History of Bahrain

On May 11 in 1970, as per UN Security Council Resolution 278, Bahrain was declared an independent state, following a so-called 'opinion poll' conducted among tribal leaders and selective groups in the 33-island archipelago by Vittorio Winspeare-Giucciardi, Manager of the United Nations office in Geneva. This 'opinion poll' was orchestrated by Britain and Bahrain's ruler, in order to avoid Tehran's demand for a referendum to determine the Bahraini people's views for return to Iran's sovereignty.
Throughout history, dating from pre-Islamic times, Bahrain has been an integral part of Iran. After the advent of Islam and weakening of the Abbasid caliphate, Bahrain was part of the Baghdad-based Iranian Bouyid Empire, followed by the sovereignty over it of Seljuqid Iran, Ilkhanid Iran, Safavid Iran, Qajarid Iran, as well as the brief rules in between by Nader Shah Afshar and Karim Khan Zand.
It was in the early 1800s, during a period of weakening of Qajarid rule that Bahrain was seized by pirates of the tribe of Aal-e Khalifa who were driven from their area of operation in the Khor Abdullah waterway between Kuwait and Iraq by the Ottoman Turkish governor of Basra. The Aal-e Khalifa brutally subdued the Shi'ite Muslim majority of Bahrain, both Arabs and Iranians, and sought British protection to prevent Iran from retaking it.
Iran, however, continued to protest to Britain for its occupation of what Tehran considered a part of its soil. After World War 2 and in view of Britain's plan to withdraw from all its colonial possessions in the Persian Gulf, Iran pressed hard for a referendum that unnerved the Aal-e Khalifa minority regime and made it further repress the aspirations of the Bahraini people. Iran's parliament passed a bill in November 1957 declaring Bahrain to be the 14th province of Iran, with two empty seats allocated for its representatives.
At this time, Britain set out to change the demographics of Bahrain through its policy of “de-Iranisation” which included importing a large number of different Arabs and others from British colonies as labourers and giving them citizenship. Demonstrations in 1956 forced the Aal-e Khalifa rulers to temporarily leave Manama (the capital) for the village of Refae al-Gharbi where only the Sunni Arab minority resides.
Mass demonstrations against the detested rule of the Aal-e Khalifa regime have continued periodically in Bahrain, despite its sellout by the British-installed and American-supported Pahlavi Shah following the so-called opinion poll of 1970 by the UN. With the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran has followed a policy of peace and dialogue, but with firm insistence on the aspirations of the people of Bahrain, who like all other nations of the world want to determine their own destiny.
Today Bahrain is again the scene of mass rallies for independence, while the ruling minority regime, along with mercenaries hired from abroad, and with the help of the Saudi invasion troops, is shedding innocent blood and even desecrating mosques and burning copies of the holy Qur'an.

The renowned Muslim worldwide traveler, Ibn Battuta,

On 17th of the Islamic month of Rajab in 703 AH, the renowned Muslim worldwide traveler, Shams od-Din Mohammad bin Abdullah, popularly known as Ibn Battuta, was born in the northwest African city of Tangiers, which is now in Morocco. As a young man he started his initial journey to perform the Hajj, but after pilgrimage to Mecca, he kept on travelling, visiting over a period of thirty years, most of the Islamic world as well as many non-Muslim lands in the three continents of Africa, Asia and Europe.
His journeys including trips to North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the West, and to West Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and China, cover a total of 75,000 miles (121,000 km), surpassing by threefold the travels of his near-contemporary Marco Polo of Venice. In Iraq, he visited the holy shrine in Najaf of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), and although a Sunni, he has admitted how people from far and near seek intercession with God through the First Infallible Successor of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) and are cured of their ailments.
He then travelled all over Iran, and later, after visiting the Byzantine Empire, Europe and Russia, he arrived in India, where he was appointed the Qazi of Delhi by Sultan Mohammad bin Tughlaq. On his return to his homeland Morocco, again served as Qazi. He dictated to scribes the details of his travels in his book titled "ar-Rehla", and died at the age of 66 years.

To Mu'awiya (3)

 A letter to Mu'awiiya:

"Quraysh was our tribe, but they wanted to kill the Holy Prophet (s) and to exterminate our family. They conspired against us and made plots after plots to harm us. They tried their best to frighten and injure us. They forced us to leave our homes and to retire to the cave of Shi'b Abi Taalib. It was a very rough and hard place to live in, and we were forced to lead a very harsh life. Their instigated their tribe as well as other clans to fight against us. The Merciful Allah came to our help. He protected and defended us. From amongst us those who had faith in the Holy Prophet (s) and Islam stood up to defend him and his cause; their desire was to achieve the favour of the Lord; and those of Bani Hashim who had not embraced Islam as yet like Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib also came to our help because we belonged to them and they to us. From amongst the Quraysh, the condition of those who had embraced Islam, was not as bad as ours.
Either they had defensive alliance with the non-believers or some tribes decided to defend them despite their differences in religion. While it was the practice of the Holy Prophet (s) that whenever a battle was raged and his companions behaved cowardly or ran away from the battlefield (as in Badr, Uhud and Hunayn) which was usually the case or started making the Muslims nervous (as in Khandaq), he sent members of his family (Bani Hashim) to fight out the battle to protect his companions. These members of Bani Hashim often fought single handed and some even met martyrdom as for instance, Ubayda bin Haarith was killed in the Battle of Badr, Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib in Uhud and Ja'far bin Abu Taalib in the Battle of Mu'tah. Besides these three, there was another person (here Imam Ali (a) meant himself) who also tried his best to meet martyrdom. I could name him but the date of his death had not yet approached and he passed through these terrible ordeals alive.
O time! O world! How could I wonder at your vagaries? People have started considering such a person (Mu'awiya) equal to me! He in his whole lifetime never exerted himself in the service of Islam and Allah as I have done at every moment of my life. In Islam there is no rank, no honour, no position and no merit for him as there is for me. No one can pretend to claim any superiority and excellence over me but a pretender. I do not know of anyone who served Islam and the Holy Prophet (s) as sincerely and as constantly as I have. The Almighty Lord knows that I am not wrong in claiming what I have said and no one can be compared to me in this respect. All Glory, Praise and Greatness belongs to Him and to nobody else.
You have requested me to send to you all those people who were responsible for the murder of Uthman. I pondered over your request and found that it was not in my power to send them to you or to anybody else.
I swear by my life that if you do not leave your hypocrisy, avarice and your rebellious activities they will make themselves known to you. Instead of your demanding them they will demand for you. On the sea and land and in the plains and on the hills they will make their presence known to you and you will not find it easy or pleasant to face them and will curse the day when you demanded to see them. "

Harmony on Earth

Discover the 10-90 Rule or Attitude this Ramadhan

How much do you see of an Iceberg? Only 10% of any Iceberg is visible. The remaining 90% is below the sea level. The Iceberg phenomenon is also applicable to we human beings ... Do you know how? Only 10% is what happens around us and 90% is how we react or respond to what happens and that's our Attitude. Similarly, only 10% is our knowledge and skills. And remaining 90% is our Attitude. In other words, our Attitude (values, standards, judgments, motives, ethics and beliefs) impact our Behavior. Hence, our life is a reflection of our attitudes. Let each letter of the alphabetic has a value equals to it sequence of the alphabetical order:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

S K I L L S   Total 19 11 09 12 12 19 = 82%

K N O W L E D G E   Total 11 14 15 23 12 05 04 07 05 = 96%

H A R D   W O R K   Total 08 01 18 04   23 15 18 11 = 98%

But:

A T T I T U D E   Total 01 20 20 09 20 21 04 05 = 100%

Then, look how far the love of God will take you?

L O V E   O F   G O D   Total 12 15 22 05   15 06   07 15 O4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that: While Skills, Knowledge and Hard Work will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top! Note: A positive attitude is like a magnet for positive results. Positive attitudes create a chain reaction of positive thoughts. It's your attitude and not your aptitude that determines your altitude. Holy month of Ramadhan is best to practice and follow the above laws, because the Holy month of Ramadhan is a month of becoming Abdullah [an obedient servant of Allah (SWT)]. It is a month of adopting the etiquette of Allah (SWT) in the language of tradition or adopting the divine color in the language of the Noble Qur'an: "(We take our) color from Allah, and who is better than Allah at coloring. We are His worshippers". (Noble Qur'an 2:138) And the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said: "Adopt the etiquette of Allah (SWT)."

The battle of “Zaat as-Salasel”

On 26th of the Islamic month of Jamadi as-Sani in 8th AH, the Muslims led by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) achieved a great victory in the battle of “Zaat as-Salasel” which was fought against the pagan Arab tribes north of Medina on the road to Syria. The event occurred in the aftermath of the Battle of Mu'tah (in what is now Jordan) against a joint force of Christian Arabs and Romans that ended inconclusively, and which encouraged pagan Arab tribes to plan raids on Medina to wipe out Islam.
When Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) learned about the plans of the Arab infidels he dispatched a force under the newly converted Amr bin Aas to Wadi al-Qura where the enemies were amassing; in order to invite them to Islam or disperse them. Amr was overawed by the numbers and requested the Prophet for reinforcements that were sent under Abu Bakr, who after a skirmish and loss of men returned to Medina.
Another force was dispatched under Omar ibn Khattab and suffered the same fate. The Prophet then decided to entrust the command to his dear cousin and son-in-law, Imam Ali (AS), who duly invited the pagan Arabs to Islam. The infidels refused and prepared for battle. The Imam, despite the mountainous terrain and steep valleys, ably organized the defence. Then after several bouts of individual combat during which he made short work of the arrogant Arabs who challenged him, including their fearsome warlord, Hareth bin Makida, he launched a swift attack to soundly defeat them.
The Muslims lost only two persons, while the pagan Arabs suffered huge casualties and completely surrendered to the Muslims along with their women, children and possessions. In Medina, the Prophet informed the people that in honour of Imam Ali's victory, God has revealed “Surah Adiyaat”.
On his return to Medina, the Imam was greeted outside the city by the Prophet, who wiped the dust off the face of his dear cousin, kissed his forehead and with tears of joy, said: O Ali, I thank Allah, Who strengthened me through you. O Ali, like Moses, who prayed to Allah, to strengthen his arms by his brother (Aaron) and make him share his Prophethood, I also asked the same from Almighty Allah (for you) and He approved it.
Then the Prophet turned to the companions and said: I love him by the command of Allah. O Ali, the one who befriends you has befriended me, and the one who loves me, loves Almighty Allah, and the one who loves Almighty Allah is loved by Him and Paradise is his abode. O Ali, the one who is inimical to you, is inimical to me, and the one who is inimical to me, is inimical to the Almighty Allah. And He will not accept any deed of the enemies of Ali (AS).

Principles for character development and personal growth to be successful in life

Below is a list of very important personal values culled from years of observing individual achievement and success.

Principle Values Character Development Belief Justice Sacrifice Spirit (Spirituality in life) Knowledge (Wisdom) Fulfilling the Promise Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. Principle of belief makes someone to be Spiritual in life and fight for Justice by sacrificing everything he owns with full Knowledge and Wisdom. Faith Trust Hope Patience There is a Loving Intelligence that pervades all things. All that is necessary is for us to maintain our trust and hope even though we live in the midst of uncertainty. Faith is our willingness to take the next step without fear or looking back and yet have the patience to allow Divine Order to work through our situation without trying to force the results ourselves. Cause and Effect Restraint Accountability Good Intentions Reliable (Dependable) According to the law of the universe, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When we realize that we are accountable for every thought, word and deed, we recognize the wisdom of restraint and being aware of the intentions of our actions. Attraction Discernment Self-Awareness Mind your own business Wherever we devote our attention it attracts us and is increased in our worldly desire. If we do nothing to curb our destructive desires, life becomes increasingly difficult for us to control. If we develop discernment and self-awareness, then we can distinguish between what is beneficial or destructive that we are attracting into our lives. Develop mind your own business policy in lives. Devotion Concentration Calmness Focus Dedicated (Hard work) We can contact Creative Intelligence by taking the time to go within our heart and souls. We find our true self here, not the ego and self-praise. This can be done by anyone, through dedication and maintaining a feeling of calmness and concentrating on higher thoughts, whether through prayer (Dua), meditation (Namaz) or a walk in the woods. When we focus our lives on higher thoughts and actions, we connect with the Divine. Forgiveness Compassion Mercy (Beneficence) Understanding Islam teaches that God is Al-Ghaffur "The All-Forgiving", and is the original source of all forgiveness (Ghufran). Forgiveness often requires the repentance of those being forgiven. Forgiveness is a conscious act that frees us from the damaging image of ourselves as a victim and dissolves the poison of resentment. These act as blocks to the Universal Reality. Because we choose a new understanding of our situation, we are now free to extend mercy and compassion to ourselves and to those who have wronged us. This reconnects us back to our real self. Gratitude Generosity Magnanimity Appreciation The true state of Universal Reality is abundance. When we are grateful and appreciate what life has to offer to us, it indicates to the Universe that we accept whatever has been given to us and that we lack nothing. If we want to attract more prosperity into our lives, we need to start the process of thinking magnanimously and being extremely generous to all of life. All of this opens up the flow of supply into our world because whatever we give to life returns to us back in multiple folds. Harmony Optimism Co-operation Enthusiasm Passionate Authentic Comfortable Captivating (Charismatic) One of the universal laws is that we can choose what feelings we want to experience. When we choose negative feelings, our lives become infinitely more stressful and complex. When we choose to be optimistic, cooperative, comfortable, captivating and enthusiastic (charismatic) rather than being a victim of our negative emotions, we remain in control of ourselves and maintain inner happiness. Humility Modesty Unpretentious Gentleness (Openness) Through an attitude of modesty and unpretentiousness, we realize that we don't have to raise ourselves up with self-importance. God in his own way and time will reward us with whatever we need, as long as we rid ourselves of pride and maintain an attitude of gentleness and humbleness toward life. Integrity Truthfulness Courage Sincerity Honesty Loyalty Teamwork (Leadership) Punctuality (Timeliness) Our connection to our inner reality is strengthened when we align our thoughts, words and actions with truth (strong moral principles) and have the courage to act with sincerity and honesty. This is the act of letting go of our own will and honoring the Divine Will instead. Love and Affection Self-Esteem Self-Respect Caring (Friendship) Thoughtfulness Kindness Nurturing All living things require love and affection to survive, including ourselves. We must first attend to our own needs for love before we can love others. When we neglect ourselves emotionally, we become emotionally toxic and are not whole enough to give love to others. When we change the inner dialogue from the inner critic to that of the inner companion, we bolster our self-esteem and self-respect. Then we are free to nurture all individuals by being the caring, compassionate, thoughtful and kind beings we truly are. Moderation Balance Inner Peace Tranquillity (Stability) When we choose moderation in all aspects, we bring balance and stability into our lives. Instead of experiencing burn-out and stress, which actually hinders our productivity and blocks the creative flow of energy, we maintain our connection with our inner peace and true reality. Perseverance Striving (Challenge) Effort (Success) Confidence Endurance (Efficiency) Committed Accomplishment Wholeness is not realized in a moment. Throughout a lifetime, there must be constant effort and striving toward self-perfection. In order to accomplish this, we need the confidence to endure all situations in order to reach our goal and success. Purity Perfection Simplicity Innocence Cleanliness (Orderliness) When we choose to see the beauty of the simple things in life and the perfection all around us, instead of complexity and distortion, we retain our innocence. Purity then restores us to the joy of life. It is that which uplifts us and reconnects us to our true inner being. Respect for Life Equality Tolerance Courtesy Coordination We are all a part of this Creative Intelligence and have a spark of the divine within us. Therefore, even though there is diversity among us, through religion, sex, culture, age and status, we are all part of the Divine Family. Everyone we meet deserves our respect because we honor the divine within them. We show this through courtesy, tolerance and coordination with all whom we meet. Imam Ali (as) says, Oh! Humanity, "Who is Man? Man is either your brother in religion (faith) or your brother in humanity". Self-Discipline Determination Obedience Restraint When we have the determination to restrain our lower desires, the door is opened for us to fulfill our highest aspirations. Through obedience to our higher self, we develop an inner control and greater confidence in ourselves. Through this process, we strengthen our connection to the Creative Intelligence and experience greater empowerment. Humans have a higher status than Angels but only when they tread the path of humanity. That is they subject their carnal desires, anger and other qualities to Shariah and reason. They become perfect and qualities like chastity, contentment, piety, valor, charity, magnanimity and forgiveness are nurtured in them. Service Purpose Responsibility Creativity We came into this life with a special plan or purpose to help elevate humanity and life on earth through our own unique service. It is our responsibility to be successful in carrying out our plan and to infuse our service with creativity, or our own special God given talent. Surrender Acceptance Freedom (Liberty) Contentment When we accept what is happening to us at the present moment as part of a grander plan needed for our growth, we experience a new freedom and liberty. We welcome whatever comes into our lives, surrendering all wants and desires. With this new awareness comes contentment and peace.

The heart is a very important flesh of the human body. If it is corrupt, the entire body is corrupted. No one is safe from misguidance. So remember to constantly ask Allah (SWT) to keep you on the straight path. The most frequent supplication the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said was: "Yaa Muqallibal Quloob Thabbit Qalbee 'alaa Deenik [O, Turner of the hearts (Allah, the Most High), turn our hearts to Your obedience/religion.]"