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I used to go to the same pumpkin patch every year when I was little. There was a hay ride and a hay maze, a bonfire and hot cider. My favorite part used to be all the kittens running around. I always used to find one that just wanted to be held and kept warm and I would carry around with me the entire time we were there. NOW I all I think of is the risk of not spaying and neutering barn cats, but at the time I was just happy to hold warm snuggly purring balls of fluff.
One of the coolest pumpkin patches I've been to since my childhood was introduced to me by my friend Seerah. It was huge and full of orange pumpkins and white pumpkins and there were goats and a turkey and other animals and of course cider and and all that jazz. Good times.
I hope he doesn't mind, but this is a shot of my friend Jameson from back in 2005. I made him go with me the following year to the same place that Seerah introduced me to. His new MySpace picture gave me deja vu. I realized I hadn't posted this yet (at least that I can recall) so here it is!
My new best (old) friend, Russa and I went to another pumpkin patch this weekend. It had a 5 acre corn maze that had us lost for almost an hour! It was a lot of fun. I wish I would have gotten pictures.
Photo by: A. Shamandour
Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Hira (Arabic: حراء Ḥirāʾ) or the Cave of Hira (غار حراء Ġār Ḥirāʾ) is a cave about 2 mi (3.2 km) from Mecca, on the mountain named Jabal Al-Nūr in the Hejaz region of present day Saudi Arabia. The cave itself is about 12 ft (3.7 m) in length and 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) in width.
It is notable for being the location where Muslims believe Muhammad received his first revelations from God (Allah) through the angel Jibreel, also known as the angel Gabriel to Christians.
Taking 600 steps to reach, the cave is at a height of 270 m (890 ft) and the radius is 263.23 m (863.6 ft) During the Hajj around 5,000 Muslims climb up to the Hira cave daily to see the place where Muhammed received the first revelation of the Qu'ran on the Night of Power. Although, it is not an integral part of the pilgrimage. Most people go to see it for personal pleasure and spirituality, and some misunderstand it to be a place of worship, and while it is an important place to know in the seerah(story recorded biography of the Prophet) it is not as holy as, say, Masjid Al-Haram.
Dhows resting Ma'alla Aden, Arab Dhows at anchor in the harbour at Maalla (kupljena) 2341 R M. Yahooda Universal Bazaar Steamer-Point Aden Post Card
Aden je grad u Jemenu i bivši glavni grad nekadašnjeg Južnog Jemena. Aden je najznačajnija jemenska luka u Adenskom zaljevu u blizini strateški važnog tjesnaca Bab el Mandeb, koji povezuje Crveno more s Indijskim oceanom.
Prostor Adena je strateški važan na morskom prometnom putu između Europe i Azije te su na tom prostoru još u starom vijeku postojala trgovačka uporišta. Smatra se da je u 1. stoljeće pr. Kr. postojao trgovački grad Eudaemon. U predislamskom razdoblju su ovdje postojala kraljevstva Saba i Himyar. U to su doba na prostoru grada izgrađene tvrđave, dok su u islamskom razdoblju postojali lokalni kraljevi koji su vladali gradom i okolicom.
U 19. stoljeću postojao je Sultanat Lahij, njezin sultan je 1838. ustupio teritorij grada Adena Britanskom Carstvu, koje je tražilo uporište na strateški važnom Bab el Mandebu. Tim je činom utemeljena britanska Kolonija Aden, kojom je upravljala Britanska Istočnoindijska kompanija. Grad je bio trgovačko uporište i dio Britanske Indije.
Aden je 1937. izdvojen iz Indije i stvorena je Krunska kolonija Aden. Britanci su cijeli prostor južnog arapskog poluotoka (Hadramaut) organizirali kao Protektorat Aden. Sam grad Aden nije bio dio Protektorata Aden, nego posebna kolonija.
Tijekom 1960-ih godina jača pokret za oslobođenje od britanske vlasti. Godine 1962. stvorena je Federacija Južne Arabije pod britanskom upravom, ali s više samostalnosti, a 1967. je završila britanska uprava i stvorena je Narodna Demokratska Republika Jemen (poznata kao Južni Jemen), s Adenom kao glavnim gradom. Nakon ujedinjenja Jemena 1990. godine, glavni je grad nove države postala Sana'a, a Aden gubi dotadašnji status. Tijekom građanskog rata 1994. Aden je bio centar pobunjenika. Poznat je kao mjesto prvog napada Al Qaide na američke ratne brodove USS The Sullivans i USS Cole, 2000. godine.
Aden se nalazi na jugu Arapskog poluotoka u Adenskom zaljevu. Sam grad je smješten u krateru ugaslog vulkana, na poluotoku uskom prevlakom povezanim s kopnom. Zbog toga se stari Aden često naziva Krater. Između poluotoka i kopna je zaljev koji je idealna luka. Klima je pustinjska s malo padalina.
Od turističkih znamenitosti najzanimljiviji su ostaci spremišta za vodu Tawila, sagrađenog u vulkanskim stijenama još u pretpovijesti. Poznata je i tvrđava Seerah. Grad ima mnoge građevine tradicionalne islamske arhitekture, ali i europske građevine iz kolonijalnog razdoblja (tradicionalne britanske crkve). Zanimljive su plaže s vulkanskim stijenama u okolici grada.
The 9th day (and previous night) of the Hajj season, spent at Mount Arafah.
This is traditionally a day full of prayer to expiate sins and an opportunity for spiritual rejuvenation. The sole purpose is to gain the pleasure of Allah Subhan wa t'Aala. The importance of these ten days is indicated by Allah (subhan wa t'aala) swearing an oath by them; Allah (swt) says: 'By the dawn; by the ten nights'. [Surah al-Fajr 89:1-2].
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'The ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah are the best days in the sight of Allah. ... They are better than an equivalent number of days spent fighting in the cause of Allah. And there is no day better in the sight of Allah than the Day of `Arafah. On this day Allah, the Almighty and the Exalted One, descends to the nearest heaven, and He is proud of His slaves on the earth and says to those in heaven, ‘Look at My servants. They have come from far and near, with hair disheveled and faces covered with dust, to seek My mercy, even though they have not seen My chastisement. Far more people are freed from the Hellfire on the Day of `Arafah than on any other day.'
It is reported by many sahabah~companions that The Prophet (pbuH) spent the day at `Arafah until almost sunset. Then he said said, 'O people, a little while ago Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me. Gave me salutations from Allah and informed me that Allah has forgiven those who spend the Day at `Arafah and those who stop at Al-Mash`ar Al-Haram, and that He has guaranteed their debts.'
Ibn 'Abbas reports that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, 'No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these days [meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah]. The companions asked, 'O Messenger of Allaah, not even jihad in the way of Allah?' He said, 'Not even jihad, except for the man who puts his life and wealth in danger [for Allah's sake] and returns with neither of them.'
The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of ’Arafah, since it is on this day that the pilgrims gather at the mountain plain of ’Arafah, praying and supplicating to their Lord. The act of stoning - of the large white stone in the centre of the photo - is symbolic, as it is the act that commemorates the Prophet's (saw) rejection of the devil, and therefore a justificaton of his belief in Allah (swt).
It is mustahabb (highly recommended) for those who are not pilgrims to fast on this day, since the Prophet (saw) was asked about fasting on the day of ’Arafah, said, 'It expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year.' It is not necessary for those performing Hajj to fast on this day, as they are present at Arafah.
The tenth day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, is Eid-ul-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, and will fall on Friday 27th November in the UK this year.
[Notes courtesy: www.theclearsunnah.com
Photo courtesy: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images]
THE PRACTICAL MAN
In the Encyclopaedia of the Seerah a scholar Afzalur Rahman states that the Prophet (S) of Islam led a comprehensive and a perfect life. He was a married man, had children and in this sphere of life he left unique principles of human relations between husbands and wives and between parents and children. He further states that the Prophet (S) was a trader and in business transactions and the economic field he gave unparalleled ideas for the establishment of a balanced and exemplary economic system for the benefit of humankind.
The Prophet (S) as an ideal man and in the light of his speech (Hadith) and action (Sunnah) provided a perfect example for humankind in every area of human endeavor. His teachings have been documented in detail and serves as a moral quality which has been adopted as a way of life which must be put into practice as a salvation for humankind. The next few paragraphs tell us about his practical wisdom and action that are appreciated by all who study and emulate the Prophet’s (S) life and example.
When we study the Seerah of the Prophet (S) and in particular when the Prophet (S) signed a treaty or truce and made a pledge, despite the fact that it was difficult on Muslims, such as the Truce of Hudaibiya (628 C.E./6AH), he honoured every word of it. The extraordinary patience and insight he showed in negotiating the truce with the envoys from Makkah, notwithstanding their procrastination and being pedantic, showed how very dear peace was to his heart.
The Truce showed the Prophets (S) foresight and diplomatic insight as it seemed to have been a defeatist and a demoralising exercise. It was due to this Truce that the Prophet (S) captured the hearts of the Meccan people during the relative period of peace that enable communications and discussions to take place with those who appreciated the Islamic message and became Muslims.
HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN
The Rasul (S) was very kind towards women and they were treated very badly in those days. As a young man, the Prophet (S) was greatly distressed when he heard about the burial of newly born daughters. He objected and pleaded to the clans and chieftains of the Arabs to outlaw this evil practice. When a person entered Islam, he made it an exposition of an assurance for his followers to never practice any form of infanticide. The Prophet (S) said that, “If a man has daughters and he takes good care of their upbringing, the fire of hell will not touch him”.
He did not distinguish between men and women and treated them both alike in all matters of life. He paid as much attention to the education of women as to that of men and even developed a close relationship with many women. He gave them dignity, equal to men in the community. In his sight, women and men were equal members of the society, each contributing to its growth, prosperity and development in their own sphere and in their own way, being neither superior nor inferior to the other. The Prophet (S) established a standard for women’s rights that was unequaled anywhere.
LOVE OF CHILDREN
In the Madina Mosque, the Prophet enjoyed meeting children - boys and girls - in groups. He told them about the Lord of the Universe and His angels, how Allah (S) responds to one's prayers and His command that the children should respect and obey their parents. His followers some times brought him fruits from their orchards and the Prophet (S) shared them with the children in the Mosque. He loved his grandsons, Hassan (R) and Hussein (R), and his granddaughter, Imamah (R). He taught them Qur’anic verses and was pleased with their recitation. If he heard a child weeping, he made it a point to find out from its parents the reason for this and gave it affection and sympathy. He always loved children and treated them with immense gentleness and kindness.
TOWARDS ALLAH’S (S) CREATION
The Prophet (S) was also against cruelty to animals and birds. "They are Allah’s (S) creation", he told his followers. He saw a camel, weak, bent and hungry. He urged its owner to take proper care of it. He praised the man who drew water from a well and gave it to a thirsty dog. During a journey, the Prophet saw one of his Companions pick up a little bird from its nest in a tree. When its mother started moaning and crying, he ordered the bird's return to its nest. The Prophets (S) concern for animals goes beyond the prevention of physical cruelty, but enjoins on the human species to take over the responsibility of all creatures to be their active protectors.
A noble example of chivalry was displayed when the Prophet (S) entered Makkah after the conquest of the city. In his hour of triumph, he did not claim credit for the victory and attributed it to Allah (S) completely. During the 23 years of his Prophethood, he experienced inexplicable behaviour and violence from the leaders of the city towards him and his followers. The Prophet (S) showed tremendous leadership, wisdom and courage by granting a general amnesty and forgave all the outrages against him and Islam. This action stands out in the annals of history and it is a wonderful example of respect for people and property during adverse conditions and war. His orders to his commanders and companions (R) to respect the sanctity of the city and its people thus laid a foundation for the establishment peace and the rise of Islam.