hirsoy

Minggu, 08 Mei 2011

Surah 1. Al-Fatiha (The Opening) English Translation

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;

2. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

3. Master of the Day of Judgment.

4. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.

5. Show us the straight way,

6. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace,

7 those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.

ZAM-ZAM Water, Is it not fit for Human consumption?

We came here again to perform the Omrah, and I am reminded of the wonders of Zam-zam. Let me go back to how it all started. In 1971, an Egyptian doctor wrote to the European Press, a letter saying that Zam-zam water was not fit for drinking purposes. I immediately thought that this was just a form of prejudice against the Muslims and that since his statement was based on the assumption that since the Ka'aba was a shallow place (below sea level) and located in the center of the city of Makkah, the
wastewater of the city collecting through the drains fell into well holding the water.
Fortunately, the news came to King Faisal's ears who got extremely angry and decided to disprove the Egyptian doctor's provocative statement. He immediately ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to investigate and send samples of Zam-zam water to European laboratories for testing the potability of the water. The ministry then instructed the Jeddah Power and Desalination Plant to carry out this task.

It was here that I was employed as a desalting engineer (chemical engineer) to produce drinking water from sea water). I was chosen to carry out this assignment. At this stage, I remember that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like. I went to Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Ka'aba explaining my purpose of visit.
They deputed a man to give me whatever help was required. When we reached the well, it was hard for me to believe that a pool of water, more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet, was the well that supplied millions of gallons of water every year to hajis ever since it came into existence at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim A.S., many, many centuries ago.
I started my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I
asked the man to show me the depth of the well. First he took a shower and descended into the water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that the water level came up to just above his shoulders. His height was around five feet, eight inches. He then started moving from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the while since he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any inlet or pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in. However, the man reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline inside the well.

I thought of another idea. The water could be withdrawn rapidly with
the help of a big transfer pump which was installed at the well for the
Zam-zam water storage tanks. In this way, the water level would drop enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water.
Surprisingly, nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I
knew that this was the only method by which you could find the entrance of the water to the well. So I decided to repeat the process. But this time, I instructed the man to stand still at one place and carefully observe any unusual thing happening inside the well. After a while, he suddenly raised his hands and shouted, "Alhamdollillah! I have found it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of the bed of the well."

Then he moved around the well during the pumping period and noticed the same phenomenon everywhere in the well. Actually the flow of water into the well through the bed was equal at every point, thus keeping the level of the water steady. After I finished my observations I took the samples of the water for European laboratories to test. Before I left the Ka'aba, I asked the authorities about the other wells around Makkah.

I was told that these wells were mostly dry. When I reached my office
in Jeddah I reported my findings to my boss who listened with great
interest but made a very irrational comment that the Zam-zam well could be internally connected to the Red Sea. How was it possible when Makkah is about 75 kilometres away from the sea and the wells located before the city usually remains dry?

The results of the water samples tested by
the European laboratories and the one We analyzed in our own laboratory
were found to be almost identical.

The difference between Zam-zam water and other water (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts. The content of these was slightly higher in zam-zam water. This may be why this water refreshes tired hajis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action. Moreover, the remarks of the European laboratories showed that the water was fit for drinking. Hence the statement made by the Egyptian doctor was proved false.

When this was reported to King Faisal he was extremely pleased and
ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In a way, it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemical composition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more wonders surface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the miracles of this water that Allah bestowed as a gift on the faithful coming from far and wide to the desert land for pilgrimage.

Let me sum up some of the features of Zam-Zam water.

This well has never dried up. On the contrary it has always fulfilled
the demand for water. It has always maintained the same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Its potability has always been universally recognised as pilgrims from all over the world visit Ka'aba every year for Hajj and umrah, but have never complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them. Water tastes different at different places.

Zam-zam water's appeal has always been universal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usually takes place in most wells.

This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing
taste and odour problems.

But in the case of the Zam-zam water well, there wasn't any sign
of biological growth. Centuries ago, Bibi Hajra A.S. searched desperately for water in the hills of Sufwa and Murwa to give to her newly born son Hazrat Ismail A.S. As she ran from one place to another in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of Allah, shaped itself into a well which came to be called Zam-zam water.
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The Taj Mahal (play /ˈtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl/;Hindi: ताज महल, from Persian/Urdu: تاج محل "crown of buildings", pronounced [ˈt̪aːdʒ mɛˈɦɛl]; also "the Taj") is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. It is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.[citation needed] It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol of eternal love.

Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles.

In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer.

Taj Mahal

Denmark together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands

Denmark (Listeni /ˈdɛnmɑrk/; Danish: Danmark, pronounced [ˈdanmɑɡ̊] ( listen)) is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The country of Denmark, together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, comprises the Kingdom of Denmark (Danish: About this sound Kongeriget Danmark (help·info); Faroese: Kongsríki Danmarkar; German: Königreich Dänemark). It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland (Jylland) and many islands, most notably Zealand (Sjælland), Funen (Fyn), Vendsyssel-Thy (commonly considered a part of Jutland), Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago. Denmark has long controlled the approach to the Baltic Sea; before the digging of the Kiel Canal, water passage to the Baltic Sea was possible only through the three channels known as the "Danish straits".

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. Denmark has a state-level government and local governments in 98 municipalities. Denmark has been a member of the European Union since 1973, although it has not joined the Eurozone. Denmark is a founding member of NATO and the OECD. Denmark is also a member of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Denmark, with a mixed market capitalist economy and a large welfare state,ranks as having the world's highest level of income equality. Denmark has the best business climate in the world, according to the U.S. business magazine Forbes From 2006 to 2008, surveysranked Denmark as "the happiest place in the world", based on standards of health, welfare and education. The 2009 Global Peace Index survey ranks Denmark as the second most peaceful country in the world, after New Zealand.In 2009, Denmark was ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world according to the Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking second only to New Zealand.In 2010, Transparency International ranked it as the least corrupt country in the world, in a three-way tie with New Zealand and Singapore.

The national language, Danish, is closely related to Swedish and Norwegian, with which it shares strong cultural and historical ties. 80.9% of the inhabitants of Denmark are members of the Lutheran state church. As of 2010, 548,000 persons (9.9% of the Danish population) were either immigrants or descendants of recent immigrants. Most of these (54%) have their origins in Scandinavia or elsewhere in Europe, while the remainder originate mainly from Middle Eastern and African countries.

Denmark Flag

Denmark Map

Denmark

Denmark Buildings Wisma

Denmark

Top 10 Places To Visit In United States

The United States is perhaps the most glorious and diverse country on Earth. Each state is like a country that provides vacationers and tourists with an enormous amount to do. There’s so much to do in America that planning a trip can be overwhelming. Here we’ve listed the ten pots that we think any visitor should start with to get a first taste of the USA.

01:Los Angeles, California.

This second largest city in the entire United States is also the biggest metropolitan area on the west coast. If you wish to see celebrities or at least check out their homes, this is the place to go. You can visit Hollywood, the movie capital or Beverly Hills where movie stars live. L.A. has a favorable subtropical climate with many white sand beaches. Some scenic spots there include the Big Sur coastline, the alpine beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the awesome Mojave desert.

02:San Francisco, California.

Though smaller than Los Angeles with no beaches, San Francisco offers more great sceneries. This hilly place is famous for its Golden Gate bridge and historic cable cars. Victorian houses also line up the hillside streets and overlook a huge blue bay surrounded by mountains. The bay area, as it is often called, also features the crookedest street and a Chinatown.

03:Las Vegas, Nevada.

This city boasts of being the adult entertainment capital of the world with the existence of so many casinos. Experience different forms of gambling here as well as world-class entertainment. Las Vegas also features grandious architecture from the giant pyramids of glass, multi-colored fantasy castles, replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the New York skyline. The place is also near other natural scenic spots like the Grand Canyon Zion and Death Valley.

04:Orlando, Florida.

Orlando is the biggest entertainment center for the family in the whole world. There’s Disney World, the largest and most famous amusement complex as well as the Universal Studios, Sea World, Wet and Wild and other attractions the whole family will enjoy. Tropical beaches also abound in Florida plus visitors can enjoy golf and tennis in various locations.

05:New York City.

Who can ever miss the Big Apple, the biggest metropolitan center in the U.S. Its famous tourist spots include the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, United Nations, museums, Broadway theaters, Times Square, Central Park and shopping as well as nightlife districts. New York is the city that never sleeps owing to the varied entertainment offered nightly at nightclubs, bars, theaters and sports centers. The city’s museums, art galleries and concert halls offer various cultural attractions as well.

06:Hawaii.

Though small as it may be, Hawaii is a great place to visit. Consisting of a string of volcanic islands in the center of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a tourist’s paradise what with its great weather all year round, wonderful beaches with awesome surf and scenery. The place has been a favorite haven for couples on a honeymoon and very ideal for swimming, tanning, surfing, fishing, boating, golf and tropical adventure.

07:Grand Canyon, Arizona.

The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona should not be missed. A natural wonder of the world, the Grand Canyon is 1,500 meters deep and more than 20 kilometers wide by 150 kilometers long. The Canyon’s interior features a wide maze of multicolored mesas, cliffs and headlands that contain smaller canyons. The interior can be reached by hiking or riding on mules down the trails. The continuous play of sun and shadow on the rock layers creates an awesome display.

08:Washington, D.C.

The capital of America is a very interesting city to visit. Washington D.C. has various tourist attractions such as its numerous monuments, museums and public parks that include the White House, the U.S. Capitol and other government buildings. These places can be visited free of charge so there’s no need to worry about your budget. The city also has great ethnic restaurants for your dining pleasure.

09:New Orleans, Louisiana.

The home of jazz music, New Orleans is a blend of the Spanish and French culture with influences from Afro-American and the Carribbean. Located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, this city is renowned for its jazz music, wild nightlife and Cajun cuisine. Who could also forget its famous weeklong Mardi Gras festival celebrated every February.

10:Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

This national park features a huge collection of geysers, hot springs and thermal phenomena in the entire globe. Bisons, elk, bears and wildlife abound in this huge national park. Its wilderness can easily be reached from the roads and visitors can get a chance to have close encounters with wildlife. Yellowstone is located near the Grand Tenton National Park, the Rocky Mountains and the open spaces of Montana.

Travel To Turkey Istanbul

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Free travel photos: holidays in Turkey. Pictures of Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Pergamon, landscapes and roads.

Turkey Istanbul

Minsk City Pictures

Minsk is located on the southeastern slope of the Minsk Hills, a region of rolling hills running from the southwest (upper reaches of the river Nioman) to the northeast – that is, to the Lukomskaye lake in northwestern [Belarus]. The average altitude above sea level is 220 metres (720 ft). The geography of Minsk was formed during the two most recent Ice Ages. The Svislach river, which flows across the city from the northwest to the southeast, is located in the urstrohmtal, an ancient river valley formed by water flowing from melting ice sheets at the end of the last Ice Age. Minsk was initially founded on the hills. However, in the 20th century, it grew to include the relatively flat plains in the southeast. The western parts of the city are the most hilly.
Satellite view.

Minsk is located in the area of mixed forests typical for most of Belarus. Pinewood and mixed forests are still present at the edge of the city, especially in the north and east. Some of the forests were transformed into parks (for instance, the Chelyuskinites Park) as the city grew.