The Nobel Peace Prize: Nobel Jews

Bismillaah

Dear Reader,

A total of nearly 700 individuals and 20 organizations have been Nobel recipients, including two who refused the prize (Leo Tolstoy in 1902 and Jean-Paul Sartre in 1964.) Thirty women have won Nobels. The United States has had about one-third of all winners. Also remarkable is the fact that 14 percent of all the laureates in a 100-year span have been Californians, most of them affiliated with one or more of the world-class higher education and research institutions in our state.

Jews Clues

Jewish names appear 127 times on the list, about 18 percent of the total. This is an astonishing percentage for a group of people who add up to 1/24th of 1 percent of the world’s population. But this positive disproportion is echoed even further in the over-representation of Jews, compared to the general population, in such fields as the physical and social sciences, and in literature. An examination of the large professional communities from which Nobel laureates are selected would reveal an even more dominant disproportion. As an example, it is estimated that about one-third of the faculty at Harvard Medical School is Jewish.

How to account for Jewish proficiency at winning Nobels? It’s certainly not because Jews do the judging: All but one of the Nobels are awarded by Swedish institutions (the Peace Prize by Norway). The standard answer is that the premium placed on study and scholarship in Jewish culture inclines Jews toward more education, which in turn makes a higher proportion of them “Nobel-eligible” than in the larger population. There is no denying that as a rule the laureates in all six domains are highly educated, although there are notable exceptions, such as Mother Teresa. Nevertheless, in a world where so many millions have university degrees it is difficult to see why on that basis alone Jews should prevail in this high-level competition.

Another question is why the physical sciences admired by Alfred Nobel are so attractive to Jewish scientists. Albert Einstein, the successor to Newton, Galileo and Copernicus and the greatest name in modern science, was Jewish. This is more than a matter of historic pride; it is an enormous statistical improbability. And such achievements were not always attained on a level playing field. For example, the Nazis dismissed relativity as “Jewish physics” and caused the uprooting and exile (mostly to the United States) of a generation of German scientists who happened to be Jewish.

In literature and peace as well, Jews are disproportionately represented among the winners. Jewish writers honored include Henri Bergson, Boris Pasternak, S.Y. Agnon, Nelly Sachs, Saul Bellow, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Joseph Brodsky and Nadine Gordimer. Peace laureates include Henry Kissinger, Menachem Begin, Elie Wiesel, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres. In economics, for which the Nobel has been awarded for only the last 31 years, 13 laureates are Jewish, more than 40 percent of the total, including Paul Samuelson, Herbert Simon and Milton Friedman

But it still seems insufficient to credit all this to reverence for education, skill at theoretical thinking or competitive instincts forged in a millennial-old struggle to survive and prosper.

Perhaps the desire to understand the world is also a strong or defining Jewish cultural trait, leading to education and careers suited to exploration and discovery. Science may have furnished an opportunity to not only understand but to lead, and to have one’s work judged without bias in collegial communities that have no use for religious intolerance.

Whatever the reasons, Jewish successes in the high-stakes world of the Nobel Prize are nothing short of astonishing, and a source of understandable pride to Jews throughout the world. Consider the scorecard: 37 awards in physics, 21 in chemistry, 39 in physiology and medicine, 10 in literature, seven in peace and 13 in economics.

Listings and descriptions of the contributions of the Jewish laureates may be found below:

Albert Einstein — The most famous and influential scientist of all time

Richard Feynman — ‘The greatest scientific mind since World War II ‘

Lev Landau — Soviet physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics 1962

Rita Levi-Montalcini — winner of the Nobel Prize for her work on Nerve Growth factor (with Stanley Cohen)

Aaron Klug — Nobel prize winner in Chemistry, for work on X-ray analysis of biomolecules

Elie Wiesel — Jewish author: ‘Night’, winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace

Martin Perl — Nobel prize winner in Physics: discoverer of the Tau Lepton

Isaac Bashevis Singer — Author, Nobel Prize-winner for Literature

Shimon Peres — Israel’s Labor party leader

Niels Bohr — Nobel prize-winning Physicist: atomic structure

Yitzhak Rabin — Prime Minister of Israel – Worker for Peace’ Chief of Staff in Six Day War

Milton Friedman — Recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics

Arno Penzias — Nobel prize winner in Physics, studied interstellar isotopes

Henri Bergson — Author/Philosopher, Nobel prize for Literature

Georges Charpak — won the Nobel Prize in Physics 1992 for his particle detector

Albert Michelson — Nobel Prize for Physics 1907

Selman Waksman — Microbiologist, 1952 Nobel Prize winner in physiology and medicine

Joseph Brodsky — Nobel Prize winner in literature, most famous modern poet

Paul Samuelson — Nobel Prize in Economics (first ever)

Elie Metchnikoff — Nobel prize winner in Medicine, studied immunity in infectious diseases

Hans Bethe — Nobel Prize in Physics in 1967

Paul Ehrlich — Nobel prize for descovering a treatment for syphilis.

John Harsanyi — Winner of the Nobel prize in Economics: studied utilitarian ethics

George WALD — Nobel Price in Medicine for work contributing to our understanding of vision.

Tadeus Reichstein — Nobel Prize for Medicine 1950

Isaac Bashevis Singer — 1978 Nobel Laureate in Literature: ‘Enemies : A Love Story’, ‘The Golem’, ‘Meshugah’

David Baltimore — Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine

Shmuel Yosef Agnon — Israeli writer, winner of the 1966 Nobel Prize: ‘The Bridal Canopy’; `A Guest for the Night’

Howard Temin — 1975 Nobel Prize in Medicine

Franco Modigliani — Italian-born economist, 1985 Nobel Laureate in Economics: saving and financial markets

Baruch Blumberg — Nobel prize winner in Medicine: field of epidemiology

Joshua Lederberg — Nobel prize winner in Medicine, discovered viral transduction

Roald Hoffmann — Nobel prize winner in Chemistry: field of electronic structures

Daniel Nathans — Nobel prize in Medicine: for restriction analysis of Simian Virus 40 DNA

Nadine Gordimer — South African novelist, Nobel prize-winner in Literature

Stanley Cohen — Nobel prize winner in Medicine, for work in experimental embryology

Herbert Simon — Nobel prize winner in Economics: for work on decision-making

Saul Bellow — Canadian born novelist and Nobel Prize winner for lietature

Fritz Haber — winner of the Nobel Prize of Chemistry in 1918, for the synthesis of ammonia from its elements

Joseph Goldstein — Nobel prize in Medicine

Stanley Prusiner — Nobel prize winner in Medicine: for the discovery of Prions, infectious proteins

Herbert Brown — Nobel prize winner in Chemistry: for his work in the borane-organoborane area

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji — Nobel prize winner in Physics, developed laser-cooling technology

Murray Gell-Mann — Nobel prize in physics 1969. Introduced ‘quarks’.

Isidor Rabi — Nobel prize in physics in 1944

Hermann Muller — Nobel prize winner in Medicine: for work on biological effects of radiation

Paul Johann Ludwig Heyse — Nobel prize winner in Literature, 1830-1914

David Lee — Nobel prize winner in Physics: for work on superfluidity

Nelly Sachs — Poet, winner of the Nobel prize in Literature

Douglas Osheroff — Nobel prize winner in Physics, for work in superfluidity

Andrew Schally — Nobel prize winner in Medicine: field of endocrinology

Bernard Katz — Nobel prize winner in Medicine, studied neuromuscular transmission

Elias Canetti — Bulgarian born essayist and novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1981

Jack Steinberger — Particle Physicist, winner of the Nobel Prize

Harold Kroto — Nobel prize-winner in Chemistry, discoverer of C60

Reinhard Selten — Nobel prize winner in Economics: for work on ‘game equilibrium models’

Cesar Milstein — Nobel prize winner in Medicine: field of immunology

Simon Kuznets — Nobel prize winner in Economics

Leon Lederman — Nobel prize winner in Physics, 1988
Jack Steinberger — Nobel Prize winner in Physics, 1988

Source: Stephen Mark Dobbs

Why do you think so many Jews have won the Nobel Peace prize?

Lottery E-Mail and House Mail Scams

Bismillaah

Dear Reader,

As a part of the learning about proper business ethics in Islam it is important to also learn about scamming and scammers. Let’s first discuss..

Lottery E-Mail & House Mail Scams

Watch out when you find an email that says something like this . . .

. . “I found your name and email on the Internet and I know you are a very trustworthy person. I have 3.5 million dollars to transfer and I need your help . . .”

(This is one of the worst of all the scams to ever come around)

Whatever you do – DO NOT JOIN in this foolishness. Don’t even open the email or letter – throw these in the trash. If you reply even as a joke or to try to tell them how wrong this is – they will get more information from you because when your email comes to them they can find out a lot about you. LEAVE IT ALONE -

And in Islam it is all haram anyway – even as a joke, to try to “win” in this type of game, because it would mean there are many other “losers” and Islam forbids oppressing others under any circumstances.

Look what Allah tells us about gambling and what it does to the relationships between people:

“Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?”
Quran Al Mayidah 5:91

These guys will really make you think you “won” and all you have to do is – GIVE THEM MONEY! Despite “already being a winner” – you have to make a payment or purchase or phone call to claim your prize.

Now Watch Out For These Things:

• The company only gives a PO box number and no geographical address (very hard to contact them if they don’t reply back to you)
• You see in the email or letter what appears to be a check for $$$$$ millions – but it is stamped “SAMPLE CHECIK ONLY” and “NOT LEGAL TENDER”.

“FINAL NOTICE” – This is their “POSITIVELY LAST CHANCE” for you to claim all your millions. You have to hurry.

“URGENT PRIZE PAYMENT” – so what’s the big rush to give away millions of dollars?

This is all part of a big fat lie – and rip-off – a SCAM.

“Premium Rate” scams – (1-900 numbers)

They tell say, “You have definitely won a prize. It could be really huge” – but you have to call a telephone number to claim it.

This number turns out to be a premium rate service, and you are kept on the line for ages, or you possibly have to make several more calls before you can collect your prize – which turns out to be worth far less than the cost of the call(s).

How to protect yourself

The best way to avoid this kind of scam is simply to say “No” and throw the letter in the bin. Even if there appears to be something good in the offer, say “No” first, and then seek more information and advice. In particular, check the following:

You know you didn’t buy a ticket for the lottery – (It is Haram), so how did you “WIN”?
If you didn’t buy a ticket, how could you win?

And ask yourself this: if you have really won something, why are they asking for money?

Ask yourself, how did the writer get your name and address?

Ask why they are giving you a reference number in the letter which you then have to ring them up with – and why is it linked to a premium rate telephone?

Carefully read the small print on the material they sent you

Never give your credit card or bank account details to this kind of business until you have thoroughly checked them out

If you have paid money already, it is most likely too late, except with companies want to stay in business. You should call your bank and stop any credit card charges (if you used it) and they will honor this up to several months after you got ripped off.

You could try to write to the company stating that you want a full refund.

 

Money Monday: Islaamic Banking

Bismillaah

Dear Reader,

Islamic banking refers to a system of banking activities that is consistent with the Sharee’ah (Islamic law) and guided by Islamic economics. Thus, banking procedures including payment of Ribaa (usury or interest) is Haraam (Islamically prohibited). Islamic law also prohibits trading in financial risk (which is seen as a form of gambling), investing in businesses that include alcohol or pork, or businesses that produce anti-Islamic media, etc. In the late 20th century, a number of Islamic banks were created, to cater to this particular banking market.

Islamic banking has the same purpose as conventional banking except that it operates in accordance with the Islamic rules, known as Fiqh Al-Mu’aamalaat (Islamic rules on transactions). The basic principle of Islamic banking is the sharing of profit and loss and the prohibition of Ribaa. Amongst the common Islamic concepts used in Islamic banking are profit sharing (Mudhaarabah), safekeeping (Wadee’ah), joint venture (Mushaarakah), cost plus (Muraabahah), and leasing (Ijaarah).

The ruling about having shares in companies and banks

 Having shares in banks and companies that trade in ribaa (interest) is not permissible. And if the shareholder wants to rid himself of any ribaa (interest) in his shareholding, then he should sell his shares at market value and take the initial investment only. The rest he should give in charity, and it is not permissible for him to take anything from the profits of his shareholding or interest. However, if the shareholding was in a company which does not trade in ribaa, (interest)then it’s profits are halaal (permissable, Allowed).

Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-’Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa. – Volume 13, Page 508, Fatwa No.8996

Depositing money in interest-based banks
Question: What is the ruling regarding the profits (interest) from interest-based banks?

Response: If he deposits money in an interest-based bank, then he should take his total deposit, and donate the profits (interest) to charitable causes.

Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee
Fataawa wa Rasaa.il Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee – Page 470, Fatwa No.4

Sahl ibn Sa’d (radhi-yallaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:

((Beware of sins which are treated as being minor, just like a people who encamp in the centre of a valley, so someone brings a stick of firewood and someone else brings a stick until they are therefore able to bake their bread. Likewise sins which are treated as being minor and for which the person is taken to account will destroy him)).

Musnad al-Imaam Ahmad – Volume 5, Page 331 and others

 

Mounting Concerns Over Electronic Waste

 

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

Electronics are being replaced every day with faster and smaller devices, and yet few are recycled after these products become obsolete. As a result, mountains of electronic waste are piling up in landfills across Canada. Of even greater concern is that most electronic equipment contains toxic substances such as lead, cadmium and mercury. These heavy metals and other substances found in electronic products can pose elevated risks to human health and the environment if they are not properly managed.

Electronic waste can contain both toxic substances and recyclable materials. Photo: John Wlodarczyk. Click to enlarge. These products also contain valuable material such as aluminum, ferrous metals and copper that could be recycled. However, due to the shortage of electronic waste recycling facilities in Canada, very little is being recovered. In response to the growing need to safely manage obsolete electronic equipment and promote product-focused resource recovery strategies, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Industry Canada are working together with equipment brandowners, provinces, territories and other stakeholders to forge a national industry-led program to take back and properly recycle unwanted equipment. How much e-waste is there? Environment Canada commissioned two studies to estimate the amount of computer equipment, phones, televisions, stereos, and small home appliances disposed each year. The first study on Information Technology and Telecommunication Waste in Canada, released in October 2000, and the Baseline Study on End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Canada, released in June 2003, provide a better understanding of the magnitude of the e-waste problem in Canada. Combined, these studies reveal that disposed computer equipment, phones, audio-visual equipment and small household appliances account for more than 140 000 tonnes (or 4.5 kg per capita) of waste each year in Canada. Producers Take Responsibility Several major brandowners of electronic products have identified that they are committed to developing, financing and administering a Canada-wide program to divert e-waste from disposal by ensuring that it is properly recycled. This concept, commonly referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), places the onus on producers to properly manage their products at the post-consumer stage. EPR has rapidly gained much popularity, both in Canada and other parts of the world, because it has a potential to stimulate producers to design longer-lasting, less hazardous, and more recyclable products. In Canada, EPR has already been applied to target a broad range of post-consumer product streams such as used oil, scrap tires, batteries, beverage containers and packaging. The Canadian electronics industry established a not-for-profit organization known as Electronic Product Stewardship Canada (EPS Canada) to lead design and implementation of a national EPR program for e-waste, and liaise with Canadian governments and other stakeholders on this issue. The organization is composed of industry representatives from two industry associations, namely Information Technology Association of Canada and Electro-Federation Canada, and 16 major multi-national corporate funding partners. EPS Canada plans to roll out the implementation of a national industry program over a five-year period, starting in 2004. Designed to encourage consumers to reuse and recycle their electronics, the program will initially target personal computers, laptops, printers and televisions. In time, the program will broaden in scope to include other types of electronic equipment. Similar to other EPR programs, industry proposes to finance its national program by imposing environmental levies on their products. It is anticipated that consumers will be charged between $2 – 7 for laptops and printers, and $20 – 25 for televisions and personal computers. To help ensure that hazardous wastes and recyclables are managed in an environmentally sound manner, Environment Canada is revising its existing Export and Import of Hazardous Waste Regulations and developing federal guidelines for managing end-of-life computer equipment. Combined, these tools will provide added measures to protect human health and the environment from hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable material streams, including electronics. Computers for Schools refurbished computer. Photo: M. Blondin. Click to enlarge. Refurbishing programs aimed at recycling electronic goods are gaining in popularity. Computers for Schools is just one of many programs that encourage reuse of older electronic products like computers. The Computer for Schools program reconditions donated equipment and distributes them free of charge to schools and libraries across Canada. Computers for Schools currently delivers over 340 refurbished computers per day. To date, it has refurbished over 426 000 computers. E-waste and You You can help to keep electronic products out of landfills by: Encouraging vendors and brand owners to subscribe to a take-back and recycling program for the electronic products they sell or make. Upgrading or repairing electronic products where feasible instead of replacing them with new ones. Donating your old equipment to a family member, friend or charitable organization. Checking with your municipality to learn about reuse, recycling and disposal options for electronics in your area. [This Was Originally Produced by: Enviro Zine] Thank You so much for your time. All the truth in here is from Allaah and mistakes are from satan the accursed and myself. Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah (SWT) reward you. This post has been brought to you by: SurvivorsAreUs.com, TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs Online Halaal Store! Sincerely & Gratefully Halimah bint David

Fast Facts More than 140 000 tonnes of computer equipment, phones, televisions, stereos, and small home appliances accumulate in Canadian landfills each year. That’s equivalent to the weight of about 28 000 adult African elephants or enough uncrushed electronic waste to fill up the Toronto Skydome every 15 years. An estimated 4 750 tonnes of lead is contained in personal computers and televisions disposed each year in Canada. By 2005, yearly disposal figures for personal computers alone will contain an estimated 4.5 tonnes of cadmium and 1.1 tonnes of mercury. Exposure to high levels of lead, cadmium and mercury in the environment has been linked to adverse effects on human health and wildlife. This includes subtle neurobehavioural effects for lead, chronic kidney damage for cadmium, and sensory or neurological impairments for mercury. Electronics contain valuable resources such as ferrous metals, aluminum, and copper, however most electronics are currently sent to landfill. In 1999, it is estimated that disposed personal computers alone contained 4 400 tonnes of ferrous metal, 3 050 tonnes of aluminum and 1 500 tonnes of copper. Extended Producer Responsibility recognizes that brandowners and manufacturers are in the best position to control the longevity, content, and recyclability of the products they design and market. Related Sites National Office of Pollution Prevention Transboundary Movement Branch Extended Producer Responsibility & Stewardship Computer for Schools Electronic Product Stewardship Canada Information Technology Association of Canada Electro-Federation Canada Related EnviroZine Articles Out With The Old, In With The New…But Wait! Stop Pollution Before it Starts Pollutants in Your Neighbourhood POPs – The Dirty Dozen What are future concerns about landfills? What do you do with old computers and the parts that are obsolete or just a few years old but lack the latest capabilities? What to do with your old appliances?

What Is The Amero?

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

Conspiracy theorists are worried that the central banks of the world are trying to unite the currencies of Canada, USA, and Mexico to form the Amero.

These people propose that the secret rulers of the world (aka Illuminati), the very same families who own majority stakes of the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, are trying to create a one world government. They’ve already done it with the European Union, and some say North America is next.

This is HIGHLY controversial, and may be totally made up, but it is definitely something that you should AT LEAST keep in mind.

About half a year ago, when the Canadian dollar was trading 1:1 with the US dollar, and when the Peso was trading exactly 10:1 with the US dollar, I was paranoid that it was the pretext for the Amero.

If you liked this, you will also like ZEITGEIST: ADDENDUM (alternate link) which is the sequel to the first ZEITGEIST. This one focuses 100% on economic issues and is very relevant to what’s going on in finance right now. It is by far the most well-produced documentary of conspiracy theories alternative views.

Is the Internet great or what?

[This was originally produced by: Bankaholic]

Thank You so much for your time. All the truth in here is from Allaah and mistakes are from satan the accursed and myself.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah (SWT) reward you.  This post has been brought to you by: SurvivorsAreUs.com, TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs Online Halaal Store!

Sincerely & Gratefully
Halimah bint David

Establishing Islamic Banks

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

Establishing Islamic banks as an alternative to Riba-based banks is undoubtedly an important issue.

 

This can be realized in two ways:

1. Urging Muslims to support existing Islamic banks so that they can compete with and challenge Riba-based banks, while also attempting to remove the reasons preventing people from dealing with these Islamic banks.
2. Encouraging righteous wealthy Muslims to cooperate towards establishing new Islamic banks. There is no doubt that scholars play a very important role in guiding and motivating people in this direction, in addition to contributing funds within their capacities.

Thank You so much for your time.  May Allaah allow us to fear Him as he should be feared.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah (SWT) reward you.  This post has been brought to you by: TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs.com

 

Sincerely & Gratefully

Halimah bint David

 

Non Muslims Snap Up Islamic Compliant Bank Accounts

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

“(Bank) Branches are reporting interest from all communities,” says Paul Sherrin, head of Islamic Finance at Lloyds TSB, which allong with HSBC and Islamic Bank of Britain offers Sharia compliant accounts.

 

Perhaps, though, if I had lots of money I would look at it differently and want interest Emma Dellaway

“There is an international precedent for this. In Malaysia up to 25% of Islamic accounts are opened by non-Muslims.

“This is happening on a smaller scale over here, a number of non-Muslims are keen that the account doesn’t get involved in interest or anything they perceive as unethical.”

Ethical elements

Islamic accounts comply with Sharia law.

Under Sharia Islamic law, making money from money, such as charging interest, is usury and therefore not permitted.

PRINCIPLES OF ISLAMIC BANKING All money must be invested in industries Muslims consider ethical The giving or receiving of interest is forbidden Money cannot be simply traded for money Money can be used to buy goods or services, which can then be sold for a profit Q&A: Islamic finance Fatwa on Islamic Finance

Wealth should be generated only through legitimate trade and investment in assets.

But what really appeals to Ms Dellaway are the other aspects of Islamic banking.

“I have a guarantee that my money will not be used to invest in arms or tobacco,” she says.

Sharia law also forbids investment in alcohol, gambling and pornography.

Islamic interest

Ms Dellaway has always been interested in the Middle East. She has spent time in Libya, studied politics at university and has friends from all faiths.

The reaction amongst Ms Dellaway’s friends and family to her decision seems to bear this out.

“They have been really interested in what I have done. They ask lots of questions and can see how closely ethical finance and the Islamic financial models fit together,” Ms Dellaway says.

“When I went into my branch and told them I was keen on opening an Islamic current account, the staff member was unsurprised.

“I thought that perhaps I would be looked at as a bit of a lunatic but not a bit of it.”

The fact that Islamic bank accounts do not pay interest is not a problem to Ms Dellaway.

“I see giving up interest the same as recycling, visiting a farmers market or using the Red American Express card.

“Perhaps, though, if I had lots of money I would look at it differently and want interest.”

[Taken From BBC News]

Thank You so much for your time.  May Allaah allow us to fear Him as he should be feared.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah (SWT) reward you.  This post has been brought to you by: TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs.com

 

Sincerely & Gratefully

Halimah bint David

Zakaah Awareness & Obligations For Businesses

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

A great way to find increase in rizq (sustenance) is to increase your charity and pay the zakat, that Allaah (swt) has made obligatory on all Muslims.  Giving zakat (Support of the Needy).  This is the third most important pillar in the five pillars of Islam.  Zakat means ‘purification’ and ‘growth’. Giving zakat means giving a certain percentage of your earnings to the poor.  The percentage of zakat is 2.5% of savings, gold and silver (note this is a percentage on savings and not earnings). As everything belongs to Allah money is given to humans in a trust and we are to help the poor and needy with our own share ourselves. This Zakat works the same as pruning a rose bush the cutting back encourages new growth for the roses and for your finances while purifying the possessions you currently have.  Paying zakat is worshipping Allah by paying the amount of charity obligated on the ones who have enough money or possessions saved to help the poor in the community.  Paying the required zakat leads to cleansing the heart from the evil of misery.  It also fulfills the needs of Islam and Muslims.

“By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it.”

Soorah Al-Imran 3:92

The parable of those who spend
of their substance in the way of Allah
is that of a grain of corn:
It grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains.
Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases;
And Allah cares for all and He knows all things.
Qur’an (2:261)

Zakaah From Businesses:

First of all, the business should be Halal.

There are three opinions amongst the scholars:

1. If a businessman earns a certain amount from his business, whatever he saves after taking care of his family’s needs and his business expenses, he pays Zakat of 2.5 percent on what he has saved.

2. A businessman has to pay Zakah on the commodities in his store. This would require evaluating the purchasing power of the commodity and then paying 2.5 percent on this amount.

3. Everything is from Allah and everything goes back to Allah. The more you give on your commodities, the better, and it does not have to be 2.5 percent.

And Allaah (swt) Knows Best.

Please visit the following links and financially support them, insha Allaah (Allaah willing):

Zakat Foundation
http://www.thezakat.org/

Zakat Foundation is dedicated to alleviating the immediate needs of the poorest communities by providing food, shelter, health care and by delivering relief in emergencies. Zakat Foundation also provides education and training in order to equip people with the skills to help themselves.

Hidaya Foundation
http://www.hidaya.org/

Hidaya Foundation implement educational, social welfare, and health care programs in economically depressed areas of South Asia, West Africa and North America, with focus on projects which promote self-employment.

Mercy USA
http://www.mercyusa.org/home.cfm

Founded in 1986, MercyUSA is a non-profit relief and development organization. Their projects focus on improving health and promoting economic and educational growth around the world.

IslamCare
http://www.islamcare.org/
Islam Care’s vision is to continually evolve as a world class health and human services organization marked by its characteristics of effectiveness, impact, transparency and inclusion. Islamic Universal Care Inc. is working to become the model Islamically influenced service organization driven by great innovations and successful execution.

Islamic Relief USA
http://www.irw.org/
Islamic Relief UK
http://www.islamic-relief.com/uk/

Islamic Relief strives to alleviate the suffering, hunger, illiteracy and diseases worldwide without regard to color, race or creed and to provide aid in a compassionate and dignified manner. It aims to provide rapid relief in the event of man-made or natural disasters. In addition, it establishes development projects in needy areas to help tackle poverty, illiteracy and disease at a local level.

Muslim Hands
http://www.muslimhands.org/en/gb/
Established in 1993, Muslim Hands is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty.

Association of Islamic Charitable Projects
http://www.aicp.org/Site/
The A.I.C.P. is an organization objectively teaching the authentic knowledge of the Religion as taught by the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, and preserved and passed on through the trustworthy followers of each era.

Red Crescent
http://www.ifrc.org/
Red Cross Red Crescent promotes individual and community humanitarian values which encourage respect for other human beings and a willingness to work together to find solutions to problems. From the seven fundamental principles to the “power of humanity” slogan, the aim is to influence the behavior of the people we work with.

Half Date.Com

http://halfdate.com/

Approaching Jannah a half date at a time.  HalfDate is a Sadaqa (good cause) promotion site.

Thank You so much for your time.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah SWT reward you.  This post has been brought to you by: TnT Islamic Books and SurvivorsAreUs.com

Sincerely & Gratefully

Halimah bint David

Six Conditions For Valid Business Transactions

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

 

 

Dear Reader,

 

Bay’, the Arabic word used for business transactions, comes from the Arabic word for an outstretched arm (al-baa’u), since each of the participants in the sale extends his hand to give and take. Thus the linguistic meaning of the word bay’ is: “To receive something and to give something.”

 

The technical definition of bay’ (business transactions) in Islam is: “The exchange of a specified form of property or permissible service for its likes or for a debt to be paid, entailing the change of future ownership, not based on usury, and not a loan.”

The following necessary conditions must be fulfilled for a business transaction to be considered valid and binding in Islam:

 

1 - At-Taraadhee (Mutual Agreement)

Both the buyer and the seller must willingly agree to all details of the transaction, due to the statement of the Prophet  (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

“Verily business transactions are only (valid) by way of mutual agreement.”

Hadeeth Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah (#2185)

2 – Jawaaz Tasarruf al-’Aaqidayn (Both Participants are Allowed to Engage in Transactions)

Both the buyer and the seller must be people who are legitimately allowed to engage in business transactions. They must both be free (not slaves), adults (not children who have not reached puberty), sane, and rational.

Shaykh ‘Uthmaan an-Najdee said, “So the buying and selling of a child or a fool without the permission of his caretaker is invalid. If he gives permission, then it is valid, however it is not permissible to give permission without any benefit. And their transactions involving small things take effect even without permission.” [Hidaayatur-Raaghib (p.468)]

3 – Milk al-Ma’qood ‘Alayhe (Ownership of Property Being Traded)

Both parties in the transaction must own the property they are trading, due to the statement of the Prophet  (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

“Do not sell what you do not have.”

 Hadith was collected by Aboo Daawood in his Sunan (#3503), and it was declared saheeh by Al-Albaanee. It was also collected by At-Tirmithee, an-Nasaa’ee, and Ibn Maajah.

However, a person may sell something on behalf of another with his permission. In this case, he is considered to be in the place of the owner of the property, since he is his authorized representative.

A person may not sell something he does not own by taking the money for it at the time of the sale, and then going to purchase it afterwards and then deliver it. Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan relates that such a transaction is invalid by way of scholarly consensus. [ al-Mulakh-khas al-Fiqh-hee (2/9)]

However, a person may take money from someone to go and buy property for him, as he is not selling anything himself in this case, he is merely a representative.

[The first three conditions are regarding the participants in the sale. Now let us look at conditions that relate to the property changing hands]

4 – Ibaahah al-Intifaa’ bil-Mabee’ (Permissibility of the Goods)

That which is being sold must be something that is halaal (permissible) in its origin. Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan states:

“So it is not permissible to sell what is haraam (impermissible) like intoxicants, pork, musical instruments, maytah (meat not slaughtered correctly), due to his statement (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

“Verily Allaah has prohibited the sale of maytah, intoxicants, and idols.”

Hadith Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (#2236) and Saheeh Muslim (#4024)

This hadeeth is agreed upon (by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim), and in a hadeeth collected by Aboo Daawood:

“He has prohibited intoxicants and their price, and He has prohibited maytah and its price, and He has prohibited pork and its price.” [Sunan Abee Daawood (#2485); it was declared saheeh by Al-Albaanee]

So it is not permissible to use the oil or fat that is (originally) najas (impure, ie. from a pig or maytah) or has become impure (ie. by mixing with something najas), due to his statement  (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

“Verily when Allaah prohibits something, He prohibits its price.”

 On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allaah  (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“May Allaah curse the Jews! Verily Allaah had forbidden them from the use of oils and fats (from maytah), so they sold them and ate from their profit. And when Allaah has forbidden a people from the consumption of a thing, he has (also) prohibited them from its price.”

Hadith was collected by Aboo Daawood in his Sunan (#3488), and Al-Albaanee called it sahih.

And in the hadith that is agreed upon (by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim): The Prophet  (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) was asked, “Have you seen the grease of maytah, that it makes a good coating for sea vessels, it is used to tan skins, and it is used in people’s lamps?” He replied:

“No, it is haraam (impermissible).” Hadeeth Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (#2236) and Hadith Saheeh Muslim (#4024)

[End of quote from Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan] al-Mulakh-khas al-Fiqh-hee (2/9)

5 – Maqdoor ‘alaa Tasleemihi – Dispensibility

The goods must be things that can be handed over at the time of the sale. Thus, it is not permissible to sell a bird flying in the sky, even if it is expected that the bird will return (ie. like a trained eagle), unless it is within a large cage. Similarly, it is not permissible to sell a fish in the sea, unless it is in an enclosed area that it can not escape from. The point is that the buyer must be certain that he will be able to hand over the goods when the sale is made. It is also not permissible to sell a lost item, or something that the seller is not certain if it is still in his possession or not. If the buyer is not totally capable of handing over the goods, then this is a kind of gharar that the Prophet  (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) prohibited. [Hadeeth Saheeh Muslim (#3787)]

6 – ‘Adm al-Jahaalah (The Absence of Anonymity)

 

Both the goods and the price must be something clearly known to both participants in a sale. Selling an unknown or unspecified item, like “one of the sheep in the pen,” or “one of the garments on display,” without specifying the actual item, is a kind of gharar referred to in the previously mentioned prohibition. [Hadeeth Saheeh Muslim (#3787)]

Similarly, it is not permissible to sell a known item for “a stack of bills,” or a “bag of coins,” since, in this case, the price is unspecified. So neither the goods nor the price may be majhool (unknown), as both participants must clearly know what they are receiving and what they are giving.

Based on this, it is not permissible to sell a baby animal in the womb of its mother, since it is not known if the baby will be strong and healthy or sickly, nor is its gender known (something that affects the price of animals), nor is it even known if the baby will survive delivery.  This post was produced by Bakkah.net

 

And Allaah Knows Best

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The Seriousness of Debt

Bismillaah (In The Name of Allaah)

Dear Reader,

Thinking of borrowing money? Have a hard time not engaging in gheebah (backbiting, slander) Maybe, you should think again.

On the seriousness of being in debt:

The fuqaha’ (Islamic scholars) define dayn (debt) as an obligation to be fulfilled, as it says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (21/102). The linguistic meaning of the word dayn (debt) in Arabic has to do with submission and humiliation. The connection between the shar’i meaning and the linguistic meaning is clear. The debtor is a prisoner, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Your companion is being detained by his debt.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3341; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Islam takes the matter of debt very seriously and warns against it and urges the Muslim to avoid it as much as possible.

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say in his prayer: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhi bika min al-ma’tham wa’l-maghram (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from sin and heavy debt).” Someone said to him: “How often you seek refuge from heavy debt!” He said: “When a man gets into debt, he speak and tells lies, and he makes a promise and breaks it.” Hadith Narrated by al-Bukhaari (832) and Muslim (589).

Al-Nasaa’i (4605) narrated that Muhammad ibn Jahsh (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
We were sitting with the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he raised his head towards the sky, then he put his palm on his forehead and said: “Subhaan-Allaah! What a strict issue has been revealed to me!” We remained silent and were afraid. The following morning I asked him, “O Messenger of Allaah, what is this strict issue that has been revealed?” He said, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if a man were killed in battle for the sake of Allaah, then brought back to life, then killed and brought back to life again, then killed, and he owed a debt, he would not enter Paradise until his debt was paid off.”  Hadith Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 4367.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) refrained from offering the funeral prayer for one who had died owing two dinars, until Abu Qataadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) promised to pay it off for him. When he saw him the following day and said, I have paid it off, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Now his skin has become cool for him.”  Musnad Ahmad (3/629); classed as hasan by al-Nawawi in al-Khalaasah (2/931) and by Ibn Muflih in al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah (1/104).

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath al-Baari (4/547):
This hadeeth indicates how difficult the issue of debt is, and that it should not be undertaken except in cases of necessity. End quote.

It was narrated from Thawbaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever dies free from three things – arrogance, cheating and debt – will enter Paradise.”  Hadith Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1572); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The soul of the believer is suspended because of his debt until it is paid off.”
Hadith Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1078).

Al-Mubaarakfoori said in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (4/164):
The words “the soul of the believer is suspended” – al-Suyooti said: i.e., it is detained and kept from reaching its noble destination. Al-‘Iraaqi said: i.e., no judgement is passed as to whether it will be saved or doomed until it is determined whether his debt will be paid off or not. End quote.

It was also narrated that many of the salaf warned against debt:
It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
Beware of debt, for it starts with worry and it ends with war.
Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’ (2/770).

In Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaaq (3/57) it says:
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
O Humraan, fear Allaah and do not die in debt, lest it be taken from your good deeds when there will be no dinars and no dirhams.

Thirdly:
These stern warnings about debt only came because of the negative consequences to which it leads both on an individual level and on a community level.
With regard to the personal level, al-Qurtubi said in al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan (3/417):
Our scholars said: It is a disgrace and a humiliation because it preoccupies the mind and makes one worried about paying it off, and makes one feel humiliated before the lender when meeting him, and feeling that he is doing one a favour when accepting a delay in payment. Perhaps he may promise himself that he will pay it off then break that promise, or speak to the lender and lie to him, or swear an oath to him then break it, and so on. Moreover, he may die without having paid off the debt so he will be held hostage because of it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The soul of the believer is held hostage by his debt in his grave until it is paid off.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1078.

All of that undermines one’s religious commitment.

With regard to the community level, specialists have described the negative consequences and the danger it poses to the economy, for example:
1- Desire for immediate gratification with no thought of the future
2- Lack of responsibility and self-reliance
3- Poor distribution of wealth

In order to understand these negative consequences better, please see the study by Shaykh Saami al-Suwaylim entitled Mawqif al-Sharee’ah al-Islamiyyah min al-Dayn (6-11).

Fourthly:
Based on the above, the scholars have stipulated three conditions for debt to be permissible:
1- The borrower should be determined to repay it.
2- It should be known or thought most likely that he is able to repay it,
3- It should be for something that is permissible according to sharee’ah.

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in al-Tamheed (23/238):
The debt for which a person will be kept out of Paradise – and Allaah knows best – is that for which he left behind enough to pay it off but he did not leave instructions to that effect, or he was able to pay it off but did not do so, or he took the loan for some unlawful or extravagant matter and died without having paid it off.

As for the one who took a loan for something lawful because he was poor, and he died without leaving behind anything to pay it off, Allaah will not keep him from Paradise because of it, in sha Allaah. End quote.

Fifthly:
So long as you have taken on a debt so that you can fulfil the duty of helping your husband and family to pay for living expenses, you will be rewarded by Allaah for this good deed. I ask Allaah to reward you greatly for that. Remember that He will help you to pay off this debt. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who takes people’s wealth intending to pay it back, Allaah will pay it back for him, and the one who takes it intending to destroy it, Allaah will destroy him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2387).Seek help with that by working and striving hard to pay off the debt, and by putting your trust in Allaah, and praying to Him to make it easy for you to pay off your debt.

In the Sunnah there are a number of du’aa’s which specifically seek the help of Allaah in praying off debts. They are:

1 – It was narrated that Suhayl said: Abu Saalih used to tell us, when one of us wanted to sleep, to lie down on his right side and say:
“Allaahumma Rabb al-samawaati wa’l-ard wa Rabb al-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Rabbaanaa wa Rabba kulli shay’in, Faaliq al-habb wa’l-nawa wa munzil al-Tawraati wa’l-Injeeli wa’l-Furqaan, a’oodhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in anta aakhidhun bi naasiyatihi. Allaahumma anta al-awwal fa laysa qablaka shay’un, wa anta al-aakhir fa laysa ba’daka shay’un, wa anta al-zaahir fa laysa fawqaka shay’un wa anta al-baatin fa laysa doonaka shay’un. Iqdi ‘annaa al-dayna wa aghninaa min al-faqri (O Allaah, Lord of the seven heavens and the exalted Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, splitter of the seed and the date-stone, Revealer of the Tawraat and the Injeel and the Furqaan [Qur’aan], I seek refuge in You from the evil of all things You shall seize by the forelock [have total mastery over]. O Allaah, You are the First so there is nothing before You, and You are the Last so there is nothing after You. You are al-Zaahir [the greatest and highest] so there is nothing above You, and You are al-Baatin [aware of the subtlest secrets] so there is nothing closer than You. Settle our debt for us and spare us from poverty).”
He narrated that from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Narrated by Muslim (2713).

2 – It was narrated from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a mukaatib (slave who had entered into a contract of manumission) came to him and said: “I am unable to pay off my manumission; help me.” He said: “Shall I not tell you some words which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught me? And if you have debt like the mountain of Seer, Allaah will pay it off for you. He said: ‘Say: Allaahumma akfini bi halaalika ‘an haraamika wa aghnini bi fadlika ‘amman siwaaka (O Allaah, suffice me with what You have permitted so that that I have no need of that which You have forbidden, and make me independent of means by Your bounty so that I have no need of anyone besides You).’”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2563) who said: This is a hasan ghareeb hadeeth. It was also classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

3 – It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered the mosque and saw an Ansaari man whose name was Abu Umaamah. He said: “O Abu Umaamah, why do I see you sitting in the mosque when it is not the time for prayer? He said: Worries and debts, O Messenger of Allaah. He said: “Shall I not teach you some words which, if you say them, Allaah will take away your worries and pay off your debts?” He said: Yes, O Messenger of Allaah. He said:
“Say, morning and evening, ‘“Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-hammi wa’l-hazani, wa a’oodhi bika min al-‘ajzi wa’l-kasali, wa a’oodhu bika min al-jubni wa’l-bukhli, wa a’oodhi bika min ghalabat il-dayn wa qahri al-rijaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, and I seek refuge with You from incapacity and laziness, and I seek refuge with You from cowardice and miserliness, and I seek refuge with You from being heavily in debt and from being overcome by men).”
He said; I did that, and Allaah took away my worry and paid off my debt.
Hadith Narrated by Abu Dawood (1555). Its isnaad includes Ghassaan ibn ‘Awf; al-Dhahabi said: he is not strong. Hence Shaykh al-Albaani classed the hadeeth as weak in Da’eef Abi Dawood. But the du’aa’ mentioned – “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-hammi wa’l-hazani…” – is proven in al-Saheehayn in a report other than this story of Abu Umaamah.

And Allaah knows best.

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Thank You So Much For Your Time.  Please forward this blog to your relatives & friends and may Allah SWT reward you.

Sincerely & Gratefully

Halimah bint David

SurvivorsAreUs.com