Islamic Online University

 assalamu aleikum
I just discovered  beautiful Islamic courses online and its free.
Its offered by Islamic Online University by doctor Bilal Philips .
There are many courses offered .All you have to do is to register and log in to a class .
Each course is very organized and easy to study .It divided into several moduls .After each Module you complete a test .The course is combined with text ,video and audio material .And even more ,you will receive a Certificate after each course, signed by doctor Bilal Philips
Please check it out and spread the word ...
This is a link for the courses
 http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=1:free-courses&Itemid=20

These are some of courses offered

Crochet Contest

assalamu aleikum
Does anyone likes doing crochet?
This is a great opportunity to show your skills !!!!!!!

Show off your creativity !!!

Lion Brand Yarn Company is sponsoring a yarn contest at Michaels stores. The grand prize is $1,000 and an all-expense paid trip for two to Los Angeles to meet Vanna White. The contest ends on February 1, 2010.

This is a terrific opportunity for yarn enthusiasts to showcase their creations and win some wonderful prizes!

Click on the link to read more and to register http://www.vannaschoice.com/

I think I might be participating :) why not ?

waaleikum salam

Fruit Plant Species Mentioned in the Holy Qura’n and Ahadith

In Islam diseases are cured in two ways, first the cure of soul through prayers and second the cure
through medicines. The Holy Quran  says: And the earth He has put down (laid) for the creatures. Theirin are fruits, date palms producing sheathed fruit-stalks (enclosing dates). And also corn, with (its) leaves and stalks for fodder and sweet-scented plants. Then which of the blessings of your lord will you both (jinn and men) deny? 

Our Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alayhi Wassallam) used certain herbs and recommended various medicinal plants for cure of common diseases. The Prophet (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) frequently commented upon the nature and value of various foods and spices. These comments were noted by his wives and companions (Radiallaho Anhum) and remain available to us today .

Watermelon

References from Ahadith

 Narrated Sahl bin Sad Al-Sadi (Radiyallahu Anhu):
Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) ate ripe
dates with water melon .

 Hazrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu )
narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam)
said, “Water melon is diet as well as drink. It washes
and purifies the urinary bladder. It increases the
sexual power .

 Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) narrates that
Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) ate water
melon with fresh dates.

Cucumber

References from Holy Quran
C Sûrah 2. Al-Baqarah, Verse. # 61: And (remember)
when you said, “O Mûsâ (Moses)! We can not
endure one kind of food. So invoke your Lord for us
to bring forth for us of what the earth grows, itsherbs, its cucumbers, its Fûm (wheat or garlic), its lentils and its onions.”

References from Ahadith

Narrated Abdullah bin Ja'far (Radiyallahu Anhu ): I
saw Allah's Apostle (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam)
eating fresh dates with cucumber [Bukhari, Muslim,
Tirmizi, Ibne Maja .

 Abdullah bin Ja'far (Radiyallahu Anhu ) reported: I
saw Allah's Messenger (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam)
eating cucumber with fresh dates .

Quince

References from Ahadith

Hazrat Talha bin Ubaid Ullah (R.A) narrated that
Rasullullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said: This .
(Quince) makes the heart strengthen, makes the
breath pleasant and relieves (removes) the burden of
the chest .

C Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (R.A) narrated that
Rasullullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Eat
the Quince (Safarjal) because it cure the heart attack
and relieves(removes) the burden of the chest”.

 Hazrat Anus bin Malik (R.A) narrated that
Rasullullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said: the
burden of the heart is removed by eating of the
Quince

The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said,
"Eat quince, for it sweetens the heart. For Allah has
sent no prophet as His messenger without feeding
him on the quince of Paradise .

 Rasullullah (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Feed
your pregnant women on quince, for it cures the diseases of the heart and makes the babies handsome”

Olive

References from Ahadith

Hazrat Abu huraira (R.A.) narrated that Rasullullah
(Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said “Eat the olive oil
and massage it over your bodies since it is a holy
(mubarak) tree.”

 Hazrat Alqama Bin Amir (R.A) narrates that Prophet
(Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) said, “There is olive oil
for you, eat it, massage over your body, since it is
effective in Heamorrhoids (Piles).”
. Hazrat Aqba Bin Amir (R.A) narrates that the Prophet
(Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) stated, “You have the
olive oil from this Holy (mubarak) tree, treat yourself
with this, since it cures the Anal fissure (Basoor).”.

Hazrath Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrates that the Prophet
(Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) stated, “Eat the olive oil
and apply it (locally), since there is cure for seventy
diseases in it, one of them is Leprosy.”
.
C Khalid Bin Saad (R.A.) narrates, “I came to Madinah
with Ghalib Bin Al Jabr. Ghalib became ill during the
journey. Ibn Abi Ateeq came to see him and told a
narration from Hazrat Aisha(R.A.) that the Prophet
(Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) told about the cure in
Kalonji. We crushed a few seeds of Kalonji and mixed
it with olive oil and dropped in both nostrils, after
which Ghalib became healthy.” .

 Hazrat Zaid Bin Arqam (R.A ) narrates, “ We have
been directed by the Prophet (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam) that we should treat the Pleurisy with Qust-e-Behri (Qust Sheerin) and olive oil.”.

Dates

References From Ahdith

 Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radiyallahu Anhuma)
narrated that The Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said, "There is a tree among the trees
which is similar to a Muslim (in goodness). Its leaves
do not fall. What is that tree? The Prophet (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam) himself said, “that is the date palm
tree.”
Hazrat S’ad bin AbiWaqas (R.A) narrated that
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "He
who eats seven dates of Madina (Ajwa dates) every
morning, will not be affected by poison and magic on
the day he eats them." .

C Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbass (Radiyallahu Anhuma)
narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said, “The ‘Ajwah is from Paradise and it
is an antidote against poison. The Kamah (truffles) is
a type of Manna and its water (extract) cures the eye

C Abdullah ibn Jaafar radiyallahu anhu says, “I saw
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) eating
*Qith’a (cucumbers or snake cucumber) with fresh
dates.”

Pomegranate

References from Ahadith
Hazrat Anas bin Malik (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrated
that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said,
"There is not a pomegranate which does not have a
pip from one of the pomegranates of the Garden (of
Jannah) in it."
C Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrated
that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said,
"Pomegranate and its rind strengthen digestion
(stomach)"

Cure of diseases through medicinal plants is always
a salient feature of Islamic teaching and preaching. Islamic
medicine started from Hazrat Adam (Alayhi Salam) and
was completed at Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) but search and compiling of these medicines is
still continued through out the world [16]. The Holy
Quran is the eternal and everlasting basis of Islam. It
cotains signs and verses which have been leading people
of different ages and of different academics and
intellectual background to believe in Islam. The Holy
Quran from the very start has a claim that it covers every
aspect of life and is full of wisdom. It speaks “We have
neglected nothing in the Book”

Cooking with Pressure cooker !!!Awsome!!!

assalamu aleikum
Something I want to share about cooking .
I love to make healthy food ,less fried food ,and less oily food .I like to use a lot of vegetables when cooking .
There is some very helpful thing  I recently discovered. And its a Pressure cooker  .
Well, I found it at home .It was a wedding gift and I never knew how to use it ,until after I did some research and was really amazed how simple it is to use and how healthy your meals would be.The meals that would take normally to cook an
 hour would take only 20-30 min in pressure cooker .Plus you don't have to run and check your food all the time.I guess its very helpful when you are busy with kids or other staff .

Its also very inexpensive .
The one I have is very simple pressure cooker,that looks like this

 

You can find it in target store  for only $32.99

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/181-6836185-9383422?asin=B001IEJLYS&AFID=become_df&LNM=Home_+_Garden|Kitchen|B001IEJLYS&CPNG=small%20appliances&ref=tgt_adv_XSE10001

There is a very simple recipe I found online

.I made this yesterday for dinner .It was very delicious and so simple to make .

It is a chicken with potatoes ,red bell peppers ,tomatoes and coriander

The recipe is by  Suzanne Gibbs

 

click on the link ,its a youtube video .I cannot upload it here for some reason,but I really like that recipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyej4ffbb9c 

 Also ,I would recommend to get a Pressure Cooker book .It gives good tips and recipes ..

I'm planning to order one .

Here the books that I found on amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0809241862/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1440500177&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0TTF0NX1515WQVWQ3QSZ

http://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Perfect-Twenty-Minutes-Cooker/dp/0060505346/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

This one is from Barnes and Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Pressure-Cooker-Cookbook/Toula-Pasoulis/e/9781557881892

 Please share your experience and recipes ,it would be really nice to hear from you ...

waaleikum salam

The Way to Paradise is Very Hard

Dr. `Umar Al-Ashqar

The Final Day – Paradise and Hell In the Light of the Quran and Sunnah

Paradise is very high, and ascending to lofty places takes a great deal of effort. The way to Paradise is filled with things that go against human wishes and inclinations. This needs strong determination and willpower. In a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:

"Hell has been veiled with desires, and Paradise has been veiled with hardships."

The version recorded by Muslim says "surrounded" instead of "veiled." [Jami al-Usul, 10/521, no. 8069]
An-Nisa’i, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud report from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said:

"When Allah created Paradise, He told Jibril, ‘Go and look at it.’ So he went and looked at it, then he came back and said: ‘By Your Glory, no one will hear of it but he will enter it." So He surrounded it with hardships and siad, ‘Go and look at it.’ So he went and looked at it, then came back and said: ‘By Your Glory, I fear that noone will enter it." [Jami al-usul, 10/520, no. 8068. Tirmidhi said: It is a gharib sahih hasan hadith]

An-Nawawi commented on the first hadith:

"This is an example of the beautiful, eloquent and concise speech of which the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, was capable, in which he gives a beautiful analogy. It means that nothing will help you to reach Paradise except going through hardships, and nothing will lead you to Hell but whims and desires. Both are veiled as described, and whoever tears down the veil will reach what was hidden behind it. The veil of Paradise is torn down by going through hardships, and the veil of Hell is torn down by giving in to whims and desires. Hardship includes striving consistently and patiently in worship, restraining one’s anger, forgiving, being patient, giving in charity, being kind to those who mistreat you, resisting physical desires, etc." [Sharh an-Nawawi `ala Muslim, 17/165]

Unfolding a Rose

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of Almighty Allah's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
Almighty Allah opens this flower so sweetly,
Then in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of Almighty Allah's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Allah for leading
each moment of my day.
I will look to Almighty Allah for His guidance
each step of the way.
The pathway that lies before me,
Only Almighty Allah knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

Foods of the Prophet,peace be upon him

 nd the earth hath He appointed for His creatures

Wherein are fruit and sheathed palm trees,
Husked grain and scented herb.
Which is it of these favors of your Lord
that ye deny?
Qur'an 55:10-13

The Prophet Muhammad,peace be upon him, was once reported to have said, "There are two kinds of knowledge: knowledge of religion and knowledge of the body." The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) frequently commented upon the nature and value of various foods and spices. These comments were noted by his wives and companions (r.a.) and remain available to us today.

Quince (safarjal)--It is said that to eat quince on an empty stomach is good for the soul. Cold and dry, quince is astringent to the stomach, and it checks excessive menstrual flow. A few seeds placed in water will, after a few minutes, form a mucilage which is an excellent remedy for cough and sore throat, especially in the young. Quince is also excellent for pregnant women, gladdening their hearts. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: "Eat quince, for it sweetens the heart. For Allah has sent no prophet as His messenger without feeding him on the quince of Paradise. For quince increases the strength up to that of forty men."

Milk:

The Prophet (SAW) said that milk wipes away heat from the heart just as the finger wipes away sweat from the brow. It strengthens the back, improved the brain, renews vision and drives away forgetfulness.

Honey:

 
Considered to be the best remedy for diarrhea when mixed in hot water. It is the food of foods, drink of drinks and drug of drugs. It is used for creating appetite, strengthening the stomach, eliminating phlegm; as a meat preservative, hair conditioner, eye salve and mouthwash. It is extremely beneficial in the morning in warm water and is also a Sunnah.


Mushroom:

 
The Prophet (SAW) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes; it also serves as a form of birth control and arrests paralysis.

Grapes:

The Prophet (SAW) was very fond of grapes - it purifies the blood, provides vigor and health, strengthens the kidneys and clears the bowels.

Dates:

  "Whoever takes seven 'Ajwa dates in the morning will not be effected by magic or poison on that day." (Bukhari) The Prophet has also said, "There is a tree among the trees which is similar to a Muslim (in goodness), and that is the date palm tree." 

The Prophet (SAW) said that a house without dates has no food also to be eaten at the time of childbirth.

Figs:

  The prophet (SAWS) mentioned figs and then stated, "If I had to mention a fruit that descended from paradise I would say this is it because the paradisiacal fruits do not have pits...eat from these fruits for they prevent hemorrhoids, prevent piles and help gout." (Bukhari)
It is a fruit from paradise and a cure for piles.

Barley:

 
Good for fever in a soup form.

Melon:

 Bukhari states that Melon was among one of the fruits most often eaten by the prophet (SAWS). In fact, melon is one of the best recommendations for health the prophet (SAWS) has given us.
The Prophet (SAW) said: "None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring who are good in countenance and good in character."

 
Water:

 
The Prophet (SAW) said the best drink in this world and the next is water; when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps, gulping produces sickness of the liver.

So praise be to our beloved Nabi (SAW) who related to us this marvelous knowledge which dazzles the wisest minds. May this information be beneficial to all of us Insha'Allah.

Let's share cooking secrets

Every country has its national dish .Please post your national dishes in the comments and I will post them on this blog .
I want to share my national dishes .My country is Russia and here are some traditional Russian dishes.First of all ,I want give short introduction about Russian food .
Russia is mainly a northern country with long-lasting cold winter. The food should give us much energy and warmth to survive during the winter time. So, the essential components of Russian cuisine are the ones, which provide more carbohydrates and fat rather than proteins. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rarely used in food. So, the top five components of a Russian meal are:
Potato (boiled, fried, baked, potato chops, potato pancakes, potato soup, smashed potato)
Bread (bread, toasts, bread-crumbs)
Eggs (boiled, fried)
Meat
Butter (usually added in all meals and spread on bread)
Also popular: cabbage, milk, sour cream, curds, mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, berries, honey, sugar, salt, garlic, onions.
To cook, you will need vegetable oil, salt



The most well know Russian dish is called pelmeni :
type of dumpling consisting of a filling that is wrapped in thin unleavened dough.We usually make it with ground meat ,or it can also be filled with mashed potatoes ,potatoes and cabbage,cherries and etc..

I think its kind of similar to the Turkish manti?If I spelled it right ?

 

 We eat it with sour cream  or butter, or sometimes we use a different dipping ,that can be vinegar with black pepper  or other kind of dipping.
In different Russian regions there are different traditions . The region I am from is Ural ,and its well know for good pelmeni :).


Another well know Russian dish is called Borsch ,or probably it mostly known as Russian beet soup .

It is heavy soup with meat ,bets ,tomatoes ,sometimes carrots ,onions ,cabbage and potatoes .

Here is a simple recipe for how to make it .

It also depends on the region ,and in different region people  make it different way ,but in general its the same.

Ingredients:
2 red beets, peeled and diced
1 potato, chopped into bite-size cubes
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib of celery, diced
1 cup of shredded green cabbage
4 cups of meat broth
1 cup of crushed tomatoes
Fresh dill (optional)
Sea salt and ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:

Boil the meat for an hour and make a meat broth. 
Put potatoes ,shredded cabbage ,and beats in a broth and  bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until red beets and potatoes are tender, usually between 20 and 30 minutes.Add salt and pepper to taste .
At the same time ,put little bit vegetable oil in a pan ,2 table spoons,add onions ,carrots and tomatoes and fry it for 5-10 min .Then add it to the soup ,and cook for another 10 min.
Add dill and parsley at the end  and your soup is ready.
Try this delicious and hearty soup with a slice of toasted rye bread and a fresh vegetable salad.
You can also put a sour cream and mix it with the soup ,when you eating it .


 Russia is also famous for its pirogi(pies) and different bakery .

Pirogi can be stuffed with meat ,potatoes ,cabbage ,berries ,apples ,cherries and can be baked or fried ,and can be different sizes and shapes .

Another 3 popular dishes are these varieties of salads.

One of them is called Olivier, or in my region its called Winter salad

Its very easy to make .

Its made out of boiled potatoes ,boiled carrots ,sausage(use halal beef sausage instead),boiled eggs,sometimes we add cucumbers,green onions ,dill and parsley and green piece

Everything is cut in small pieces and then we add mayonnaise and mix it all together.

Another salad ,that is mostly made for some kind of special occasions ,its a beet salad .There is no way to translate its name .So I will just write about it and you can name it :)

Its made in layers  of salted fish at the bottom ,boiled potatoes ,boiled carrots,onions and cooked beets and mayonnaise on the top . 

Then it is decorated with something on the top ,like fresh dill or onions.

The other salad is called Vinigret .

Its also has similar ingredients .

Its made of boiled carrots ,boiled potatoes ,boiled beets ,onions,and also salted cabbage or Sauerkraut (Sourcrout) and then we add vegetable oil as a dressing and mix it all together .You can add dill and parsley also.

Waiting for your comments with your national dishes

Amazing arts and crafts

Today I would like to make a post about beautiful culture  of a very small country ,that is not know to everybody ..This country has a very diverse population and been influenced by its history.
We all heard of the names such as Bukhara and Samarkand ,where many scholars of hadith are from and most well know in a Muslim world is Imam Bukhari .The name of this beautiful country is Uzbekistan.
People of Uzbekistan are known for their generosity and hospitality and they are also know for their beautiful arts and unique crafts.
Here is some information I collected about arts and culture of this country .Hope the readers can learn something new about our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters in that small,but beautiful Muslim  land.

The Uzbekistan people are known for their hospitality, friendly and peaceful nature. The people of Uzbekistan belong to diverse categories and ethnic races. The rich and varied history of Uzbekistan have made the customs and traditions of the Uzbek people more colorful.

The population of Uzbekistan comprises the ethnic groups of Uzbeks, Karakalpaks, Russians, Tajiks, Kazakhs, Tatars and many others. The people in Uzbekistan are famous throughout the world because of their amicable nature and courteous attitude. The Uzbeks are not only helpful towards their neighbors but also to the foreign travelers visiting their country.

The people of Uzbekistan are fair with interesting facial features. The features vary with their origin. Some people have small eyes and sharp nose while some have flat features. Usually they are tall and stout people. The Uzbek people are very diet conscious and follow discipline in whatever they do. A casual meeting may also be honored through traditional customs like serving tea and raising toast.

The Uzbek people greet people to their house at any hour of the day. It is customary to embrace or kiss on the cheek of their near and dear ones on meeting, after a long period of time. These people live a simple but an elegant lifestyle. Their professional fields are mainly family business or agricultural activities. The Uzbek people are very much family oriented people, who dedicate their every minute of leisure to their family members.

 

The arts and crafts of Uzbekistan have enjoyed a well-earned fame for centuries. The pre-eminence of the applied art here can be attributed to historical conditions shaping the cultural development of the Uzbek people. Uzbeks have developed their technical and artistic traditions over centuries. The applied art reflects everyday life; its main attribute is the close connection between artistic creativity and daily material necessity.

The social nature of decorative art lies in its collectivity. Art is the heritage of many generations; it represents a series of consecutive layers, which reflect a people's culture through the ages. The skills and knowledge imparted by the various ethnic groups that eventually came together to constitute the Uzbek nation created this diversity of artistic traditions that is the distinguishing feature in works of art of all genres.

Architectural-decorative art holds a prominent place in the arts and crafts of Uzbekistan.


Principles of ornamental construction and profound knowledge of the plastic and artistic properties of local building materials that were well-known throughout the Middle East, such as ghanch (a sort of alabaster), wood, stone, ceramics, constitute the time-tested fundamentals of this ancient art.

The world famous architectural monuments of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, and other cities of Uzbekistan testify to the professional mastery of mediaeval artists and architects, ornamental designers and calligraphers, engravers and ceramists.

In Uzbekistan, wall painting and sculptural carving as well as ornamental carving and painting have been practised since ancient and early mediaeval periods. The 9th and 10th centuries saw a period of particularly intensive development of ornamental, floral-vegetal polychromatic paintings and relief carving. The ever more elaborate use of ornamental forms and compositions formed the basis for principles approved by experts through the ages and are observed and adhered to even nowadays.

The influence of Soviet Union made a lot of Uzbek Muslims to adopt Islam as a culture ,rather then faith .Now days Islam is returning in the hearts of Uzbek people .Mosques and Islamic organizations grow rapidly and more and more youth started practicing Islam and reviving the religion .