HAS ALLAH NOT GIVEN US THE RESOURCES?

Excellent resources on Allah by mahussain3

Recognize how many important resources are within Muslim control.

§ 70% of world oil reserves, totaling 550 billion barrels, are in "Muslim countries."

§ 49% of the world's Natural Gas reserves, totaling 2532 trillion cubic feet, are in Muslim majority countries.

§ 21% of world production of Uranium, totaling 6,421 tons annually, is from "Muslim countries."

The Prophet said: "People share in three things--The water, the graze, and the fire (includes power resources)" (Abu Dawud)

This hadith establishes public ownership of the natural resources in the Islamic State. If money from the Ummah's resources today were distributed according to Allah's Laws, nobody in the Islamic State would be living below poverty level. For example, 717-720 C.E: Khalifa Omar ibn Abdul-Aziz: Under the Khalifa's guardianship, there was no poverty in the Islamic State.

What we lack is the proper organization of the State. The longer we delay in implementing this solution, the more will our resources be wasted in mismanagement and extortion, and the longer the Muslim Ummah suffers.

What steps should school districts take regarding religion?

Executive summary about religion in schools by Alice Dillon

Here are some suggestions to get you started.

1. Discuss specific requirements and suggestions have been made by your local and state Board of Education and evaluate where your school districts falls in compliance.

2. Research the other school districts in your state to see what they are doing

3. Identify action steps necessary to bring your district into compliance if needed.

Islam

Followers of Islam are called Muslims, believe there is one true God: Allah, that Islam was revealed over 1400 years ago in Mecca, Arabia through a man called Muhammad, this to be the word of Allah as dictated to Muhammad, follow the five basic Pillars of Islam.

Muslims worship in a building called a Mosque. When Muslims pray, they must always face Makkah.

Report Papers on the Pros of Religion in Schools

Executive summary about religion in schools by Eric Edwin Joseph Benac

Bitter debates have been raged to add religion to school. These debaters state that there are many positive results of allowing religion in school. There are many topics about this debate you might cover in a pro religion in school paper.

1. Improve Morality

One argument you could make with a pro religion paper would be to discuss improving morality. You could then argue that adding a positive, religious point of view to school curriculum could help add morals to the school.

2. Improve Tolerance

Religious intolerance is most often fueled by ignorance of other religions. You can argue that allowing all types of religion to be introduced into schools could help end this ignorance and promote religious tolerance. Introducing religious classes that discuss the various world religions could help discuss the true beliefs of these religions versus the perceived beliefs.

3. Enhance Spirituality

Spirituality is defined in different ways by many other people. Introducing religion into schools should not be limited to one type.

4. Encourage Freedom

Many religious people believe that schools banning religion is actually infringing on their constitutional freedom of religion. You can argue that this encourages not freedom of religion but "freedom from religion," a policy that favors the non-religious over the religious. Use evidence, such as quotes from the Constitution and quotes from school policies involving religion instead of impassioned angry arguments.

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Being a Muslim Woman

Executive summary about Islam religion by Nakia Jackson

The 20th and 21st centuries have transformed Muslim women's lives. With the repression that Muslim women face in many parts of the world, some people question why Muslim women would remain Muslim if they can choose otherwise.

Women in the developing world, including Muslim women, have unequal access to education, economic opportunities and health care. Muslim women may be the victims of domestic violence or ethnic cleansing.

The Qur'an explicitly states women's spiritual equality in the 35th verse of Surah al-Ahzab: "For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise -- for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward."

Secrets within Great Pyramid of Giza Point to One True God

Everyone in the world is familiar with the Great Pyramid in Egypt, but only a few realize it was ordained by the hand of God. The prophet Isaiah tells us it's an altar and a witness for the one true God. Josephus, the Jewish historian, says it was built by the children of Seth before the great flood. Egyptian legend calls it the “Pillar of Enoch” after the Patriarch who walked with God. Early Jewish writings, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and ancient historians provide clues to the secrets within the Great Pyramid. “Historical truth, ancient Egyptian beliefs, early Jewish writings, and ancient texts all reveal our true history and confirm the biblical Genesis,” says Austin, who combines an astute knowledge of quantum reality, science, and philosophy with a passion for teaching the truth. Retailers may order “The Middle of the Earth” through Ingram Book Company and Spring Arbor Book Distributors.

Hajj Information and Checklist

Executive summary about Islamreligion by James Cole

In 2010 thousands of British Nationals will attend the Hajj. The British Hajj delegation will be located at the Elaf Al Khalil Hotel

The delegation can:

1. arrange for replacement passports.

2. provide contact details for local lawyers.

The delegation cannot:

1. rearrange travel bookings.

2. pay your hotel, legal, medical or travel bills.

3. give legal advice.

Travel within Saudi Arabia will be limited to Makkah, Madinah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. If you choose to travel elsewhere your travel agent will need to inform the Tawafa Establishment giving at least 24 hours notice.

Check that you have the correct tickets and ticket details. Make copies of your passport, insurance policy plus emergency numbers and ticket details. Make sure you have the contact details of the Hajj Delegation and local consulate.

Useful Information:

Hajj Delegation:

Elaf Al Khalil Hotel

Ibrahim Al Khaleel Street

Al Misqalah

Behind the Hilton Towers

Tel: 02 573 2555

Fax: 02 573 2666

British Consulate-General, Jeddah:

Tel: 02 622 5550

Fax: 02 622 6249

Ministry of Hajj (Makkah):

02 530 8200

Ministry of Hajj (Jeddah):

02 647 7551

Checklist For Travellers To Saudi Arabia

There are the cosmopolitan city centres of Jeddah, the Red Sea port; Riyadh, the throbbing central capital; and Gulf-side Dammam, the large city in the east. All feature chic cafés and top-notch restaurants. For the tourist interested in religion, few other countries are as rich in historical sites as Saudi Arabia. As the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, Saudi Arabia is home the two holiest sites in Islam: The grand mosque in Mecca and the prophet’s mosque in Medina.

Note that the dates mentioned in the visa refer to Hijri calendar and not the Gregorian calendar. Note that once a visa is issued, it is mandatory for you to reach the kingdom within the specified date, otherwise the visa would lapse.

I would advise first-timers not to stuff items in your baggage unnecessarily. Almost everything is available in the kingdom, which is available elsewhere in the world. Note that electric supply in Saudi Arabia is in two voltages, 220 volts and 110 volts , 60 Hertz frequency. Alcohol and drugs are strictly banned items and users and peddlers face capital punishment. Some travellers from South Asia, bring poppy seeds. Money can be easily converted in Saudi riyals in any of the exchange centers in the kingdom. Temperatures reach extreme during summer and winter, so do come prepared with your personal clothing.

Working in Saudi Arabia is both a challenge as well as interesting, if you are well-prepared mentally.

Prayer in Public School

School prayer in its common usage is a reference to state-approved prayer by students in state schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, organized prayer may be required, permitted, or proscribed.

In the United States, public schools are prohibited from sponsoring religious observances such as daily prayer. Prayer itself is not forbidden while at school.

The history of prayer in public school is a story of legal interpretation. The relationship between religion and government in the United States is governed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which both prevents the government from establishing religion and protects privately initiated religious expression and activities from government interference and discrimination. The First Amendment thus establishes certain limits on the conduct of public school officials as it relates to religious activity, including prayer. As the Court has explained in several cases, "there is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the Establishment Clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses protect." Santa Fe Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290, 302 (2000).

The Supreme Court's decisions over the past forty years set forth principles that distinguish impermissible governmental religious speech from the constitutionally protected private religious speech of students. For example, teachers and other public school officials may not lead their classes in prayer, devotional readings from the Bible, or other religious activities.

Although the Constitution forbids public school officials from directing or favoring prayer, students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." Moreover, not all religious speech that takes place in the public schools or at school-sponsored events is governmental speech.

In England and Wales, the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 states that all pupils in state schools must take part in a daily act of collective worship, unless their parents request that they be excused from attending.

OFSTED's 2002-03 annual report, for example, states that 80% of secondary schools are not providing daily worship for all pupils.

Prior to 1944, in British Columbia, the Public Schools Act (1872) permitted the use of the Lord’s Prayer in opening or closing school. In 1944, the government of British Columbia amended the Public Schools Act to provide for compulsory Bible reading at the opening of the school day, to be followed by a compulsory recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms received royal assent. Section 2 of the charter guaranteeing freedom of conscience and freedom of religion trumped Section 167 of the Public Schools Act (1872).

As a declared 'laicist' state, France has no school prayers. The French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools goes beyond restricting prayer in schools and bans the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols by pupils in public primary and secondary schools.

In Turkey, school prayer is therefore unknown, and suspected religious motivations can cause serious difficulties for public servants.

Proposed French Law Confuses Secularism With Paternalism

In a speech on 17 December 2003, French President Jacques Chirac formally endorsed one of the key recommendations of the government-appointed Stasi Commission – namely, that conspicuous religious symbols should be banned from state-approved schools, even when they are displayed without any state endorsement. These symbols include Jewish yarmulkes, Muslim headscarves and large Christian crosses. Mr. Chirac justified the proposal by appealing to the core values of the French nation.

The proposal unquestionably breaches fundamental human rights standards. There is no question that the wearing of a religious symbol – even a conspicuous symbol – falls squarely within the conventions’ very general contemplation of the manifestation of religion in worship, practice and observance. The Human Rights Committee confirmed this in its General Comment 22 of 30 July 1993. Minister of National Education Luc Ferry went further, describing the Muslim headscarf as “a militant sign that calls for militant countersigns”.

References to militancy and destabilising forces may justify certain anti-terrorism legislation, but to suggest that a piece of material covering a Muslim student’s head is a threat to the secular French Republic is absurdly disingenuous and unequivocally contrary to international and European human rights standards.

The professed motivation for M.Chirac’s proposal is to ensure that French society treats different religious groups equally. The proposal itself, however, amounts to nothing less than discrimination on religious grounds.

There are two reasons for this. First, even if the legislation treats different religions the same, this does not amount to treating different religions equally – because different religious traditions make different demands of their followers, and the individual right to manifest ones religion embraces these differences. The ban is wrong in both cases – but to proscribe Muslim headscarves steps beyond any prevention of proselytism and into the active restriction of unobtrusive religious adherence.

Second, the proposed legislation allows extraordinarily broad discretion – and this is necessarily open to discriminatory application. The current draft legislation proscribes “ostensibly” religious symbols, a deeply ambiguous benchmark that is left for the interpretation of school administrators on a case-by-case basis.

This law will serve only to confirm their worst fears – by declaring that conspicuous but unobtrusive religious symbols threaten the core ideals of the French nation. Understandably, French religious minorities have a history of resisting policies of this nature. Similarly, France’s small Sikh community initially responded to the proposed legislation by declaring that Sikh boys would leave public schools rather than remove their turbans. For a policy ostensibly designed to use French public schools to promote social harmony, this is the deepest irony and the ultimate condemnation. The policy will cause many students from religious minorities to flee from the public school system, into the hands of religious schools – segregated institutions that are far more likely than any public school to affirm the radical messages of isolation that this law will encourage.

The draft legislation is an extraordinary proposal that sacrifices fundamental individual liberties in the name of social harmony – but which, at its core, is justified by absurd religious generalisations that will serve only to isolate further many religious minorities. French leaders are right to be concerned about the status of religious minorities in France. They are right to emphasise French unity, and they do well to highlight France’s long-standing commitment to secularism.

What makes a religious symbol conspicuous?

Aug 17, 2009 a college in Mangalore in India banned a student wearing a burqa from attending class. The principal told local media the college had a policy of not allowing symbols of religion.

Turkey in 2008 lifted a ban on women wearing headscarves at universities, ruling it violated the country’s secular constitution. A 2004 French law bans students from wearing “conspicuous” signs of their religion in state schools, prompting Sikhs to launch a protest to allow them to keep their turbans on.

Prayer Secrets

Everyone wants to learn how to get God to answer more of their personal prayers. The Bible lays out specific conditions that must be met before God will answer some of your prayers.

One last word on the power of prayer. In my opinion, when you go into a prayer mode with God the Father, this is very serious business! When you go into prayer mode with God the Father, you are approaching Him with a petition for something very specific. Knowledge is the key that will open up this prayer door for you in order for you to be able to properly approach God the Father with your specific prayer requests.

God loves to answer your prayers!

Religious Expression in the Public Schools

Freedom of speech encompasses religious as well as secular speech, but the Establishment Clause imposes limitations on government endorsement of religion that has important implications for religious speech and observance in public schools.

Public school teachers, principals, administrators, and other personnel may not promote religion in general as superior to a secular approach to life. Prayer and Bible-reading have long been excluded from the public schools.

In Santa Fe Independent School District v. Jane Doe (2000) the Court held that student-led prayer at school-sponsored football games was unconstitutional, because the circumstances implied official endorsement of religion. Holiday observations in public schools have been a persistent bone of contention in many communities. Although schools may teach about the religious beliefs underlying religious holidays and may celebrate secular aspects of such holidays, schools may not observe holidays as religious events or promote such observance among their students.

Schools may not permanently display religious messages like the Ten Commandments. Religious clothing and symbols, if not disruptive, are a protected form of expression. Even schools with dress codes ordinarily make an exception for religious articles. Under a 1993 Supreme Court ruling, public schools that permit their facilities to be used by community groups are not permitted to discriminate against religious groups.

When public education requirements severely conflict with sincerely-held religious beliefs, the courts have fashioned a remedy to address the conflict. The Equal Access Act (20 U.S.C. 4071-74), adopted by Congress in 1984, was intended to prevent discrimination against student extra-curricular activities "on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech" at such student-run events. The Act applies to any "public secondary school which receives Federal financial assistance" and which allows "noncurriculum related student groups to meet on school premises during noninstructional time". U.S. Department of Education, Guidelines on Religious Expression in the Public Schools were originally adopted in 1995 and updated since then to provide every school district in America with a statement of principles addressing the extent to which religious expression and activity are permitted in the public school. The guidelines affirm two obligations imposed on school officials:

1. Schools may not forbid students acting on their own from expressing their personal religious beliefs;

2. Schools may not discriminate against private religious expression by students, but must instead give students the same right to engage in religious activity and discussion as they have to engage in other comparable activity.

Muslim Populations in Asia

Most of the world's Muslims live in Asia. Indonesia (240,271,522 | 86.1% Muslim), India (1,156,897,766 | 13.4% Muslim), Pakistan (174,578,558 | 95% Muslim) and Bangladesh (156,050,883 | 83% Muslim) have the world's highest Muslim populations.

Indonesia Muslims

Once called the Spice Islands, Indonesia, the fourth largest nation in the world, is a nation in which it is impossible to make generalisations. The people of Indonesia represent hundreds of languages, cultures and religions.

Today Indonesia is at a point of crisis. Every major region of Indonesia has suffered. Indonesia is an archipelago of 17,508 islands, still grapples with persistent poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, endemic corruption, a fragile banking sector, a poor investment climate, and unequal resource distribution among regions. Declining oil production and lack of new exploration investment turned Indonesia into a net oil importer in 2004. Unfortunately, Indonesia suffers new natural disasters all the time. Donors are assisting Indonesia with its disaster mitigation and early warning efforts.

Prayer Guide for Indonesia:

1. Pray for those in leadership in Indonesia.

2. Pray for those enduring economic hardship. Ask God to open doors for Christian workers to create employment opportunities.

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, but it continues to face a low intensity separatist guerilla movement in Papua.

Ethnic groups: Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9%

Religions: Islam 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4%

Languages: Indonesian, English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese.

School life expectancy: 12 years.

Caribbean Religions

When it comes to religion, the Caribbean is dominated by Christianity. From the religions of slaves and indentured servants to styles developed on the islands themselves, the Caribbean is full of a vibrant variety of faiths.

Christianity is the dominant religious style in the region, but local religions also play an important role in the Caribbean. Many of the Caribbean-born slaves were indoctrinated into Christianity.

In fact, the end of slavery helped encourage some religious diversity in the islands. Rastafarianism is Christianity with a distinctly Caribbean style.

The many distinct religions in the Caribbean can be divided into Christianity, Afro-Caribbean Creolized religions and East Indian religions.

Atheism

Atheism is the absence of belief in any Gods. Atheists don't use God to explain the existence of the universe.

Atheists say that human beings can devise suitable moral codes to live by without the aid of Gods. People are atheist for many reasons, among them:

1. They find insufficient evidence to support any religion.

2. They think that religion is nonsensical.

3. Religion doesn't interest them.

4. Religion doesn't seem relevant to their lives.

Islam Cannot be Criticized as a Monolithic Faith

Executive summary about Muslim by Austin Cline

Comments from both Muslims and critics can give the impression that Islam is a single, united, monolithic religion but this is false. In Islam, the major division is between Sunni and Shia Muslims.

Most statements about Islam apply to Sunni Islam, which represents the vast majority of Muslims. Shia Muslims hold the same fundamental beliefs of other Muslims, with the principle addition being that they also believe in an imamate, which is the distinctive institution of Shia Islam.

The real ecclesiastical power lies with the four orthodox schools of legal thought because they define the boundaries of Islamic law, theology, and belief.

1. Maliki: founded by Abd Allah Malik ibn Anas (ca. 715-95).

2. Hanifite: founded by An Numan ibn Thabit Abu Hanifa (ca. 700-67).

3. Shafi'ite: founded by Muhammad ibn Idris ash Shafii (767-820).

4. Hanbali: founded by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (780-855).

Unlike the Sunnis, Shia Muslims have from the start regarded inherited, mystical elements as fundamental to the nature of religious authority. The term Shia is a shortened form of Shiat Ali, which means "the party of Ali". Ali was Muhammad's adoptive brother, the husband of his favorite daughter, and father of his favorite grandsons.

Differences in religious authority create significant differences in how a religion works. Rationalized, legalistic religions require certain types of critical arguments while charismatic, mystical religions require different critical arguments. If you want to critique Islam, then, you need to know which Islam you are critiquing and where it is most vulnerable.

Ottoman Turks

The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. Reliable information about the early history of the Ottomans is scarce.

Ertugrul established a principality, as part of the decaying Seljuk empire. His son, Osman, expanded the principality; and for him, both the empire and the people were named by Europeans as "Ottomans". Osman's son, Orhan, expanded the growing empire, taking Nicaea, present-day Iznik, and crossed the Dardanelles strait, in 1362. But the Ottoman Empire came into its own when Mehmed II captured the Byzantine Empire's capital, Constantinople, in 1453.

The early Yâkût period was supplanted in the late 15th century by a new style pioneered by Seyh Hamdullah (1429–1520) which became the basis for Ottoman Calligraphy. The next great change in Ottoman calligraphy comes from the style of Hâfiz Osman (1642–1698), whose rigorous and simplified style found favor with an empire at its peak of both territorial extent, and governmental burdens.

Ottoman poetry produced epic length verse, but is better remembered for shorter forms, such as the gazel. By the 14th century the Ottoman Empire's prosperity made manuscript works available to merchants and craftsman, and produced a flowering of miniatures which depicted pagentry, daily life, commerce, cities and stories, as well as chronicling events.