A belated happy new year. Kulu aam wa antum bikher IA THE HIJRAH: After Muhammad had preached publicly for more than a decade, the opposition to him reached such a high pitch that, fearful for their safety, he sent some of his adherents to Ethiopia, where the Christian ruler extended protection to them, the memory of which has been cherished by Muslims ever since. But in Mecca the persecution worsened. Muhammad's followers were harassed, abused, and even tortured. At last, therefore, Muhammad sent seventy of his followers off to the northern town of Yathrib, which was later to be renamed Medina ("The City"). Later, in the early fall of 622, he learned of a plot to murder him and, with his closest friend, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, set off to join the emigrants. In Mecca the plotters arrived at Muhammad's home to find that his cousin, 'Ali, had taken his place in bed. Enraged, the Meccans set a price on Muhammad's head and set off in pursuit. Muhammad and Abu Bakr, however, had taken refuge in a cave where, as they hid from their pursuers, a spider spun its web across the cave's mouth. When they saw that the web was unbroken, the Meccans passed by and Muhammad and Abu Bakr went on to Medina, where they were joyously welcomed by a throng of Medinans as well as the Meccans who had gone ahead to prepare the way. This was the Hijrah - anglicized as Hegira - usually, but inaccurately, translated as "Flight" - from which the Muslim era is dated. In fact, the Hijrah was not a flight but a carefully planned migration which marks not only a break in history - the beginning of the Islamic era- but also, for Muhammad and the Muslims, a new way of life. Henceforth, the organizational principle of the community was not to be mere blood kinship, but the greater brotherhood of all Muslims. The men who accompanied Muhammad on the Hijrah were called the Muhajirun - "those that made the Hijrah" or the "Emigrants" - while those in Medina who became Muslims were called the Ansar or "Helpers." Muhammad was well acquainted with the situation in Medina. Earlier, before the Hijrah, the city had sent envoys to Mecca asking Muhammad to mediate a dispute between two powerful tribes. What the envoys saw and heard had impressed them and they had invited Muhammad to settle in Medina. After the Hijrah, Muhammad's exceptional qualities so impressed the Medinans that the rival tribes and their allies temporarily closed ranks as, on March 15, 624, Muhammad and his supporters moved against the pagans of Mecca. Photo: A colonnade of lofty arches surrounds the courtyard at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, after Mecca the second holiest city of Islam. The first battle, which took place near Badr, now a small town southwest of Medina, had several important effects. In the first place, the Muslim forces, outnumbered three to one, routed the Meccans. Secondly, the discipline displayed by the Muslims brought home to the Meccans, perhaps for the first time, the abilities of the man they had driven from their city. Thirdly, one of the allied tribes which had pledged support to the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, but had then proved lukewarm when the fighting started, was expelled from Medina one month after the battle. Those who claimed to be allies of the Muslims, but tacitly opposed them, were thus served warning: membership in the community imposed the obligation of total support. A year later the Meccans struck back. Assembling an army of three thousand men, they met the Muslims at Uhud, a ridge outside Medina. After an initial success the Muslims were driven back and the Prophet himself was wounded. As the Muslims were not completely defeated, the Meccans, with an army of ten thousand, attacked Medina again two years later but with quite different results. At the Battle of the Trench, also known as the Battle of the Confederates, the Muslims scored a signal victory by introducing a new defense. On the side of Medina from which attack was expected they dug a trench too deep for the Meccan cavalry to clear without exposing itself to the archers posted behind earthworks on the Medina side. After an inconclusive siege, the Meccans were forced to retire. Thereafter Medina was entirely in the hands of the Muslims. The Constitution of Medina - under which the clans accepting Muhammad as the Prophet of God formed an alliance, or federation - dates from this period. It showed that the political consciousness of the Muslim community had reached an important point; its members defined themselves as a community separate from all others. The Constitution also defined the role of non-Muslims in the community. Jews, for example, were part of the community; they were dhimmis, that is, protected people, as long as they conformed to its laws. This established a precedent for the treatment of subject peoples during the later conquests. Christians and Jews, upon payment of a yearly tax, were allowed religious freedom and, while maintaining their status as non-Muslims, were associate members of the Muslim state. This status did not apply to polytheists, who could not be tolerated within a community that worshipped the One God. Photo: The Ka'bah, spiritual axis of the Muslim world, stands in the courtyard of Mecca's Sacred Mosque. Ibn Ishaq, one of the earliest biographers of the Prophet, says it was at about this time that Muhammad sent letters to the rulers of the earth - the King of Persia, the Emperor of Byzantium, the Negus of Abyssinia, and the Governor of Egypt among others - inviting them to submit to Islam. Nothing more fully illustrates the confidence of the small community, as its military power, despite the battle of the Trench, was still negligible. But its confidence was not misplaced. Muhammad so effectively built up a series of alliances among the tribes his early years with the Bedouins must have stood him in good stead here- that by 628 he and fifteen hundred followers were able to demand access to the Ka'bah during negotiations with the Meccans. This was a milestone in the history of the Muslims. Just a short time before, Muhammad had to leave the city of his birth in fear of his life. Now he was being treated by his former enemies as a leader in his own right. A year later, in 629, he reentered and, in effect, conquered Mecca without bloodshed and in a spirit of tolerance which established an ideal for future conquests. He also destroyed the idols in the Ka'bah, to put an end forever to pagan practices there. At the same time Muhammad won the allegiance of 'Amr ibn al-'As, the future conqueror of Egypt, and Khalid ibn al-Walid, the future "Sword of God," both of whom embraced Islam and joined Muhammad. Their conversion was especially noteworthy because these men had been among Muhammad's bitterest opponents only a short time before. In one sense Muhammad's return to Mecca was the climax of his mission. In 632, just three years later, he was suddenly taken ill and on June 8 of that year, with his third wife 'Aishah in attendance, the Messenger of God "died with the heat of noon." Photo: Devout Muslims from all over the world gather for the pilgrimage to Mecca, for nearly fourteen centuries one of the most impressive religious gatherings in the world. The death of Muhammad was a profound loss. To his followers this simple man from Mecca was far more than a beloved friend, far more than a gifted administrator, far more than the revered leader who had forged a new state from clusters of warring tribes. Muhammad was also the exemplar of the teachings he had brought them from God: the teachings of the Quran, which, for centuries, have guided the thought and action, the faith and conduct, of innumerable men and women, and which ushered in a distinctive era in the history of mankind. His death, nevertheless, had little effect on the dynamic society he had created in Arabia, and no effect at all on his central mission: to transmit the Quran to the world. As Abu Bakr put it: "Whoever worshipped Muhammad, let him know that Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped God, let him know that God lives and dies not." Link

^^Funny thing is i knew he was on his way to Lpool 2 weeks ago from reliable sources

I'm watching this very closely as Iran is just across the water i swim in regularly (approx 130 miles away). I dont think the US will attack, rather Isreal will make pre-emptive strikes with unmanned drones.

^^Feb 5th make sure you dont miss it warya!

He is extra human and some of the shots he pulls off are just amazing, plus the way he lets his rivals catch-up a little or let them go infront before he changes gears is but look at his rivals guys, Naldanbian, Hewitt, Safin and Nadal (overated) they are not exactly in the same class as Agassi, Becker and Sampras are they? Federer is top notch but he has no competition that why he will probably beat Sampras' record.

my bad it was only a group game :rolleyes:

This guy is awesome yes but you just cant help but feel he is lucky in that no other half decent players are around. The rest are just also-rans. Gone are the days of Pete 'the man' Sampras, Andre 'hairy' Agassi, Ivan 'lampost' Lendell and Boris 'closet' Becker. Those were the days of true tennis competition. Throw in Michael Chang and Jim Currier. Where has this raquet game gone?

Its nice to see the Ummah united on an issue! and long may it continue insha allah

^^African(s) won the World Cup for France saxib ( a collection of), lets hope they (1 African team)do it this time around. Guinea 1 Tunisia 0 at Half Time, an upsaet on the cards???? Again, i'm rooting for the sub-saharan boys rather than the Arabs

Castro, i was thinking of the younger ones before they adopt your free thinking ideas

^^daqan-celis ie a quick identity run back home to 'inform/re-enforce' kids of their roots. Better get down to the travel agent Castro

^^you mean the Ex KGBs

http://www.petitiononline.com/Eagle999/petition.html

Just realised it has already been posted :confused:

^^Enjoy yourself saxib, may see you there depending on a number of things but 3 years is far too long to be away :cool:

Yes, even the Flora in your toast in the morning must goooooo,,, There has been huge condemnation of cartoons depicting nabi Mohammed (SCWS) in a very bad light. Again this 'freedom of expression' is what the Danish Govnt and the paper is hiding behind. Danish produccts were taken off the shelves in all major supermarkets yesterday and today, embassies have been closed, diplomatic ties have been sevred in protest. Please read Gaza gunmen warn Danes Agencies Gaza: Palestinian gunmen on Monday warned that Danish and Norwegian visitors in Gaza risk attack unless their governments apologise for published cartoons of Prophet Mohammed. Danish paper Jyllands-Posten published "blasphemous" cartoons of Prophet Mohammed last year, sparking outrage and calls for boycott of Danish products across the Muslim world. The Danish government had issued an internet statement on Sunday, asking its citizens to be cautious in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Iran, Syria and Israel. "In the present situation, where the Jyllands-Posten daily's drawings of the Prophet Muhammad has caused strong negative feelings among Muslims, Danes should show extra vigilance," the statement read. Ten armed Palestinians rallied outside the European Union headquarters in Gaza City, firing in the air and demanding an apology from the Danish and Norwegian governments. "We warn the citizens of the above-mentioned governments against not taking this warning seriously because our groups are ready to implement it across the Gaza Strip," one of the gunmen said, reading from a prepared statement. The Danish government has defended the cartoons, saying that Jyllands-Posten is an independent newspaper that utilised its right of free speech. UAE flays Danish cartoons Gulf News Report Dubai: The UAE yesterday condemned the publication in a newspaper in Denmark of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), which have sparked a wave of denunciations and boycott of Danish products across the Muslim world. The publication of the offensive cartoons could spark "a dreadful clash of civilisations," said the UAE Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf, Mohammad Nakhira Al Daheri. The statement came as retailers across the Gulf began clearing the shelves of Danish products in protest against the Copenhagen-based Jyllands-Posten newspaper's publication of the cartoons. "As much as we condemn extremism in every part of the world ... we condemn the abuse that was published, which represents a cultural extremism," said Al Daheri. "We also warn of any unexpected consequences of [such] actions," he added in a statement issued following a meeting with senior scholars at the ministry. "Nothing [is] holier to Muslims, after Almighty Allah, than the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). So where is the interest of some institutions and groups to sabotage the bridges of cooperation and understanding between nations and peoples?" he added. Meanwhile, UAE lawyer Abdul Hamid Al Kumity filed a suit at the emirate's Public Prosecution, yesterday, against the Danish newspaper for publishing "slandering material against Islam and the Prophet." Also, some fifty women marched in Dubai's Al Mamzar area calling for an end to "all dealings" with Denmark. A Gulf News online poll on the issue received a huge response from readers with 73 per cent saying they would support the boycott of Danish goods, compared to 24 per cent who voted against it. Cooperative societies and supermarkets in the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia began pulling out Danish products despite the newspaper's apology to the Saudis on its website. In a message addressed to the "Respected citizens of Saudi Arabia," the newspaper said it never intended to offend the religious feelings of anybody. "Unfortunately what happened was not at all a deliberate act," it said. Kuwaiti MPs called for diplomatic and economic sanctions on Copenhagen. Parliament speaker Jassem Al Khorafi called for a total economic boycott of Denmark to be "a lesson for those who may try to repeat the insult in the future". GULF NEWS POLL RESULT Gulf News asked: After the cartoon controversy do you support the boycott of Danish products? · Yes 73% · No 24% · Unsure 3% Libya to close embassy in Denmark Agencies Tripoli: Libya said on Sunday it will close its embassy in Denmark to protest the publication of cartoons deemed insulting to the image of the prophet Mohammad. The Libyan foreign ministry said it is closing down the office after "the silence of the Danish authorities" over the cartoons that have angered Muslims. One of the cartoons showed Prophet Mohammad wearing a turban of bombs. The statement added that Libya would take "retaliatory economic measures against Denmark", the official Jana news agency said. Muslims, especially in the Middle East, have called for the boycott of all Danish products since the cartoons were published in Jyllands-Posten newspaper last September. Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller is to conduct talks with European Union foreign ministers on Monday to decide on the Danish government's move on the issue. Residents protest against newspaper By Mahmood Saberi and Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporters Dubai/Ras Al Khaimah: A group of UAE residents staged a protest march at Al Mamzar Park late yesterday evening condemning the ridiculing of Islam by a Danish newspaper. Teenagers held aloft banners urging Muslims to boycott Danish products. The protest against the blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by the paper Jyllands-Posten has snowballed into a boycott with at least two UAE retail giants pulling all Danish products from their shelves. The group, preceded by children holding aloft the UAE flag, attracted the attention of passing cars and traffic soon came to a crawl. "It is a peaceful demonstration," said Heba, one of the marchers, who said she got an SMS to converge at the park. All 10 branches of the Sharjah Cooperative Society have pulled Danish products from their shelves, said Abdul Hashim, manager of the Al Khan branch. "We have the support of the customers," he said. The seven Union Cooperative stores in Dubai have also followed suit since Saturday, said Ebrahim Al Baha, operations manager. The boycott has spread throughout the Gulf States with Emke Group, one of the largest retail chains in the region. It has withdrawn all Danish-made products from the shelves yesterday. In Ras Al Khaimah, the Al Nakheel supermarket has replaced all Danish products from other countries, said its owner. A senior executive of Arla Foods company apologised yesterday, saying the company cannot support anything that offends people's religion or ethnic background. "We would like to express our sympathy with Muslims who feel insulted or wronged," said Peder Tuborgh, managing director of the company. http://www.gulfnews.com/home/index.html

Suxanallah Ina lillahi wa ina illahi rajicuun and allah yarxama to the poor kid, these stories are endless My Monday was straight forward, went to work, read the paper, sent a few faxes, had a few discussions then came home early and had a nap. Tomorrow is Muharram and i have the rest of the week off (Tues & Wed) making it a long wknd of sleep, food, football, tennis and more food! Happy new year and may it be a peaceful and prosperous one for all muslims, ameen

^a typo or ? LOl@ dacar budhuq.

lol We dont have two 'Manchester' Uniteds but we have other 'insert city name' Uniteds. Therefore they do not have the same first names but share the 'United' as the second name. Its Brit thing,,, ps what does the Knicks, Bucks, Pacers, mean?

^^ An Arsenal player was accused of rape in the summer. Robin Van Persie (a Muslim is you believe the rumours) was accussed of rape in a hotel room while his morrocan wife was in a different room. :rolleyes: Too much money and fame!

^^lol It is not the knickname saxib, they are all official names but as a whole ie Manchester United is the name of one the clubs in Manchester, the other club is called Manchester City. Like-wise for Sheffield (two clubs) Teams are often called by shortened names as you can not say Manchester United every time you are refering to them, you say Man United or Man City or simply Utd or City. Its like having the LA Lakers together with the NY Lakers but the lakers being part of a whole name. I hope i made sense.

Liverpool footballer Djibril Cisse has been cautioned by police after assaulting his pregnant wife. The 24-year-old striker, who married Jude, 30, in June 2005, was arrested at their home in Frodsham, Cheshire, on Thursday evening. He was taken to a police station and questioned before accepting a caution for common assault. Cisse and his wife, who is originally from Anglesey, announced in October they were expecting their first child. A Cheshire Constabulary spokesman said: "As a result of police inquiries, a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of section 39 assault. "The man was interviewed at a police station and cautioned in respect of the assault." Last June, French international Cisse accepted a caution for hitting a 15-year-old boy in London. A Liverpool FC spokesman declined to comment. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4655478.stm I wish they locked him up and threw away the key. That miss last week vs Man Utd was murder!

Robbie Fowler was the best goal scorer in the English league after Alan Shearer but he was a little bit of a badboy. Now he is back to the club that made him! Saxib, the Uniteds you are refering to come from different cities ie: Manchester United Leeds United Sheffield United etc etc (not sure what they mean by united though)but i guess its better than names such as Raptors, Galaxy and Lakers

Watch out Chelsea and Arsenal (especialy Arsenal) Liverpool make shock Fowler swoop Fowler scored 171 goals during his first spell with Liverpool Manchester City striker Robbie Fowler has made a surprise return to former club Liverpool on a free transfer. The 30-year-old striker, who has joined Liverpool for the rest of the season, made his debut for the Reds as an 18-year-old in 1993. He scored a total of 171 goals in 330 games for the Anfield side. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez told the club's website: "He's got a wealth of experience and he gives us more attacking options." Benitez added: " He's a different kind of striker to what we have at the club. "We have signed a player with so much passion for this football club and I think he will act as an example to every player here in how much he loves Liverpool. "I'm not sure I've ever seen a player quite so happy to be joining a club before. "He hasn't been signed because he loves the club; he's been signed because he's one of the best goalscorers ever to play in the Premiership and he can score goals for us right now. "We have signed a player with a passion and a heart for this club that no amount of money can buy. We are close to a very high level right now but with Robbie we can go even higher." City boss Stuart Pearce said he did not want to stand in the way of Fowler returning to Anfield. "Liverpool are his dream club and he wanted to leave and rejoin them," Pearce told the Cityl website. Archive: Fowler joins Leeds Pearce added: "If I refused him this opportunity of fulfilling his ambition it would not be good for him or Manchester City Football Club. We wish him well for the future and thank him for his efforts." Fowler moved to Leeds in 2001, before former City boss Kevin Keegan spent £6m to take him away from Elland Road in February 2003. I'm absolutely delighted, can't wait to see him in a red shirt again From AJC Have your say on 606 Injuries have hampered his career at Eastlands, but he recently scored a hat-trick against Scunthorpe in the third round of the FA Cup. And he also scored against Manchester United in City's 3-1 derby victory. In his autobiography Fowler claimed he was forced to leave Liverpool because of his treatment by Benitez's predecessor Gerard Houllier, while his Anfield career was marked by various disciplinary problems. He had a training ground squabble with Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson as well as an argument with teammate Neil Ruddock left him with a nose injury. Fowler also had an on-field fight with Chelsea's Graeme Le Saux after making obscene gestures towards the England international. The striker is not eligible to play in Sunday's FA Cup tie against Portsmouth but could make his comeback in Wednesday's home game with Birmingham. Whether Fowler is offered a contract extension will be reviewed at the end of the season.

Stefan Lovgren for National Geographic News January 12, 2006 Dogs can detect if someone has cancer just by sniffing the person's breath, a new study shows. Ordinary household dogs with only a few weeks of basic "puppy training" learned to accurately distinguish between breath samples of lung- and breast-cancer patients and healthy subjects. "Our study provides compelling evidence that cancers hidden beneath the skin can be detected simply by [dogs] examining the odors of a person's breath," said Michael McCulloch, who led the research. Early detection of cancers greatly improves a patient's survival chances, and researchers hope that man's best friend, the dog, can become an important tool in early screening. The new study, slated to appear in the March issue of the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, was conducted by the Pine Street Foundation, a cancer research organization in San Anselmo, California. Biochemical Markers Dogs can identify chemical traces in the range of parts per trillion. Previous studies have confirmed the ability of trained dogs to detect skin-cancer melanomas by sniffing skin lesions. Also, some researchers hope to prove dogs can detect prostate cancer by smelling patients' urine. "Canine scent detection of cancer was something that was anecdotally discussed for decades, but we felt it was appropriate to design a rigorous study that seriously investigated this topic to better evaluate its effectiveness," said Nicholas Broffman, executive director of the Pine Street Foundation. Lung- and breast-cancer patients are known to exhale patterns of biochemical markers in their breath. "Cancer cells emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells," Broffman said. "The differences between these metabolic products are so great that they can be detected by a dog's keen sense of smell, even in the early stages of disease." The researchers used a food reward-based method to train five ordinary household dogs. Link