"If you educate a woman, you have educated a population." - Kiganda proverb

Educational and economic empowerment of women could change conditions in the developing world. word.

snippets:

The central moral challenge of this century: gender inequity - the oppression of women and girls throughout the world.

How many of you think there are more males or females in the world?

Demographers have shown that there are more than 60 million and 100 million missing females in the current population.

Some reasons for this:

• in the last half century more girls were discriminated to death than all of the people killed in all of the battlefields in the 20th century
• sometimes because of the sonogram : girls are aborted before they are born

one of the best ways to fight poverty & terrorism is to educate girls and to bring women into the formal labor force.

Causes of Poverty:

1. overpopulation is one of the persistent causes of poverty

when you educate a girl she tends to have significantly fewer kids

2. spending (aka the dirty little secret of poverty)

not only do poor people take in very little income but they also dont spend the income they take in very wisely; most of it is spent by men. Research has shown if you look at people who live $2-a-day: 2% goes to education, 20% goes to tobacco, alchohol, sugary drinks, prosititution, & festibles. If you take 4% from this basket and put it into education there would be a huge change.

3. women are part of the solution not the problem

specific challenges:

• sex trafficking - 80,000 slaves were transported from Africa to the New World. In modern day slavery about 800,000 are traficked across international borders (not including within country borders). A slave back then was worth $40,000 - today a girl traficked can be bought for a few hundred dollars - does this make her more disposable?
• maternal mortality - in Niger 1 in 7 women can expect to die during child birth. Around the world one woman dies every 1.5 minutes. For every women that does die there are 20 that survive but left with an injury.

SOME SOLUTIONS

give girls and women education & economic opportunity!

An educated girl will get married later, will have fewer kids, and will educate in more enlightened fashion.

"the highest return on investement in the developing world is in girls' education"

there are very few things that can elevate your happiness in life research has proven that one of them is contributing to a cause larger than yourself.

We've all won the lottery of life, how do we discharge that responsibility?

5 reasons why Allah SWT tests us

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways."

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags...if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem What do problems reveal about
you? "When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience."

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove.... But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something... health, money, a relationship. .. by losing it. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good...

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of characer in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady."


Here's the point:

God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it.

But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

"Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way"

-reblogged from http://www.lessonsoftheday.com/

if you know yourself, you'll be shown your wealth

"Everything isn't a predictable occurrence
If you've experienced everything except a purpose
Then you've missed everything that was meant to be caught
Life sessions aren't lessons that can be simply taught
You gotta feel the matter, build the data
You gotta strengthen self or your shield will shatter

I've fallen down but I got up friend
Fell twice
Three times
Got up again and again
And again, it's nobodies but my own it didn't end
You only don't win when you give in

Exercise knowledge to increase your wealth
If you know yourself you'll be shown your wealth"
- Mindstate, Cunninglynguists

In Islam we are forbidden to lose hope: "Certainly no one despairs of Allah's Mercy, except the people who disbelieve." (12.87)

We are going to be tried and tested often, but it's for our own benefit; to enter Jannah iA. Use these times of trial to get to know yourself and strengthen your character + iman (aka your shield). Don't expect to go through life like it's a breeze, it hasn't been for anyone:

"Or think you that you will enter Paradise while yet there has not come to you the like of that which came to those who died before you? Affliction and adversity befell them; they were shaken as with earthquake, till the Messenger (of Allah) and those who believe along with him said: 'When will Allah's help come?' Now surely Allah's help is near." (2.214)

But yeah, now that we are equipped with this knowledge, we should be thankful for what Allah (swt) has given us and when times get rough - make dua & power through it:

"And whatever of blessings and good thing you have, it is from Allah. Then, when harm touches you, unto Him you cry aloud for help." (16.53)

Dua rarely goes unanswered, and on the rare occasion that it does, it happens for a reason as He is All-Wise and All-Knowledgeable. There are two possibilities:

1. Either Allah delays it for the appropriate time,

2. Or He may may not give it because it may not be good for us - BUT He may give us something better than that or reward us in the Hereafter.

Stethoscope-friendly Hijab

I love the versatility of the hijab. Contrary to popular belief, the hijab in no way holds my Muslimahs back from actualizing their dreams!

and it feels something like when it's Ramadan...

So put your fasting armor on. Today marks the 8th day of Dhul Hijjah meaning....Eid is in two days!! However, there's more to this month than just Eid celebrations - this is one of the four sacred months in Islam; meaning, get your act together this month because Allah (swt) has his (metaphorical) arms open extra wide. There is plenty of opportunity to correct one's faith and make up for shortcomings.

some details on this MONDAY (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah):

1.Fasting on this day is an expiation for TWO years.


It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafaah. He said, 'It
expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.'
Narrated by Muslim.

This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case
of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day
of Arafaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did not fast on this day in Arafaah. It was narrated that he
forbade fasting on the Day of Arafaah in Arafaah.



2. It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and
pride in the people who are there:


In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: 'There is no day on which Allaah frees more people from the Fire
than the Day of Arafaah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the
angels, saying, 'What do these people want?'
It was reported from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: 'Allaah expresses His pride to His angels at
the time of Ishaa on the Day of Arafaah, about the people of Arafaah.
He says, 'Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.' Narrated
by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.




Duas for this day:
The Prophet (SAW) said: The best invocation is that of the Day of
Arafat, and the best that anyone can say is what I and the Prophets
before me have said:



Laa 'ilaaha 'illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa
lahul-hamdu wa Huwa 'alaa kulli shay'in Qadeer.



None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no
partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is Able to
do all things.

let's get on that deen iA!

You came, too.

I came to the crowd seeking friends

I came to the crowd seeking love

I came to the crowd for understanding
I found You
I came to the crowd to weep

I came to the crowd to laugh
You dried my tears

You shared my happiness
I went from the crowd seeking You

I went from the crowd seeking me

I went from the crowd forever
You came, too
-Nikki Giovanni

I'm not sure if she is writing this to God, but that's my favorite interpretation of it. When it comes to interactions with others, I feel that you take away a little piece of everyone that you get to know and essentially that molds your personality. Throughout life we have experiences and get close to all kinds of people and sometimes that equals lasting friendships while other times it equals heart break. This comes with all kinds of emotions and wants and changes of heart and the only One who is there for us without any doubt is Allah (swt). He is the best kind of friend one could ever ask for and if you haven't yet, today. Take a second and have a chat with Him, it feels good.

Life...let's do this thing with a little bold nerve & a lotta foresight.

subhan'Allah...we honestly do get too caught up in the HERE and NOW - for the here and now, rather than for the HEREafter. I'm sure every one of these people thought they would live wayyy longer and would have time to repent for their sins, but Allah (swt) can take us at any given time. So let's purify our intentions iA.

I've been thinking lately about perhaps visiting the graveyards once a month, I've never visited graves in America, just when we go to Pakistan. But I mean, it would be a good (not so subtle) wake-up call which is what my soul is fiendin' for.

"This is the life of this world, and this is what it will do for those who seek after it." -Jesus (pbuh)

OH ps
tomorrow is the first day of the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah - the Holiest days of the year... make a game plan. do it BIG!