Lifestyle

Fontain, a British man who used to be a Jazz singer and a successful Diamond trader until he accepted Islam and dedicated his life to Da’wah: John Fontain was born in Manchester, UK to a working class Christian family. As a young boy, he would always make an intention in Church that he was praying to God alone. At seven, ... Read More »

A baby has been born in China to a surrogate mother four years after his parents died in a car crash, Chinese media reported. The couple, who died in 2013, had frozen several embryos hoping to have a child through IVF. After the accident, their parents fought a protracted legal battle to be allowed to use the embryos. The boy ... Read More »

Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette In everything we do, we always try to aim for the best. Students work hard to get accepted into the best colleges. At work, we push ourselves and put in extra hours to get the best position and to get promoted. When it’s time to purchase a car, we do a lot of research on the ... Read More »

CAIRO: In a long-awaited achievement, Egypt now has its first magazine in Arabic Braille, offering visually challenged people an opportunity to work in journalism.  Akhbar Braille is published by Akhbar El-Youm, a semi-official daily newspaper in Arabic, and has columns on culture, art, sports, technology and politics. The Braille reading and writing system represents letters by raised dots. The editor ... Read More »

DUBAI: Coffee drinkers who consume four cups a day could be fending off an early death, a major study has revealed. Researchers tracked nearly 20,000 men and women for up to 14 years and found that the mortality rate of those who drank coffee regularly was almost two thirds lower, British daily, The Telegraph has reported. It is already documented ... Read More »

MAKKAH — It took an Indonesian youth exactly a year to cover on foot the 9,000-km-long journey from Central Java province to the holy city of Makkah to perform the Haj pilgrimage this year. Firm determination and courage of conviction helped Mochammad Khamim Setiawan in his adventure full of hazards but rich in spirituality. "Whenever he wants something, he'll try ... Read More »

Amal Al-Sibai Of all the days of the year, worship is most beloved to Allah during these first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah and during the month of Ramadan. It is easy to feel like we missed the bandwagon of worship if we are not planning to go for Haj this year. We see video clips of the Indonesian ... Read More »

JEDDAH: Cyclists in Madinah are a rare sight. It is even rarer to see eight of them arriving from the UK after a five-week journey in the saddle to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage. The “Hajj Riders” started from the East London Mosque in the British capital and cycled across France, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Egypt and ... Read More »

Samar Yahya : Makkah has always been the spiritual center for all Muslims. All Muslims in the world turn to the Kaaba five times every day to perform prayers. Moreover, Makkah receives over 3 million pilgrims worldwide every year to perform Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam. Haj is a unique journey that has illustrious acts of worship that every ... Read More »

The word 'gabardine' is of European origin, referring to a loose cloak worn in the Middle Ages. Traditionally, the fibre used to make the fabric was worsted wool or cotton. These days, texturised polyester or even a blend of all three may be used to make the final product. The beauty of the material lies in its comfort, durability and ... Read More »

The Qur’an repeatedly exhorts its readers to seek advice from men of knowledge.  It informs about different facts and then gives the advice: “If you want to know more about this or that, or if you doubt what is said, then you should ask those who have knowledge.”  This too is a surprising attitude. It is not usual to have ... Read More »

Prof. Khadijah Watson, formerly Sue Watson, was, as she admits, “a radical Christian fundamentalist,” accepted Islam when she found consistencies in the message, she said in the following narrative: WHAT happened to you?” This was usually the first reaction I encountered when my former classmates, friends and co-pastors saw me after having embraced Islam. I suppose I couldn’t blame them, ... Read More »

ANCUD: A fishing ban sparked by mass deaths of sea creatures in Chile has left tourists stranded and markets empty on an island cut off by protest blockades. In the south of the world’s second-biggest salmon-producing country, fishermen have blocked roads with burning tires. They have cut off access to the island of Chiloe in the picturesque Los Lagos region. ... Read More »

TIKAMGARH: Authorities in this drought-parched city in central India have deployed round-the-clock armed guards at a river-fed community reservoir to prevent farmers from siphoning the remaining water for irrigation. With rainfall in Tikamgarh district this year 52 percent below average — the second dry year for the area — water is now available to city residents only sporadically, with fears ... Read More »

Mothers, what would we do without them? They are the first people who come to our minds in times of joy, in times of sadness, but most importantly in times when we get in trouble hoping not to get scolded, but nonetheless we love them unconditionally. We love to pamper them, cherish them, shower them with gifts, and on this ... Read More »