Some Common Mistakes in Ramadaan Lets Strive Not to Repeat the Same.

Some Common Mistakes in Ramadaan

Lets Strive Not to Repeat the Same.

By Asma bint Shameem





1 : Taking Ramadaan as a ritual



For many of us Ramadaan has lost its spirituality and has become more of a ritual than a form of Ibaadah. We fast from morning to night like a zombie just because everyone around us is fasting too. We forget that its a time to purify our hearts and our souls from all evil....we forget to make dua, forget to beseech Allaah to forgive us and ask Him to save us from the Fire. Sure we stay away from food and drink but that's about all.



Although the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“Jibreel said to me, May Allaah rub his nose in the dust, that person to who Ramadaan comes and his sins are not forgiven, and I said, Ameen.

Then he said, May Allaah rub his nose in the dust, that person who lives to see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter Paradise (by not serving them) and I said, Ameen.

Then he said, May Allaah rub his nose in the dust, that person in whose presence you are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you, and I said, Ameen.’�

(Tirmidhi, Ahmad, others. Saheeh by al-Albaani)



2 : Too much stress on food and drink



For some people, the entire month of Ramadaan revolves around food. They spend the ENTIRE day planning, cooking, shopping and thinking about only food, instead of concentrating on Salaah, Quraan and other acts of worship. All they can think of is FOOD. So much so that they turn the month of fasting into the month of feasting. Come Iftaar time, their table is a sight to see, with the multitudes and varieties of food, sweets and drinks. They are missing the very purpose of fasting, and thus, increase in their greed and desires instead of learning to control them. It is also a kind of waste & extravagance.



".....and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allaah) likes not Al-Musrifoon (those who waste by extravagance) " [al-Araaf :31]



3 : Spending all day cooking



Some of the sisters (either by their own choice or forced by their husbands) are cooking ALL day and ALL night, so that by the end of the day, they are too tired to even pray Ishaa, let alone pray Taraweeh or Tahajjud or even read Quraan. This is the month of mercy and forgiveness. So turn off that stove and turn on your Imaan!



4 : Eating too much



Some people stuff themselves at Suhoor until they are ready to burst, because they think this is the way to not feel hungry during the day and some people eat at Iftaar, like there is no tomorrow, trying to make up for the food missed. However, this is completely against the Sunnah. Moderation is the key to everything.



The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to keep his back straight. If you must fill it, then one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah. saheeh by al-Albaani).



Too much food distracts a person from many deeds of obedience and worship, makes him lazy and also makes the heart heedless.

It was said to Imam Ahmad: Does a man find any softness and humility in his heart when he is full? He said, I do not think so.



5 : Sleeping all day



Some people spend their entire day (or a major part of it) sleeping away their fast. Is this what is really required of us during this noble month? These people also are missing the purpose of fasting and are slaves to their desires of comfort and ease. They cannot bear to be awake and face a little hunger or exert a little self-control. For a fasting person to spend most of the day asleep is nothing but, negligence on his part.





6 : Wasting time



The month of Ramadaan is a precious, precious time, so much so that Allaah calls this month "Ayyamum Madoodaat" (A fixed number of days). Before we know it, this month of mercy and forgiveness will be over. We should try and spend every moment possible in the worship of Allaah so that we can make the most of this blessing. However, there are some of us who waste away their day playing video games, or worse still, watching TV, movies or even listening to music. Subhaan Allaah! Trying to obey Allaah by DISOBEYING him!



7 : Fasting but not giving up evil



Some of us fast but do not give up lying, cursing, fighting, backbiting, etc. and some of us fast but do not give up cheating, stealing, dealing in haraam, buying lotto tickets, selling alcohol, fornication, etc. and all kinds of impermissible things without realizing that the purpose of fasting is to not stay away from food and drink; rather the aim behind it is to fear Allaah.



“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)� [al-Baqarah 2:183]



The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, and ignorance, Allaah has no need of him giving up his food and drink." (Bukhaari)



8 : Smoking



Smoking is forbidden in Islam whether during Ramadaan or outside of it, as it is one of al-Khabaaith (evil things). And this includes ALL kinds of smoking material eg.cigars, cigarettes, pipes, sheesha, hookah etc.

"he allows them as lawful At Tayyibaat (all good and lawful things), and prohibits them as unlawful Al Khabaa'ith (all evil and unlawful things) [al-Araaf :157]



It is harmful, not only to the one smoking, but also to the ones around him. It is also a means of wasting ones wealth.

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "There should be no harming or reciprocating harm."

This is especially true during fasting and it invalidates the fast. (Fatwa -Ibn Uthaymeen)



9 : Skipping Suhoor



The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Eat suhoor for in suhoor there is blessing."(Bukhaari, Muslim).



And he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "The thing that differentiates between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating suhoor." (Muslim)



10 : Stopping Suhoor at Imsaak



Some people stop eating Suhoor 10-15 minutes earlier than the time of Fajr to observe Imsaak.



Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said: This is a kind of bidah (innovation) which has no basis in the Sunnah. Rather the Sunnah is to do the opposite. Allaah allows us to eat until dawn: "and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)" [al-Baqarah 2:187]



And the Prophet (pbuh) said: "….eat and drink until you hear the adhaan of Ibn Umm Maktoom, for he does not give the adhaan until dawn comes."



This imsaak which some of the people do is an addition to what Allaah has prescribed, so it is false. It is a kind of extremism in religion, and the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

"Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed." (Muslim)





11 : Not fasting if they missed Suhoor



Some people are too scared to fast if they miss Suhoor. However, this is a kind of cowardice and love of ease.. What is the big deal if you missed a few morsels of food? Its not like you will die. Remember, obedience to Allaah overcomes everything.



12 : Saying the intention to fast out loud or saying a specific dua to start fasting



The intention is an action of the heart. We should resolve in our heart that we are going to fast tomorrow. That is all we need. It is not prescribed by the Shariah for us to say out loud, "I intend to fast", "I will fast tomorrow" or other phrases that have been innovated by some people. Also, there is no specific dua to be recited at the time of starting the fast in the correct Sunnah. Whatever dua you may see on some papers or Ramadaan calendars, etc. is a Bidah.



read more :
Uttering the intention to fast out loud is an innovation (bidah)
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/LoveIslam_ LiveIslam/ message/258

Authentic & UnAuthentic Dua for Iftaar !!!
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/LoveIslam_ LiveIslam/ message/263



13 : Delaying breaking fast



Some people wait until the adhaan finishes or even several minutes after that, just to be on the safe side. However, the Sunnah is to hasten to break the fast, which means breaking fast whenever the adhaan starts, right after the sun has set. Aaishah (RA) said: This is what the Messenger of Allaah (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) used to do. (Muslim)



The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "The people will continue to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast." (Bukhaari, Muslim)



Determine to the best of your ability, the accuracy of your clock, calendar, etc. and then have tawakkul on Allaah and break your fast exactly on time.



14 : Eating continuously until the time for Maghrib is up



Some people put so much food in their plates when breaking their fast and continue eating, enjoying dessert, drinking tea, etc., until they miss Maghrib. That is obviously not right. The Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) was that once he broke his fast with some dates, them he would hasten to the prayer. Once you are done with the prayer, you can always go back and eat some more if you wish.



15 : Missing the golden chance of having your Dua accepted



The prayer of the fasting person is guaranteed to be accepted at the time of breaking fast.



The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler." (al-Bayhaqi, saheeh by al-Albaani).



Instead of sitting down and making Dua at this precious time, some people forego this beautiful chance, and are too busy frying samosas, talking, setting the food, filling their plates and glasses, etc. Think about it.....Is food more important than the chance to have your sins forgiven or the fulfillment of your Duas.





16 : Fasting but not praying



The fasting of one who does not pray WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. This is because not praying constitutes kufr as the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving up prayer." (Muslim)



In fact, NONE of his good deeds will be accepted; rather, they are all annulled.

"Whoever does not pray Asr, his good deeds will be annulled." (Bukhaari)



17 : Fasting and not wearing Hijaab



Not wearing the Hijaab is a major sin as it is obligatory for Muslim women. (See Surah Nur, Surah Ahzaab). So fasting and not wearing hijaab certainly takes away enormously from the rewards of fasting, even if does not invalidate it.



18 : Not fasting because of exams or work



Exams or work is NOT one of the excuses allowed by the Shariah to not fast. You can do your studying and revision at night if it is too hard to do that during the day. Also remember that pleasing and obeying Allaah is much more important than good grades. Besides, if you will fulfil your obligation to fast, even if you have to study, Allaah will make it easy for you and help you in everything you do.



"Whosoever fears Allah, He will appoint for him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect, Allah is Sufficient for whosoever puts his trust in Him." (Surah at-Talaaq 2-3)



19 : Mixing fasting and dieting



DO NOT make the mistake of fasting with the intention to diet. That is one of the biggest mistakes some of us make (esp. sisters). Fasting is an act of worship and can only be for the sake of Allah alone.



Otherwise, mixing it with the intention of dieting may become a form of (minor) Shirk.



20 : Fighting over the number of Rakaah of Taraweeh



There is no specific number of rakahs for Taraweeh prayer, rather it is permissible to do a little or a lot. Both 8 and 20 are okay. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said: "No one should be denounced for praying eleven or twenty-three (rakaah), because the matter is broader in scope than that, praise be to Allaah."





21 : Praying ONLY on the night of the 27th



Some people pray ONLY on the 27th to seek Lailat ul-Qadr, neglecting all other odd nights, although the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Seek Lailat ul-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan." (Bukhaari, Muslim).



22 : Wasting the last part of Ramadaan preparing for Eid



Some people waste the entire last 10 days of Ramadaan preparing for Eid, shopping and frequenting malls, etc. neglecting Ibadah and Lailatul Qadr. although, the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) used to strive the hardest during the last ten days of Ramadaan in worship (Ahmad, Muslim) and not in shopping. Buy whatever you need for Eid before Ramadaan so that you can utilize the time in Ramadaan to the max.



Aaishah (RA) said: “When the (last) ten nights began, the Messenger of Allaah (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam)) would tighten his waist-wrapper (i.e., strive hard in worship or refrain from intimacy with his wives), stay awake at night and wake his family.� (Bukhaari and Muslim).



23 : Iftaar parties



Although inviting each other for breaking fast is something good and encouraged, some people go to extremes with lavish Iftaar parties with all sorts of disobedience to Allaah, from flirting, mixing of the sexes and hijaab-less women, to show-off and extravagance, to heedlessness to Salaah, and Taraweeh to even music and dancing.

Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan!

Salam semua,

Apa khabar? Harap semuanya sihat. Sempena menjelang Ramadhan ini kami ingin mengucapkan selamat menyambut Bulan Ramadhan yang mulia. Semoga kedatangan bulan yang penuh berkat ini membolehkan kita beribadat dengan lebih banyak & mendekatkan diri kita dengan Allah S.W.T.

Sempena bulan Ramadhan ini kita ada promosi hebat iaitu diskaun 30% untuk semua produk Herbal Life bagi semua pesanan/orders sebelum 31 Ogos 2009. Ini bermakna, harga sempena promosi untuk produk adalah seperti berikut:

1. Formula 1 - Biasa RM158.76 slps 30% cuma RM114.66 ANDA JIMAT RM44.10
2. Formula 3 - Biasa RM112.32 slps 30% cuma RM81.12 ANDA JIMAT RM31.20
3. Tea Mix - Lemon & Hibiscus - Biasa RM125.28 slps 30% cuma RM90.48 ANDA JIMAT RM34.80

Caj Penghantaran cuma RM15.00 sahaja.Sekiranya berminat bolehlah SMS ke 0162626741 untuk membuat tempahan.
Tawaran ini terhad untuk semua pesanan sebelum 31 Ogos 2009. Sila wawarkan kepada keluarga & rakan-rakan yang berminat untuk mendapatkan penjimatan ini.

Sempena bulan Ramadhan ini adalah peluang terbaik kalau nak jaga kesihatan atau untuk kurangkan berat badan. Menu bagi bulan Ramdahan adalah;
Sahur - Formula 1 Shake + Tea Mix + Air Kosong 1 Liter
Buka Puasa - Buka macam biasa + Tea Mix (tenaga utk solat terawikh) + Air Kosong 1 Liter
Selepas Solat Terawikh - Formula 1 Shake + Air Kosong 1 Liter

Disiplin sepanjang Ramdhan, InsyaAllah boleh lebih sihat, bertenaga dan turunkan berat badan. Manalah tahu kalau ada rezeki by raya tahun ini YOU will feel & look much, much better. InsyaAllah. Kita usaha sama-sama.

To your success!

H1N1- Unpublicized preventative steps (Personal)

Subject: FW: H1N1- Unpublicized preventative steps (Personal)

Thanks to media hype about H1N1, I’ve received calls from several who trust me, to advise. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can’t be deplored enough. Today, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently. Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95.

Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.

Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation. H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tracts and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not the problem but proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection , in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps — not fully highlighted in most official communications — can be practised (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications)
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Sutra Neti (a very good Yoga asana to clean the nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

Happy breathing!

Best regards.
-Prabhakar

H1N1- Unpublicized preventative steps (Personal)

Subject: FW: H1N1- Unpublicized preventative steps (Personal)

Thanks to media hype about H1N1, I’ve received calls from several who trust me, to advise. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can’t be deplored enough. Today, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently. Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95.

Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.

Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation. H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tracts and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not the problem but proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection , in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps — not fully highlighted in most official communications — can be practised (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications)
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Sutra Neti (a very good Yoga asana to clean the nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

Happy breathing!

Best regards.
-Prabhakar

Foods That Burn Calories!

Foods That Burn Calories!

by LIVESTRONG.COM, on Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:39pm PDT

Eat Foods High in Fiber
Celery and cabbage have long been touted as "calorie burning" foods, simply because the energy used to digest these foods is greater than the energy, or calories, ingested by eating the foods. An added benefit of these foods is that they are fibrous and filling, which means you will feel satisfied faster and on many fewer calories that other food choices. Keep in mind, however, that you don't want your caloric intake to be too low to cause a drop in metabolism. When your metabolism drops, you will retain more weight as the body responds to what it thinks is a period of malnutrition.
Vitamin C is also believed to be a calorie burner and a weight loss booster. Foods that are high in Vitamin C and also high in fiber and low in calories include oranges, tangerines (fresh, not canned), grapefruit (which are 90 percent water!), limes and lemons.

Eat Low-Fat Dairy Products
Recent studies have been pointing to the fact that dieters who eat at least two to three servings of low-fat dairy products a day, like cottage cheese and yogurt, lose weight faster, keep it off longer, and lose more weight in the belly area than dieters who don't include dairy products in their diets.

Easy lunch additions include single-serving sizes of low-fat string cheese, individually wrapped low-fat cheese wedges, milk cartons (not just for elementary school cafeterias anymore) and even fat-free sour cream in place of other condiments.

Choose Foods Rich in B12
Eggs, milk, low-fat cheese and cereals that have been vitamin-enriched are all good sources of vitamin B12. Some sources state that B12 increases the body's fat-burning ability. Every gram of fat equals 9 calories, so when you burn fat, you burn calories, too. Vitamin B12 is also known to fight fatigue and speed up the metabolism, which are benefits that can give a boost to any dieter.

For more about burning up calories and losing weight, check out livestrong.com/eat-well/.

10 phrases that I always either delete or find substitutes for...

Here are the 10 phrases that I always either delete or find substitutes for as I review writing samples:

1. "Yours very truly" (also "Sincerely yours" and "Very truly yours"). You are not theirs. These closings are antiquated. I find myself using "Sincerely" almost all the time.

2. "Respectfully" - This closing has a solemn, almost hat-in-hand aspect to it that I dislike. I see it used in denial letters all the time. Perhaps what the writer is thinking is this: "If I use 'Respectfully,' it will soften the blow." But, of course, it doesn't. It just adds a somber tone and won't make the reader any happier about having his or her claim denied.

3. "Please be advised ..." - A lawyer-like phrase that is almost always unnecessary. Usually you are not so much giving "advice" as you are "telling' or "informing." Save this phrase for the act of giving of advice. But no need to write: "Please be advised that the check is overdue." Simply write: "The check is overdue." Instead of "I advised him to call me tomorrow," just write "I told [or asked] him to call me tomorrow." Maybe "told has a bit too harsh a tone for some, in which case feel free to use this "advice" as needed. But "advise" or "be advised" is almost always overkill.

4. "Kindly" - "Please" works better than this old fashioned word.

5. "I have forwarded..." "I am forwarding" - In e- mail, "forwarding" does have a specific meaning: the sending of materials from someone other than the writer to the reader. In other cases (e.g., I am forwarding my business card to you), just use "send."

6. "Above-captioned" (also: "above referenced") - Any of these phrases tells the reader to stop reading, roll his eyes back to the "RE line," find the information, and then re-enter the letter to continue its reading. Wouldn't it be easier to just summarize the salient information in the letter itself? In other words, if the "above-mentioned claim" refers to "Smith vs. Jones," why not write, "In the Smith vs. Jones claim..." Sometimes the "above" will refer to a claim number. In this case, just put the claim number in the letter itself. The trick in writing is to keep the reader reading with as few distractions as possible.

7. "Please do not hesitate to contact me." - I'll refrain from writing, "If I had a dollar for every time I see this phrase used...." because then I'd be using a cliché to criticize a cliché'! The prevalent "please do not hesitate" was a light, bright phrase when it was coined almost a half-century ago, but now, like most clichés, it pays a price for its popularity. When you use a cliché, you subtly send a message to your reader that you think in clichés. So, innocuous as this phrase may sound, it does portray its writer as blandly impersonal. Use: "please call me," polite with out the cliché connection.

8. "Please note that..." Again, here's a phrase that may seem innocent but it has, for me, a rather schoolmarmish tone ( "Now, pay attention!") I'd omit the phrase.

9. "Enclosed please find." - This phrase, more than any other in the world of business writing, epitomizes the lawyer-like way people start to write when they are either desperate to avoid using a pronoun like "I" or simply love to repeat phrases they've seen in other letters without ever thinking for themselves. After all, what do you have to "find"?

That reminds me of a joke. A guy goes into a restaurant and orders a steak dinner. Later, the waiter walks over table, smiles obsequiously, and asks "How did you find your steak?" The guy looks at the waiter and says, "I just moved the mashed potatoes--and there it was!"

When The Beatles were returning home after coming to the United States, a journalist asked them: "How did you find America?" One of the Fab Four answered, "We turned left at Greenland."

Enough said! There's nothing to "find." Use "enclosed is..." or "I've enclosed."

10. "Under separate cover" - When you write, "I am sending you this "under separate cover," you are perpetuating a formalistic and old fashioned phrase. When I hear the word "cover," I think of a big spaghetti pot and that reminds me to "boil down" the thought to read, "I am sending you it separately [or by FedEx, etc.]"

If you see these phrases all the time, maybe it's time to train some of your people to sharpen their writing, to make sure it moves your company forward. If you'd like to know how some companies are training their people to write more effectively, let me know!

Helping Others – and Yourself – Grow

Weekly tips to help you and your colleagues become more effective and respected leaders.

Helping Others – and Yourself – Grow
Through Mentoring

Men-tor n. A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.

Looking for a way to help your people develop, grow, and improve their performance? Like to do the same for yourself? If so, you need to try MENTORING. If ever there was a “win-win” process, this is it!

By definition, mentoring is a relationship between an experienced person and a less experienced person for the purpose of helping the individual with less experience learn and grow. Mentoring is a great way to serve your people … and yourself. As team members develop in both knowledge and skills, their performance naturally improves. When that happens, everyone wins. And you’ll find that YOU grow by mentoring, as well. As you reflect on your life experiences and distill them into nuggets to share with others, you “re-experience” the wisdom that’s inside of you. What’s wrong with that picture? NOTHING!

So, consider adding mentoring to your leadership strategies. And as you do, keep the following in mind:

All mentoring relationships need to focus on the people being mentored. Remember that it’s not about you – it’s about them. Accept them for who they are. Help them advance at their own place.

Avoid treating people you are mentoring as incompetent or incapable. Rather, think of them as individuals lacking in experience … valuable team members who need guidance. And don’t forget where YOU came from. Earlier in your career, you didn’t know what you know now. Why should they?

Don’t criticize or belittle. Instead, help “mentorees” think through the consequences of their behavior and to identify more positive ways of handling difficult or troubling situations. And, by all means, hold the people you are mentoring responsible for their success. Be willing to give of yourself and your time, but insist that they do the same.

Natural Healing Solutions To Counter H1N1

Natural Healing Solutions 912 August 2009

In This Issue:

• The Flu Vaccine <#article_1>
• Prevention <#article_2>
• Treatment <#article_3>
  

If you have not heard from the official news media (the ones controlled by the pharmaceutical advertisers) that you will either die or be terribly inconvenienced by getting the swine flu in the next few months, you must be living a very sheltered life... As I am hearing it, they definitely want us to think that the end of the world as we know it is near. The H1N1 strain has been hyped up to "highest level". The danger rating only means that it spreads fast. It does NOT mean that it is fatal. The known fatalities were all people with underlying medical conditions, and I would assume that they could have died of any infectious disease. Still, who would like to get the flu, anyway? Do you know that 36,000 Americans die of the ordinary flu every year anyway? So why would a few hundred more cases be a cause for alarm? Are "they" just looking for an excuse to sell a lot of vaccines? Or to create a compulsory vaccination program? There is a chance that the virus could mutate and become something quite dangerous to some people. Who do you think would be vulnerable? Not everybody. The acid-alkali balance in your lymphatic system has a direct relationship with its oxygen carrying capacity. With lower oxygen level the infection frequency rises. The more you eat the acidifying foods, the lower your ability to resist germ based infections. Have you never wondered why only a few kids in the class, or a few people in the office get sick with it when it arrives? Why not everybody? Because only people with a ready to go cellular terrain will be the ones chosen. Not randomly, but by their own actions. I have a few solutions for you. There are two ways you can approach it: prevention, and mitigation. Today I will cover both. Don't waste this chance, read this letter, and be ready. If you have not maintained a good cellular terrain, you or your loved ones might need it. Get prepared. To your health,
Martin Pytela video/x9mh9f_swine- flu-1976-propaganda_webcam> P.S. I thought it would be good for you to see something about the not so long ago government mass attempt to deal with the flu. This time it will be worse, because they are not even testing the vaccine, they are just going to unload it onto the population, starting with children. Watch the 60 Minutes reportvideo/x9mh9f_swine-flu-1976- propaganda_webcam> on the propaganda disaster back in 1976. There is something here we all need to learn, or re-learn.

The Flu Vaccine

Flu from the holistic health perspective: when your body becomes overwhelmed by a viral infection, it attempts to burn it off by raising its own temperature. The body survives, but the viruses do not. There could be other symptoms associated with your body's immune system trying to overwhelm the invaders with all kinds of unpleasant weapons. Excess fluids, mucus, phlegm, etc. If you'd like to read a well researched paper on the topic, Dr William Wong has done a fine job when he wrote about enzymes and virus infection index/Concerns/Influenza/Fighting_Viruses_and_Winning> . The trouble with the new strains of viruses is that our immune systems are not prepared to cope with them. They usually develop in places where human and animal excrement mix - such as the ducks and humans in Southeast Asia, or the recent hogs and humans in Mexico. The small town where the latest flu epidemic started is near a huge hog farm. You can't see it on the television shots, but the air there just reeks of pig excrement. The daily news will try and convince you that the flu vaccination is a no-brainer, but you would have to be brainless to not consider the downside: First you might like to find out what the ingredients of flu vaccinesspecific-vaccines/vaccine.asp?v_id=16> are before you decide to go for it. It is not a pretty list. I would not want to put it into my body, let alone my children's. Here is a recent press release describing a situation quite typical for the kind of reaction I want to warn you about:

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B.C. man paralyzed after flu shot warns of risks A New Westminster man is raising a warning flag after he contracted a rare and debilitating condition linked to the flu shot that left him paralyzed for almost five months. Every fall, health care workers across Canada distribute 10 million influenza vaccinations, and for the vast majority of people, the flu shot causes no major problems. Within two weeks of getting his annual flu shot in 2007, however, Richard Ryan, 44, went from being happy and healthy to being in excruciating pain. At first, Ryan thought he had injured his back, and he checked into the local hospital emergency room, he told CBC News on Wednesday. But Ryan was also suffering some numbness, and when a neurologist tested his reflexes, he found Ryan had none, he said. "The doctor asked me what was going on in my life. And as soon as I said I was feeling ill after getting a flu shot, he said, 'Stop right there, I know what you have,'" Ryan said. Guillain-Barré syndrome linked to vaccine
The neurologist diagnosed Ryan with Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system. According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, the chance of developing that particular disease from a flu shot is one in a million. But as Ryan learned the consequences can be severe. By the time the emergency room exam was over, he was unable to get up. He spent the next 10 weeks recovering in hospital, including three weeks in intensive care, barely able to breathe or eat for himself. "My face was paralyzed. I had no feeling inside my mouth. I couldn't feel my tongue. My left eye wouldn't close so it had to be taped shut to sleep," he said. The illness progressed into a lifelong condition known as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and a year later he remains heavily medicated, unable to work, and has memory problems. Although the disease is in remission, he is not expected to make a full recovery, and the chronic condition could return at any point in the future. Worth the risk?
Now Ryan is concerned that public health officials are promoting the flu vaccine while most people are not fully aware of the risks. However, Dr. Danuta Skowronski, an epidemiologist at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, says the benefits of the flu vaccine still outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people. "Nothing is completely risk-free," she told CBC News. "It is always a matter of weighing the benefits and the risks." Medical information provided with flu shots does mention the one-in-a-million chance of getting Guillain-Barré syndrome. But it is especially important for people with heart and lung problems, the elderly and the chronically ill, to get the influenza vaccine because it could save their lives, Skowronski said. "Influenza itself can be life threatening, and it's those groups that we want to make sure are not put off from receiving influenza vaccine unnecessarily," said Skowronski. There are more than 2,000 flu-related deaths in Canada every year. Seniors, people with weak immune systems and some children are at highest risk. More common possible side-effects of vaccinations can include fever, muscle pain and weakness. For his part, Ryan maintains that he's a good example of the fact that the benefits of the vaccination don't always outweigh the risks. "I think if people knew how serious the illness is, they would think twice about the flu shot," he said.

Prevention

The cellular terrain will sustain viruses only if it is acidic enough for them to survive. So how does it become acidic? The list is almost comical - the description of our modern lifestyle: stress, lack of sleep, coffee, cigarettes, fried food, refined food (sugar, flour, salt, fat), cooked proteins (roasted and fried meat, and surprisingly also baked grains). Oh, and one more: lack of exercise. What does that leave you to live on? Salads, smoothies, stir fries. Plenty of variety, really. The most alkalizing things you can do: drink the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon every morning, make your salad dressing with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, take alkalizing baths, add alkalizing minerals to your drinking water. If you are already in trouble, you may need a water ionizer, or an ionic foot spa, or perhaps both. We write about these lifestyle choices in our Health Education index/Education> pages. When you are pH balanced and your immune system is strong, you will not catch anything, because it will not stick to you. There are two ways you can help your immune system cope with viral infections: supplement with systemic enzymes and with lecithin. Both of these supplements will help unmask and expose the virus to your immune system. Virus puts on protective coating that protects it from detection by the immune system much like the sheep's clothing on a wolf. It is important that you think ahead. There is no way we can ship to you the tools that will help you if you are already becoming sick. I know we are supposed to focus on the positive, but in this case you should prepare for "Plan B" - stock some energency supplies. See the next box for a few tested ideas. Here are several common sense ideas you could implement. It is simple, but not necessarily easy. My wife and I make it a sport of watching servers in fast food restaurants. We catch them all the time doing things that will definitely transmit any infection: 1. Wash Your Hands It is common knowledge that people think they are clean, but they are not. Sterile technique is taught to doctors and nurses who work in surgery. Most everybody else does not really understand. How many times have you seen the person handling your food handle the money with the same hands? 2. Keep Your Hands Off Your FaceEven if you wash, you will pick up stuff. So keep it out of your eyes, nose, mouth. 3. Move Fast If Symptoms Occur Even if you are careful, you still run the risk of exposure from ventilation systems in airplanes, airports, malls, etc. All handles or other places where we touch either directly or indirectly we are exposed. Some viruses are airborne, some are transmitted by hand to hand contact. At the first sign of a sore throat or achiness, take action!

Treatment

There are several things you need to do if you are already feeling the symptoms: Realize it is too late for Prevention, it is time for Action. We stock several products we know that work, and you need to have them within reach when you need them: viral block with FluStop, viral disruption with Ionic Silver Spray, viral suppression with Topically Every Pain with Goldenseal, and the ultimate viral decloaking with Lecithin.FluStop works great on influenza type A, which includes the latest swine flu. The product should be renamed to Viral Terminator. It probably will have to be, because one is not supposed to use the name of a medical condition in the product name. But who can blame the formulator's enthusiasm? He found the cure for the flu, after all! It is really simple. You spray this water based herbal mist into your nose or throat as directed, and the flu just does not develop. Why? Apparently there is a way to inhibit the reproductive mechanism of the flu virus using fairly common herbs. This is a big deal - it stops the flu viri (see I can speak Latin) from hitting the exponential multiplication phase that puts you in bed for a week. The product is safer than the flu shot (if you would even consider such a thing - I won't), and it does not care which viral strain is going to reproduce the fastest this year. Flu-Stop shuts down all influenza A and B viruses, including the ever-hyped bird and swine flu. So if you are worried about a world pandemic conflagration, you better stock a few of these for yourself and your loved ones. If you are at all susceptible to the flu, or if you are planning an air plane trip or any kind of travel, you ought to have a bottle with you. You would not want to wreck your holiday with a flu ... Read about FluStop index/Products/ColdFlu/FluSTOP> » | | FluSTOP - at a discount usa/product_info.php?products_id=1083> »

• Can you afford to be sneezing at the important presentation?

• Do you want to spend a miserable week on a beach somewhere?

• Do you enjoy working with a headache and a drippy nose?
  

I did not think so. The other thing that works really well is Ionic Silver. You have no doubt heard about colloidal silver and its ability to disrupt viral, bacterial and even protozoan infections. I could go into the long explanation here, but instead will say this: it works like a charm. You can go to our website to read the details. Know this: you need to have one on hand when the flu hits, not three days later. You can't order it and and hope to get it in time to make a difference. By the time you'd receive it, the flu would be in full bloom. Read about Ionic Silver index/Brands/InVision/Products:_Silver_100_Sprayer_and_Dropper> » | | Buy Ionic Silver usa/index.php?brand=85-invision-international> » If you are at all susceptible to the flu, or if you are planning any kind of mingling in close proximity with other humans who could be infected with the flu ... get one of these natural products and keep it in your travel kit. There are some natural (means inexpensive, unpatentable, largely ignored despite their effectiveness) herbal remedies that strengthen your immune system and disrupt infectious invaders. One of the best is Goldenseal, a simple and very bitter herb. We have it in a blend with magnesium (relax), alfalfa (alkalize), kelp (energize), valerian (keep calm) and St John's Wort (uplift your mood) that can be applied topically to not only calm you down, but to also disable the invading infectious micro-organisms. Buy Topically Every Pain usa/topically-every-pain-p-588.html> » | | Twilight Herbal Productsindex/Brands/Twilight/Herbal:_Topically_Every_Pain> » And finally the multi-nutrient life-created complex found in every living plant and animal cell that is made of essential fatty acids (EFAs), vitamins and minerals: Lecithin is nature's universal emulsifier, reducing surface tension so biological systems are able to manipulate fats in water based terrain. Without enough Lecithin, fats will stagnate, clog cells, and go rancid, overwhelming your antioxidant stores with life-destroying free radicals. Lecithin dissolves away the cholesterol shield that cloaks viruses from your immune system, allowing recognition, targeting and destruction of the invader. Lecithin is essential for cell membrane fluidization that allows the cell membrane to stay flexible and youthful helping each cell resist viral invaders. The more flexible the membrane, the tougher it is for viruses to invade the cell. An ion transporter integral for immune system communication and intercellular communication in all organs, lecithin helps coordinate cellular teamwork within your organs. It won't help you just knowing this. You need to be using a bottle of lecithin every two months. That way you will be ready to strip the sheep's clothing off of the backs of the little viral wolves. Buy XtraPure Lecithin usa/product_info.php?products_id=1047> » | | Read about Lecithin index/Ingredients/Concentrates/Lecithin> »

And the moral is: Know where you're going in life...you may already be there

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish & asked "How long it took him to catch them?"

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer & catch more?" asked the American.
The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs & those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, & take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, play the guitar, and sing a few songs... I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard, and I can help you!
You should start by fishing longer everyday. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one & a third one & so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants & maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village & move to Mexico City , Los Angeles , or even New York City ! From there U can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican?

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

Well, my friend, that's when it gets really interesting, "answered the American, laughing."When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks & make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" said the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife & spend your evenings doing what you like and enjoying your friends."

"With all due respect sir, but that's exactly what I am doing now. So what's the point wasting twenty-five years?" asked the Mexican.

And the moral is: Know where you're going in life...you may already be there

My Brother Salleh's Trip To Temenggor Lake

Tasik Temenggor Discovery Island Trip

By A.M. Sallehuddin Mannan

Okay, my friend Fred and I went to Tasik Temenggor Discovery Island (TTDI). TTDI is located at the Temenggor Lake in Gerik, Perak, Malaysia. It is near the world famous Royal Belum national park. We started our journey from KL in the morning, yet got stuck in the traffic jam before we reach for the highway. Being stuck in a traffic jam was tiring enough.

And so we continued to drive until Kuala Kangsar. From there we exit to enter a route to Grik, which then leads to Pulau Banding, the place where the jetty is. Supposedly we took a boat ride to Tasik Temenggor Discovery Island at 12.00 noon, but since we are very much late, we took a boat ride at 6.00pm.

On our way to the island, we came across a group of wild elephants that were drinking water along the lake bank. As our boat tried to reach them closer, they ran away and we saw that there was a baby elephant among them which was the reason they were being protective.

Upon reaching TTDI, we were given our rooms, which were one of the A-Hut chalets that looked like an ‘Orang Asli’ hut. I shared a room with Fred. There was a queen size bed, a fan, lights, power source to use electrical stuff, and an air ventilator to keep the air within the room to flow. There was also a balcony with a beautiful view of the lake and a shower room that allows you to see the sky since it didn’t have any roof. This is one of the place where you get to shower in nature! Everything about the chalet had a touch of nature. It was wonderful.

After having our shower, we had dinner. The meal for the first night was steamboat. We shared a table with a group of reporters from NST and Harian Metro. They were a bunch of friendly people and the food was more than enough to fill up our empty stomach after a day of long journey. It was pretty much the kind of meal that makes you talk with one another as you pick up your food from the same steamboat container.

Right after dinner, we were invited to the hall room to watch a presentation of Rafflesia flower. It was a documentary on the types of raffelsia and its growth phase. I suppose it was very informative. After that, we were allowed to play games like cards, darts and karaoke but I passed since I was very tired from the journey and went to bed early to have a very good sleep in the jungle.

Day 2, we had breakfast which I remembered there was kue teow because one of the NST reporter dreamt about having kue teow. Later, I went canoeing alone to circle the island which was quite tiring and took me about 20 minutes. I was later joined by others and once we were done with canoeing, we went for a dip in the bottomless lake with our lifejacket still on.

Once we had enough of swimming, it was already lunch time at 12.00pm. It was a nasi lemak lunch to keep us full for the next journey. We were told that we were going to three destinations which were waterfall at Pulau Tujuh, orang asli village at Kg Chuweh and Rafflesia flower sightseeing at Pulau Besar.

We traveled by boat from one place to another. The first stop was the waterfall at Pulau Tujuh. The route to the waterfall was not really challenging for Fred and I since we’ve done a lot of hiking activities. Though, I found that other people were finding it quite challenging to get there. In my personal opinion, the water fall was nice but I was not that impressed. Maybe it’s because I’ve just seen a greater waterfall in Langkawi just last week. Lesson here, you should start looking at the smaller ones first to keep up the excitement every time you see a waterfall.

The second stop was the orang asli village at Kg Chuweh. It was interesting to know that they actually have tarred road and even astro. We just sat around and let them watched us instead of us watching them. The children were very shy as they came slowly to get food from us and ran away very quickly once they got it just like a mouse, as Fred said.

The last stop was for Rafflesia flower sight seeing at Pulau Besar. At first I thought the track was more challenging but it turned out that it was only for a short distance. To our disappointment, we didn’t get to see a blossomed Rafflesia flower. There were only buds. I guess we were not chosen to be among the lucky few that get to see a real blossomed Rafflesia flower.

By the time we came back to the boathouse, it was almost dark already. Some of us went for canoeing while some just went back to their room to get some rest. Later we had a western food dinner. I personally liked this dinner better than the last one and so did Fred. After that, we watched a presentation on hornbills.

The third day arrived, which means the last day. We had breakfast and got ready to leave the island and head back home. Overall, it was a unique adventure, being on a private island on a lake. I had lots of fun and it was a different kind of experience going back to nature. You can discover a lot of new things here. I guess that’s why they call it Tasik Temenggor Discovery Island. In fact you can discover yourself here!

If you ever come here, hope you will be lucky enough to see elephants, a blooming Rafflesia flower, and hornbills. You can visit www.temenggor.com for more details.

A Great Read! Stephen Hawking - Defying the Diagnosis

Excerpted from The Best Way Out Is Always Through

Defying the Diagnosis

It was 1962. Stephen Hawking was just twenty-one years old when he received the awful news that would change his life—he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It’s a devastating diagnosis: the disease is progressive, incurable and fatal. His doctors told him he had just a few years to live.

At the time, Hawking was a doctoral student at Cambridge, having already earned a degree from Oxford. But his research hadn’t been going well; he was unmotivated in his work and bored with his life. His diagnosis was a turning point: he could either give up his studies and wait to die, or he could make the most of what time he had left. At first, he chose the road of despair and resignation. He wanted to give up because he didn’t see any point in finishing his degree if he was going to die soon.

But he didn’t give up for long. Through the encouragement and love of his girlfriend, Jane, he pulled out of his despair and found the fire and determination that had been missing before his diagnosis. He married Jane in 1965, finished his studies, and got a job at a university. True, he was afraid of dying, but even more, he was afraid that he would die without achieving anything in his life.

Hawking and Jane had three children together, and she devotedly cared for him year after year as his disease progressed. While his body was deteriorating, his career was blossoming. He was elected as one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society in 1974, became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1982, and became a Companion of Honour in 1989. These acknowledgements and public honors were bestowed on Hawking for his contributions to the fields of theoretical cosmology and quantum gravity, especially in the context of black holes. He has published hundreds of research papers, as well as six books. His runaway bestseller was A Brief History of Time, which stayed on the Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks—unheard of for a science book.

It’s been over forty years since Hawking got his diagnosis from the doctors. He defied their prediction of an early death, as well as his early impulse to give up. Now completely paralyzed, wheelchair-bound and compelled to use a computer voice synthesizer, he is a respected scientist, a world-renowned celebrity and an inspiration to millions.

In a 2005 interview, Hawking said, “It is a waste of time to be angry about my disability. One has to get on with life and I haven’t done badly. People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.” That’s not a bad credo to live by.

Real 5 Tips Seminar @ UMT 7.8.2009

Assalamualaikum & Salam Sejahtera semua,

InsyaAllah, Real 5 Tips Seminar akan diadakan di UMT pada 7 Ogos 2009 ini.

Kali ini semua yang hadir akan dapat;

1. Buku Perancangan Kewangan Bank Negara - PERCUMA!!!

2. Peluang memiliki buku terbaru kami 'Passion2Income' pada harga istimewa!!!

3. Peluang untuk menyertai seminar terakhir Real Leaders Solutions iaitu Discover Yourself seminar pada 22 November 2009 di KL

4. Peluang menyertai RUC'10 di PICC pada 30 Januari 2010.

Kepada anda yang pernah ke RUC atau 5 Tips seminar di UMT pada bulan Februari yang lalu harap dapat maklumkan kepada semua kawan-kawan di UMT untuk mengambil peluang ini. Tempat adalah terhad. Anda juga boleh menyertai 5 Tips Seminar sekali lagi.

Untuk menyertai Real 5 Tips Seminar @ UMT sila hubungi Nozie di 0145102258.

Terima kasih. InsyaAllah jumpa di UMT Jumaat ini.