ABDULLAH IBN MUBAARAK AND THE LITTLE GIRL
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Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak Rahimahullah was a pious scholar, jurist and saint. He was born in the Marw, present day Turkmenistan in the year 118 Hijri. Amongst his many good qualities he was also very generous. He performed Haj many times and would frequently pay for all the expenses of his fellow Haajis, including their transport expenses as well as any gifts they wanted to purchase from the blessed lands of Makkah and Madinah.

Once he was on his way to perform Haj when a bird that they had been carrying died. He ordered that it be disposed off at the dumps as it could not be consumed (because it was carrion). This was accordingly done. However, as he continued his journey he noticed a little girl approaching from a nearby house. She picked up the dead bird, wrapped it in a piece of cloth and rushed home with it. He approached her and asked why she had done so.

She replied : "My brother and I have but one piece of clothing. We have no food except that which we find thrown at the dumps. Carrion has become permissible for us to consume for a number of days now (due to abject poverty). Our father was a rich man but his wealth was taken from him oppresively and he was killed."

Ibn al-Mubarak ordered that from the thousand Dinaars he had with him for the journey, twenty Dinaars be kept aside for his return journey to Marw. The remainder he handed over to the girl saying : "This is better than our (Nafl) Haj for this year." (Al Bidaayah Wan Nihaayah, vol. 10, p 178).

Lesson
A Nafl Haj carries great reward but seeing to the needs of the poor and destitute sometimes carries an even greater reward and is more pleasing to Allah.

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Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir made a rare visit to the Darfur region today despite facing a possible international arrest warrant for alleged genocide in Darfur. The trip will be for two days and he will be accompanied by a plane load of journalists.

Barack Obama, the US Democratic presidential candidate, is meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Israel and the occupied West Bank as part of a wider tour of the Middle East. "I am here on this trip to reaffirm the special relationship between Israel and the United States and my abiding commitment to Israel's security and my hope that I can serve as an effective partner, whether as a US senator or as president," Obama said after meeting Shimon Peres, the Israeli president.

India's coalition government has survived a confidence vote, brought about by opposition to a controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States. The vote went ahead on Tuesday, despite a disruption to parliamentary proceedings by opposition politicians who said they had been offered bribes to abstain.

Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga has called on Africans and the international community to stand by the people of Zimbabwe. He was addressing hundreds of Kenyans in London. Odinga says that negotiations between Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF and both factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) due to be held in South Africa today must acknowledge the results of Zimbabwe's March 29 elections

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Method
In a thick bottomed pan, heat the butter. Saute onion, add garlic, blend in flour, gradually add fish stock, stir until smooth. Add pureed tomato and flaked fish. Allow to cook. Add cooked rice, season to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parley. Add cream just before serving.

CALLING UNTO ALLAH
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Calling on Allah is pure and when purity approaches impurity arises and takes its departure. Contraries flee away from contraries. When day dawns, night takes flight. When the pure name (of Allah) enters the mouth, neither does impurity nor that impure mouth remain!" The man whose calling "O Allah" was equivalent to Allah's answering him, "Here am I"

~ RUMI ~

KNOW IT ALL
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After an accident, a woman stepped forward and prepared to help the victim. She was asked to step aside by a man who announced, "Step back please! I've had a course in first aid and I'm trained in CPR."

The woman watched his procedures for a few moments, then tapped him on the shoulder.

"When you get to the part about calling a doctor," she said,

"I'm already here!"