Miscellany

To provide for the situations that are completely out of a person’s control, Muslims have been suggested to append Inshaa Allah when they make a promise. This is for three reasons: Firstly to underscore that our circumstances are not totally in our control but in Allah’s control; secondly, to reassure each of the parties that each intends sincerely to fulfill the promise except for the possibility of something unforeseen happening beyond each party’s control because of Allah’s will; and thirdly, it is an implied dua requesting Allah to help the parties by not letting anything happen that will hamper the fulfillment of their promise.


Unfortunately, like many other bad things that have happened to Muslims, people have been misusing ‘Insha Allaah’ for cheating. They say it when they have no intention of fulfilling the promise. That is outright cheating which is being carried out by invoking Allah’s name to give a false pretence of promising. These people will be in deep trouble when Allah holds them accountable for two crimes: cheating and breaking promises.

The largest artificial waterway. the Suez Canal, in Egypt, opened in 1869. It connects the Mediterranean sea with Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and thereby reduces distance between India and Europe by nearly 4000 miles. On an average around 21,250 ships use the canal every year.


Shahnama, the masterpiece of the Persian literature has 60,000 verses and was penned by Abul Qasim Mansur whose pen name was Firdausi. It was completed 1010. It deals with the history of Persian kings from legendary beginnings down to Khusro in the 7th century. However, in the last verse the poet condemned the reigning monarch of the day for having reneged on his promise of giving him 10,000 guineas.


The smallest island in the world – according to the Guinness Book of Records – is Bishop Rock. It lies at the most south – westerly part of the United kingdom. It is one of the 1,040 islands around Britain and only has a lighthouse on it.


The world’s highest bridge can be found in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. The valley lies at an altitude of about 18,379 ft above sea level. It is called the Bailey bridge and it is only 98 ft long and was built by the Indian army in August 1982.


The fear of vegetables is called Lachanophobia.


Part of a Roman soldiers’ pay was made in salt, known as “salarium”. That’s why pay of today is known as salary.