Never Too Young To Learn

You may our may not know that muslims are required to pray 5 times a day at specific periods of the day. I will be honest, I always struggled. The morning sunrise prayer (Fajr) was difficult because of my laziness. I always struggled to wake up before sunrise. The mid day prayer (Zuhr) was easy. I will walk to my city mosque during lunch and offer my prayer. I made me feel good. The late afternoon prayer (Asr), to be honest it always escaped my mind. The dusk prayer (Magrib) is due whilst I ask on the commute back home. The Night prayer (Esha) was often offered but not completely.

I feel terrible. I call my self a Muslim and failed in its most basic practice. I demand other people to understand and accept my religion when I am myself a Muslim by name  not by nature. How are people to understand and accept the Muslim way of life when Muslim s struggle to do it themselves. I know of many that are in the same boat as me; in fact many are worst than me.

I learnt something very valuable recently and its effect on me was profound. it was a simple revelation which has had a profound effect on my performance of salat (prayer). The fact is, up until very recently I have been offering salat not establishing nor experiencing its beauty and benefits. That was hurtful to me. So much so that it brought years to my eyes. It was an humbling experience. salat is what separate me from the non Muslim. it was gives me my Muslim identity. Not the beard, the turban or the dark complexion. It is salat. It is in my view the difference between s good and bad Muslim. A good and a bad person. If salat id established and experienced as the prophet and the companions did, this world would be a better place.

There is a very touching history behind when muslims were ordered to establish salat. I won't hi in to that right now.

My simple revelation was this; salat is the answer to all our problems because Allah is greater than all your problems. For the past 20 odd years I always understood "Allahu Akbar" to meab ~"Allah is the Greatest", which he is. A new found meaning in the context of salat whch suggests the meaning to be "Allah is Greater than....[add your worry, distraaction, problem]. Once you realise that the call to Allah is greater than all your problems and worries and that Allah is above all, salat takes a whole new meaning. I for have found myself to be more focused in salat.

Give it a try. Next time you stand to pray salat and you say Allahu Akbar, remind yourself that whatever distraction shaytan may whisper in your head, whatever trouble your a facing, Allah is greater than that.

The way back.

I had lost 2 stones over the course of 1 month through a strict diet and exercise programme recommended by a personal trainer friend of mine. It worked well. All my suits were altered to fit my waist. I went from a size 34 to 32 and it felt great. I also lost 2 inches on my chest. I felt mighty good; energy levels were astounding; I was more focused at work and more confident with myself. My mental stability and endurance increased allowing me to achieve better results at work. As s fraud lawyer my work requires a lot of concentration and focus and its amazing what a good diet and exercise can do for you. It was amazing.

That was 2 years ago. I have picked up my old bad habits; quick takeaway meals, motionless evenings on the couch and very little exercise. Its having an adverse impact on my life. Because my mind is not diverted, it feels I never leave work. My mind never gets a break.

I need to return to exercise fix for my own sanity. In order to remedy the issues  I want to fightback. It is going to be a strict programme of low carb, low garb and high protein diet with high cardio, pure body weight, fully body exercise for 4 Weeks. For relaxation, I am considering covering at least 3 photography projects a month, which will also give me some walking.

What I need is some photography project ideas, body weight workouts and some meal ideas. Any suggestions?

Photography Challenge - Public Portraits

In this challenge I will seek to take portraits of random members of the public (with their permission of course). 

I will focus on:

 

• Composition - In the natural surrounding with readily available props
• Exposure - I will endeavour to use natural light but will work mainly in Aperture Priority so that i get used to it and understand Aperture Priority better than i do now. 

Lets what i can come up with. I will keep you posted.

Ali Dizai

You don't see this type of action taksn against white officers? I mean, Ian tomlinson was killed by a white copper and is yet to be arrested let alone prisoned but a minority, well we are easy escape goats. Shame on the met and shame on the system

Ali Dizaei wins retrial as corruption conviction is overturned | Metro.co.uk

Israel...why is the world blind to their actions?

PressTV Mobile

No Car Day

The nation is going through some extremely difficult times. We have one of the highest fuel prices of any European country, to add to this, child obesity is one of the highest amongst European countries as well. It is estimated that prices will rise to approximately £2 per litre. Who can actually afford that? We have to look after our own pockets and our health.

What I propose is extremely simple. It carries benefits for our pockets and our health. I propose we refrain from driving our cars for one day a month every month. It would be ideal to have this day on a weekend as opposed to a weekday as majority of the people need to drive their cars to work. On average, we spend between £5 and £10 a day on fuel.

This scheme is different from refraining from going to a fuel pump once a month. If you refrain from fuelling up once a month, what you are effectively doing is filling up for that day in advance. You are still using that fuel. You will still need to use that fuel. By refusing to use your car once a month you are refusing to use that fuel and therefore not spending that money. It is a small step to attain great benefits.

In place of driving your car, you can spend a day with your family, perhaps take your children to the park or take them for a nature walk. This has health benefits for your children and you and would help to bring your family closer.

Environmentally, we can aim to reduce our carbon footprint at the same time reduce the pollution that enters the air on a daily basis. Only drive your car if it is absolutely necessary. If you can do without driving a vehicle for one day then please do so. If the entire nation chooses not to drive the vehicle for one-day, collectively, we stand to save £20,000,000 in one day (on the approximation of there being 2 million cars off the road and we save £10 on fuel for a day). So let the first Sunday of every month be No Cars Day.

This is something that was tried in China back in 2007 . It called it the Green Transport and Health week campaign. the result of the campaign was “No Car Day Saturday” this campaign was implemented by the Ministry of Construction. during the period of the campaign particularly the week of September 22 2007, walking, biking, public transportation, and other environmentally friendly transport options were encouraged. They sought to set up special ‘green zones’ in hundreds of cities. These normally vehicle congested areas will be open only to pedestrians, bicycles, and buses from 7am to 7pm.the Chinese plan to call this campaign as a annual event. The estimate,in 2007 the campaign saved saved 33 million liters of gasoline and cut emissions by 3,000 tons.

The 10 big investment mistakes - Spend & Save , Money - The Independent

This is a great article for anyone play the investment game. Learn from the investment mistakes of others to avoid losses.

The 10 big investment mistakes - Spend & Save , Money - The Independent