Compassion

A few quotations

Allah is compassionate and loves compassion in all things.
~ The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as reported by Aishah binti Abu Bakar

Such human qualities as morality, compassion, decency, wisdom and so forth have been the foundations of all civilizations. These qualities must be cultivated and sustained through systematic moral education in a conductive social environment, so that a more humane world may emerge.
~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama

We do not rejoice at the punishment meted out to an enemy; we have been taught by the holy laws to have human sympathy.
~ Philo, "Flaccus"


Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The art of acceptance

a definition

The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favour wish that he might have done you a greater one.

- Russell Lynes

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Moshe Reads an Arab Newspaper

Moshe Reads an Arab Newspaper

A story is told of a Jewish man who was riding on the subway reading an Arab newspaper. A friend of his, who happened to be riding in the same subway car, noticed this strange phenomenon. Very upset, he approached the newspaper reader. "Moshe, have you lost your mind? Why are you reading an Arab newspaper?"

Moshe replied, "I used to read the Jewish newspaper, but what did I find? Jews being persecuted, Israel being attacked, Jews disappearing through assimilation and intermarriage, Jews living in poverty. So I switched to the Arab newspaper. Now what do I find? Jews own all the banks, Jews control the media, Jews are all rich and powerful, Jews rule the world. The news is so much better!"

BAD JOKE DISCLAIMER: We recognize that religious humour can be risky. It is our hope that by laughing at ourselves (and others) we can make this subject more approachable. If you find any of these objectionable, we apologize. Many were passed along via email and others spotted on other websites. As with most jokes, the original authors are unknown -- but we thank them.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Quran Sites

A few I have found useful

http://www.quran.net

http://www.quranweb.com/english

http://www.jannah.org/quran

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Monastery on a Cliff

Hanging on faith...

There is a story about a monastery perched high on a cliff several hundred feet in the air. The only way to reach the monastery was to be suspended in a basket which was pulled to the top by several monks who pulled and tugged with all their strength. Obviously the ride up the steep cliff in that basket was terrifying.

One tourist got exceedingly nervous about half-way up as he noticed that the rope by which he was suspended was old and frayed. With trembling voice, he asked the monk who was riding with him in the basket how often they changed the rope. The monk thought for a moment and answered brusquely, "Whenever it breaks."

BAD JOKE DISCLAIMER: We recognize that religious humour can be risky. It is our hope that by laughing at ourselves (and others) we can make this subject more approachable. If you find any of these objectionable, we apologize. Many were passed along via email and others spotted on other websites. As with most jokes, the original authors are unknown -- but we thank them.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

If Misfortune Befalls You

Quran, Ash-Shura, Surah 42:30-31

If misfortune befalls you, it is the consequence of your own actions. Yet God forgives much.
On this earth you cannot escape God; and there is no one apart from God who can protect or help you.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Surah 42:33-44

ASH-SHURA Surah 42:33-44

Read 3 times after subuh
Then doa in your own words

33. In yasha yuskini alrreeha fayathlalna rawakida AAala thahrihi inna fee thalika laayatin likulli sabbarin shakoorin
If He will, He would still the wind and they would be motionless on its back; in that are surely Signs for every steadfast, thankful man; (33)

34. Aw yoobiqhunna bima kasaboo wayaAAfu AAan katheerin
or He would wreck them for what they have earned, but He pardons much; (34)

35. WayaAAlama allatheena yujadiloona fee ayatina ma lahum min maheesin
and He knows those who dispute regarding Our signs; they have no place of escape.(35)

36. Fama ooteetum min shayin famataAAu alhayati alddunya wama AAinda Allahi khayrun waabqa lillatheena amanoo waAAala rabbihim yatawakkaloona
So whatever thing you are given is the comfort of the present life, but what is with God is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord; (36)

37. Waallatheena yajtaniboona kabaira alithmi waalfawahisha waitha ma ghadiboo hum yaghfiroona
and those who avoid major sins and indecencies, and when they are angry, forgive; (37)

38. Waallatheena istajaboo lirabbihim waaqamoo alssalata waamruhum shoora baynahum wamimma razaqnahum yunfiqoona
and those who answer their Lord, and establish the Prayer; and their affair is by counsel between them; (38)

39. Waallatheena itha asabahumu albaghyu hum yantasiroona
and they expend of that We have provided them; and those who, when aggression is made against them, avenge themselves. (39)

40. Wajazao sayyiatin sayyiatun mithluha faman AAafa waaslaha faajruhu AAala Allahi innahu la yuhibbu alththalimeena
And the recompense of an evil is a like evil, yet whoso pardons and makes amends, his wage is upon God; surely He does not love the wrong-doers. (40)

41. Walamani intasara baAAda thulmihi faolaika ma AAalayhim min sabeelin
And whoso avenges himself after he has been wronged, those ~ there is no way open against them. (41)

42. Innama alssabeelu AAala allatheena yathlimoona alnnasa wayabghoona fee alardi bighayri alhaqqi olaika lahum AAathabun aleemun
The way is open only against those who do wrong to the people, and transgress in the earth without right; those, for them shall be a painful punishment. (42)

43. Walaman sabara waghafara inna thalika lamin AAazmi alomoori
And whoso shows patience and forgives, that is surely an act of resolution in the affairs. (43)

44. Waman yudlili Allahu fama lahu min waliyyin min baAAdihi watara alththalimeena lamma raawoo alAAathaba yaqooloona hal ila maraddin min sabeelin
And whomso God sends astray he has no protector after Him; and thou shalt see the wrong-doers, when they see the punishment, saying, 'is there any way to return?' (44)


Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Surah 20:120-135

Ta-ha

Read 3 times after maghrib or isyak
Then doa in your own words

120. Fawaswasa ilayhi alshshaytanu qala ya adamu hal adulluka AAala shajarati alkhuldi wamulkin la yabla
Then the Devil whispered to him; he said, "O Adam, shall I point thee to the Tree of Eternity and a Kingdom that shall not decay?" (120)

121. Faakala minha fabadat lahuma sawatuhuma watafiqa yakhsifani AAalayhima min waraqi aljannati waAAasa adamu rabbahu faghawa
So they ate of it, and their shameful parts were apparent to them, and they took to stitching on them the leaves of the garden. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and was perverse. (121)

122. Thumma ijtabahu rabbuhu fataba AAalayhi wahada
Yet his Lord chose him, and turned to him and guided him. (122)

123. Qala ihbita minha jameeAAan baAAdukum libaAAdin AAaduwwun faimma yatiyannakum minnee hudan famani ittabaAAa hudaya fala yadillu wala yashqa
He said, "get you both down from here together, as enemy to one another; and guidance will come to you from Me, then whoso follows My guidance will not go astray, nor will he be in distress. (123)

124. Waman aAArada AAan thikree fainna lahu maAAeeshatan dankan wanahshuruhu yawma alqiyamati aAAman
And whoso turns away from My Admonition, his shall be a straitened life, and We shall raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection." (124)

125. Qala rabbi lima hashartanee aAAma waqad kuntu baseeran
He will say, "my Lord, why hast thou raised me blind, when I was a seeing man?" (125)

126. Qala kathalika atatka ayatuna fanaseetaha wakathalika alyawma tunsa
He will say, "even so Our signs came to thee but thou didst forget them, and today, thou art also forgotten." (126)

127. Wakathalika najzee man asrafa walam yumin biayati rabbihi walaAAathabu alakhirati ashaddu waabqa
And so We recompense him who exceeds limits and does not believe in the signs of his Lord; and surely the Punishment of the Hereafter is more terrible and more lasting. (127)

128. Afalam yahdi lahum kam ahlakna qablahum mina alqurooni yamshoona fee masakinihim inna fee thalika laayatin liolee alnnuha
Does it not guide them, how many generations we destroyed before them in whose dwelling places they walk? Surely in that are Signs for men possessing reason. (128)

129. Walawla kalimatun sabaqat min rabbika lakana lizaman waajalun musamman
And had not a Word gone forth from thy Lord and a term stated, it had been materialized. (129)

130. Faisbir AAala ma yaqooloona wasabbih bihamdi rabbika qabla tulooAAi alshshamsi waqabla ghuroobiha wamin anai allayli fasabbih waatrafa alnnahari laAAallaka tarda
So be thou patient on what they say, and celebrate the praise of thy Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and celebrate it during hours of the night and at the ends of the day, that thou mayest be pleased. (130)

131. Wala tamuddanna AAaynayka ila ma mattaAAna bihi azwajan minhum zahrata alhayati alddunya linaftinahum feehi warizqu rabbika khayrun waabqa
And stretch not thy eyes to the flowers of the present life that We have given to some groups among them, that We may thereby try them, for the provision of thy Lord is better and more lasting. (131)

132. Wamur ahlaka bialssalati waistabir AAalayha la nasaluka rizqan nahnu narzuquka waalAAaqibatu lilttaqwa
And enjoin Prayer on thy people and be thou steadfast on it; We do not ask of thee any provision; We Ourselves provide thee; and the ultimate end is for the god-fearing. (132)

133. Waqaloo lawla yateena biayatin min rabbihi awa lam tatihim bayyinatu ma fee alssuhufi aloola
And they say, "why does he not bring us a Sign from his Lord?" But has there not come to them a clear evidence of what is in the former Scrolls? (133)

134. Walaw anna ahlaknahum biAAathabin min qablihi laqaloo rabbana lawla arsalta ilayna rasoolan fanattabiAAa ayatika min qabli an nathilla wanakhza
And if We had destroyed them with a punishment aforetime, they would have said, "our Lord, why hast Thou not sent us a Messenger so that we might have followed Thy signs before we were humiliated and disgraced?" (134)

135. Qul kullun mutarabbisun fatarabbasoo fasataAAlamoona man ashabu alssirati alssawiyyi wamani ihtada
Say, "everyone is waiting, so wait; and you shall soon know as to who are the people of the even path, and who is guided." (135)

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Improve Negative Relationships

by Changing a Few of the Words You Use
By Harriet Meyerson

How often do you think about the meanings of the words that you use every day? Like most people, do you just utter the words that seem to flow naturally from your mouth? Some of the words that you commonly use may actually have a negative influence on people.

This can create a negative relationship with the very people with whom you would like to have a good relationship.

Here are some places where you might run into trouble by inadvertently using negative words: leaving a message on an answering machine, talking with a colleague at work, chatting with a neighbor, meeting with your children's teachers, and relating with your family and friends.

Here's how you can eliminate six commonly used negative words and replace them with positive words.

PROBLEMS become SITUATIONS
A negative statement would be, "I have a problem at work." Contrast this with the more positive, "I have a difficult situation at work."

A problem seems as though it is stuck to you and will always be there. It weighs heavy on your shoulders. A situation, on the other hand, seems temporary and solvable. It has a much lighter feel to it, and it won't cause as much anxiety.

ALWAYS and NEVER become OFTEN and SELDOM
A negative statement would be, "You never take me anywhere. We always stay home and watch TV." Contrast this with the more positive, "Since we seldom go out in the evenings, and we're often so tired we just watch TV, I get frustrated. I would love to have a special evening out with you. Can we plan one together?"

Always and never are negative words because they are rarely true and exaggerate a situation. Since they are usually used to criticize, people feel attacked and become defensive. The worst part is that others may focus on your exaggeration and entirely ignore your message. In the second statement, however, you are explaining your own feelings and desires, so there is no need for your partner to get defensive, and you are more likely to get your wish - an enjoyable evening out.

SHOULD HAVE becomes COULD HAVE
A negative statement would be, "You should have worked on that management report instead of filing papers." Contrast this with the more positive, "You could have worked on that management report instead of filing papers." Using the words, should have, creates guilt and shame for something that has already been done and cannot be changed, whereas the words, could have, don't condemn anyone. They let someone know he or she had a choice, and this experience then becomes a lesson for making better choices in the future.

BAD becomes UNWISE
A negative statement would be, "You were really bad for missing work when we had a deadline to meet." Contrast this with the more positive "Missing work when we had a deadline to meet was not a wise decision. The rest of us had to work overtime. Would you please find a way to make it up to us."

Using the word, bad, is a judgement of a person's character, and causes resentment. On the other hand, using the word, unwise, refers to the natural consequences of the person's actions, and doesn't judge a person's basic character.

FAULTS become DIFFERENCES
A negative statement would be, "One of his faults that drives me crazy, is that his desk is always a mess." Contrast this with the more positive, "One of the differences between us is that he keeps his desk messy, while I get frustrated unless everything is put in its place."

In using the word, faults, you are judging someone's actions as right or wrong. Using the word, differences, removes the critical tone, because you are pointing out how you are different, not that one person is right or wrong.

MISTAKES become VALUABLE LESSONS
A negative statement would be, "You made a mistake." Contrast this with the more positive, "There is a valuable lesson in what you did." The first way makes others feel ashamed of what they did, and will probably inhibit them from trying new things in the future. The second way gives others something positive to do - to learn from their actions, thereby encouraging learning and experimentation.

The bottom line is that words can either be destructive or enriching to your relationships with other people. So, before you allow the words to simply flow out of your mouth without considering what they mean, remember this one very important word - THINK.

About the author: Harriet Meyerson, president of The Confidence Center, works with companies that want confident, loyal, and happy employees, and with individuals who want the confidence they need for success. Harriet is a member of the National Speakers Association and the author of Fire Up Your Staff on a Shoestring Budget.

Visit the Confidence Center web site for - Free employee morale newsletter. Free articles on employee success and personal confidence. Free articles for your company or association newsletters. Seminar, and telephone coaching information. Free daily fun stuff. http://www.ConfidenceCenter.com
E-mail: Harriet@ConfidenceCenter.com

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Jerk of the Month...

The Jerk of the Month...

..is a stupid Dubai national named Salah who plays football for Kelantan. Propositioned a lady friend of mine a few days ago at KLIA. Offered her RM50,000 and when she refused, had the audacity of say that he got phone numbers from two girls the previous day!

You stupid Arabs think Malaysian women are so cheap, do you? Just because you have a charming smile, you think you are God's Gift to Women? Keep it up, Salah, and I assure you before your contract is up you'll loose your balls. And I don't mean the one you kick in a match.

If you try that one more time with my friend, I'll personally cut off both your testicles. And that's a promise!

It's Arabs like you that give Muslims a bad name. Shame on you sick bastards.

And a close second is another sick bastard who has been spreading malicious lies, half-truths and slanderous comments behind people's back while pretending to be nice and smiling in front of them. But it's okay, Allah will curse your children and when one of them goes "cuckoo," you'll have a taste of what it's like, H. Your mother will cry in her grave, you pathetic, sick, sick man.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

CHEAP PETROL

How to make petrol prices come down

A very interesting idea... will it work? Petrol prices are hitting RM1.52/litre now. Want petrol prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Azlan Adnan offers this great idea. This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy petrol on a certain "day" campaign that was going around last year. The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt ourselves" by refusing to buy petrol. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them. BUT, this idea is a plan that can really works.

Please read on and join in!
Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a litre is CHEAP at 89 to 95 sen/litre, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace, not sellers. This is basic demand-driven economics.

With the price of petrol going higher each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of petrol come down is if we hit someone in the pocket by not purchasing their petrol. And how can we do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves?

Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY petrol from the BIG OIL COMPANIES (which are SHELL, ESSO, BP, CALTEX, MOBIL and PROJET). If they are not selling any petrol, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of SHELL, ESSO, BP, CALTEX, MOBIL and PROJET petrol buyers. It's really simple to do! Now, don't wimp out on me at this point... keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people! I am sending this note to a lot of people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) ... and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers!

Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all (and not buy from SHELL, ESSO, BP, CALTEX, MOBIL and PROJET). How long would all that take? If each of us sends this email out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!! I'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you? Acting together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on. PLEASE HOLD OUT UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE 80 sen/litre RANGE. It's easy to make this happen. Just forward this email, and buy your petrol at PETRONAS only and drive by SHELL, ESSO, BP, CALTEX, MOBIL and PROJET stations.



Be a patriotic Malaysian and support PETRONAS only

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

HUMOUR: Marriage

Some Cynical Views on Marriage

"You have two choices in life:
you can stay single and be miserable,
or get married and wish you were dead."
~ W.W. Renwick

~~~::(",)::~~~

Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends. You order what you want, then when you see what the other person has, you wish you had ordered that.

*************************

At the cocktail party, one woman said to another, "Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?"
The other women replied, "Yes I am, I married the wrong man."

*************************

After a quarrel, a husband said to his wife, "You know, I was a fool when I married you."
She replied, "Yes dear, but I was in love and didn't notice."

*************************
A lady inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: "Husband wanted."
Next day she received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."

*************************

The bride, upon getting engaged, went to her mother and said, "I've found a man just like father!"
Her mother replied, "So what do you want from me, sympathy?"

*************************

When a woman steals your husband, there is no better revenge than to let her keep him.

*************************
Eighty percent of married men cheat in America. The rest cheat in Europe.

************************

Man is incomplete until he is married. Then he is finished.

*************************

A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?"
And the father replied, "I don't know son, I'm still paying."

*************************

Young Son: Is it true Dad, that in some parts of Africa a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?
Dad: That happens in every country, son.

************************

Then there was a man who said, "I never knew what real happiness was until I got married; by then, it was too late."

*************************

A woman was telling her friend, "It is I who made my husband a millionaire."
"And what was he before you married him?" asked the friend.
The woman replied, "A billionaire."

*************************

Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
A Second Marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.

************************

If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say, talk in your sleep.

*************************

Just think, if it weren't for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at all.

*************************
You know the honeymoon is pretty much over when you start to go out with the boys on Wednesday nights, and so does she.

*************************

During a heated spat over finances the husband said, "Well, if you'd learn to cook and were willing to clean this place, we could fire the maid."

The wife, fuming, shot back, "Oh, yeah??? Well, if you'd learn how to make love, we could fire the chauffeur, the gardener and the pool cleaner."

*************************

Personally, I think one of the greatest things about marriage is that as both husband and father, I can say anything I want to around the house. Of course, no one pays the least bit of attention.

************************
According to the latest surveys, when making love, most married men fantasize that their wives aren't fantasizing.

*************************

Husband: Want a quickie?
Wife: As opposed to what?

*************************

My wife told me I should be more affectionate. So I got two girlfriends.

*************************

How do most men define marriage?
A very expensive way to get your laundry done for free.

*************************

The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once.

*************************

Words to live by: Do not argue with a spouse who is packing your parachute.

*************************

First guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."

************************

Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are beautiful.

************************

Why is your dick better than a credit card?
1. Once spent it recharges itself.
2. It is accepted worldwide.
3. You can let your wife use it as much as she wants.

************************

Bigamy is having one wife too many.
Some say monogamy is the same.

************************

What is the closest thing to a woman period? Your SALARY...
It comes once a month, lasts 4 or 5 days, and if it doesn't come, you are FUCKED!!!

************************

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Servant of God

God's workers have no rights

LONDON: A Court has ruled that priests have no rights under Britain's employment laws because they work for God and not an earthly employer.

Three Appeal Court judges decided on Friday that Anglican curate Reverend Alex Coker had no right to take his case for unfair dismissal before an Industrial Tribunal. "A minister of religion serves God and his congregation but does not serve an employer. There is not a contract that he will serve a terrestrial employer in the performance of his duties," Lord Justice Christopher Staughton ruled. Coker, 48, claimed he was unfairly sacked in 1994 from his job as curate in south-west London. On the argument that priests worked for God, judge Staughton said: "I don't think you have an address for Him so you will not be able to serve any documents."

Reported by Reuters, July 13, 1997

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

On Faith

An interesting conversation on Faith

Dear friends, regardless what faith you are, God is Almighty!

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his Muslim students to stand and...

Professor: You are a Muslim, aren't you, son?

Student: Yes, sir.

Professor: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Professor: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Professor: Is God all-powerful?

Student: Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Professor: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Professor: Is Satan good?

Student: No.

Professor: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From... God...

Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Professor: So who created evil? (Student does not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son... Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Professor: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light... But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course,
I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it sir. The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving and alive.

Nota Bene:
I believe you have enjoyed the conversation... and if so... you'll probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same... won't you?... forward them to increase their knowledge... Have a nice day...

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Door

The Door
Adapted from: Prayer and Welts

May the door of this home be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for fellowship.

May it welcome all who have cares to unburden, thanks to express, hopes to nurture.

May the door of this home be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.

May its threshold be no stumbling block to young or straying feet.

May it be too high to admit complacency, selfishness and harshness.

May this home be, for all who enter, the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life.

~~~::(",)::~~~
The discipline of blessings is to take each moment, the bitter, the sour, the sweet and the salty, and be glad for what does not hurt. The art is in compressing attention to each little and big blossom of the tree of life, to let the tongue sing each fruit, its savour, its aroma and its use.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The benefits of sex with an ex:

The benefits of sex with an ex:
by Belle de Jour

1. No chance of being shocked by what he looks like naked the first time. That horrible mole is right where you left it.

2. Not having to awkwardly ask for contact details after. If you don't have them, it's not by accident.

3. He knows where your buttons are, how many there are, how long they need to be pressed and whether they should go side-to-side, up-and-down or in little circles.


And the drawbacks:

1. There's probably a good reason you're not together anymore. A very good reason.

2. One of you will think this means the relationship is back on.

3. There is absolutely no way you can tell any of your friends without coming off as the world's biggest prat. After all, they had to live with you post-breakup, right?

Cripes. I'm going to commence a head/wall interface now. Back later when I have knocked some sense into myself.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Final Goodbye

Farewell message to an ex-boyfriend

Please read this very carefully as this'll be the last time you'll ever hear from me.

I HAVE ALREADY FORGIVEN YOU and moved on with my life. Now is the time for you to:
* forgive yourself,
* pray to Allah to forgive you, and
* make a fresh start in life.

New doors of opportunity have opened for you but you do not see them as you are still holding on to the past, which has gone forever. Let go. Then, you'll be free to move on.

We both deserve a clean break. You have no part of my life now and so please...

STOP CALLING ME.

STOP SMSING ME.

STOP STALKING ME.

STOP DRIVING BY MY HOUSE.

STOP BOTHERING MY FRIENDS.

STOP PESTERING MY FAMILY.

STOP, STOP, STOP.

JUST GET LOST!

*Files ex-parte injunction for restraining order...*

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Caffeine

New study: Small, frequent doses of caffeine best strategy for staying awake

Harvard Medical School
13 May 2004

USA -- Caffeine is the world's most widely-used stimulant yet, scientists still do not know exactly how it staves off sleep. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and other institutions have now discovered that caffeine works by thwarting one of two interacting physiological systems that govern the human sleep-wake cycle. The researchers, who report their findings in the May issue of the journal Sleep, propose a novel regimen, consisting of frequent low doses of caffeine, to help shift workers, medical residents, truck drivers, and others who need to stay awake get a bigger boost from their tea or coffee.

"Most people take a huge jolt of coffee in the morning to jumpstart their day-they get the super grande latte from Starbucks," said Charles Czeisler, who was recently appointed the Frank Baldino Jr. PhD professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Their caffeine levels soar only to fall as the day progresses in the face of rising sleepiness. They might be better off taking much smaller more frequent doses of caffeine, equivalent to a quarter of a cup of coffee, as the day wears on."

Though many studies have measured caffeine's sleep- averting effects, most do not take into account that sleep is governed by two opposing but interacting processes. The circadian system promotes sleep rhythmically-an internal clock releases melatonin and other hormones in a cyclical fashion. In contrast, the homeostatic system drives sleep appetitively-it builds the longer one is awake. If the two drives worked together, the drive for sleep would be overwhelming. As it turns out, they oppose one another.

Czeisler, who also leads the Division of Sleep Medicine at HMS, and his colleagues had reason to suspect that caffeine might be working to blunt the homeostatic system. For one thing, caffeine is thought to block the receptor for adenosine, a critical chemical messenger involved in the homeostatic drive for sleep. If that were true, then caffeine would be most effective if it were administered in parallel with growing pressure from the sleep homeostatic system, and also with accumulating adenosine.

To test their hypothesis, the scientists sequestered 16 male subjects in private suites, free of time cues, for 29 days. Instead of keeping to a 24 hour day researchers scheduled the subjects to live on a 42.85 hour day (28.57-hour wake episodes), simulating the duration of extended wakefulness commonly encountered by doctors, and military and emergency services personnel. The extended day was also designed to disrupt the subjects' circadian system while maximizing the effects of the homeostatic push for sleep.

Following a randomized, double-blind protocol, subjects received either one caffeine pill, containing 0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight, roughly the equivalent of two ounces of coffee, or an identical-looking placebo. They took the pills upon waking and then once every hour. The goal of the steady dosing was to progressively build up caffeine levels in a way that would coincide with-and ultimately, counteract-the progressive push of the homeostatic system, which grows stronger the longer a subject stays awake.

The strategy worked. Subjects who took the low-dose caffeine performed better on cognitive tests. They also exhibited fewer accidental sleep onsets, or microsleeps. EEG tests showed that placebo subjects were unintentionally asleep 1.57 percent of the time during the scheduled wake episodes, compared with 0.32 percent for those receiving caffeine. Despite their enhanced wakefulness, the caffeine-taking subjects reported feeling sleepier than their placebo counterparts, suggesting that the wake-promoting effects of caffeine do not replace the restorative effects gained through sleep.

"Our results highlight the impairments in cognition that accompany all work schedules that lie outside the usual 9 to 5 workday. In addition, they reveal an entirely new way to use caffeine to maintain alertness and performance in the face of sleep loss," said lead author of the study, James Wyatt.

As the researchers hypothesized, the behavioral differences between the groups appear to be due to caffeine's effects on the homeostatic rather than circadian system.

Czeisler and his colleagues suggest that shift workers, medical residents, truck drivers, and others who need to stay alert consider taking frequent low doses of caffeine. "While caffeine is no substitute for sleep, those who must stay awake for extended periods would benefit from this kind of dosing regimen to help maintain their performance and reduce the risk of lapses of attention," said Czeisler.

All authors on the paper were in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School when the study was conducted. First author James Wyatt is now at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Derk-Jan Dijk is at the University of Surrey, England, and Christian Cajochen is at the Psychiatric University Clinic in Basel, Switzerland. Angela Ritz-DeCecco, PhD is a research assistant in medicine at Harvard.


KEY FACTS ABOUT SLEEP DISORDERS

The National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research reported that approximately 40 million Americans suffer from chronic disorders of sleep and wakefulness. Of these, it is estimated that more than 6 million Americans have a moderate to severe sleep-related breathing disorder (sleep apnea), resulting in increased daytime sleepiness, reduced productivity, increased likelihood of accidents and a higher frequency of hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke.

Chronic insomnia afflicts more than 10 percent of adult Americans, who regularly experience difficulty falling or staying asleep at night.

Another 250,000 Americans have narcolepsy, a genetically heritable neurological sleep-wake disorder characterized by uncontrolled sleep attacks. Due to limited awareness of sleep disorders among practicing physicians, even at top schools, who receive on average between one and two hours of education in sleep in their four-year medical school curriculum - the majority of these patient groups still remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Eight million people in the U.S. regularly work at night and attempt to sleep by day, resulting in circadian misalignment and sleep disruption, with attendant reductions in industrial productivity and increased risk of accident or even catastrophe, such as the infamous grounding of the Exxon Valdez for which the National Transportation Safety Board cited crew sleep deprivation as the probable cause.

Due to the high-paced demands of modern society, relatively few Americans obtain the 8-9 hours of sleep that they need each night. This can result in chronic sleep debt, which not only interferes with glucose metabolism by increasing insulin resistance akin to what occurs in diabetes, but also degrades neurobehavioral performance and increases the risk of error and accident. It is also seen that night shift workers suffer from increased prevalence of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal illness.

Sleepiness is cited as a principal cause of more than 56,000 motor vehicle crashes annually in the United States. More than 70,000 people are injured and more than 1,500 die in those crashes. Young people in their teens and twenties, who are particularly susceptible to the effects of chronic sleep loss, are involved in more than half of the fall-asleep crashes on the nation's highways each year.

Sleep loss also interferes with the learning of young people in our nation's schools, with 60 percent of grade school and high school children reporting that they are tired during the daytime and 15 percent of them admitting to falling asleep in class.

Copyright : EurekAlert

-----------------

Comments:

Looks like the old adage of drinking coffee to stay awake and alert does have a proper scientific basis and not just old wive's tales! However, one of the important things to remember is that chronic sleep deprivation is harmful and can lead to deleterious effects. It has also been reported in Singapore that a certain percentage of MVAs were caused by people falling asleep at their wheels. So staying awake at the right time is important and for that to happen, one has to sleep at the right time for the sufficient time required for the body and mind to recuperate.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Paper Bag

The Paper Bag
(A true story of Robert Fulghum and his 7-year-old daughter Molly)

It was Molly's job to hand her father his brown paper lunch bag each morning before he headed off to work. One morning, in addition to his usual lunch bag, Molly handed him a second paper bag. This one was worn and held together with duct tape, staples, and paper clips.

"Why two bags?" Fulghum asked.

"The other is something else," Molly answered.

"What's in it?"

"Just some stuff. Take it with you."

Not wanting to hold court over the matter, Fulghum stuffed both sacks into his briefcase, kissed Molly and rushed off. At midday, while hurriedly scoffing down his real lunch, he tore open Molly's bag and shook out the contents: two hair ribbons, three small stones, a plastic dinosaur, a pencil stub, a tiny sea shell, two animal crackers, a marble, a used lipstick, a small doll, two chocolate kisses, and 13 pennies.

Fulghum smiled, finished eating, and swept the desk clean - into the wastebasket - leftover lunch, Molly's junk and all. That evening, Molly ran up behind him as he read the paper.

"Where's my bag?"

"What bag?"

"You know, the one I gave you this morning."

"I left it at the office. Why?"

"I forgot to put this note in it," she said. "And, besides, those are my things in the sack, Daddy, the ones I really like - I thought you might like to play with them, but now I want them back. You didn't lose the bag, did you, Daddy?"

"Oh, no," he said, lying. "I just forgot to bring it home. I'll bring it tomorrow."

While Molly hugged her father's neck, he unfolded the note that had not made it into the sack: "I love you, Daddy."

Molly had given him her treasures. All that a 7-year-old held dear. Love in a paper sack, and he missed it - not only missed it, but had thrown it in the wastebasket. So back he went to the office. Just ahead of the night janitor, he picked up the wastebasket and poured the contents on his desk.

After washing the mustard off the dinosaurs and spraying the whole thing with breath-freshener to kill the smell of onions, he carefully smoothed out the wadded ball of brown paper, put the treasures inside and carried it home gingerly, like and injured kitten. The bag didn't look so good, but the stuff was all there and that's what counted.

After dinner, he asked Molly to tell him about the stuff in the sack. It took a long time to tell. Everything had a story or a memory or was attached to dreams and imaginary friends. Fairies had brought some of the things. He had given her the chocolate kisses, and she had kept them for when she needed them.

"Sometimes I think of all the times in this sweet life," Fulghum concludes the story, "when I must have missed the affection I was being given. A friend calls this 'standing knee deep in the river and dying of thirst.' "

We should all remember that it's not the destination that counts in life - it's the journey.

The little girl smiles, the dinosaurs and chocolate kisses wrapped in old paper bags that we sometimes throw away too thoughtlessly, each day, each a tiny treasure.

The journey with the people we love is all that really matters. Such a simple truth so easily forgotten.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Muslim Marriage Event

MUSLIM MARRIAGE EVENT - BIRMINGHAM

Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
May this message find you in the best of health and Iman Insha'Allah.

MUSLIM MARRIAGE EVENT - BIRMINGHAM

Date: Sunday 27th June 2004
Time: 2pm - 7pm
Venue: South Birmingham College, Cole Bank Road,
Hall Green, Birmingham, B28 8ES

* Are you seriously looking to get married?
* Are you and your family finding it very difficult to
find someone compatible in a halal way?

Please note, this event is NOT:

* Speed dating
* A management consultancy project aimed at posh/rich "professionals"?
* A good opportunity for casual free-mixing

Quite often we just complain, moan and sometimes
discuss the difficulties in trying to get married. We
can keep discussing until our hair turns grey but how
do we deal with these issues practically?

We are pleased to announce a Muslims marriage event in Birmingham
where the emphasis will be on providing solutions and bringing people
together.

* Extensive opportunities for introductions to take place.
* Special session in Urdu and Bengali for parents and
guardians who may have difficulties with English.
* A whole college has been hired, where there will be
a mixture of small group workshops and larger feedback sessions,
as well as sessions for introductions.
* This event is not just for "religious" people. All Muslims are
welcome.

What are the solutions for the following problems in our society?

1. You want to marry someone you like but your PARENTS
are the main obstacle. What do you do?
2. How to encourage brothers to stop being so docile
and start being real men, and marry sisters HERE in
the UK.
3. How to encourage sisters to start realising that
there are more important priorities in life than one's
own career.
3. What is wrong with DIVORCEES and those with
DISABILITIES - how can they get married?

* Have you had enough of websites, paid & free
marriage services, full of time wasters and dodgy
people?
* Are you fed up with pretentious "halal" singles
evenings in posh restaurants?
* Are you sick and tired of mosque and organisation
based services, where you have to be best friends with
the committee members or they won't help you.
* Perhaps you're a revert or have very few friends and
family contacts?
* Maybe you're thinking, "I don't practice but my
heart is in Islam and I want to find someone who is
Muslim. So-called practicing people don't bother
helping because they look down on me or are simply
'too pious' and just 'too busy active in da'wah' (yeah
right)".

This is an event that would not only provide solutions
but also where you could meet your potential match, insha'Allah.

Experienced facilitators who have been invited
include:

* Mufti Abdul Kadir Barkatulla (Finchley Mosque, London)
* Dr Muhammad Naseem (Birmingham Central Mosque)
* Sister Najma Ebrahim (Muslim Women's Helpline)
* Maulana Hasan Ali (Lecturer and producer of "Family Life in Islam"
series)
* Sister Sufia Amin (Young Muslims UK)
* Brother Abu Muntasir (Jam'iat Ihyaa Minhaaj As-Sunnah)
* Brother Ajmal Masrur (Islamic Society of Britain)
* Brother Hassan Ahmed (Islamic Forum Europe)
* Brother Zahid Amin (Young Muslims UK)
and many others.

It is mandatory to bring one or both parents. If this
is not possible, then someone who would be able to
influence the parents. Why is this? Because research
has shown that parents are half the problem. If you
don't have parents or a wali or you are a convert then
you can of course still come. Divorcees, widowers and
people with disability are most welcome. No passport
and asylum seekers please.

Cost: GBP10 per person. Please bring a prayer mat/cloth
with you.

* Unfortunately no children allowed on this occasion.
* Pre-registration is compulsory, either by phone or email.
* Refreshments available
* Selected bookstalls available

Places are running out fast. To guarantee you place
please call:

07963580882 or 07092 032 136 or 07092 032 763

DEADLINE for bookings: Monday 21st June 2004

We look forward to seeing you.

Wassalaam 'alaikum wa rahmatullaah.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

How to Journal

How to Journal

The Journal is your private place to express all your inner thoughts and feelings. Begin to understand yourself through writing. You can then move closer to knowing who you are and who you want to be in life. Your feelings, your breakthroughs, your desires -- record them all here. Discover yourself.

1. Getting Started
2. What should I write about?
3. How often should I write?
4. What is the difference between the six journals?
5. What is a Shared Journal?
6. How can a journal help me?

Try these exercises for inspiration!

1. Getting Started
Find a comfortable position in your chair. Clear your mind. Relax. And let your thoughts and emotions flow freely. It is important that you do not censor yourself as you write. Do not worry about grammar or punctuation errors. Put every thought onto the page. Be risky. Be daring. Be you.

2. What should I write about?
Writing helps clarify feelings. Choose a topic each day, and let your mind go. Start writing words. And follow your feelings.

Did something happen to you today that made you upset or joyful?

What did you discover about yourself or the world?

Is there something from the past that you wish you could take back or do over to make it right?

What are your needs? What are your desires?

What are you most afraid of doing? What are you afraid of not doing?

What are you curious about? What issues are unresolved for you?

What do you love to do, experience, and feel? What kinds of things in your life do you want to build on?

Find a photo or an image. What does it make you feel? For inspiration, take a look at your photo album.

3. How often should I write?
As often you like. Your journal is here for you whenever you feel like writing or reflecting about anything.

4. What is the difference between the six journals?
Daily Journal -- Write whatever you like here. This is your own private space for your general daily thoughts.

Gratitude Journal -- Record five things you love every day. Your entire outlook on life will change because you will be looking for the things you are happy about to record later on in your journal.

Exercise & Sports Journal -- Keep your exercise routine on track with your fitness goals! Record your best and worst fitness moments. How is it making you feel about your body today?

Discovery Journal -- Get to know yourself by looking back. Remember how you felt, what you loved, were you afraid of, and dreamed of doing. As a child, a teen, and a young adult, what are the themes taking place in your life?

Health Journal -- Your goals, successes and challenges. It's good for your body and soul. How are you treating your body?

Create Your Own Journal -- You can name it whatever you like. It's yours!

5. What is a Shared Journal?
Your journals are completely private and secure, unless you'd like to share your entries with others. Sharing is a wonderful way to inspire and encourage others along the journey to self-discovery.

6. How can a journal help me?
Self-discovery. Writing consistently in a journal can give you a deeper connection with your own inner self.

Less stress. Releasing all your inner thoughts and anxieties through writing can help release unwanted stress.

Courage to pursue your passion. Knowing what you want to do with your life is the first step in making it happen.

Understanding the past. Journaling can bring up many issues in life that are still unresolved. Writing about them helps take you to a place of forgiveness and healing.

Greater sense of peace. Listening to your inner thoughts through writing will give you a greater sense of peace and a more positive outlook on your experiences in life.

Awareness. Get to know what really brings you joy in life.

Source: How to Journal

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Human Kleenex

Human Kleenex

How would you feel about a person who thinks it is okay to grab your shirt and use it to clean their eyeglasses?

Check out the Human Kleenex video.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Ophelia

OPs OPHELIA: a FaShioN opeRa
Website: http://www.artsee.net/ophelia
Venue: Stor Teater, Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur
Time: 8.30 pm
Dates: June 16 to 27, 2004

Enquiries & RSVP to:
E-mail: haxa@pd.jaring.my cc: pickyin@gmail.com

Please help promote this great show for us.

Thank you,
Hazarizal Zainodin
Publicity Manager

"OPs OPHELIA: a FaShioN opeRa"

Artsee Networks is pleased to present OPs OPHELIA: a FaShioN opeRa, a danztheater (dance-theatre) production that combines the performance elements of fashion with music, dance and theatre, to be staged at the DBP Store Theatre from June 16th to 27th, 2004.

Conceived, directed and co-produced by Rohaizad Suaidi who lectures theatre fulltime at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), the performance is a celebration of women and the roles they play in society.

OPs OPHELIA takes inspiration from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, pre-Raphaelite paintings of Ophelia, German writer Heiner Mueller's The Hamletmachine, and the book Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls by clinical psychologist Dr Mary Pipher.

This production aims to theatrically present the struggles and challenges experienced by Malaysian women of different age groups, social classes, spiritual backgrounds and sexual identities in their journey through the male-dominated cultural landscape to find their true selves.

"Stellar Production & Creative Team" Show includes multi-disciplined arts practitioners in this ambitious multimedia project for the stage: converging cultures, practices, processes and technologies,

Cast & Crew include Cameronian Arts Awards Winners & Nominees, Actors, Composers, Dancers, Designers, Directors, Musicians, Producers & Singers from the Malay, English & Chinese Theatre Scene. Familiar names such as Adlin Aman Ramli, Anne James, Fang-Chyi, Ghafir Akhbar, Jerome Kugan, Juliana Ibrahim, Junainah M Lojong, Kiew Suet Kim, Llewellyn Marsh, Marion D'Cruz, Maya Tan Abdullah, Nell Ng, Rohaizad Suaidi, Sasha Bashir, Shegar, Susan Sarah John, Vernon Adrian Emuang & Zalfian Fuzi are bound to get your attention!

"Reality Online vs Reality TV"
First time ever Theatrical Production lets you see how it all gets done - online!
http://www.artsee.net/ophelia

For a behind the scenes view of the show in the making, to get more information, tons of pictures, to read cast & crew bios, blogs and confessions along with a little bit of drama, check out the website.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Counsel

THE QURAN: ASH-SHURA (Surah 42) Verses 17 to 26
"The Counsel"
(Revealed At Mecca, 53 Verses)

Read 3 times after subuh
Then doa (supplicate) in your own words

God is He who has sent down the Book and the Balance, with the truth; and what shall make thee know if the Hour is nearby! (17)

Those who do not believe in it, seek to hasten it, but those who believe are fearful of it, for they know that it is the truth. Behold, those who doubt the Hour, they are astray far away. (18)

God is courteous to His servants, provides to whom He will; and He is the Strong, the Mighty. (19)

Whoso desires the tillage of the Hereafter, We shall give him increase in his tillage, and whoso desires the tillage of this world, We shall give him some of it, but he will have no share in the Hereafter. (20)

Or do they have associate-gods who have laid down for them some religion which God has not permitted? But for the Word of Decision, it would have been decided between them; and for the wrong-doers, there shall be a painful punishment. (21)

Thou shalt see the wrong-doers fearful because of what they have earned, but it shall fall on them. And those who believe and do righteous deeds shall be in meadows of the gardens; they shall have, whatever they will, with their Lord; that is the great bounty. (22)

That indeed is the good news that God gives to His servants, who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, ‘I do not ask of you a wage for this, except love of the kinship’. And Whoso earns a good deed We shall give them increase in goodness; surely God is Forgiving, Thankful. (23)

Or do they say, ‘he has forged a lie against God’? But if God will, He may set a seal on thy heart; and God blots out the falsehood, and verifies the truth by His Words; surely He knows the thoughts in the breasts. (24)

And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants, and pardons the evils; and He knows what you do; (25)

and He answers those who believe and do righteous deeds, and gives them increase of His bounty; and the unbelievers, for them shall be a terrible punishment. (26)

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Sex and Health

Ten Things You Ought to Know About Sex and Health

1. Sex is a beauty treatment. Scientific tests find that when women make love they produce amounts of the hormone estrogen, which makes hair shine and skin smooth.

2. Gentle, relaxed lovemaking reduces your chances of suffering dermatitis, skin rashes and blemishes. The sweat produced cleanses the pores and makes your skin glow.

3. Lovemaking can burn up those calories you piled on during that candlelight romantic dinner.

4. Sex is one of the safest sports you can take up. It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body. It's more enjoyable than swimming 20 laps, and you don't need special sneakers!

5. Sex is an instant cure for mild depression. It releases endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and leaving you with a feeling of well-being.

6. The more sex you have, the more you will be offered. The sexually active body gives off greater quantities of chemicals called pheromones. These subtle sex perfumes drive the opposite sex crazy!

7. Sex is the safest tranquilizer in the world. It is 10 times more effective than diazepam (Valium).

8. Kissing each day will keep the dentist away. Kissing encourages saliva to wash food from the teeth and lowers the level of the acid that causes dental caries, preventing plaque build-up.

9. Sex actually relieves headaches A lovemaking session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels in the brain.

10. A lot of lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can help combat asthma and hay fever.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Before You Speak

Before You Speak

Took the train to Putrajaya last week and had tea with a friend at a lakeside restaurant which resembled a similar outlet on Kampung Air in Bandar Seri Begawan. It was kinda like deja vu. We had a good chat for a solid two hours but unfortunately we had to leave before we could see the sun set.

We spoke about prejudice and in the misguided joy some people (ex-boyfriends, ex-brothers-in-law, ex-wives and second wives included) take in destroying a person's reputation. I said this was nothing new to me. I've faced prejudice for a quarter of a century, so what's one more ignorant idiot? Being a genius born ahead of my time, it's so easy to be misunderstood by people who are not my intellectual equal. When they don't understand me, they label me as "crazy."

A trivial example of being ahead of my time was 22 years ago; I was the first person in Malaysia to ride on my motorbike with my lights on in the daytime. All motorists would flash their lights at me and stick their arm out and signal with their fingers to let me know that I had my lights on. When I ignored them, they thought I was crazy to have my lights on in the daytime. Yes, I knew my lights are on. I did it for a purpose. I wanted to be visible and to be seen so that motorists would not accidentally knock me down. I'm not interested in switching it off "to save electricity" as most motorcyclists at the time thought. Nowadays, every motorcyclist switch on their lights during the day for the reason I mentioned.

Coming back to the gossipers who take glee in destroying another's reputation just for the fun of it or perhaps out of pure jealousy or even spite. I knew exactly what my friend was going through. Victim of some malicious juicy gossip by idle people to while away the time at birthday parties of second wives of golfing buddies. To them I can only say that every time you fitnah an innocent party, the aggrieved party will receive your pahala and you will receive dosa in return.

So before you speak, it may be a good idea to bear the Rotary Four-Way Test in mind:

The 4-Way Test

From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics, The 4-Way Test was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as Rotary International president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This simple test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all dealings with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary International in 1943, The 4-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:

"Of the things we think, say or do:

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

~~~::(",)::~~~

The Triple Filter Test

In ancient Greece, the philosopher Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and intellectual and said, "Do you know what I just heard about one of your friends?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called The Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?" asked the man.

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and wanted to tell it to you."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary, it is bad."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. There's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really," replied the man.

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, and nor even useful to me, why tell it to me at all."

So before you speak, please use The Triple Filter or The 4-Way Test. If it doesn't pass muster, please shut up. If you fitnah an innocent party, you have nothing to gain but dosa.

A Passing Thought:
An arrow which has left the bow and killed an innocent soul,
and a spoken-word which has come out of your mouth
and hurt someone's heart,
both can never be recalled.

### 886 words ###

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Your Reputation!

Your Reputation!

From: Aquacool who wrote on Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Our reputation is important, but it's not too important to let it take over our lives, neither it is so insignificant so as to carry on doing whatever we desire wherever we wish without giving a damn about our surroundings.

The other day I came across this quote, and I wish I knew who said these words, but I didn't. Anyway, it says:

"Reputation is what people think you are.
Character is who you really are.
Take care of your character and
your reputation will take care of itself."
And I agree, reputation is what people think of what you are, and what people think is based upon what you really do, OR it could be based on what others say you do. And what others say you do could be true (stemming from what you really do), or could be false (in that case would be more of a rumour--or slander, malicious gossip--than a reputation).

In other words, the key to reputation is one's self. All you should do to get a good reputation is be natural, never cross others' red lines, be kind, stand up for your rights, be true to yourself and show respect to others. Now, if you do all this and you still hear others warn you of your "bad reputation" then don't care, don't be sad, because in this case--like I said before--they're merely rumours that are trying to give you a bad reputation.

Rumours come from people who hate you, envy you, are jealous of you or those who misunderstand you. You shouldn't worry at all. Why? Because whoever believes those rumours in the first place, and ignores his/her personal knowledge of you and who you truly are, doesn't deserve your empathy, your trust or even your friendship. And whoever really loves you and cares for your friendship will never ever let others affect his/her opinion of you.

It's only in hard times and through difficulties that a person could really test the friendship, loyalty and love of others around him/her. Therefore, don't care too much about what others think of you. Others will never be pleased with you, no matter what how hard you try to please them. Better to please yourself by doing the right thing and going to bed with a guilt-free mind and a smiling face.

And let me end this post with a quote of Mr. Herbert Bayard Swope:

"I cannot give you the formula for success,
but I can give you the formula for failure--
which is: try to please everybody."

Posted by Eman @ 3:30 PM
// Comments (3) |Trackback (0)

Note: Edited for clarity
Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

AL-RAD (Surah 13) "The Thunder"

AL-RAD (Surah 13) "The Thunder"
(Revealed At Medina, 43 Verses)
of the Quran
Read Verses 30 to 34
Read 3 times after maghrib or isyak
Then doa (supplicate) in your own words


Thus We have sent thee in a community, before which (many) communities have passed away, that thou mayest recite to them what We have revealed to thee, while they disbelieve in the All-merciful. Say, 'He is my Lord, there is no god but He; in Him I put my trust, and to Him I turn.' (30)

And If there were a Reading (Qur'an) whereby the mountains were moved, or the earth were torn asunder, or the dead were spoken to, but to God belongs the Affair altogether. Have not the Believers yet known that if God willed, He would have guided men all together? But unbelievers -- the shattering disaster shall not cease to afflict them or alight near their homes, for what they have worked, until God's promise comes; surely God fails not the appointed time. (31)

And indeed the Messengers were mocked at before thee, and I respited the unbelievers, then I seized them -- so how was My retribution! (32)

Is then He who stands over every soul for what it has earnsed - but they have assigned associates to God. Say, 'name them, or do you tell Him what He does not know in the earth, or in apparent words?' No, but to the unbelievers, their devising seems fair and they are barred from the way; and whom so God sends astray, no guide has he. (33)

For them shall be punishment in the present life, and the punishment of the Hereafter shall be more crushing; and there shall be none to defend them from God. (34)

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Six Things

Of the Six Things that Attract Women...

Human psychologists have done a lot of research on the area of attraction, and they believe that women are most attracted to these six things:

1) Means (wealth, possessions, gifts to them or providing for them)
2) Power (influence, leadership, provide safety)
3) Fame
4) Looks (including height, dark complexion, hairy chest, sharp features)
5) Exclusivity (royalty, already married, hard to get, affiliation)
6) Personality (honesty, integrity, humour, creativity, romance, intelligence, maturity, communication skills, understanding, empathy, mystique, kindness, chivalry and etc.)

Now, numbers one through five are largely out of your immediate control. If you're not rich, you're probably not going to become a millionaire overnight. If you're not famous or tall, you're probably not going to be in a hit movie or grow 15 cm in the next 24 hours. If you weren't born a Tengku Mahkota or Raja Muda, you're not likely to be coronated one next week.

So that leaves us with number six, personality.

The good news is that as far as I'm concerned, your personality is your greatest asset in the success-with-women game.

Fortunately, it's the one thing you can change. And it's the one thing that can overcome all of the rest. After you've done what you can to look your best, etc. you have to develop a personality that's absolutely charismatic.

The one quality that attracts women the most (and keeps them attracted) is not something that they can initially 'look' for. It's the way they feel when they are with you or even just thinking of you. In the end, if you don't have wealth, power, fame, or looks you're going to have to use your personality to make them feel good. In the final analysis, your personality is the most powerful asset you have...

Women are not attracted to what you say to them, they're attracted to how you make them feel.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

17 Lies

Book Review: 17 Lies That Are Holding You Back & the Truth That Will Set You Free
By Steve Chandler
Publisher: Renaissance Books

We are NOT Powerlessly Trapped in Mediocrity!

As the title suggests, this book is about lies. The 17 lies referred to in the title of this book are the very damaging lies to the soul that we send down deep inside ourselves that convince us that we are powerlessly trapped in mediocrity.

They are the 17 lies most of us tell ourselves that prevent us from being everything we could be. And awareness is the key to the truth that will set us free.

In this book, author Steve Chandler focuses on helping ordinary people like us break free of the self-told myths that keep us from realising our full potential.

We have all lied to ourselves when we make self-defeating excuses such as: "It's who you know;" "That's just the way I am;" "I'm not good with people;" and "There's nothing I can do."

In simple, clear language, Chandler dramatically reveals that we already have self-awareness, and that is the key to all the power we need to free ourselves. With deftly told stories and personal examples, he says that true independence and self-esteem comes from what we do, not what others give us or tell us.

Chandler shows us, with his trademark energy and humour, how to overcome self-imposed constraints like laziness, fear, and addiction. Most importantly, in this breakthrough book, he makes the learning process entertaining and fun.

This book will help us love ourselves and realise once and for all that only the truth can set us free.

Steve Chandler may arguably be the most original and inspiring figure in the highly competitive world of motivational speaking. He is an author, public speaker, and corporate trainer who conducts more than 100 seminars a year. He is the author of the bestseller 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself, Reinventing Yourself and the audiobook 35 Ways to Create Great Relationships.

Books by Steve Chandler:
17 Lies That Are Holding You Back & the Truth That Will Set You Free
Reinventing Yourself: How to Become the Person You've Always Wanted to Be
100 Ways to Motivate Yourself
50 Ways to Create Great Relationships: How to Stop Taking and Start Giving

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Cognitive Therapy

a.k.a. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

I'll begin by briefly explaining what a cognition is. A cognition is a thought or perception. In other words, your cognitions are the way you are thinking about things at any moment, including this very moment. These thoughts scroll across your mind automatically as you perceive the world around you and often have a huge impact on how you feel.

In fact, your thoughts create your feelings. This is the powerful principle at the heart of cognitive therapy--your feelings result from the messages you give yourself. In fact, your thoughts often have much more to do with how you feel than what is actually happening in your life.

This isn't a new idea. Nearly two thousand years ago the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, stated that people are disturbed "not by things, but by the views we take of them." And even Shakespeare expressed a similar idea when he said: "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Rene Descartes, the Father of Existentialism, summed it up succinctly as ergo et sum--I think, therefore I am.

Although the idea has been around for ages, most depressed people do not really comprehend it. Nearly all depressed people are convinced that they are facing some special, awful truth about themselves and the world, and that their terrible feelings are absolutely realistic and inevitable. Certainly bad things do happen and life does hand most of us a dirty deal at times. Many people do experience catastrophic financial losses and confront devastating personal problems.

Our genes, our hormones, and childhood experiences probably do have an impact on how we think and feel. And other people can be mean, annoying, cruel, harassing or simply thoughtless. But all the theories about the causes of bad moods have the tendency to make us hapless victims--because we are made to think the causes result from something beyond our control.

In contrast, you can learn to change the way you think about things, and you can also change your basic values and beliefs. And when you do, you will often experience profound and lasting changes in your mood, outlook, creativity and productivity. That, in a nutshell, is what cognitive therapy is all about.

The theory is straightforward and may seem overly simple--but don't write it off as pop psychology. I think you will discover that cognitive therapy can be surprisingly helpful--even if you feel pretty skeptical (as I did) when you first learn about it. The effectiveness of cognitive therapy has been confirmed by many outcome studies by researchers throughout the world in the past two decades.

No matter how terrible your depression, low self-esteem or anxiety may feel, the prognosis for recovery through cognitive therapy alone or as an adjunct to medications is excellent. You may be convinced that your own case is so bad, so overwhelming and hopeless, that you are the one person who will never get well, no matter what. But sooner or later, the clouds have a way of blowing away and the sky suddenly clears and the sun begins to shine again.

When this happens, the feelings of relief and joy can be overwhelmingly brilliant.

References:
Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders by Aaron T. Beck
Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond by Judith S. Beck
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

My Destiny Report

My Destiny Report: Sun in Virgo
Sun in Virgo

In this lifetime you are at a point in your soul development that requires you to do the work of refining and purifying your own nature. Like the ancient alchemists whose goal was to take bare materials and turn them into gold. Your own process of self-transformation involves taking what is crude or disordered in yourself and refining it. It is a cycle of separating the wheat from the chaff, requiring acute discrimination, rigorous self-analysis and self-criticism.

This impulse to perfect, to create order, and to focus on the flaws in order to improve and correct is the basis of much of your behavior. When you project it out into the world, Azlan Adnan, it manifests as extreme fastidiousness, meticulous attention to detail, the ability to do very fine and exacting work, precision of thought and expression, and sometimes a peculiar fussiness.

You can be the critic, the razor-sharp analyst, the master craftsman with a reputation for the greatest finesse and polish. You quietly observe, dissect, and measure everything against your own inner standard of perfection. Everything must be tested and go through the refiner's fire in order to prove its efficacy, Rarely do you swallow anything whole. Everything must be examined and judged, the acceptable parts ingested and the unacceptable rejected. This is true on many levels, including the physical.

You are apt to be extremely discriminating about your diet, concerned with proper nutrition and the avoidance of pollutants and impurities in your food or environment, and so on. Your physical body itself may be very sensitive to what you take in - more so than other people are. On an intellectual level, you are similarly discriminating, perhaps to the point of frank skepticism. Because of your underlying need to create order, Azlan Adnan, you like to categorize and put things in neat little boxes, and you may deny, avoid, invalidate, or refuse to take seriously something that does not fit in to your scheme. Even in investigating the spiritual or mystical, you seek a system, an order.

Ambiguity, multiplicity, chaos or disarray of any kind may vex you considerably. You can also be very critical and demanding of other people, in a nagging, petty way. This is if you are projecting your need to refine and perfect onto the outside world. However, that is really a misuse of what is essentially an inner process, getting rid of the dross and refining your own character.

WOW!


My Darling's Destiny Report
Sun in Libra

In this lifetime your guiding principle or underlying motivation is the golden mean, the ideal state of balance and symmetry, the moderate course that avoids extremes, the happy medium.

An essential aspect of your path involves bringing together and harmonizing opposing energies, finding a balance and a meeting point between them and creating bridges so that interrelationship is possible.

The concept of relationship is key, My Darling, whether it is the relationship of colors in a painting, between objects on the mantel piece, between nations or between two people. You have a highly developed sense of style, or harmonious arrangement, of correct, appropriate and beautiful relationships. Aesthetics are very important to you, in your surroundings, in people, in the manner in which things are done. You are artful (in both the positive and negative sense) in the way you approach life.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

HUMOUR: Marital Bliss

Marital Bliss
with many thanks to the newly-wed Rinzcute for sharing this!

Marriage (Part I)
Typical macho man married typical good-looking lady and after the wedding, he laid down the following rules: "I'll be home when I want, if I want and at what time I want-and I don't expect any hassle from you. I expect a great dinner to be on the table unless I tell you that I won't be home for dinner. I'll go hunting, fishing, boozing and card-playing when I want with my old buddies and don't you give me a hard time about it. Those are my rules. Any comments?" His new bride said, "No, that's fine with me. Just understand that there will be sex here at seven o'clock every night... whether you're here or not." (SHE'S GOOD!)

Marriage (Part II)
Husband and wife had a bitter quarrel on the day of their 40th wedding anniversary! The husband yells, "When you die, I'm getting you a headstone that reads, 'Here Lies My Wife - Cold As Ever.' "Yeah?" she replies. "When you die, I'm getting you a headstone that reads, "Here Lies My Husband Stiff At Last.'" (HE ASKED FOR IT!)

Marriage (Part III)
Husband (a doctor) and his wife are having a fight at the breakfast table. Husband gets up in a rage and says, "And you are no good in bed either," and storms out of the house. After sometime he realizes he was nasty and decides to make amends and rings her up. She comes to the phone after many rings, and the irritated husband says, "what took you so long to answer the phone?" She says, "I was in bed." "In bed this early, doing what?" "Getting a second opinion!" (YEP, HE HAD THAT COMING, TOO!)

Marriage (Part IV)
A man has six children and is very proud of his achievement. He is so proud of himself, that he starts calling his wife," Mother of Six" in spite of her objections. One night, they go to a party. The man decides that it's time to go home and wants to find out if his wife is ready to leave as well. He shouts at the top of his voice, "Shall we go home 'Mother of Six?" His wife, irritated by her husband's lack of discretion shouts right back, "Anytime you're ready, Father of Four."


God may have created man before woman but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.


SEND THIS TO SMART WOMEN WHO NEED A LAUGH AND TO MEN YOU THINK CAN HANDLE IT.


Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Manic Monday

Manic Monday

It was a really manic Monday, yesterday. Went to the Registration Department first thing in the morning (after dropping by the Post Office to post some job applications) to find out if my new IC was ready for collection (I had changed my address in April) and also to check if my mother's IC was ready as well. When I arrived at the Department I was aghast at the length of the queue ~ all the way down the staircase from the first floor and for about a 100 metres outside. I was hesitant to join such a long queue; definitely not before determining if it was the right one. So I walked right up to the front of it and along the staircase I bumped into an Officer in uniform and so I asked him if it was the queue for IC collection.

Apparently, it wasn't. Thank God! Collection was on the Ground Floor. It didn't take too long before it was my turn. The Officer there said if I had brought my mother's current original IC, I could have collected hers as well. That was convenient. He also said that my Driving Licence was now integrated with my IC, which means I don't have to carry two pieces of plastic around, just one. I asked him if I could put my Health details too. He said that feature was not implemented yet but I could add Touch n Go credits to my IC. I usually use two stored value cards when I travel on the LRTs ~ STAR and PUTRA. So I'll wait until I've used up my stored value on these cards before adding Touch n Go credits to my IC.

He also advised, although it was possible to do so, not to integrate my ATM card with my IC as the ATM machines cause wear and tear on the ICs ~ and that it would cost $50 for each replacement IC.

Then went to a hospital to get a referral letter to see a specialist. Decided to pay a courtesy call on a counselor friend before doing that and that courtesy call ended up being a 90-minute chat about Cognitive Therapy ~ the work of Aaron and Judith Beck, and David Burns, in particular. And also of George Kelly, particularly the use of transitional constructs in correcting cognitive dissonance. The counselor used to work for my late father as a Probation Officer.

Getting the referral letter was a breeze but finding the specialist's clinic wasn't as easy ~ why they call it "Clinic C" and not the "Urology Department" beats me. Finally found it (had gone to "Clinic G" and they told me to go to "Clinic C.") Got an appointment with the specialist on July 9, at 9 am. Went to the Blood Bank (only they don't call it that ~ Blood Transfusion Centre ~ or something equally wordy) to find out if I can donate platelets instead of whole blood. The staff nurse ~ she had really interesting eyes, must be her coloured contact lenses ~ examined the veins on both my arms and told me that I wasn't the optimal platelet donor as my veins were unsuitable for the 90-minute procedure. That vein I have ~ whatever it's called ~ that they usually use to hook up to the machine was too deep and the vein that I usually use for whole blood donation was unsuitable as it's prone to collapse if hooked up to the machine (whatever it's called). Anyway, they allowed me to use their super-duper accurate weighing machine (73.35 kg) and gave me a cup of Milo for my trouble.

As I had some time before lunch, I went to watch some surgery conducted by a surgeon friend. I'm editing a book of his, and he usually wants me to watch him in action so that I can visualise what he is writing about in his manuscript. Helps me with my editing, he thinks. If you're the sort that doesn't have a stomach for blood, gore and miscellaneous body parts in various states of dissection, then you probably wouldn't enjoy the mee soup we had for lunch afterwards as much as we did.

Washed my mom's new Honda Accord for the first time in the afternoon ~ our driver had left us for greener pastures at the end of last month ~ and I worked up quite a sweat. Didn't realise washing a car can be such good exercise.

Couldn't resist an invitation from a friend to watch the 5.15 pm showing of The Prisoner of Azkaban at the Amcorp Mall. I was so knackered by the day's activities that I slept for about 20 minutes during the show, which was during the crucial time that explained why Sirius Black was the good guy and not the bad guy he was initially made out to be (or was it the other way round?). Anyway, it wasn't critical, Harry Potter plots (like Life itself, I suppose) have no logical progression ~ you just enjoy the special effects and adventurous twist and turns for what they're worth while it lasts. Live life moment to moment, I say!

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice