear. Beware that if 1 award to someone what belongs to his brother, I will have assigned to him a lump of Fire.' (Bukhari, 'Shahadat', 27; Muslim, 'Aqdiayah', 4; Abu Da'ud , 'Aqdiayah', 7; Tirmidhi, 'Ahkam', 11, 18; Nasai 'Qudat', 12, 33; 1bn Majah, 'AhkAm', 5, etc. - Ed.)
India getting roughed up by Americans: Top scientist on visa rulesRead more at: New Delhi: Annoyed with the US visa rules, CNR Rao, the Science Advisor to Prime Minister, has threatened to boycott visiting the US. Mr Rao has been affected by the US visa norms that allow a one year visa to some Indian scientists, as opposed to the earlier five-ten year multiple entry visa.Clearly unhappy with the annual pilgrimage scientists are forced to make to the American Embassy, Mr Rao said, "India is getting roughed up by the Americans."Mr Rao, a frequent visitor to the US for the past 50 years has been hit by the visa norms for three years now. Speaking to NDTV, he said, "I find it very insulting to go through this each year. I am sick and tired...may never go to America again after my current visa expires." The Minister of State for Science Ashwani Kumar lodged a protest with US President Barack Obama's Science Advisor John P Holdren after the issue came up during the recent Indo-US strategic dialogue, calling the visa rules a bottleneck that impedes free scientific exchange.The US Embassy in New Delhi has not said why this is happening, however, President Obama's Science Advisor told NDTV, "I understand visas are a problem...we hope to improve."
NSG decision not end of the road: Nirupama Rao New Delhi: India has said that the recent decision of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group on transfer of sensitive technology was "not the end of the road" and the new rules, which are not in the public domain yet, need to be studied before drawing any conclusion. "First of all let me say that these guidelines have not been published in open text as yet. We need to study that more fully and we need to draw our conclusions from that," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told Karan Thapar on "Devil's Advocate" programme on CNN-IBN. On former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar's remarks that the new guidelines amounted to "betrayal", she said she would not use similar terminology. "As a professional engaged in this process, I think the latest NSG decision is not the end of the road. It is not set in stone," Rao said. The NSG last week decided to push for more stringent norms that govern technology transfer for enrichment and reprocessing technology. This decision has raised concerns about its impact on the landmark civil nuclear deal India signed with the US. The Foreign Secretary indicated that India could leverage its burgeoning nuclear power sector. "The whole issue of full bilateral civil nuclear cooperation, the fact that India has the potential to develop 60,000 MW of electricity from nuclear energy by 2030. So, this is a dynamic process. We have an expanding nuclear industry. This is a great attraction to the rest of the world," she said.
NSG all set to up-end India's clean waiver
NEW DELHI: Barring last minute objections, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is set to approve new guidelines for the transfer of “sensitive” nuclear material that will do undo the hard fought “clean” waiver India obtained in 2008 from the cartel's restrictive export rules. At stake is India's ability to buy enrichment and reprocessing technology and equipment (ENR) from NSG members. Under the terms of a landmark September 2008 agreement, the NSG waived its catch-all requirement of full-scope safeguards as a condition for supply in exchange for a concrete set of non-proliferation commitments by the Indian side. This agreement means NSG members are allowed to sell any nuclear equipment and material they want, including ENR, to India despite the fact that it does not allow international supervision over all its nuclear activities and is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
AMAR SINGH WHO SAVED CONGRESS, the poor friend ?
Amar Singh Being Framed: Mulayam
New Delhi, Jul 24 (IANS): Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav Sunday came out in support of his former party general secretary Amar Singh, saying he was being "framed" in the cash-for-votes scam of 2008. Addressing a press conference here, Mulayam Singh showed sympathy towards his ex-colleague, who was expelled from the the party after the relations between the two turned sour. "Injustice is being done with Amar Singh. It is a conspiracy to trouble him and he is being framed in the case," he said. "What was the benefit for us? Was the Samajwadi Party being included in the government? Were we getting ministers posts?" he asked. Amar Singh has been alleged to be involved in the cash-for-votes scam of 2008 after his former aide Sanjeev Saxena was found involved in transfer of money to some MPs. The MPs alleged they were paid the money to abstain from voting in the trust vote sought by the then Manmohan Singh government, after the Left's withdrawal of support. Amar Singh was quizzed by the Delhi Police's crime branch Monday. "Amar Singh is being trapped, he is innocent," reiterated Mulayam Singh. "We only voted to save the government."
Zakat Zakat is one of the fundamental institutions in Islam, In importance, it is placed next to prayer. The commandment of Zakat is often coupled with the commandment of Salah in the Holy Quran. For example: Surah Bakarah Verse43;83;110;177;277.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآَتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ ﴿2:43﴾ (2:43) establish the Salat, pay the Zakat and bow down before Me along with those who bow down. وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآَتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ ﴿2:83﴾ (2:83) Remember that We made a solemn covenant with the children of Israel to this effect: worship none save Allah: be good to your parents, to your relatives, to the orphans and to the helpless; speak aright with the people: establish the Salat and pay the Zakat. But with the exception of a few, you all slid back from it and are paying no heed to it even now. وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآَتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿2:110﴾ (2:110) (Rest assured that) Allah has full power over everything: establish the Salat and pay the Zakat. you will find with Allah whatever good you send forward for your future; Allah is watching everything you do. Literally, Zakat means purification, growth, righteousness and blessing. It is defined in Shariah as a specific amount due in the property of Muslims to be distributed to the deserving. The obligatory character of Zakat is spelled out in Surah Taubah (9) 103: "Of their properties, take alms, so that you might purify and sanctify them." In the same Surah Allah makes clear the punishment awaiting those unmindful of this earthly duty and responsibility:
And there are those who hoard gold and silver (money) and spend it not in the Way of Allah: Announce unto them a most grievous penalty: On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be Branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs. This is the (treasure) which ye hoarded for yourselves: Taste ye, then the (treasures) ye hoarded! Surah Taubah verse 34. The Effect of Zakat The payment of Zakat formulates healthy impact on the giver, recipients, and the society at large. It purifies the assets of the giver, restrains his lust for material goods and creates in him the virtue of sharing his wealth with others; it uplifts him from a life of material pursuits to a life endowed with moral purpose. Zakat satisfies the recipient's needs and alleviates his suffering. Poverty is an invitation to disbelief; it denies virtues. That's why Islam, instead of abandoning poor to the caprice of the rich, makes a compelling demand for its payment. The payer pays Zakat as an act of worship while the destitute receives it as a right, without any obligation towards the payer. Zakat thus; creates love and brotherhood between the rich and the poor, it minimizes social tension and bridges the gap between the haves and have-nots, It provides social and economic security to the Muslim community and brings its member closer together. Its rewards are boundless and incalculable:
Definition of Zakat There is unanimity that Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. In the legal sense it means "a right on wealth" or "the specified part of wealth designated by Allah to be given to certain beneficiaries." AL-SHAUKANI(NAYL AL-AWTAR V.6) gives the following definition: "Linguistically, Zakah means growth: one says ZakahazZar meaning the plant grew. It can also mean ‘purification’; In Shariah (Islamic law) it implies both meanings. The first meaning is construed as to cause growth in wealth or as to cause more reward or as to pertain to increasing wealth, such as Is the case in commerce and agriculture. The first meaning is supported by the Tradition 'No wealth decreases because of Sadaqat.' 'God increases the reward of Sadaqat.' The second meaning is construed to imply that Zakat purifies the human soul from the vice of avarice as well as sins." Zakat is not a tax. Zakat is essentially a spiritual obligation not incumbent on those who are not Muslim. Islam associates belief in Allah With the belief in the Day of Judgment and the life in the hereafter. This extends the time horizon of Muslims beyond death. Life before and life after death are closely related in a sequential manner. Thus for a Muslim his actions consists of two parts: its immediate effect in.this life; and its later effect, in the life to come. Zakah must be defined as a spiritual-material obligation on every Muslim in possession ofa.minimum amount of wealth or more, for a period of one lunar year. The .minimum Zakah payable on monetary wealth and on gold and silveris 21/ 2%, 2. When Zakilh Becomes Obligatory There are eight conditions (i.ons which make Zakah obligatory, some of which relate to the possessor and others to the possessions. The possessor must be: (i) A free man. (ii) A Muslim. (iii) Of sound mind. (iv) An adult. (v) In complete ownership of his or her wealth. (vi) In possession of such wealth which is over and above the requirements to satisfy the essential needs of the possessor and of those legitimately dependent upon him or her. (vii) Free from debt. (viii) In possession of a defined quantity of wealth for one complete Hijrah year.
3. Nisab: Minimum Wealth All taxes are imposed upon financial strength of a person and calculated accordingly. Similarly in the religious law of Islam, Zakat is calculated on the wealth possessed by a person. Unless and until you reach the minimum quantity of specified wealth, the' person is not liable for the payment of Zakat. This minimum limit is known in the Shariah law as Nisab. The person who reaches the specified minimum and over is considered wealthy enough to pay the-Zakah and in this manner, share his wealth with the poor and the indigent. Zakah is applicable only to the following categories of wealth: Gold, Silver, Livestock and all types of Trade Goods. We will discuss the regulations governing the ownership of livestock later. Regulations governing Gold and Silver are as follows: Gold The possession of three ounces minimum gold or its equivalent in cash for one year makes one liable to pay Zakah at the rate of 2.5 % Silver The possession of twenty one ounces minimum silver or its equivalent in cash for one year makes one liable to pay Zakah at the rate of 2.5 % Gold and Silver in any shape or form -jewelry, utensils etc, -all are considered as wealth and Zakah becomes payable on them if the weight reaches the minimum limit and their possession completes twelve lunar months. N.B: Zakah of 2.5 % is payable on the minimum and whatever is in excess thereof. Zakah on Gold and Silver and Cash or Cash Equivalents
Jewelleiy The quality of any piece of jewellery which has to be evaluated for Zakah determined by the metal which exceeds all other metals in quantity in that particular piece of jewellery. . For example: If a piece of jewellery contains 55% gold and 45% copper then the jewellery will be regarded as gold and Zakah will have to be paid' on it as such. On the other hand if a piece of jewellery contains 55% copper and less than 50% gold, then there will be no Zakah payable on it for the jewellery will be regarded as made of copper, not of gold. But Zakah ~ have to be paid on the value of all jewellery possessed as trading stock in the course of business regardless of their metal contents. More details of this will follow. Jewelleiy:In addition to what has been written above, all jewelry made of gold or silver is subject to the payment of Zakah if the quantity reaches or exceeds the Nisab limit and remains in possession for twelve months, even if the jewellery is used every day by the owner, because gold and silver in any form is liable for payment of Zakah, Utensils If a person possesses silver or gold plates and utensils in daily use f in his home; and their weight reaches or exceeds the minimum Nisab limit then Zakah will have to be paid on them at the end of every twelve months. Clothes irrespective of cost and quantity, are exempted from payment of Zakah, But if they have gold or/and silver embroidered or thread work on them, and the weight of gold and/or silver metal used therein reaches or exceeds the minimum Nisab limit, then Zakah will have to be paid on that portion alone at the end of every t. twelve months. Cash In the period when gold coins were freely used and silver coins really contained silver, the calculation of Zakah on them was easy, but now that gold and silver coins are hardly ever used in currency, the amount of money possessed which could purchase the minimum Nisab quantity of the metal will be regarded as possession of the Nisab for the purpose of paying Zakah, In this estimation, the interest of the poor who benefit from the Zakah should be safeguarded as follows: Ascertain the amount of money required to purchase three ounces of gold and the amount required to purchase twenty one ounces of silver. The least of the two amounts should be considered as the minimum Nisab limit. Currency notes Currency notes are papers signed by a treasury official promising the payment of face value to the holder. If a person possesses the amount of money in paper currency with which he can purchase the quantity of gold or silver required to reach the minimum Nisab limit then he becomes liable to pay Zakah at the end of each twelve months. Cash plus silver and gold Ifa person possesses ten ounces of silver, which is less in quantity than the required minimum Nisab, but the person also possesses cash money enough to purchase eleven ounces of silver, then he would be considered as having reached the Nisab limit and he will beliable to pay Zakah, The same rule will apply to the case of possessing gold below the minimum Nisab limit, plus cash enough to purchase the remainder quantity of gold to reach the Nisab limit. Income from Fixed Property If a person earns income from a fixed property but the whole amount of the income is spent in the course of the year, then he does not become liable to pay Zakah, But if he has a portion saved which he has put aside, and if this saving reaches or exceeds the minimum Nisab limit, then he will be liable to pay Zakah on it if the amounts remains in his possession for twelve months. Possessions on which Zakat is applicable Just as the payment of Zakah is not obligatory -Fard -upon every person, so are the regulations of Zakah not applicable to every kind of possessions. Zakah is applicable only to possessions defined by the 'Shariah law as wealth and such possession must reach a certain minimum limit Nisab -and it must remain in the possession of the owner for one year before the payment of Zakah becomes obligatory. Thus gold, silver, livestock that graze and commercial merchandise-trade goods-eome under the application of the laws relating to Zakah, Except for these there is no Zakah on any other type of possessions such as buildings, harvests, utensils (except those made of gold or silver). Furniture, clothes, etc.. Zakah will have to be paid on anything bought in the course of trade or investment including buildings, livestock, and utensils. ,clothing, etc., Precious Stones, There is no Zakah on-pearls and precious stones, provided they are not for trade or investment-The owner of precious stones bought in the course of trade or investment will become liable for the payment of Zakah on them. Income from Rent If a person owns buildings other than those used for his own or his dependents’ occupation, and he has rented them to others then he will have to pay Zakah on the nett income from the rent, provided the income is above the minimum limit Nisab and remains in his possession for one year. There is no Zakah on the value of the buildings concerned but only on the net income earned from them. The Zakah on the investment properties has to be paid i.e. other than owned for other than self-use.
'Trade Vehicles The value of any vehicle such as motor cars, vans, trucks, carts, wagons, boats, etc., used in the course of trade, to earn a living is exempt from the obligations of Zakah. But the nett income earned from their use, which remains with the owner for a year, will be subject to the payment of Zakah. Zakah is payable at the rate of one fortieth or 21/2% on the possession of wealth in the shape of gold, silver; merchandise and cash. Household effects such as furniture, crockery, personal clothing, etc., are generally exempted from the application of Zaklih~' What to give as Zakah Zakah must be given on, and from, a commodity, that is, a portion of the wealth itself could be given in charity to discharge the obligation. But we are permitted also to determine the Zakah due and give its value in cash. For instance, if someone has forty ounces of gold then he will have to give one ounce of the gold in charity as Zakah but he can give instead the value of the gold concerned in cash, or in goods, if he likes Farmlands There is no Zakah on farmlands owned by a person, irrespective of the amount of their value or size, provided they are not bought for speculation. ( Zakah in this case is called Ushra, and it is paid on produce and has different law on how much and when to be paid.) Zakah on Trade Goods The capital involved in the goods owned for trade or commerce is subject to the payment of Zakah, that is: If a person began trading with a'capital of £1000,and earned profits thereon then he will have to pay Zakah on the total capital, and not only on the profits earned. Therefore, a person having a capital of £1000 and earning £1000 profits in the course of the year will have to pay Zakah on £2000¬(capital plus profit) -which will be the total amount reflected as his capital in the Balance Sheet. Kind of Trade Goods Anything, goods, properties, precious stones livestock’s, etc., bought and sold in the course of trade is liable to the payment of Zakah. For example: There is no Zakah on precious stones or copper goods if acquired for one's own use, but if these are bought and kept in stock in the course of trade then Zakah will have to be paid on them. Nisab on Trade Good's The determination of the minimum Nisab on trade goods will be according to the value of goods in cash which could purchase twenty one ounces of silver or three ounces of gold. As explained before under the "Earnings in Between the Year", all increases by profits derived in the course of the year will have to be added to the capital standing at the beginning of the year and Zakah calculated on the total increased capital standing at the end of the year. Zakah on Partnership Earnings When trading in partnership or owning rent producing properties in partnership, each partner will be liable to pay Zakah on the proportion of the net share of profits coming to him which is added to his capital. Zakah on Shares Zakah on Shares owned shall be determined annually on the cash realizable market value of the Shares which must be included in the Capital, and Zakah paid on the total as required by Islam. Debt Must Be Deducted Persons who buy goods on credit for the purpose of trade must deduct the total amount of their debts and determine their nett profits, and add these to their capital for the purpose of calculating the payment of Zakah. Discharging the 'Duty of Zakah The payment of Zakah is an obligatory duty which has to be discharged in accordance with the conditions imposed by Islam. Just as performing Salah without Wudu, is null and void, so will the payment of Zakah become null and void if anything relating to it is not observed as prescribed by Islam. All the conditions attached to the determination and the discharge of Zakah must be observed, such as: (i) The niy-yah or intention must be expressed. (ii) The receiver of Zakah must become the owner of the Zakah given to him. (iii) Zakah must be given to the type of persons' specified by Islam. (iv) Zakah cannot be given in return for services received The making of Niy-yah The person giving the Zakah must have a clean Niy-yah or intention of giving the Zakah in order to discharge his duty. Indirect payment of Zakah If a person gives money to someone with the request to distribute it among the poor and makes the Niy-yah of Zakah then his obligation will be discharged, although the person to whom the Zakah money is given for distribution was not told that the money was in payment of Zakah, Similarly, if a person gives Zakah money to some good person and requests him to distribute the money among the poor, the duty of Zakah will be discharged when the person who has been given the money, gives it out to the deserving poor as requested to do so. To set aside Zakah money If someone sets aside Zakah money he has to pay and from it continues to pay to deserving persons, then his duty to pay Zakah will be discharged, and it will not be required of him to make fresh niy-yah every time he gives out an amount from the money set aside. To give Zakah without the niy-yahIf a person has wealth on which Zakah IS obligatory, and he distributes among the poor more money than he is liable to pay as Zakah but he did not make niy-yah of paying Zakah.fhen the obligation of paying Zak~h will remain undischarged, because he gave away money without the intention of paying Zakah. To express niy-yah -intention -is therefore extremely necessary. To give away everything If a person who is liable to pay Zakah does not discharge the duty, but gives away the whole or part of his wealth to charity in general, then, in doing so he will not get released from the obligation of paying Zakah, because he did not have the niy-yah or the intention of giving Zakah. Although he will not become liable to pay Zakah thereafter if his wealth does not reach the minimum Nisab limit, but the non-payment of Zakah which became due when the possessed wealth will remain a religious debt upon him. He will of course, receive reward for the charitable act of giving his wealth to the poor. An important condition on of the discharge of Zakah is that the receiver must become the unfettered owner of the amount of Zakah paid to him. Zakah cannot be given to a masjid Zakat Given As a Loan If someone gives Zakah money to a person as a loan but he makes 'the niy-yah of Zakah, then the obligation of paying Zakah will be discharged. He cannot thereafter, collect the money given under the pretext of giving a loan. . Zakat Given As a Gift If a person deserving Zak ah is feared to be embarrassed in accepting it, then Zakah money could be given to him as a gift or a present on a suitable occasion; but the intention of the giver must be of Zakah at the time of giving the money. Similarly, to giveZakah money as a gift to the children of the poor is also permissible. To Whom Zakah Must Be Given The Holy Quraan makes specific reference tothe headings under which Zakah money must be spent: Fuqara: The poor Masakin: The needy Those whose possessions do not reach the minimum (nisab )limit. To those whose earnings are not enough to satisfy the essential needs of themselves and their dependents. (First preference should be given to relatives.) Amilun : Those engaged in the collection and distribution of Zakah through a community organization or Bait.az-Zakah Mu-allafatu al-QuIub: Those whose hearts are made to incline towards truth -the converts who need help those whose hearts are inclined towards the truth means converts to the religion of Islam; If they are in need, of assistance for their rehabilitation in the new religion, then Zakah money could be used to assist them. Riqa Ransoming of captives, wherever such necessity arise Gharimun: The Debtors A person whose total liabilities exceed his total assets, is a debtor, and Zakah could therefore be given to him. Ibn as-Sabil: The wayfarer The traveller who is not poor, but finds himself stranded abroad without funds. Way farer means any traveller who finds himself in financial difficulties. Fi Sabi-lillah Those engaged in the way of Allah Those engaged in the way of Allah, is a term which jurists generally apply to those who are actively engaged in fighting for the defense of Islam in the battlefields, but in this category could be included: (i) Those who are engaged in acquiring religious education and who cannot afford the requisite expenses, such as tuition fees boarding, lodging, clothes, etc. (ii) Those who are engaged in missionary work for the propagation of Islam without receiving any payment for their services, and/or they are able to maintain their families with great difficulty. (iii) Those who are engaged in the work of imparting knowledge of Islam – and are poor teachers, through educational centers such as Madarasa or schools, but who do not receive adequate salaries to maintain themselves and their families. Those could be assisted from Zakah funds and sums given to them -not as salaries but as gifts or bonuses -without the need to tell them that the money comes from Zakah. (iv) Those who are poor students in secular schools and colleges. Money from Zakah funds could be given to them for fees, text books, boarding and lodging expenses, for clothes, etc.. Zakat on Livestock Zakah is payable only on the ownership of animals grazing on the farms. Animals which do not graze but are fed in close stables, cowsheds or pens and such enclosures, are exempt from the payment of Zakah. Animals who are underage are totally exempt from the payments of Zakah, Nor is there Zakah on the ownership of such animals which are used for riding, for farming and/or for any other purpose connected with the earning of a living or recreation. Motor cars, vans, Lorries, carriages, etc. kept for personal use or for use in the course of business or profession are exempt from the payment of Zakah, The first claim on .Zakah money is of deserving relatives then the deserving poor of the village, town, city or country in which you live. If the needs of people of another area are more deserving and urgent then Zakah could be sent to them too. If the giver is not s~ and isdoubtful about the position of the person seeking Zakah from him, then he should not give his Zakah to him at all, because the giving of Zakah in such circumstances is not permitted.
Fitrah At a Glance What is Fitrah? Fitrah is compulsory on every Muslim who has sufficient for himself and his family-or dependents for the day of Id. He should discharge his Fitrah in respect of himself and all those who are dependents upon him such as his wife, his children .and Muslim servants.' To whom can Fitrah be given? Fitrah must be given to the poor and the needy of the Muslims. It may not be given to one's mother, father, paternal and maternal grandparents, great-grand-parents, etc. Similarly it may not be given to one's offspring such as sons, daughters, grand-children, great-grand-children, etc.. When does Fitrah become payable? According to Imam Shafii, Fitrah may be given from the first day of Ramadan. According to Imam Abu Hanifah, Fitrah may be given even before Ramadan. According to Imam Malik and Iman Ahmad, Fitrah may be given a " day or two before Id. ". It is clear, however, from the tradition narrated by Ibn Abbas that Fitrah must be discharged before the Id Salah for it to be valid and accepted.
