Jerusalem has a unique position among cities of the world. It is holy to followers of three faiths, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The City had been the seat of Judaism for centuries before Hazrath Isa (Jesus Christ), peace be upon him, was born here and later attained prophethood.

Muslims consider Jerusalem and the land between Jordan River to be sacred as several prophets blessed it with their presence and message. The Dome of the Rock, from where Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), made his ascent towards his journey of Me’raj is situated in the courtyard. Previously Muslims used to turn towards Jerusalem in namaz.

Today Israel occupies Jerusalem since 1967. The displacement of Palestinians from the Holy city has been achieved in two stages: first during 1948 when the Arab citizens were forcibly displaced. Then 1967, Israel annexed the East Jerusalem along with the entire West Bank of River Jordan. Israel had been expanding Jewish settlements since then in the Arab quarters and has nearly changed its Arab character. Now Jewish immigrants outnumber Arabs. Israel had been trying to declare the city as its capital.

Jerusalem was made a part of the expanding Muslim territory during the age Hazrat Umar. It was then named as Bait ul-Muqaddas. But even today the Arab Quarter of East Jerusalem still manages to retain its old world charm with its Al-Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock, unique cafés, restaurants, which still retains the Islamic flavor of the city.

A lonely but remarkable outpost of Yemen, the island of Socotra , which is 320 miles (510 kilometers) off the south coast of Yemen, to which it belongs. Throughout human history, Socotra has been virtually isolated from the rest of the world, effectively shut off by extreme natural weather conditions in a turbulent sea. The dominant feature of this island is a high plateau of limestone, the Hajar Massif, which is frequently shrouded in a cloud. This cloud zone provides the island with clean drinking water. Socotra Island is a botanical treasure house, a living museum of vanished species. Most famous among the island’s strange and precious plant is the Dragon’s Blood Tree, which is unique to Socotra . This tall umbrella-shaped tree grows in areas of thicket and grassland. The tree gets its name from the red sap that oozes out from any cut in its bark. This sap was once valued throughout the ancient world as an antiseptic ointment.

I was passing in front of a footwear stall in Commercial Street during the holy month of Ramadan - a month that inspires perseverance and self-discipline, transforming a person into a relatively peaceful and courteous human.

In the stall, I saw a youngster wearing a prayer cap, which Muslims wear while offering their salat It was indeed a pleasant sight to watch, but what followed next….left me in shock. This young man had some of the foulest vocabulary on his tongue even while casually chatting with his friend! They seem to be at ease joking in the offensive jargon, even abusing each other’s parents unwittingly….

I couldn't help but smirk, as my eyes were treated to a pleasant view but my ears were punctured with the severity of their glossary!

There is a very basic yet important message that all of us should learn from the above instance….We need to wear piety not just on the outside, but inside as well.

A boy made a kite and a top to play with. He let the kite fly and the top spin. One day. The kite told the boy that it would like to spin like the top and not fly. But, the boy told the kite, " I have made you only to fly. There is no way you can spin. You, the creation, have no right to decide what you will do with yourself.'

Do you understand the fundamental truth, that, you as the creation have no right to decide what you will do with your life? It is your Creator who will make that decision. The Creator's will for you is the best for you because He made you to the exact specifications required to fulfill it. If you understand God's will for your life and act according to that, your life will be the most blessed one.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people enquire, "O Allah's Apostle! What are they? "He said:

1. To join others in worship along with Allah,
2. To practice sorcery,
3. To kill (the life) which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause,
4. To eat up Riba (usury),
5. To eat up an orphan's wealth,
6. To show your back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and
7. To accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers. (Bukhari 4:28)

O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.

Say, Who has forbidden the beautiful [gifts] of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, [which He has provided] for sustenance? “Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, [and] purely for them on the Day of Judgement. Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.)” (Qur'an 7:31-32)

Muslims who fear Allah in their heart and are keen to earn His satisfaction should treat their children equally, not favoring one over the others, in spending, treatment, and giving gifts to them.

Children are a blessing from Allah and to thank Allah for such a blessing, parents should fulfill the duties Allah prescribed on them towards their children.

Even in cases of divorce, fathers are asked to be fully responsible for their children regarding food, clothing, schooling, and health expenses according to the father’s standard of life.

Imam Raghib Isbahani has added a true story in his book ‘Muhazirât al- Adibbah’ Maimoon bin Mehrân was sitting in the court of the Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz (May Allah be pleased with him), when a sound was heard. The caliph Omar told his door-keeper to see who was at the gate. The door-keeper responded that the man, who made his camel sit just then, claimed that he was the son of the Muaddin of the Prophet (Pbuh). The caliph ordered the door-keeper to call in him. When he came inside the chamber, he was received warmly and told to mention Hadith of the Prophet (Pbuh)

Ibn Bilal expressed: My father quoted the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) as saying: --- “He who becomes an authority (a ruler) over people and hides himself from people will not get a sight-visit to Allah”. Meaning to say, Allah will turn a side from him on the Day of Judgment, and in this way he will not get an opportunity to visit Allah.(Abu Dawood-2948, Tirmidi-1332, Ahmed-231, Volume 4)

The caliph of Islam, Omar, said to his door-keeper at the same moment: From today onward, I do not need you, go to your house, and after that no door-keeper was seen at his gate.

Growing up in today's culture can be exciting, confusing, and chock-full of challenges.

For young American Muslims, navigating adolescence has proven especially daunting since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. They must sort out not only who they are individually, but also how they fit into a society that knows little about them but holds a host of impressions.

"I went to bed on Sept. 10th an American, and on Sept. 11th, I became a Muslim in people's minds," says Imran Hafiz, a high school sophomore in Phoenix. And not just any Muslim.

He was only in fourth grade back then, but that shift in perceptions affected Imran directly. A few days later, all of a sudden his pals at school told him, "You can't play soccer with us anymore." When he asked them why not, they responded, "Because you're a Taliban."

The youngster was shocked and scared, but his family helped him see that his friends' reaction "came from ignorance, not from hate," he says.

Once the Emperor of Turkey while riding through the countryside saw an old man planting a fig tree. The Emperor asked him as to why he was doing this. The old man replied that it was possible that he might live to eat of its fruit. Even if he did not, his family would enjoy the delicious figs and remember him for planting it for them.

The Emperor was a kind man and was touched by the honest reply of the old farmer. He told him: “Well, if you live long enough to live to eat the fruit of this tree, it is my request that you let me know of it.”

The old man promised that he would do so, and, sure enough, his life was prolonged until the tree grew of age and bore delicious fig fruits.

Packing some of the finest figs in a basket, he headed for the Emperor’s palace to present them. When he explained this to the guards at the gate that he was here on the invitation of the Emperor, he was quickly shown into the Emperor’s presence.

Fortunately for him, the Emperor remembered the old man and was so pleased that he accepted the present and ordered his treasurer to fill the old man’s basket with gold.

Now, there was a greedy farmer who lived next door to the old man who also grew figs for a living. He became extremely jealous of the old man’s good fortune. He packed a lot of figs in a cart and took it with him to the Emperor with the hope that he would fill his cart with gold.

The Emperor learned of the purpose after making some discreet inquiries about him. He also learnt that he was owner of a huge farm and lived a life of luxury by selling his produce in the market. He ordered the rich farmer to be shown into his presence, and had his guard surround him and pelt him with the ripe figs, which he had brought with him in his cart.

Once the order was carried out the Emperor told the rich farmer that this was a lesson, which he needed to be taught for being greedy, as he was already many times rich over his poor neighbour, whose basket he had filled with gold on the previous day.

When the man arrived home, and told his wife all that had taken place in the palace, she consoled him by saying: “Ah! Well, you must be thankful that you took ripe figs to the Emperor and not hard coconuts! Just imagine what would have happened if you had done so; for I would have been a grieving widow by now moaning about the loss of my greedy husband who was not content at being rich; and wanted to amass more riches for himself!

There lived a merchant in Baghdad several hundred years ago who was known as Nayeem bin Abdur Rahman. Nayeem would travel to distant lands taking merchandise like dates, fine textiles and carpets leaving his loving wife Zubaidah and a slave woman back in Baghdad. Usually a business trip would take a month and Nayeem would return with exquisite brassware from Tashkent, curios made out of onyx and topaz, colourful garments from Dushanbe and fine pottery from Persia.

Years passed by. Nayeem did not get any child from Zubaidah. However, Nayeem’s liking for Zubaidah remained undiminished. But after a few years, Zubaidah began to notice that Nayeem’s return from his trips to far off lands were getting longer. Instead of 30 days earlier, he would now return after 45 to 50 days. Though sure in her belief that Nayeem was in no way deficient in his liking for her, she sent her maidservant to check her husband’s activities during his sojourns. The curious maid followed her master in disguise in a caravan that moved just behind Nayeem’s. She looked for his places of stay, his contacts and business schedule. It soon became evident that Nayeem had contracted a second marriage with a Tajik woman Jameelah in Dushanbe in Tajikistan. In each trip, Nayeem would spare a fortnight for stay with his second wife. The maid soon returned to Baghdad and reported the matter to Zubaidah. Appearing to be ignorant of Nayeem’s second alliance, Zubaidah remained loyal to Nayeem and bore no rancour against her husband. Nayeem too retained his warmth towards her.

Several years later, Nayeem breathed his last in his Baghdad home. Following his burial, Zubaidah assessed the value of all the Nayeem’s possession including buildings, shop, cattle, gems and jewellery, gold, money and farms. Conscious of the fact that Nayeem’s second wife too was legal heir of half of his possession, she made a neat bundle of guineas and some pieces of gold ornaments that equaled the value of half of Nayeem’s bequest. She asked her maidservant to carry the packet to Dushanbe and deliver it to Jameelah.

She also carried a letter that read:
Dear sister Jameelah
Assalamu alaikum

You would be sad to learn that my and your husband, Nayeem has departed from this mortal world last fortnight. Though he never hinted to me about his marriage with you, I am morally bound to deliver you what should be rightfully yours. Here is a parcel with some valuables that might be equivalent to what you owe out of the Nayeem’s bequest. I hope I have done justice with you. In case, Nayeem has asked you to claim any specific share, feel free to ask it from me, lest I will be accountable before God. Wishing you a life full of bliss. Ameen!
Your sister,
Zubaidah

A month later the maidservant returned with the packet intact. A letter tucked inside it, read:
Dear Sister Zubaidah
Assalamu alaikum

Thanks for the packet! I am sorry to learn of Nayeem’s death. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen! Perhaps Nayeem could not inform you that we had a divorce six months before his last trip out of Baghdad. You owe me nothing out of his possessions at Baghdad as Nayeem had left enough here in Dushanbe for me to care for myself for the rest of life before we divorced. Packet is being returned with thanks. May Allah bestow patience on you. Ameen!
Your sister,
Jameelah
Dushanbe

Children's Corner