|
|
|---|
Turnover jumped to Archos 135%
The French designer of electronic equipment Archos is pressed into the green in the first half, the company said, Monday, Aug. 8, in a statement. The turnover of the group jumped 135% to 71.7 million euros.
Archos has also posted a net profit of 1.7 million euros in the first six months of the year, when he had a net loss of 3.2 million in the first half of 2010. "This strong growth is based on the development of the market shelves in which Archos has positioned itself as a major player, boasting both a proven technology and a differentiating pricing policy," the group argues in its statement . In 2010, Archos has reduced its loss to 2.3 million euros, against 18.6 million in 2009, sales increased by 43.9% to 83.3 million euros.
ORIENTATION TO EMERGING MARKETS:
Archos also states it will distribute to the end of the third quarter a new range of accessories for users of Android products. It also emphasizes the "continuing its development of emerging countries", indicating that it has started selling some of its products in Brazil, and it will start "from the start" of trade relations with India new distributors. For 2011, the group is an average gross margin "above 20%."
These announcements came as Forrester has just published a study that underlines the dynamism of the market shelves in Europe. He should sell 13 million in 2011 on the mainland market where Apple iPad will remain dominant with 70% of sales. Forrester surveyed nearly fourteen thousand Internet users in seven European countries, including France. The firm also estimates that 48.2 million tablets will be sold worldwide in 2011, with 50% in the United States.
ORIENTATION TO EMERGING MARKETS:
Archos also states it will distribute to the end of the third quarter a new range of accessories for users of Android products. It also emphasizes the "continuing its development of emerging countries", indicating that it has started selling some of its products in Brazil, and it will start "from the start" of trade relations with India new distributors. For 2011, the group is an average gross margin "above 20%."
These announcements came as Forrester has just published a study that underlines the dynamism of the market shelves in Europe. He should sell 13 million in 2011 on the mainland market where Apple iPad will remain dominant with 70% of sales. Forrester surveyed nearly fourteen thousand Internet users in seven European countries, including France. The firm also estimates that 48.2 million tablets will be sold worldwide in 2011, with 50% in the United States.
The seizure of domain names not found in breach of freedom of expression
By entering domain names, the authorities of the United States does not affect freedom of expression, said the U.S. court, Thursday, Aug. 4. Since the end of 2010, a division of the Department of Homeland Security has embarked on a series of seizures of domain names, to fight against the infringement of copyright on the Internet.
The operation, called "in our sites", was first targeted the sites suspected of harboring BitTorrent files and sites to watch live sporting events. "This domain name has been entered by the investigations department of the Department of Homeland Security" (DHS), U.S. officials noted on the websites concerned.
In February, in the fields. Com and. Org site RojaDirecta, Puerto company 80, which offer links to sports broadcasts, were seized by the U.S. security services. This is one of the few sites listed in this dispossession have challenged in court, with the support of several organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
RojaDirecta, TARGET "unusual"
But Judge Paul Crotty, assigned to the case, said that the seizure of domain names did not violate (PDF) to freedom of expression. The court document also explains that since the seizure of domain names, Puerto 80 "moved its site to alternative domain names", including. I,. Es, and. In. These are outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. government, says the text.
The king of spam face justice
Self-proclaimed "Spam King" Sanford Wallace risk more than forty years in prison and more than $ 2 million (1.4 million) fine. The man, aged 43, is accused of approximately 500,000 compromised Facebook accounts, between November 2008 and March 2009, and have sent more than 27 million spam. Wallace pleaded not guilty at a hearing Thursday, August 4, in federal court in San Jose in the United States.
As to compromise the accounts of users of social network, the suspect used the technique of "phishing" (phishing English), which is to fraudulently obtain credentials of a user, by mimicking an email from an administration or a trusted site. Mr. Wallace then sent new messages to contacts profit account compromise.
SEVERAL "exploits"
In 2009, a judge had already ordered Sanford Wallace to pay a record $ 711 million (495 million) to Facebook, for these massive spam mailing. In its complaint, the social network, which claims 750 million registered, described Wallace as "a notorious swindler of the Internet has been involved in various illegal activities of spamming and other malicious software since the mid-1990s ".
In 2008, MySpace had also received $ 230 million (160 million) in damages. Sanford Wallace and an accomplice, Walter Rines, were convicted of sending messages to enable them to pretend to be the typical users of MySpace and the vigilance of their recipients.
The Federal Trade Commission, responsible for enforcing the competition law, also sentenced Mr. Wallace in 2006 to pay a fine of $ 4 million (2.8 million), for spreading software opening windows unsolicited advertising by the user.
Sanford Wallace must return to court Aug. 22.
Missing children: The FBI launches an application for smartphones
The U.S. federal police, the FBI, launched Friday, August 5, Child ID ("Child Identity"), an application designed for smartphones can quickly alert the authorities when missing children.
Child ID, launched with the help of the Association of American football coaches to ensure their advertising, is the first application made by the FBI. It only works for now on iPhone and can be downloaded from iTunes, but will be available later on other smartphones, said the federal agency.
Readily available data:
The application, free, "can save photos and important information about your child, immediately available in case of need," said a statement. If a child "disappears while you're doing your shopping and you can not find it", photos, information about height, weight, etc.., Can be immediately shown on both the police on site and sent by e-mail to authorities.
The FBI indicates that a child goes missing every forty seconds in the United States and that "many" are never found.
The nurse impertinent
William Réjault published its first notes as we put an outlet: to get rid of anxiety and an overflow. It was 2004, six years after his nursing degree, while a string of temporary assignments, his sense of isolation is too strong: "In the medical field, I could not confide in me. My colleagues did not have time, and I was not going to tell my life for patients ... "
The blog that opens, under the pseudonym of Ron Nurse, allows him to express feelings that can not share elsewhere: his revulsion at the abuse, its powerlessness to the absolute power of the physicians, its sensitivity in the daily contact with disease and disability. Its success, with hundreds of players for each ticket, he explains the perceived sincerity of his writing. "What appeals is to feel the fault, to perceive the human being behind the blogger ... but I could not talk about my own mistakes. I used to pass messages against the system."
One day, a publisher contacted the Internet, evokes the idea of a book. As a manuscript, William Réjault imparts the fifty most popular tickets of his blog. The House of Albert Camus and others seem to Privé new in 2006. The text is barely touched. "It was the first time a blog becomes a book," says the author. For nurses, the novelty lies elsewhere: one of them dared to raise the tone, leave the ranks of a profession subject to the law of silence and an implacable hierarchy.
Despite himself, William Réjault becomes a spokesperson, a recurring guest in television, including talk about abuse in nursing homes, theme of a new book (Mom, do you like your room?, Private , 2009). "I hated this responsibility, which I found too heavy and distorted, he said. In a profession so diverse, how one can he speak for all? I was suffering from Imposter Syndrome."
At the same time, he decided to move on. "I loved my job as a nurse, but I could not work. The conditions were inhumane, I attended a scheduled bankruptcy of the health system. We did not ask the caregiver to show more sensitivity, but to the slaughter. I had nothing to give. "
The profession is losing perhaps the most impertinent of its columnists. Him, closes his blog, opening a new, in which he recounts his life, his emotions, he has "more just and sincere." Visibility allowed him to get another job: editor of Off TV, the Web of Universal Music. In each episode, he selects an artist's home, which he asks to talk to a blogger. To those he met today, it no longer refers to his old job: "I did not fit what they expected of nurses, so they thought I was making fun of them."
The French social network Video plays his card in front of the American LinkedIn
In September, Dan Serfaty, boss and co-founder, Lunati with Thierry, the French social network Viadeo, be domiciled in China, in Beijing. A symbol for this company that wants to accelerate its international development. And a challenge that this "outsider" is ready to meet face to be his great American rival, LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is under the spotlight since his introduction to the New York Stock Exchange in mid-May The first day of trading, the action of this social network on Wall Street was burning, valuing the company about $ 9 billion (6 billion). For his first appointment Financial Thursday, August 4, the group published results up sharply. In the second quarter, its sales reached $ 121 million (84 million), up 120% over the same period in 2010. LinkedIn, which claims 115 million members registered on its network, expects a turnover of $ 475 million in 2011.
Facebook faced the juggernaut that has rolled many social networks, some try to resist. Like LinkedIn, which chose not to fight on the same ground as his great rival. From the beginning, he wanted to bring together a professional community. No holiday snaps or evenings with friends, but descriptions of careers, classified ads or recruiters useful contacts for everyone in his profession.
The French Viadeo plays the card of professional network and boasts of being the leader in France, then to LinkedIn, but also in Spain and Italy. Founded in 2004, this site, which employs 300 people including 160 in Paris, has a boost to its international development since 2009. Two years earlier, Mr. Serfaty had met a Chinese entrepreneur who launched Tianji, a professional social network in China. Viadeo takes 10% stake in the Chinese company. This partnership will end in 2009 by a merger of two entities, the shareholders of Tianji entering the capital of Viadeo. A similar approach was undertaken in India as well as in South America. Result: one quarter of the capital of Viadeo is held by the shareholders of the three acquired companies. Viadeo now implanted in the Maghreb and Francophone Africa. "The missing piece now is Russia," says Serfaty who speaks with a Russian media group.
Strong market growth data on mobile devices
The number of connections to the Internet from mobile devices worldwide is expected to reach 5.6 billion in 2011, up 11% over 2010, according to a study by Gartner, Thursday, Aug. 4. By 2015, Gartner expects 7.4 billion mobile connections from shelves.
This sharp increase in mobile connections should also be accompanied by a significant increase in data traffic. The market for data terminals and should generate a turnover up 23% this year, according to research firm Gartner. The mobile data services should reap 314.7 billion dollars (222.7 billion euros) this year, says Gartner, which sees the market reaching an overall annual turnover of 552 billion (390.7 billion of euros) in four years.
Operators' investments:
Mobile operators have relied heavily on the jump of this market data, but they struggled for hours to take advantage of high demand. "The income data will continue to grow, albeit more slowly," warns Jessica Ekholm, an analyst at Gartner. "This creates a gap between revenues and data traffic," said she, operators saw the cost of maintaining and developing networks jump.
They are facing the risk of overloading the network, thus slowing or complete blockage of the service. At the same time, they will not be lowered to the ranks of "pipes" or pay only the investment grade, while application providers or other services such as Google, Apple and Facebook derive significant benefits. Several operators have given up and offers internet access with unlimited turn to packages with a small stream.
Qiyam al-Layl During Ramadan
Often, we find that people get confused with the various names associated with the night prayers. This article today will help you understand what the night prayer is about (called the Qiyaam al-Layl).
What is Qiyaam al-Layl?
Different Names:
Qiyam means 'standing' and ‘Qiyam al-Layl’ means 'standing at night'. In the Shari’ah term both terms refer to 'the voluntary night prayer, whose time extends after the Isha prayer (the last of the five obligatory prayers, whose time extends from the disappearance of the reddish light in the sky until the middle of the night) until dawn.’
This voluntary prayer is described as Qiyam al-Layl because it involves long standings, in which long portions of the Qur'aan are recited. Other common names for this prayer are 'Salaat al-Layl' (the night prayer), Tahajjud (from hajjada meaning awake at night), witr and Taraweeh (resting). [Lisaan ul-Arab under 'Hajada' and 'Rawaha']
Its should be noted that Tahajjud is not different from Qiyam and Taraweeh, these are different names of the same prayer. Commonly the word Taraweeh is used to describe this prayer in Ramadaan, the Muslims used this term from early times. Muhammad Shaqrah says: “The reason for this name is that due to long recitation the people used to rest after every four rak'ah. Eventually this practice became a necessary element of Taraweeh even with short recitations. This led people to think that ‘Taraweeh’ is the correct name revealed to Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam).” [Irsad us-Sari p.75-77]
This name is wrong in text and in meaning. This name is neither known from Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) nor his companions t… and as for the meaning the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) never taught the practice of resting between particular rak’ahs. Thus, Taraweeh is a novel name and it is better to use the name which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used for this prayer; ‘Qiyaam’.
One might ask, 'Is it wrong to rest between rak’ahs?’ The answer is - 'If the Imaam is tired or feels that the people praying behind him are tired from long standing and recitation, he may allow some rest…” [Irshad us-Sari (p: 75-77)]
The Excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl
Many Qur'aanic verses speak about the excellence of Qiyam and the merits of those people, who perform Qiyaam al-Layl on a regular basis, for example, Allah describes the believers who deserve Jannah saying: “They (the believers) forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope; and they spend out of what We have bestowed on them.” [Soorah as-Sajdah (32): 16] “They (the pious) used to sleep but little at night.” [Soorah ath-Thariyat (51): 17] Also, numerous Ahadeeth add to this subject, narrated Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu): “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The best prayer after those prescribed is (the prayer performed) in the depth of night.” [Saheeh Muslim and Musnad Ahmad]
He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also said: “The most beloved prayer to Allah was of Dawud (alaihi as-salaam). He slept one half of the night, got up (and prayed) for one third, and then slept (the remaining) one sixth.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
Protection from Shaitaan
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “When one of you goes to sleep, Shaitaan ties three knots over the rear of his head, blowing into each knot, 'You have a long night, so sleep on.” If he wakes up and mentions Allah, one knot loosens. If he makes wudhu (ablution for prayer), another knot loosens and if he prays, the third knot loosens and he becomes lively and good-natured; otherwise he gets up ill-natured and lazy.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
Acceptance of Supplication
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven, when only one third of the night has remained. He says: “Who will invoke Me, so that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] In another report, he adds: “Then Allah extends His Hand and says: “Who wants to invest (good deeds) with the One who is not wasteful or unjust?” He continues to say this until the dawn arrives.” [Saheeh Muslim]
Jabir (radhi allahu anhu) reported, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying: “There is an hour of the night which no Muslim person encounters and asks for a good thing for this life or the Hereafter, but Allah grants it to him. This happens every night.” [Saheeh Muslim]
Abu Umamah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) was once asked: “When are the supplications most acceptable?” He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) replied: “In the last depth of the night and at the end of the prescribed prayers.” [(hasan) by Shaikh al-Albanee (at-Tirmidhee)]
Muadh bin Jabal (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Whenever a Muslim goes to bed in a pure state (with wudhu), falls asleep while mentioning Allah and then wakes up during the night and asks Allah for anything good, He grants it to him.” [(saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee (Musnad Ahmad and at-Tirmidhee)]
Closeness to Allah
Amr bin Abash (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The closest that a servant is to his Lord, is in the last part of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah at that hour then do so.” [(saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee (at-Tirmidhee)]
Mercy from Allah: Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “May Allah have mercy on a man who wakes up at night, prays and wakes his wife to pray; and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah have mercy on a woman who wakes up at night, prays, and wakes her husband to pray and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face.” [(hasan) by Shaikh al-Albanee (Abu Dawood)]
Constant deeds guarantee ample reward: Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) said: “Do not ever stop praying Qiyam. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) never ceased praying it. When he was sick or weak, he prayed sitting.” [(saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee (Abu Dawood)]
She also reported the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most constant, even if they were little.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
The Excellence of Qiyam in Ramadan
Many Ahaadeeth describe the excellence of Qiyam particularly in Ramadan, some of them are:
Forgiveness of sins: Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported: “Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) encouraged the people, without making it an absolute command, to perform Qiyam during Ramadaan. He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to say: “Whoever stands (in Qiyam) in Ramadaan out of faith and expectation (of Allah's Reward), all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
Among the Most Righteous: Amr bin Murrah al-Juhani (radhi allahu anhu) said: “A man from the tribe of Quraysh asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam): “O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)! What if I testified that there is no (true) god except Allah and that you are Allah's Messenger, prayed the five prayers, fasted the month, stood for Qiyam in Ramadaan and paid Zakaah?” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) replied: “Anyone dying like this will be among the siddiqun (the highly virtuous) and the shuhadah (martyrs).” [(saheeh) Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban]
7 Practical Tips for praying Qiyaam al-Layl
1: Ikhlas (Sincerity) - the key to Allah's Help and Blessings
Help of Allah is needed to accomplish and achieve success in all our affairs. And Allah only helps those who are sincere in their hearts. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “If you are truthful with Allah, then Allah will deliver to you what you wish for.” [An-Nasa'ee, al-Hakim and Saheeh al-Jamee] Therefore, one should have a sincere intention to pray Qiyaam al-Layl; seek the Pleasure of Allah Alone and avoid the desire of praise or fame. Allah says: “And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone…” [(98): 5]
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: “The degree to which a person is helped and aided by Allah depends on the degree of his intention, drive, aim and hopes. Help from Allah comes to people in proportion to their drive, intention, hopes and fears, and failure comes to them in like manner.”
2: Knowing the Virtues of Qiyaam al-Layl
Knowing the virtues and rewards of performing worship produces willingness and desire to perform the worship. We have previously mentioned numerous virtues of regularly praying Qiyaam al-Layl, here we mention the excellence of praying Qiyaam al-Layl particularly in the great month of Ramadan. Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported: “Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) encouraged the people, without making it an absolute command, to perform Qiyaam during Ramadan. He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to say: “Whoever stands (in Qiyaam) in Ramadan out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Saheeh Muslim]
3: Taking a nap in the daytime
Taking a nap before or after Dhur Salaat will dismiss the stress and thus enable one to get up in the night and stand in front of his Lord. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Take a nap, for the Shayateen (pl. of Shaytan) do not take naps.” [Reported by at-Tabaranee. Al-Saheehah (2647)]
4: Sleeping according to the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger
(a) Sleep early: Sleeping early is a healthy habit and it was the practice of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) to sleep directly after performing the Isha prayer. Abu Barzah al-Aslami (radhi allahu anhu) said that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to prefer to delay Isha, and he did not like to sleep before it or talk after it.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
(b) Sleep in a state of taharah (purity): Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Purify these bodies and Allah will purify you, for there is no slave who goes to sleep in a state of purity but an Angel spends the night with him, and every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, 'O Allah! Forgive Your slave, for he went to bed in a state of purity.'” [Reported by at-Tabaranee. See Saheeh al-Jamee (3831)]
(c) Choose a suitable bed: Excessive luxurious or soft bed provokes laziness and makes one sleep more and become negligent. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) narrates that the pillow of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) on which he slept at night was made of leather stuffed with palm fibers.” [Abu Dawood and Musnad Ahmad. Saheeh al-Jamee (4714)]
Once Umar Ibn al-Khattab (radhi allahu anhu) entered upon the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) when he was lying on a mat of palm fibers that had left marks on his side. Umar (radhi allahu anhu) said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you not get something more comfortable than this?” He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “What do I have to do with this world? My relationship with this world is like that of a traveler on a hot summer's day, who seeks shade under a tree for an hour, then moves on.” [Musnad Ahmad and al-Hakim. Saheeh al-Jamee (5545)]
(d) Cleaning the bed and lying on the right side
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported: “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “When any one of you goes to bed, let him clear his bed by hitting it with his garment, for he does not know what may have come onto it. Then let him lie down on his right side…” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
(e) Reciting the Adhkaar (supplications) mentioned in the Sunnah before sleeping
There are a number of Adhkaar prescribed in the Sunnah before going to bed, amongst them are reciting the last verses of Soorah al-Baqarah, reciting Soorah al-Falaq and Soorah al-Nas and Soorah Ikhlas blow in the palms and wipe as much of the body possible, starting from the head, face and then the front of the body doing it three times. [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
Ali Ibn Abi Talib (radhi allahu anhu) reported that when the Prophet's daughter, Fatima (radhi allahu anha) came to him and asked him for a servant, he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said to her and Ali: “Shall I not teach you something that will be better for you than a servant? When you go to bed, say 'SubhanAllah' thirty-three times, 'Al-hamdulillah' thirty-three times, and 'Allahu Akbar' thirty-four times. This is better for you than a servant.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
5: Avoid too much food and drink
Too much food or drink is one of the main obstacles that make one lazy and negligent of Qiyaam al-Layl. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Man fills no vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to have a few mouthfuls to give him the strength he needs. If he has to fill his stomach, then let him leave one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air.” [Reported by at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Majah. Saheeh al-Jamee (5674)]
Abu Juhayfah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said to a man who burped in his presence: “Stop your burping, for the people who eat the most in this life will be the most hungry on the Day of Resurrection.” [Reported by al-Hakim. Saheeh al-Jamee (1190)]
6: Striving against oneself:
Striving against oneself to get up and pray and suppressing one's desires bring about Allah's help and His Pleasure for the slave. Allah says in the Qur'aan: “Strive in Allah's Cause as you ought to strive…” [Soorah al-Hajj (25): 78] “And as for those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths. And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers).” [ (29): 69]
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The Mujahid (one who strives in way of Allah) is the one who strives against his own self for the sake of Allah.” [Reported by al-Tirmidhee. See al-Saheehah (549)]
He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also said: “When a man from my Ummah gets up to pray at night, striving against his own self to get up and purify himself, there are knots on him. When he washes his hands in wudhu, one knot is undone. When he washes his face, another knot is undone. When he wipes his head another knot is undone. When he washes his feet, another knot is undone. Then Allah says to those who are veiled (in the Unseen):'Look at this slave of Mine, he is striving against his own self and asking of Me. Whatever My slave asks of Me shall be his.” [Musnad Ahmad. See Saheeh al-Targheeb (627)]
7: Rebuking one's self for not praying Qiyaam al-Layl
Qiyaam al-Layl is a great blessing from Allah, the Exalted, and He has placed in it numerous spiritual benefits and rewards for the believer. Therefore, one should rebuke one's self, if he misses this great opportunity of achieving rewards and Pleasure of Allah. Allah says in the Qur'aan: “O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” [(59): 18]
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said: “If the slave is responsible and accountable for everything, even his hearing, sight and innermost thoughts, as Allah says, “…Verily, hearing, sight, and the heart of each of you will be questioned by Allah.” [Soorah al-Isra (17): 36], then he should check on himself before he is brought to account.”
Source:
The Night Prayers’ by Muhammad Nasir ud-Deen al-Albanee (rahimahullah)
As-Sunnah Islamic Newsletter Issue 15
Night Prayers During Ramadan
Night Prayer in RamadanExcerpted from: Ahadith al-Siyam
by al-Fawzaan
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays at night in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven." (al-Bukhari; Muslim)
This hadith is indicative of the virtue of praying qiyam in Ramadan, and shows that this is one of the means of forgiveness of sin. Whoever prays Taraweeh as it should be prayed has prayed at night (qiyam al-layl) in Ramadan.
Forgiveness is conditional upon "faith and hope of reward," as stated here. What is meant by "faith" is that when the person stands to pray qiyam, he believes in Allah, may He be exalted, and believes in His promise and in the virtue of praying qiyam, and in the greatness of its reward with Allah. "Hope of reward" means that he is seeking the reward from Allah and is not doing it for any other purpose such as showing off, etc.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to encourage them to pray qiyam during Ramadan, without commanding them to do it. Then he said: "Whoever prays at night in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."
So the Muslim should be keen to pray Taraweeh, and should be patient in completing the prayer with his imam. He should not neglect any part of it, or leave before his imam, even if his imam does more than eleven or thirteen rak'ahs, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays qiyam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded that he spent the night in qiyam." It is only a few nights, which the wise man makes the most of before they are gone.
Abu Dawud said: It was said to [Imam] Ahmad while I was listening: "Can qiyam - i.e., Taraweeh - be delayed until the end of the night?" He said: "The way of the Muslims is dearer to me."
If a person is keen to pray whatever rak'ahs he wants to at the time of the pre-dawn (suhoor time), then he should not pray witr again at the end of his prayer, rather it is sufficient for him to pray witr with his imam in Taraweeh, because of the hadith of Talq ibn 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There cannot be two witrs in one night."
With regard to the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) - according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Make the last of your prayers at night witr" - this is to be understood as referring to one who prays at the end of the night and did not pray witr at the beginning of the night.
The command here is to be understood as a recommendation, not an obligation. It is not essential to conclude the prayer at the end of the night with witr, based on the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed at the end of the night, after his witr.
Abu Dawud said: I said to Ahmad: "Does praying after witr invalidate witr?" He said: "No." Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad say concerning one who prayed witr at the beginning of the night then got up to pray qiyam: "He should pray two rak'ahs."
It was said: "Does he not have to pray witr?"
He said: "No."
He said: I heard someone ask him about someone who wanted to pray after witr: "should he pray two by two?"
He said: "Yes, but after witr he should lie down."
The imam should take care to pray properly in Taraweeh. He should pray with proper focus and humility, reciting in a proper manner and being at ease in ruku' and sujud. He should beware of rushing lest he fails to attain the proper level of khushu' (focus and humility) and lest he make the weak, elderly and sick among the people behind him get too tired.
Al-Sa'ib ibn Yazeed said: 'Umar ibn al-Khattab commanded Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Tameem al-Dari to lead the people in praying eleven rak'ahs of qiyam. He said: The reciter used to recite the surahs that contain more than a hundred verses, until we would lean on sticks because of having to stand for so long, but we did not leave until dawn was approaching.
When the worshiper has said the tasleem at the end of witr, he should say: Subhan al-Malik al-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times, elongating the vowels and raising his voice the third time, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did that.
O Allah, accept this (worship) from us, for You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing, and accept our repentance, for You are the Acceptor of Repentance, the Most Merciful
Ramadan: Eating Vs Prayer
At times, it may be forgiven if some non-Muslims look upon us and wonder if Ramadan was all about food deprivation during the day, and food excess during the night.
While it is true that the tangible aspect of Ramadan is clearly abstaining from food and drink, the real (spiritual) purpose and focus for us during this month should be our increased connectedness to Allah. As the days of Ramadan progress, our senses become less clouded with the constant need for food and drink. And this state is what we need to attain - if we overeat at night, and sleep away our nights and day away, we will sorely miss out on what we were meant to experience, see and comprehend.
As Jalaluddin Rumi puts it:
There is an unseen sweetness
in the stomach's emptiness.
We are lutes.
When the soundbox is filled,
no music can come forth.
When the brain and the belly
are burning from fasting,
every moment a new song rises
out of the fire.
The mists clear,
and a new vitality makes you
spring up the steps before you.
Be empty and cry as a reed instrument.
Be empty and write secrets with a reed pen.
When satiated by food and drink,
an unsightly metal statue
is seated where your spirit should be.
When fasting, good habits gather like
helpful friends.
Fasting is Solomon's ring.
Don't give in to illusion
and lose your power.
But even when all will and control
have been lost,
they will return when you fast,
like soldiers appearing out of the ground,
or pennants flying in the breeze.
A table descends to your tents,
the Lord's table.
Anticipate seeing it when fasting,
this table spread with a different food,
far better than the broth of cabbages.
Ramadan is a time for us to be jolted from our daily affairs - we HAVE to fast, it is a requirement from Allah. This physical act of fasting and the consequent hunger and thirst serves as a reminder of our dependence on Allah's mercy.
"There are as many forms of fasting as there are organs of perception and sensation, and each of these has many different levels. So we ask to fast from all that Allah does not love for us, and to feast on what the Beloved loves for us. Let us certainly fast from the limited mind, and all that it conjures up. Let us fast from fear, apart from fear and awe of Allah's majesty. Let us fast from thinking that we know, when Allah alone is the Knower. Let us fast from thinking negatively of anyone. Let us fast from our manipulations and strategies. Let us fast from all complaint about the life experiences that Allah gives us. Let us fast from our bad habits and our reactions. Let us fast from desiring what we do not have. Let us fast from obsession. Let us fast from despair. Let us fast from not loving our self, and from denying our heart. Let us fast from selfishness and self-centered behavior. Let us fast from thinking that only what serves us is important. Let us fast from seeing reality only from our own point of view. Let us fast from seeing any reality other than Allah, and from relying on anything other than Allah. Let us fast from desiring anything other than Allah and Allah's Prophets and friends, and our own true self. Essentially, let us fast from thinking that we have any existence separate from Allah."
Quote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/imam-khalid-latif/ramadan-reflection-day-1_b_914529.html?ref=tw
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays at night in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."
Please do not overeat and become so lethargic that you are unable to devote time and energy to prayers in the night. Please do not overeat that you are unable to wake up early the next day and function as you normally would on any other day.
Ramadan Advice: This Month is NOT About Food
Hilarious unsold pilots
You think some of today’s shows are strange? Friend of the blog and writer extraordinaire, Lee Goldberg once wrote a book listing unsold TV pilots. These are just from 1955-1990 and are not complete (two of our misfires somehow managed to fly under the radar). But some of these are priceless. These are actual projects. Writers pitched them with a straight face and sold them. Scripts were commissioned and then networks said, "Sure, we'll shell out millions of dollar to make these". Can you imagine what didn't get picked up? Anyway, with the new development season about to begin, let's go back and relive past gems.
DANGER TEAM ABC-1990 – Kathleen Beller plays a bookkeeper-turned-private eye who solves crimes with the help of three animated clay figures. (Whatever happened to Kathleen Beller (pictured above)? She was soooo hot.)
GOOD AGAINST EVIL ABC-1977 -- Dack Rambo is a writer who happens to fall in love with Satan’s girlfriend. (Don't you hate it when that happens?)
HIGH RISK ABC-1976 -- Six former circus performers team up to solve crimes. (A better title might have been JUSTICE DU SOLEIL. Notice how many of these delightful dramas were developed by ABC?)
JUDGE DEE ABC-1974 -- Khigh Dhiegh is a roving judge in seventh century China, deciding right and wrong and solving crimes. (We had an idea for a show but it was set in the eighth century and no one wants that era.)
McCLONE NBC-1988 – Master thespian, Howie Long is pursued by evil clones.
MOMMA THE DETECTIVE CBS-1981 – Esther Rolle (from GOOD TIMES) as a maid who solves crimes.
NICK KNIGHT CBS-1989 – I bet we see a new version of this in like five minutes. Rick Springfield is a crimefighting vampire on the San Francisco police force.
HURRICANE ISLAND & STRANDED – two of the many “people are shipwrecked on a remote island” pilots. But none of them had the hatch.
ETHEL IS AN ELEPHANT CBS-1980 -- A New York photographer who shares his apartment with a baby elephant.
GREAT DAY ABC-1977 -- As described: “This pilot was supposed to illustrate how fun life is as a skid row bum in New York’s bowery.” Featured in the cast: Billy Barty and Spo-De-Odee.
A LITTLE BIT STRANGE NBC-1989 – A widower raising a bizarre family. He and his son are warlocks, his daughter is a witch, his mother-in-law is psychic, his brother a soul-singing bat (yes, a bat), and his nephew is made of mud. A “normal” girl marries into this family.
MARS: BASE ONE CBS-1988 -- A family adjusting to life on Mars, where they live next door to a Soviet technician and his American-stripper wife. (Note: the 1988 WGA strike forced cancellation of this project. I think part of the problem was that they wanted to shoot on location.)
MIXED NUTS ABC-1977 – (not to be confused with MIXED NUTS -- one of the worst movies of all time) The lives and hilarious misadventures of the doctors and psychiatric patients of a mental institution.
MR. AND MRS. DRACULA ABC-1980, 1981 -- The Dracula family moves to a New York apartment. In the second version they live in the South Bronx. Okay, now that makes sense.
SGT. T.K. YU NBC-1979 – Korean stand-up comic Johnny Yune is a Korean LAPD detective/stand-up comic. (This pilot was in competition with one of ours, about a guy-girl comedy team. And neither got on the schedule. Instead, NBC picked up PINK LADY AND JEFF, a comedy-variety show starring a stand-up comic and Japanese girl group who couldn’t speak English. Sometimes the most absurd pilot gets on the air.)
Tomorrow: More pilots include one with Alan Alda raising an invisible baby and Sonny Bono fighting crime. You're gonna wanna be here!
Bubba's legacy Pictures
Bubba Smith found fame as a defensive tackle for the Baltimore Colts, right, ... When former Michigan State and Baltimore Colts star Bubba Smith died last ...
'Police Academy' actor and NFL star Charles 'Bubba' Smith dies
Starting with some sad news, NFL great Bubba Smith (above) has passed away. Football fans remember Bubba as a Super Champion with the Baltimore Colts. Beer fans remember Bubba as a hilarious pitchman for Miller Lite. Movie fans remember Bubba as the soft-spoken Officer Hightower in the "Police Academy" flicks. Bubba Smith was 66.
Bubba Smith Images
Since starting in show business, this talented actor has been in 7 TV show7. Bubba Smith is well known for performances in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, Open All Night and Macgyver.
Hot Bubba Smith dead
Charles "Bubba" Smith dead. He may have won a Superbowl with the Colts in 1967, but most people will remember Bubba Smith as 'Hightower' from The Police Academy Series. He played the soft-spoken yet towering character. He was found dead yesterday in his Los Angeles home of natural causes. Sarah Palin's hair salon gets reality TV show. TLC, the same cable channel that produced 'Sarah Palin's Alaska' announced a two-part series called 'Big Hair Alaska.' Set in the Wasilla beauty salon that is credited with designing Palin's "up-do" hairstyle.
Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford engaged. The actress from Wall Street Journal 2 and Never Let Me Go has been engaged to the frontman for Mumford and Sons after a five-month relationship.
Bubba Smith 1945-2011 Images
Football legend, actor Bubba Smith dead
Bubba Smith, a veteran of nine NFL seasons and actor of Police Academy fame, was found dead Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times.
He was 66.Police had not determined a cause of death by Wednesday night, but officials believe he died of natural causes, according to The Times.
Smith spent his career as a defensive lineman with the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers, making the Pro Bowl as a Colt in 1970 and '71.
Known for his imposing 6-7 frame, Smith was one of the league's most feared linemen, often requiring two men to slow him down. He retired from the NFL in 1976 after two seasons with the Oilers, turning his focus to acting.
He got his start with a series of popular Miller Lite television ads featuring former players, including one in which he tore the top off a beer can with ease (video below).
Smith went on to star in the Police Academy film franchise, launched in 1984. He played Moses Hightower, a soft-spoken gentle giant. Smith would appear in all but one of the six sequels.His television and film career spanned from 1978 to 2010 and included appearances in television series' such as Good Times and Charlie's Angels.
At Michigan State, Smith was an All-American lineman in 1965 and '66, celebrated by fans with the chant "Kill Bubba, Kill."
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and Michigan State retired his No. 95 jersey in 2006.
Two seasons after the Colts made Smith the No. 1 pick of the 1967 NFL draft, he was depicted in one of the indelible images of the burgeoning league, leaping at a poised Joe Namath during Super Bowl III.The Colts would lose that Super Bowl, cemented in NFL lore by Namath's pregame guarantee for the underdog Jets. But two years later, Smith and the Colts went on to win Super Bowl V, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 16-13.
AP
Smith spent his career as a defensive lineman with the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers, making the Pro Bowl as a Colt in 1970 and '71.
Known for his imposing 6-7 frame, Smith was one of the league's most feared linemen, often requiring two men to slow him down. He retired from the NFL in 1976 after two seasons with the Oilers, turning his focus to acting.
He got his start with a series of popular Miller Lite television ads featuring former players, including one in which he tore the top off a beer can with ease (video below).
AP
At Michigan State, Smith was an All-American lineman in 1965 and '66, celebrated by fans with the chant "Kill Bubba, Kill."
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and Michigan State retired his No. 95 jersey in 2006.
AP
Smith was found dead
With the passing of legendary MSU and NFL star Charles “Bubba” Smith, Spartan Nation has lost a deity, a Hollywood icon and a friend.
Smith was found dead by a caretaker Wednesday in his Los Angeles home.
On the football field, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound Smith was as ferocious a defensive end as the game has ever seen. From the time he stepped onto campus to play for legendary MSU head coach Duffy Daugherty in 1964, Smith became known for his tenacity and work ethic on the field and his comfortable charisma off it.
“He was a true Spartan,” former head football coach George Perles said. “Him and Duffy were very close. It was beautiful when you would see them together. They had so much respect for each other.”
Although he struggled adjusting in his first two seasons after coming to MSU from Beaumont, Texas, Smith would be remembered as one of the legends in the history of the program, as he paved a career that would lead to his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988. In his final two seasons at MSU, the two-time All-American Smith led the Spartans to a combined record of 19-1-1, which included back-to-back Big Ten and national championships in 1965 and 1966.
Perhaps his finest moment came in his final game at MSU, in which Smith anchored the Spartan defense — separating the shoulder of Fighting Irish starting quarterback Terry Hanratty on a tackle — in a 10–10 draw with Notre Dame in a game billed as the “Game of the Century.” The game produced more than 20 All-Americans and 30 future professional football players.
“I don’t think that they’ve had a game where they had that much talent on the field,” Smith told The State News in 2006. “Show me a game that had that much talent, that had that many first-round picks to come out of that game.”
Smith’s aura continued to grow as he was drafted with the first overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. He spent five seasons with the Colts, where he would reach the Super Bowl twice and win once in Super Bowl V before he was traded to the Oakland Raiders in 1972.
During his time in the NFL, Smith would develop many high-profile friends, including NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. Butkus — who starred alongside Smith in commercials for Miller Lite and the short-lived TV series “Blue Thunder” — said working with Smith allowed the two to be close for many years.
“I just started laughing when we used to do the commercials,” Butkus said. “We helped each other with how to make something a little bit funnier. We really worked at it, and I was proud of that – what we did. … I really miss him.”
After a knee injury slowed his career, he retired from the Houston Oilers in 1976 and focused on building an acting career.
Smith landed several small roles in many popular shows in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, most notably “Good Times,” “Taxi” and “Charlie’s Angels.” With his tremendous size merged with his subtle humor, he would gain the respect of fellow actors, including “Good Times” co-star Jimmie Walker, who became a fan of the “gentle giant.”
His big break would come when he landed the role of florist-turned-officer Moses Hightower in the 1984 hit “Police Academy.”
Smith later made a public return to his alma mater in 2006 on the 40th anniversary of the “Game of the Century” to see his No. 95 jersey retired and his name added to the Ring of Fame at Spartan Stadium. As he waved to the crowd, he was greeted with a framed No. 95 jersey by then-sophomore defensive end Justin Kershaw — who wore No. 95 but vacated the number following the game — and the famed “Kill, Bubba, Kill” chant by the Spartan faithful.
“Needless to say, Bubba was a longtime friend,” said former MSU wide receiver and teammate Gene Washington in a statement to the athletics department. “He was a great teammate and a great leader. Bubba never had to say much because he led by example.”
Questions with Bubba Smith  |
-- Ogden Nash
Actor and football great Charles A. "Bubba" Smith grew up in Beaumont, Texas, graduating from Charlton-Pollard High School, where he played for his father, coach Willie Ray Smith, Sr. Willie Ray bred three All-State Smiths -- Willie Ray, Jr., Tody, and Bubba. They made Charlton Pollard a perennial power in Texas school football. In Bubba's senior year the school was 11-0, and college recruiters beat down the doors at the Smith household until Bubba decided to attend Michigan State University.
Bubba became one of MSU's all-time great players, winning All-Big Ten and All-America honors for two straight years (1965 and 1966) as the team stomped through two unbeaten seasons and became the national champions. Whether he was playing tackle, defensive end, or middle guard, fans would cheer him on with, "Kill, Bubba, Kill!"
In 1967, the Baltimore Colts made him their number one draft choice. Bubba stayed with the Colts through the 1972 season and racked up some impressive statistics: He played in the NFL championship game in 1968 and the Super Bowl in 1969 and 1971. He was chosen All-AFC in 1970 and 1971, and played in the Pro-Bowl in 1971 and 1972.
|
A ten-year veteran of the NFL, wrote his memoirs, "Kill, Bubba, Kill," with Hal de Windt in 1983.
He has developed a successful second career as an actor, first working in Miller Lite beer commercials then starring in the Police Academy movies.
 |
SMITH: Tastes great.
SportsHollywood: What's your favorite sports movie?
SMITH: Remember The Titans with Denzel Washington. I like the story of having to overcome what may seem as impossible odds to achieve a goal and the teamwork it takes to get there.
SportsHollywood: What's your favorite movie that YOU were in?
SMITH: Black Moon Rising with Tommy Lee Jones.
SportsHollywood: Which was your favorite POLICE ACADEMY movie?
SMITH: The first one.
SportsHollywood: Most memorable football game:
SMITH: Michigan State vs. Norte Dame 10/10 Game.
 |
SMITH: College.
SportsHollywood: Do you think your Michigan State team could have beaten any pro teams?
SMITH: The 1966 team would have been competitive with a few NFL teams..
SportsHollywood: You were named to the NCAA All-American Team twice. Most athletes don't stay in school long enough to accomplish that anymore. How do you feel about early entry into pro sports?
SMITH: I feel that there is not enough money you could be paid to make up for the learning and growth process you get in college. The millions of dollars will always be there if you are that good of a player.
 |
SMITH: Apparently acting.
SportsHollywood: When you're in a bar, do people ever ask you to recreate the "easy opening can" ad?
SMITH: I do not go to bars, but at personal appearances there is always someone who asks.
SportsHollywood: Did you ever idolize any football players when you were growing up?
SMITH: My big brother, Willy Ray Smith Jr. He was the best player in the family.
SportsHollywood: What sports do you enjoy now?
SMITH: Football and Track & Field.
SportsHollywood: Favorite pro athlete playing today:
SMITH: I'd say Kobe Bryant in basketball; Marshall Faulk in football; Alex Rodriguez in baseball; and Michael Johnson in Track & Field.
SportsHollywood: Is there anybody in football today who reminds you of you?
SMITH: Not really the size of the player at each position is so different than when I was a player.
SportsHollywood: Who do you think will win the Super Bowl?
SMITH: St. Louis Rams.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
