Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Negligence in the Matter of Salah is Kufr (Infidelity)

The prophet (S.A.W) said:

"The covenant which is between us and them (i-e the disbelievers) is Salah, and whoever abandoned it has disbelieved" [1]

And he (S.A.W) said:

"Between a man and disbelief and Shirk is forsaking Salah" [2]

One day companions of prophet (S.A.W) mentioned Salah to his Companions, saying:

"Whoever guards it strictly will have light, evidence (of his faith) and deliverance on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever does not guard it strictly will have neither light, nor evidence (of his faith) nor deliverance; and he will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with Pharaoh, Haman, Qaroon and Ubayy bin Khalf" [3]

Some of the scholars said in explanation of this Hadith that whoever neglects Salah will be, on the Day of Resurrection with these disbelievers, for if he neglects them out of pride because he is king or leader, then he resembles Pharaoh. And if he neglects then put of pride of holding a powerful position, then he will be resembles Haman, the Minister of Pharaoh and so he will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection and taken to the Hell-Fire. Whoever neglects them because he is distracted by his wealth or desires, then he resembles Qaroon, whom Allah caused the earth to swallow up, and he will also be gathered with him and taken to the Hell-Fire. Whoever neglects because he is distracted by his business and other kinds if dealings, then he resembles Ubayy bin Khalaf, the Makkan trader, and he will be gathered and taken with him to the Fire on the Day of Judgement. We ask Allah to save us from being in their situation.

[1] Tirmidhi, Faith, what is said about abandoning the prayer, Hadith 2621
[2] Muslim, Faith, Chapter: Generalising in the name of disbeliever over whosoever abandons Salah, Hadith: 82
[3] Musnad Ahmed: 6576, V: 2/169

Monday, June 14, 2010

"No! One at a time! One at a time!"

Shaikh Muhammad al-Arifi’ says;



He (a poor man) went on making tawaaf around the Ka'aba saying "Oh Allah forgive us and tajaawaz anna (??)" And so the poor man was supplicating. [Eventually] He became very hot and had a heat stroke and collapsed on the ground.

So they (people) picked him up and took him to the Ajyaad Hospital, opposite the Haram. They put him in the hospital - cool was the place with a white bed and bed cover and cool moist air was blown onto him.

After 4-5 hours, he awoke. Upon waking up, he turned right and left only to find the room all white. He looked to the bed cover, mattress and bed only to find that they [too] where white. The poor man smelt the smell [in the room] - and of course it was the smell of dettol - but it was better than his smell, and the smell pleased him.
So he assumed that he was in Jannah! (Paradise) [To which] he exclaimed: "Allahu Akbar! Ash-hadu anna wa'ad Allahi hakun! Al JANNAH! Al Jannah! (Allah is the greatest! I bear witness that Allah's promise is true! Al Jannah! Al Jannah!")"

He then turned to his right and found 5 Filippino nurses [standing there]. When he saw them wearing all white, he said: "Allahu Akbar! Al hoor al ayn! Al hoor al ayn! Al hoor al ayn!" [the women of Paradise]

The nurses didn't understand what this man was saying. So they assumed that he was crazy. [This man then] tried to get out of his bed, he took the bed cover [off him] and threw it down, to get to the "Hoor Al Ayn"
The nurses rushed towards him to hold him. So he told them, "No, one by one, one by one!" So the poor man thought he was [in Jannah/Paradise] with the Hoor Al Ayn!


See Sheikh Mohammad Al Arifi narrating the Event in Arabic;

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Stool DNA Testing Could Play Expanded Role in Colon Cancer Prevention


Research teams have demonstrated for the first time that two types of colorectal precancers can be detected through noninvasive stool DNA testing. The two studies being presented demonstrate that stool DNA testing may be useful for detection of premalignant dysplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and of a significant type of colorectal precancer called serrated polyps.

David Ahlquist, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA) and the senior investigator, reported that sensitive stool DNA test techniques developed at Mayo Clinic could detect common forerunners of colorectal cancer. “Detection of precursor lesions during screening is essential if cancer prevention is the goal,” Dr. Ahlquist stated.

Compared to widely used fecal blood tests, stool DNA testing has higher detection rates for curable stage colorectal cancer and for common precancerous polyps (called adenomas).

The first study, presented on May 3, 2010, at Digestive Disease Week, the annual meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association held in New Orleans, LA, USA, involved identifying both cancer and a precancerous lesion, called dysplasia, in individuals who suffer from IBD. In a blinded study with 10 cases and 10 controls conducted in conjunction with Mount Sinai Medical Center (New York, NY, USA) and the University of Chicago (IL, USA), researchers found that stool DNA testing was positive in nine out of 10 cases (five of five with cancer, and four of five with dysplasia).

“This study shows that cancer and precancer in IBD can be detected noninvasively,” said Dr. Ahlquist. “The 90% detection rate by stool DNA testing is remarkable. It’s important for people with IBD because they are at much higher risk for colorectal cancer than the general population. Given the limitations of colonoscopies in detecting these lesions, stool DNA testing could play a complementary role to improve the effectiveness of cancer surveillance.”

The second study, presented on May 4, 2010, involves detecting serrated colorectal polyps. Unlike common adenomas, which usually protrude from the colon lining and are easy to see, serrated polyps are typically flat and the same color as the colon lining. Dr. Ahlquist remarked that serrated polyps have been ignored or excluded from most screening studies to date because it was not clear they were associated with cancer. “Now they are regarded as the forerunner in roughly 30% of colon cancers,” said Dr. Ahlquist. “Most of these are located on the right side of the colon, where screening has had less impact historically.”

For this study, researchers first took tissue and identified two genetic markers that were present in serrated polyps but not in normal colon. The team assayed the markers (mutant BRAF and methylated vimentin genes) in stool samples from 14 cases and 19 control patients who had undergone screening colonoscopies. In blinded fashion, they compared the findings to fecal blood tests on the same specimens.

“We observed a 71% detection rate with stool DNA testing,” noted Dr. Ahlquist. “This was significantly higher than the 7% rate with conventional fecal blood tests. Detection of these important types of precancer by stool DNA testing offers promise in our efforts to more effectively and affordably prevent colorectal cancer. However, findings from both pilot studies need to be corroborated in larger studies.”