My Precious world

Ramadan

2006-09-23T14:49:00.000+03:30

Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time where Muslims from all over the world start fasting from dawn to dusk. Each day, just before the fasting starts, we are allowed an early breakfast called Sahari, which is taken about ten minutes before twilight. After this, strict observance to the fast continues throughout the entire day until dusk. During this fasting period, we are asked to avoid food, drink, tobacco, chewing gum, sexual relations, vulgar talk, lying, gossiping and physical fighting. At dusk we are supposed to break the fast with a meal called Iftar, which is usually recommended with hot water and dates, before anything else is eaten. There are no specific dietary requirements during Ramadan other than consuming in small quantities.

Now you might ask yourself, why do we need to fast? People fast for various reasons, although they are mainly for physical and spiritual benefits. According to medical journals, fasting can improve vascular circulation, stamina, and strength. It allows your body time to rehabilitate and rejuvenate itself. It also flushes out toxins that have accumulated during the year. It is important to note that abstinence from water for approximately 10 hours is not necessarily bad for your health. The action of gathering the existing fluid in the body, causing the slight dehydration, has been shown to improve plant life longevity. However, the physical benefits of fasting are not the main focus in Islam and should only be considered secondary in nature.

In Islam, the fasted growing religion in the world, the main focus of fasting is on the spiritual benefit. Unfortunately, there are still many Muslims in the world who fast blindly, without realizing the true reason or benefit behind it. Fasting does not just occur in Islam but also in many other religions as well. In the bible, fasting was a regular part of Judaism, and continues to be part of Christian Catholics practice today. Buddhists and Hindus believe that fasting activates “chakras” which is essential for reaching spiritual enlightenment. The Koran, the sacred Islamic book, clearly stresses the fact that fasting does not only belong to Muslims.

In other words, fasting is a way of showing your willingness to improve the spiritual bond and closeness with God. This is a month of self-reflection; a way to think about our true selves and not the set of identities imposed by social norms and expectations. This is a time to reflect and contemplate our thoughts, deeds, and manners in order to reach a peaceful and tranquil state. It is a time to be loving and caring towards everyone, regardless of their belief, race, or ethnicity.
Ramadan, is also a month of self-training. By abstaining from eating, drinking, and all other habits, one learns patience and discipline. This provides us the opportunity to experience a small fraction of what the needy go through and to help us develop a sense of social responsibility. Hopefully, this should invoke in us a sense of duty to those who are in need to survive. This is such an important part of the fasting during Ramadan, that on the last day, everyone gives a donation to help the poor. The collected money, which is also called Zakat, is to equal the sum of the cost of a meal for each and every member of the family. In the time of Prophet Mohammad, the zakat was used to free slaves, whom would in turn free other slaves.

Finally, the Ramadan ends with a festival called Eid-e-Fetr (Eid-al-Fitr). On this day, people celebrate their successful spiritual and self-controlled journey.

In my opinion, the spiritual benefits of fasting will only be achieved if there is a true willingness to go through this experience. It is important to realize that this is a spiritual cleansing venture, between man and God, therefore, it is absolutely crucial to go through this with an open heart and not with a sense of obligation.

2006-08-14T20:19:00.000+03:30

NEVER QUIT THE FIGHT!

:)

2006-06-15T14:52:00.000+03:30

hi,
its been ages since i last wrote on here...
actually i was starting to forget that i have an english blog.
right now i went over all my previous posts and i read them all... i have soo many spelling mistakes!:S ... anyways...
my life has changed soo much over these three/four months that i havent been around. so many things have happened that i would never guess would, when i was writting my last post on here! and right now im living a complete diffrent life... ( no better no worse, just diffrent!).
first of all i got the job i was promised to get... i wrote 3 articles for an iranian newspaper... and one of them got published!!! it covered a whole page on the newspaper and it had my name on the top. i was over the moon when i saw my own words in print! it was sooooooo extraordinary! I havent written anything for a while... because my university exams close and i have to take time to study more... something i can never do!( as you can see right now instead of studing... im updating my weblog!) but i will start writing again as soon as my exams are over!
right now im looking for a serious job... somewhere i can go on a daily basis... maby that will help me get my head together and grow up a bit!
i actually want to make this a more serious weblog... all my posts up to now have been personal ones...
hope i can manage it!
:)

...

2006-03-03T21:59:00.000+03:30

Happy Birthday to me!!!

2006-02-13T22:38:00.000+03:30

By the way: **HAPPY VALENTINE DAY**

I'm back

2006-02-13T22:15:00.000+03:30

Hey,
I’m back! And there is so much to talk about!
About two weeks a go I finished my exams, which were easier than I thought. I have now got the results for about half of them and they are all pretty good. Right after finishing my exams I went to my mum’s home town, where my grand parents live. It was so good seeing them again after such a long time. I don’t know why but I kind of feel closer to them than my parents. I can talk much easier to them.
Last week special programs were held In Iran because of the month of “Moharram”.
This month is the firth month in the lunar calendar, and is the month in which “Imam Hussein” (The third of the holly Imams) and his family were martyred.
In this month, especially the seventh, eighth and the ninth day, all “shia” Muslims, attend mosques for mourning programs. Some (mostly men) come out in to the streets to perform their “breast beating”.
The atmosphere in the towns changes during these days, even the people change. Everything, from what people wear, to what they listen on their car stereo, what they do and read, and what they speak about, changes. Everyone becomes friends, as if they suddenly realize that they all have the same religion and believes, and you see them do things they usually wouldn’t do. You see people in the streets giving out hot chocolate milk (in winter) and cold home made drinks. (This is to remind people of the events of “Ashura” which is the day that “Hussein” got martyred.)
In Iran those days are bank holidays, so everyone can participate in the religious programs.
I cannot describe the programs in detail. It seems like I don’t know the right words in English. I always though my English was good, but when it comes to writing about religion, and describing religious events, it comes short! Maybe it’s because there are not nice equivalents for the religious words in English. But I will try to write about the events that took place on the day of “Ashura”, later, so you would know what I’m talking about!
Any ways, while I was in my mum’s home town, I really enjoyed going out to look and the group of mourners, though I only did it for about one hour.
Last year I took more part in the programs, but this I had loads on my mind and I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than…well, the things I had on my mind! J
I’ve just started my third term at university, I’ve made a promise to myself to study more, and stop wasting time. I decide to study hard at the start of every term, but I don’t know why I never manage to stick to it!
I’ve been thinking of getting a job for about a month now, and a friend said that he could talk to this guy, who works in one of the national newspapers, so I could translate news articles for him.
I’m going there to talk to the guy on Wednesday. Hope it goes well!
Wish me luck!

I'll be back.

2006-02-07T14:41:00.000+03:30

Although i have loads of free time, i just cant get off my lazy ... to update this blog. And the problem is that, the later i update, the more i have to write.
going away for a few days, out of town, so i wont be online for a couple of days. but i promis i will update as soon as i can. promis!
By the way, i found the picture on the net, and it so reminds me of how powerful God is.
Enjoy.

2006-01-28T20:37:00.000+03:30

and it looks like it wont upload.... neer mind!

2006-01-28T20:27:00.000+03:30

It took me about two hours to upload this photo.

2006-01-09T15:11:00.001+03:30

It was it snowing here in Tehran today. Woke up in the morning, and i only had to look out the window to realise how much i miss all my friends.

Exams are starting next week, so i might dissapear for a couple of days. I've been stuck at home all week, trying to finish this stupid project, and im bored to death!

went out yesterday, but that was only for a couple of hours, and i really need to get out more. only if it wasnt freezing outside...

2006-01-01T21:15:00.000+03:30

Hey,
I have this project on morphology, i have to fine all the compound words that start with the letter "P". I've only just started but it is the best project i've been given up to now, i wish i had started it earlier. The good thing is that you learn a lot about the english language. Every now and then i come across words that are not only funny looking but have a funny meaning too. Unfortunatly i cannt give you an example right now, ( my dictionary is just about a meter away and i cannt be bothered to get it!!!). But once i DO get up, i will look the funny words up and i might put some of them on here.
By the way... i know this cool girlish website, and i thought i would share it with you. It's called "Hand Bag", and it has some usefull tips about make up, hair styles, rolationships and things like that.
Oh yeah... for the firs time in my life some one bought me a flower!!! ( i might seem so sad, writing that, but it was soooooo exciting.) the only problem was that it wasnt form anyone special. it was from a friend :( But it was the first flower that was given to me... so i'm going to dry it and keep it :).
I have this really bad feeling right now... but never mind. I'll talk about it later.
Thats it for now, i have a very important project to get on with.
ttul.

2005-12-30T18:53:00.000+03:30

I saw this picture on a website long ago, liked it, but thought how can some one cry inside and not let anyone know about it? To me, it seemed like the stupidest thing a person can do... to hide their saddness from the world. Then, i had people around me that actually cared about my feelings and when i told them i was sad, they actually tried to find out what was wrong with me and try to solve it. Now there is a comlepetly diffrent story...

Home work

2005-12-29T19:05:00.000+03:30

Hi.
Today was one of my friends' b-day. We all went out, took photos and had lunch. I will put some of the photos up here once I get them. They are on one of the guys’ camera!
Just now I was on this great website. It is the official site of iraj-e-janati-e-ataie he is an Iranian song writer. Some of his poems drive me mad… they are so related to my feelings and it’s like he is speaking out, what I’m feeling inside!!! Hope you enjoy looking around it.
Exams and deadlines are coming closer and I haven’t even started one piece of course work, nor have I revised for any of my exams.
I’m going to write a book review about Charles Dickens’s “Great expectations”. I have only managed to write 2 pages. I’m going to try and FINISH it by tomorrow but I doubt it!!! ( I defiantly do!!! How can I finish it? I haven’t even passed the intro!)
Well gtg
Bye for now

Merry Christmas

2005-12-28T19:54:00.000+03:30

Hello,
I should have said this in my earlier posts, but i forgot , so here it is now MERRY CHRISTMAS.
During the past few weeks my mind has been so busy.
I havent had time to think about things that really matter in life, ive just been tiring myself with usual gossip and the random problems that may occure for any one during their life time. ( better say teenage life)!!!
just now i was watching the forth harry potter film for the 3rd time. ive found about 13 mistakes in it!!! (By the way this is the best Harry Potter website i have found up to now.)
i gtg for now.
bye

Dancing clouds

2005-12-26T20:18:00.000+03:30

Hi.
We had very nice weather over here in tehran today. Cool and clean air, a bit cold though...
after about two weeks of pluted weather, you could take a deap breath and feel the coldness of the air in your lungs!
in the morning when i looked out of my window, i could see the white puffy clouds moving about between the skyscrapers, it was so beautifull. it looked like they were running... no... dancing between the buildings.
Reminded me of london's weather.
Hope it rains a bit more!
for now...

HEY

2005-12-25T21:29:00.000+03:30

Hey...
welcome to my weblog.
I only just created it ( saying this makes me feel like god), and this is my first post.
i just made this weblog to have a place you share my life with others.( not that i have a great life!).
i will be updating this place az soon as i have the time.
Thats it for now.

p.s. i do have another weblog. Its all in persian. so if you know the language you can visit it by clicking here.