Employment Concerns For Working Muslim Women

Before a Muslim woman seeks employment, she must carefully weigh all of her options and prepare herself for inevitable challenges.

Every day, many Muslim women cope with the challenge of working in a non-Muslim environment: a male employee offers his hand during introductions, other employees begin to discuss private aspects of their lives at lunch, an invitation is sent to all employees for a get-together at the local bar; someone makes a joke about Hijaab or Salaah. These are just a few of the many possible situations that a woman may face as she struggles to maintain not only her job, but, more importantly, her Muslim identity.

All women who have been exposed to the workplace at some point in their lives can fully grasp the myriad of reasons why working outside the home is an enormous problem, in particular for Muslim women. There are countless contrasts in the workplace to our Islamic value system.

There are valid reasons why laws were enacted for sexual harassment in the workplace in the United States, and that is because it happens, and often. Moreover, women should be aware that the laws can only do very little to discourage it, after that you are on your own.

What is the Islamic perspective in women and work? What guidelines should be followed if a woman works? What are some strategies that may be effective in helping her to maintain Islamic values and behavior?

Setting priorities:

The most important role for a woman is motherhood. This special role that Allaah, Almighty, has created for her, affords her honor and respect in Islam. Where does she fulfill this role? Naturally, in her home. Allaah, Almighty, Says (what means): "And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance..." [Quran 33: 33]

This does not mean that a woman is a prisoner in her home, but only that she should have a valid reason (meeting her basic needs) to go out, to avoid any tribulation, trial, or temptation that may result from mixing between men and women.

A woman should not work in a non-Muslim environment unless there is an extremelly compelling reason for her to do so. Allaah, Almighty, has not prohibited women from working, but He has provided numerous protections for women, that are primarily concerned with where, how, and with whom she associates. She should seriously consider the costs and benefits for herself, and the impact on her ability to fulfill her primary responsibilities, before taking on a job. There are many situations that may make it necessary for a woman to work, such as to meet the financial needs of the family or to fulfill the needs of the society (doctors, midwives, teachers).

There are several obvious guidelines that should be followed if a woman must work:

First, she must obtain consent from her guardian or husband (if married), who may offer a broader perspective on how her work may influence the family and its functioning.

Secondly, a woman must ensure that her home and children are properly cared for. Her husband may be of assistance in this area, or outside help may be employed.

Thirdly, care must be taken to choose employment that is appropriate and fits with her skills. Obviously, any work that deals with forbidden activities, services, or products would not be allowed but there is a world of possibilities available.

Forthly, any job that prevents her from fulfilling any of her Islamic obligations, like Hijaab or Prayer for example, is not an option to be considered.

Fifthly, while at the job, a woman must maintain her inwardly and outwardly modesty and chastity.

There is an immense and growing need for Muslim women in various medical fields, in education, in helping professions such as social work, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, and childcare. With the growth of technology and communications capabilities, there are unlimited opportunities for women to do some type of work or business from home (such as secretarial and typing; writing, editing, publishing; computer work, etc.). This would be an ideal situation that would eliminate many of the concerns that may arise for working women.

Maintaining an Islamic foundation:

This common concern for women who work outside the home must be taken very seriously. Women need to be careful that the job they choose does not lead them to transgress the limits of Islam.

Fedwa is a successful computer programmer at a major University who understands the risks of working in a non-Muslim environment. She knows that if she is not cautious, others may begin to negatively influence her. When she first began working, she would attend luncheons with other employees, but soon discovered that much of the time was spent on idle talk and conversation about forbidden activities (e.g. boyfriends, drinking). She decided that the best precaution for her would be to avoid these luncheons completely, so that a bond would not be established between herself and her co-workers. This type of influence could be so subtle, that a sister may not even be aware that she has fallen into the trap. Listening to inappropriate conversations on a regular basis may lead a sister to become desensitized and thereby forgetful about appropriate etiquette.

Another sister, Layla, echoed the same concerns. Layla is a Dental Claims Clerk at a major HMO who also decided to stop sitting with her co-workers during lunch. She and three other Muslim sisters at the same company have devised a creative way to preserve their identity while socializing at the same time. Each Friday, the sisters pray Thuhr (noon prayer) together in a conference room, followed by lunch. During lunchtime, they study about Islam in a private halaqah (Islamic study circle).

Layla also discussed her struggle with wearing Hijaab. When she first became Muslim, she considered not wearing Hijaab to job interviews for fear that potential employers would react negatively, preventing her from being considered. This rationale carries a strong message. After more consideration, she realized that Allaah would be the only One Who could assist her in finding a job, and if she did not wear it, she would not receive Allaah's help. She wore the Hijaab and found a job. She felt that the Hijaab was a barrier in only one of her interviews. Since that time, Allaah, Almighty, has strengthened her faith. Her advice to other Muslim sisters is to be open and honest about religious beliefs and practices, and to incorporate this into conversations.

Sources: Al-Jumuah magazine

Time Value of Money is acceptable ???

"The birth of the Islamic banking industry in the late 1960s was preceded by numerous literatures in Islamic economics that discussed an economic system complete with social justice. Islamic banking was only a minute discussion in these literatures. Regardless of the initial initiatives by the economist, the Islamic banking industry was actually instigated by the business community because they sensed that it will be too long to wait for the complete Islamic economic system to emerge. These efforts gave birth to the first Islamic commercial bank - the Dubai Islamic Bank in 1975. Since then, Islamic banking has gained acceptability and success." This comment came from Sheikh Nizam Yaquby during the 15th Islamic Banking Discussion Series at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM).

He also added that despite the acceptability and success of the industry, the economist always criticizes Islamic banks and makes them responsible for the problems of the Muslim community, including the inequality of wealth among the people. This, however, serves as an important reminder: one has to be fair to the Islamic banks in their criticism. "We have to remember that an Islamic bank was initially set up because traders wanted to conduct business without contravening the Shariah. To claim that Islamic banks have deviated from the path (i.e. Musharakah) and to make them responsible for all the economic problems of the Ummah, would be an over-reaction by the economists I say." Sheikh Nizam concluded his brief prologue with these words before providing an opportunity for the attendees to pose various questions. This article summarizes some of the questions and answers put to Sheikh Nizam at the discussion series.

Shouldn't Islamic banks play a role in the development of the Muslim society?

Yes, Islamic banks do play a role, however they are not the only institution responsible for the development of the Ummah. They play a developmental role by employing people, providing finance for trade and granting scholarships for students. However, to say that Islamic banks are responsible to eradicate the poverty of the Ummah is just too much. We need collective efforts from the state government, the banks and the Awqaf institution to effectively eradicate poverty, not the banks alone.

Which one should prevail in accounting for Islamic banking products; the substance of a transaction or the legal form of it? We cannot apply a general rule for substance over form. We have to examine each situation on a case-by-case basis. Ideally, we would like to recognize both substance and form. However, in certain situations the substance would be more important while in other situations the form would need to prevail. For example, when the prophet prohibited the companions from exchanging a portion of good quality dates with two portions of bad quality dates and suggested them to first sell the good dates and use the money from that transaction to buy the lower quality dates, it shows that form is important. However, this does not mean that substance should be ignored. What is more important, I think, is to analyze the impact of any policy that we choose.

In an Ijarah Muntahiyah Bi Tamlik transaction, for example, rather than arguing about substance over form, the final decision that is much more vital is to settle is who should carry the asset in their book - the lessor or the lessee? Focus on this and leave out the substance over form argument. Islamic funds are eventually placed with conventional banks via commodity Murabahah. What is your comment?

As long as there is no full Islamic economic market, the Islamic funds will always flee to the conventional market. The solution is therefore to find a commodity market that trades within the Muslim countries as an alternative to the London Metal Exchange (LME), for example. It is amazing to note that no single oil producing country has an oil exchange. Muslim countries are the major oil producers, however none of these countries have an oil exchange. We need to change this. We need to establish exchanges for oil, rubber and palm oil, for example. This will give the bankers alternative investment avenues. Currently, Sukuk is not providing that much of an alternative because there are not many issuances, and within this limited issuance, investors usually will hold Sukuk until maturity due to the good yield and the double collateralization it carries.

Can Islamic banks provide Hajj financing?

Capability (financial and physical) is always made a prerequisite for performing hajj. The aim of hajj financing is to provide the financial capability to individuals who may not have the financial capability immediately, however who have good salaries which provide steady cash inflow (i.e. future financial capability). During the pre-industrial era, people were farmers and entrepreneurs. They did not enjoy a fixed income every month. However, with the advancement of the industrial revolution, most people are salary-based and financing has become a modern aspect in life. It is not haram to seek debt if you are able to fulfill obligations. Therefore it is permissible to seek finance to perform hajj. Nonetheless, it should be made clear that hajj financing is meant for those who have the capability to repay the financing, not for the poor. As for the poor, it is better to go for saving schemes like the one provided by Tabung Haji here in Malaysia.

What is your opinion regarding the time value of money?

All eight schools of thought agree that the time value of money is accepted in exchange contracts. If we analyze verse 2:275 in al-Quran, it says: "They say: Trading is only like riba, but Allah has permitted trading and forbidden riba." What trade is this verse referring to? It is certainly not cash sales. It is actually referring to a credit sale where the price is higher than the cash price. Then only would it be comparable to riba.

Time value in sales is recognized, while time value in loans is haram. This is unanimously agreed by the scholars.

What are the challenges that the industry faces in the next 10 years?

There are three major challenges. First, we need a real genuine solution to solve the liquidity problem of Islamic banks today. Secondly, we need to establish a mega Islamic institution with at least US$50 billion capital. We may even establish four to five of these mega institutions for each continent - the Middle East, Asia, Europe, the US and Africa. This institution will be able to solve a lot of problems that the industry faces, including the liquidity problem. Finally, we need to seriously look into human resource development and R&D. The salaries of the CEOs of Islamic banks today are unbelievably high due to a shortage of experienced and qualified Islamic bankers. Concentrated efforts should be focused on education and training of human resources. The industry also needs to allocate funds for R&D purposes to come up with innovative and competitive products

-UZAR

Gara-Gara Manfaatkan 1000 Ciuman Suami

masalah jugak kalau jenis lurus bendul....

Zaman ni zaman susah. Harga minyak naik terus, akibatnya terjadi pemberhentian di berbagai syarikat. Salah satunya yg terkena pemberhentian ialah Suparjo dari Semarang, Indonesia. Bulan ni dia tak dapat kirim wang untuk isterinya di kampung halaman. Hanya dapat kirim surat yang isinya demikian:

Isteriku tercinta,

Maafkan kanda sayang, bulan ni kanda tak dapat kirim wang utk keperluan keluarga di rumah. Kanda hanya dapat mengirimkan buatmu 1000 ciuman.

Paling cinta,
Kanda Suparjo Yii

Seminggu kemudian Suparjo mendapat surat balasan dari isteri tercintanya:

Kanda Suparjo tersayang,

Terima kasih atas kiriman 1000 ciumanmu. Utk bulan ini Dinda akan menyampaikan laporan perbelanjaan keluarga:

Tukang minyak bersedia menerima 2 ciuman setiap kali membeli 5 liter minyak tanah.

Tukang letrik mahu dibayar dengan 4 ciuman setiap 10hb setiap bulan.

Tuan rumah mahu sewanya dibayar ansuran 3 kali ciuman setiap hari.

Tokeh kedai runcit tak mahu dibayar pakai ciuman. Dia mintak yg lain jadi Dinda terpaksa berikan saja.

Hal yg sama juga kepada Guru Besar dan guru kelas sekolah di Nanang yg dah 3 bulan tertunggak.

Besok Dinda nak ke pajak gadai utk tukar 200 ciuman dgn wang tunai sebab Tokeh pajak gadai dah sedia tukarkan 200 ciuman dan gadaian yg lain dgn wang Rp650 ribu. Lumayan buat belanja sebulan.

Keperluan peribadi Dinda bulan ni mencapai 50 ciuman. Kanda tersayang.. bulan ni Dinda merasa menjadi org paling kaya di kampung kita kerana Dinda berikan hutang ciuman kepada ramai pemuda di kampung dan siap ditukar dengan apa pun keperluan Dinda.

Yang dari kanda masih berbaki 125 ciuman, kanda ada fikiran bagaimana mahu dihabiskan? Atau Dinda simpan dululah dalam tabung yer??

Paling sayang,
Dinda Suti Nirwingsih

....gedebuk. .. Suparjo pengsan!!!!

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MORAL: Semoga keperitan hidup tidak menyebabkan kita hingga menggadaikan kehormatan diri sendiri. Begitu juga kesenangan hidup sepatutnya tidak menyebabkan kita jadi sombong dan lupa diri.

Takaful vs Conventional Insurance

Ramai yang kurang memahami beza di antara praktis yang dilakukan oleh syarikat Insuran dan Takaful. Bagaimanakah bentuk yang dilakukan oleh syarikat-syarikat Takaful?. Bukankah ia juga mempunyai elemen meletakkan wang dan menunggu pampasan apabila musibah mendatang.?

Jawapannya adalah, syarikat-syarikat Takaful telah mengubah aqad ‘Mu'awadah Maliah' yang digunakan oleh syarikat Insuran konvensional kepada aqad Tabarru'at (kontrak derma). Hasilnya, aqad derma tidak terikat dengan syarat-syarat jual beli tadi, tidak juga diperlukan untuk jelas dan terang jumlah itu dan ini semasa serahan derma.

Contoh mudahnya, apabila anda memberikan hadiah kepada seseorang, adakah menjadi syarat agar anda memberitahu kepadanya berapa jumlah yang anda beri? Jawapnya sudah tentu tidak menjadi syarat. Ini kerana, ia adalah sumbangan baik dari satu pihak, tatkala itu tidak banyak syarat diperlukan untuk melaksanakan aqad derma ini.

Bagaimanapun bagi memudahkan urusan syarikat Takaful, mereka akan menggunakan gabungan beberapa aqad. Asas asasnya adalah :-

• a) Tabarru' dan Mudarabah
• b) Wakalah dan Tabarru

1) Takaful Model Wakalah dan Tabarru'

Keterangan ringkas : Syarikat Pengendali Takaful dilantik oleh pencarum sebagi wakil bagi menguruskan sejumlah wang tertentu untuk didermakan bagi tujuan takaful apabila diperlukan. Untuk melaksanakan tujuan itu syarikat Takaful akan mengambil sejumlah upah (al-Ujr) atas sebagai kos pengurusannya. Di samping itu, ia juga berfungsi sebagai wakil untuk melaburkan wang yang belum didermakan dan atas dasr Ju'alah, syarikat akan mengambil satu lagi jumlah upah sekiaranya ia berjaya mendapatkan untung dari pelaburan yang diusahakannya itu.

2) Takaful Model Tabarru dan Mudarabah

Keterangan ringkas : Menurut model ini, pihak pencarum meletakkan wangnya dalam jumlah tertentu atas aqad tabarru', pihak syarikat akan menguruskan tabung takaful dan dalam masa yang sama melaburkannya, jika terdapat lebihan keuntungan (surplus) setelah ditolak semua kos-kos pengurusan, pihak syarikat Takaful akan menghadiahkan sejumlah wang kepada peserta sebagai penghargaan penyertaannya.

Kesimpulan; perubahan dari aqad yang mengandungi ciri jual beli yang diamalkan oleh Insuran konevsnional menjadikannya bermasalah dari sudut Shariah. Ini berbeza dengan yang digunakan oleh Takaful yang menggunakan samada aqad derma (tabarru') atau (wakalah).

Berikut pula perbezaan antara keduanya dalam bentuk jadual ;-

Konvensional	Takaful
Kontrak Mu'awadah (Pertukaran Jual Beli) antara penanggung insurans dengan pohak yang diinsurankan	Kontrak Tabbaru' ( Derma & sumbangan ) yang disertakan dengan pelaburan.
Pemegang polisi membayar premium kepada penanggung insuran	Peserta membuat caruman ke dalam skim. Peserta saling menjamin sesama sendiri di bawah skim.
Penanggung insuran bertanggung jawab membayar manfaat insuran seperti dijanjikan daripada asetnya (kumpulan wang insuran dan kumpulan wang pemegang saham)	* Pengendali Takaful bertindak sebagai pentadbir skim dan membayar Takaful daripada kumpulan wang takaful.
	* Sekiranya berlaku kekurangan dalam kumpulan wang takaful, pengendali Takaful akan menyediakan (Qardhul Hasan) pinjaman tanpa faedah untuk menampung kekurangan berkenaan.
Pelaburan kumpulan wang bebas tanpa sebarang kekangan Shariah	Aset kumpulan wang Takaful HANYA boleh dilaburkan dalam instrumen yang selari dengan Shariah.
Wang pelanggan dianggap wang syarikat insuran dan dimilki olehnya sejurus dibayar oleh pelanggan.	Wang pencarum tidak di kira sebagai wang syarikat malah ia diasingkan dan tidak dimiliki oleh pengendali
Keuntungan yang dihasilkan dari kumpulan wang pencarum adalah dimiliki sepenuhnya oleh syarikat. Ia juga adalah objektif utama syarikat insuran.	Keuntungan hasil pelaburan dari kumpulan wang pencarum tidak dimiliki oleh syarikat kecuali nisbah yang disumbang dari wang syarikat sendiri. Baki keuntunaghn adalah milik tabung kumpulan wang pencarum.
Pencarum tidak berhak untuk mendapat sebarang bahagian dari 'surplus'	Lebihan, untung atau pulangan dipegang oleh tabung untuk dibahagikan semula kepada pencarum.

Senarai Takaful Operator (up to 2008) :


1) Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad
2) CIMB Aviva Takaful Berhad
3) Etiqa Takaful Sdn Bhd
4) Hong Leong Tokio Marine Takaful Berhad
5) HSBC Amanah Takaful (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
6) MAA Takaful Berhad
7) Takaful Ikhlas Sdn Bhd

Office boy --> millionaire

A jobless man applied for the position of Office Boy� at Microsoft.

The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a Test. “You are employed”,� he said.

“Give me your e-mail address and I will send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start.”

The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, nor an email.”�

“I’m sorry”�, said the HR manager, “If you don’t have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist, cannot have the job.”

The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10Kg tomato crate. He then sold the tomatoes in a door-to-door round.

In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with $60. The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday.

Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. 5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US . He started to plan his family’s future, and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his email.

The man replied, “I don’t have an email.”

The broker answered curiously, You don’t have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?!!”�

The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”

Moral of the story:

1. Internet/email is not the only solution to your life.

2. If you don’t have internet/email but are willing to work hard, you can be a millionaire.

3. If you received this message by email, you are probably already an office boy/girl, and not any close to being a millionaire

Sifat Anda: Tanah, Air, Api, Angin

Kedudukan dalam keluarga juga boleh memberi gambaran terdekat tentang personaliti dirimu. Apatah lagi ia boleh dikaitkan dengan empat unsur asas seperti tanah, air, api dan angin. Jadi, apa kata kamu nilai sendiri keputusan kali ini.




Tanah - Anak pertama, kelima dan kesembilan
Air - Anak kedua, keenam dan kesepuluh
Api - Anak ketiga, ketujuh dan kesebelas
Angin - Anak keempat, kelapan dan kedua belas

Tanah

Individu yang tergolong dalam kategori ini dikatakan memiliki sifat merendah diri dan tidak cerewet. Sifat merendah diri sememangnya sifat yang dipuji namun sekiranya keterlaluan, pasti sifat ia mampu mengundang impak negatif dalam diri kamu. Mungkin telah tiba masanya untuk kamu merubah sikap sambil lewa kamu itu dan membentuk keperibadian yang lebih tegas dan berpendirian. Namun itu bukan bermaksud kamu perlu melakukan perubahan secara drastik, sebaliknya mulakan setiap perubahan itu dengan perlahan-lahan. Oh ya! Kamu juga digambarkan sebagai individu yang sentiasa bersifat tenang dan bijak mengimbangi emosi. Apa kata, kamu kekalkan kedua-dua keperibadian postif tersebut dan baiki lain-lain kelemahan yang ada. Biasalah, setiap manusia yang lahir di dunia ini memiliki kelemahan dan kelebihan masing-masing.

Air

Sesuai dengan unsurnya, individu yang tergolong dalam kategori ini disifatkan sebagai individu yang berjiwa agak sentimental dan mudah mengeluarkan air mata. Ketulusan hatinya pula tidak perlu diragui kerana mereka yang terdiri dalam kategori air ini memiliki sifat mengambil berat dan sentiasa berusaha untuk membahagiakan pasangannya. Tidak hairanlah sekiranya si dia dilihat memiliki sifat yang agak romantis. Jadi, bagi kamu yang masih berseorangan... bolehlah mula mencari teman yang terdiri daripada golongan ini!

Api

Individu yang tergolong dalam kategori unsur api ini dilihat memiliki sifat bertanggungjawab dan cekap dalam melakukan apa jua perkara. Selain itu, si dia juga mampu menjadi pendengar dan penasihat yang baik. Orang di sekelilingnya sentiasa berasa selamat apabila berdampingan dengan individu ini kerana individu dari kategori ini dikatakan memiliki sikap sering berhati-hati dan peka dengan keadaan sekeliling.

Angin

Bijak berkomunikasi dan sentiasa memelihara adab kesopanan menjadikan individu ini disenangi oleh teman-teman sekeliling. Tidak hairanlah sekiranya si dia sering dikelilingi ramai teman tak kira tua mahupun muda. Sifat manis mulutnya dan bijak bermain kata-kata mungkin akan membimbangkan setengah pihak namun itulah sifat semula jadinya yang sukar untuk dikikis.

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NOTA: Ini adalah antara ilmu firasat orang-orang Melayu zaman dahulu. Jadikan ia sebagai menambah pengetahuan, bukan untuk dipercayai 100%.

-MS

10 AMALAN YANG TERBALIK" ....bukan terbaik.

Marilah kita bermuhasabah atau menilai dan menghitung kembali tentang amalan harian kita. Kadang-kadang kita akan dapati amalan kita adalah terbalik atau bertentangan dari apa yang patut dilakukan dan dituntut oleh Islam. Mungkin kita tidak sedar atau telah dilalaikan atau terikut-ikut dengan budaya hidup orang lain. Perhatikan apa yang dipaparkan dibawah sebagai contoh amalan yang terbalik:

1. Amalan kenduri arwah beberapa malam yang dilakukan oleh keluarga simati selepas sesuatu kematian (malam pertama, kedua, ketiga, ketujuh dan seterusnya) adalah terbalik dari apa yang dianjurkan oleh Rasulullah di mana Rasulullah telah menganjurkan jiran tetangga memasak makanan untuk keluarga simati untuk meringankan kesusahan dan kesedihan mereka. Keluarga tersebut telah ditimpa kesedihan, terpaksa pula menyedia makanan dan belanja untuk mereka yang datang membaca tahlil. Tidakkah mereka yang hadir makan kenduri tersebut khuatir kalau-kalau mereka termakan harta anak yatim yang ditinggalkan oleh simati atau harta peninggalan simati yang belum dibahagikan kepada yang berhak menurut Islam?

2. Kalau hadir ke kenduri walimatul urus (kenduri kahwin) orang kerap salam berisi (hadiah wang yang diberi semasa bersalam). Kalau tak ada duit nak dikepit dalam tangan, maka segan ia nak pergi makan kenduri. Tetapi kalau ia menziarah orang mati, tidak segan pula salam tak berisi. Sepatutnya kalau menziarah keluarga si matilah kita patut memberi sedekah. Kalau ke kenduri kahwin, tak bagi pun tak apa kerana tuan rumah panggil untuk diberi makan bukan untuk ia menambah pendapatan.

3. Ketika menghadiri majlis pemimpin negara kita berpakaian cantik kemas dan segak tetapi bila mengadap Allah baik di rumah maupun di masjid, pakaian lebih kurang saja bahkan ada yang tak berbaju. Tidakkah ini suatu perbuatan yang terbalik.

4. Kalau menjadi tetamu di rumah orang dan di beri jamuan, kita rasa segan nak makan sampai habis apa yang dihidangkan kerana rasa segan dan malu, sedangkan yang dituntut dibanyakkan makan dan dihabiskan apa yang dihidang supaya tuan rumah rasa gembira dan tidak membazir.

5. Kalau bersolat sunat di masjid amat rajin, tapi kalau di rumah, sangat malas. Sedangkan sebaik-baiknya solat sunat banyak dilakukan di rumah seperti yang dianjurkan oleh Rasulullah untuk mengelakkan rasa riak.

6. Bulan puasa adalah bulan mendidik nafsu termasuk nafsu makan yang berlebihan tetapi kebanyakan orang mengaku bahawa dalam carta perbelanjaan setiap rumah orang Islam akan kita dapati perbelanjaan di bulan puasa adalah yang tertinggi dalam setahun. Sedangkan sepatutnya perbelanjaan di bulan puasa yang terendah. Bukankah terbalik amalan kita?

7. Kalau nak mengerjakan haji, kebanyakan orang akan membuat kenduri sebelum bertolak ke Mekah dan apabila balik dari Mekah tak buat kenduri pun. Anjuran berkenduri dalam Islam antaranya ialah kerana selamat dari bermusafir, maka dibuat kenduri, bukan kerana nak bermusafir, maka dibuat kenduri. Bukankah amalan ini terbalik? Atau kita mempunyai tujuan lain.

8. Semua ibubapa amat bimbang kalau-kalau anak mereka gagal dalam periksa. Maka dihantarlah ke kelas tuisyen walau pun banyak belanjanya. Tapi kalau anak tak boleh baca Quran atau solat, tak bimbang pula bahkan tak mahu hantar tuisyen baca Quran atau kelas khas mempelajari Islam. Kalau guru tuisyen sanggup dibayar sebulan RM20.00 satu pelajaran 8 kali hadir tapi kepada Tok Guru Quran nak bayar RM15.00 sebulan 20 kali hadir belajar pun menggeletar tangan. Bukankah terbalik amalan kita? Kita sepatutnya lebih berbimbang jika anak tidak dapat baca Al Quran atau bersolat dari tidak lulus periksa.

9. Kalau bekerja mengejar rezeki Allah tak kira siang malam, pagi petang, mesti pergi kerja. Hujan atau ribut tetap diharungi kerana hendak mematuhi peraturan kerja. Tapi ke rumah Allah (masjid) tak hujan, tak panas, tak ribut pun tetap tak datang ke masjid. Sungguh tak malu manusia begini, rezeki Allah diminta tapi nak ke rumahNya segan dan malas.

10. Seorang isteri kalau nak keluar rumah samada dengan suami atau tidak, bukan main lagi berhias. Tetapi kalau duduk di rumah, masyaAllah. Sedangkan yang dituntut seorang isteri itu berhias untuk suaminya, bukan berhias untuk orang lain. Perbuatan amalan yang terbalik ini membuatkan rumahtangga kurang bahagia. Cukup dengan contoh-contoh di atas. Marilah kita berlapang dada menerima hakikat sebenarnya. Marilah kita beralih kepada kebenaran agar hidup kita menurut landasan dan ajaran Islam yang sebenar bukan yang digubah mengikut selera kita. Allah yang mencipta kita maka biarlah Allah yang menentukan peraturan hidup kita.

Sabda Rasullullah SAW: "Sampaikanlah dariku walaupun satu ayat." (Riwayat Bukhari)

-msutra

Dont Spent The Money You Dont Have, To Buy The Thing You Dont Need, To Please The People You Dont Like

Do you find yourself spending more than you earn? Yet when you look back, you find that you actually spent that money on something that you could have done without. Worse still, you spent that money on someone you did not necessarily have to please.

How can you avoid spending the money that you do not have, thus reducing incidences of overspending? Read on to find out.

10 Examples how you can overspend unnecessarily

A fresh graduate decides to buy an imported Japanese car. As a result, he uses up 50% of his salary for the monthly installments, car maintenance and petrol. He is then left with another 50% for his other commitments and expenses.

1. A fresh graduate decides to buy an imported Japanese car. As a result, he uses up 50% of his salary for the monthly installments, car maintenance and petrol. He is then left with another 50% for his other commitments and expenses.

2. You impulsively swipe your credit card to pay for the latest Apple laptop you always had an eye on. At the end of the month, you find that you are unable to pay the amount due.

3. Your colleague just moved into a semi-detached house. You sold your entire investment portfolio and existing apartment, took up a bigger mortgage to buy the house next to his.

4. An office lady uses her entire month’s salary to buy the Louis Vuitton hand bag, just because her colleague shows off one to her.

5. You want your boy friend to propose only if he presents you with a Tiffany’s ring.

6. A father took up a personal loan of RM10,000 so that he can take his family for a vacation to Australia. Although he did not need to take this holiday given his financial situation, he did so because his neighbour just came back from New Zealand.

7. Have a breast implant to impress the man you are interested in although he is not interested.

8. You bought an expensive set of home theatre system. However, you rarely watch any DVD at home since you are too busy at work. It is just to impress your friends who visit your house.

9. Bought a Rolex watch during your trip to Switzerland just because your boss said that it was a great investment.

10. You spent lots of money on your wedding ceremony and serve the best food, although all your wife wanted was a honeymoon in Europe.

What is the money you don’t have?

• Credit card - If you can’t afford to pay it in full when the charges is due, it is the “future money”, not “current money” that you already have
• Mortgage - you use the bank’s money to buy a house and stay in it, as long as you are able to pay it back to the financier.
• Personal debt - getting a personal loan to spend on something is the stupidest thing to do.
• Loan shark - those who don’t have credit card, without proper documents to borrow from banks will look for “favours” from loan shark.
• Easy installment plan to purchase consumer product

What are the things that you don’t necessarily need?

Car, a plush house, gadgets and other things that do not fall within your budget. The rule of thumb is to spend less than one third of your income on these items.

Who are the people you don’t like?

• Friends, colleagues and relatives who like to show off,
• those who look down on you,
• those who slap you on the back.

You can have a thousand reasons to hate and dislike somebody, but you don’t have to hurt your wallet.

Have you ever done something like that?

We sometimes, unknowingly, spend money on instant gratification, only to regret much later. We sometimes also give in to our temptations to buy things that we don’t have much use for or things that are impractical.

The next time, before you decide to blow your cash on something, try to think about how many hours of toiling at work that money equates to. This does not mean you need to stinge on everything that you wish to buy. Only buy something if you really need it.

Although this may sound like easy advice, we always end up faltering. We spend more than that we can earn and in the end, find ourselves struggling to make ends meet.

-Credit to KCL.

Husband and Wife : Who should be The Financial Controller ?

It's said that 60-80% of failed marriages have money problems at their core. Especially for the newly-weds, some financial problem only surface after marriage. You might not know how deep in debt is your spouse, unless he or she told you before signing the marriage certificate. In this post, we are going to discuss about certain issues regarding combining finances for husband and wife. Topics include:

• Should married couples combine finances?
• Pros and cons of combining finances.
• Who should be the financial controller?

Should Married Couples Combine Finances

Money is the root of most evil (if not all). In the US, it is very common especially for wealthy people to have a Prenuptial Agreement before getting married.

Prenuptial Agreement
A contract between two potential marriage partners specifying how the property owned by each prior to marriage and owned individually or jointly during marriage will be divided should the couple divorce.

It is definitely a hard decision to make whether you should commit a long term financial commitment with your spouse. When we are thinking of combining finances between spouses, it has a lot to do with individual comfort and trust levels. Some separates their bills and saving even after years of marriage. For me, I combine and manage my whole household finances even before we get married. My wife trusts me with all her money. The same thing happened to my parents, but my mother is the one who control the finance.

In order to decide whether or not you should combine your finances with your spouse, take these issues into considerations:

• How much you trust each other with money?
• Who spend more money? You or your spouse? I suggest to let the more frugal one to be the “financial controller”
• What are your financial goals? Do you have the same financial goals? Short-list and prioritize them. You need to compromise to come out with a set of agreeable financial objectives.
• What is each person’s responsibility? (such as handling bills, credit card, parents’ allowances etc.)
• Discuss about the monthly cash flow, budget and net worth. Use this list of financial tools and application to help.
• Make a commitment to discuss about your money at least once a month if not more frequent.

Advantages of Combining Finances

Photo by shutupyourface

Love is about “us”
Try saving to your wife, “This is my money!” Most probably this will cause a major fight and hard to put off the fire for weeks. Combining accounts seems to be a major step to show that how much you care for each other. After getting married, my financial goals become “our” financial goals. My money becomes “our” money. If your spouse earn less or stay home to take care of your family, combining finances create a sense of security.

More efficient
When you are combining accounts, it is easier to manage. Either one can sign documents or withdraw cash during emergency. Besides that, you only need “one” instead of “a pair” of the material things. You only need one TV set, one audio set, one house to stay, one car (maybe). You only need to meet one really good financial planner to plan for both person assets.

Better Investment Opportunity
By combining your total income, your assets, you can better manage them. The more money you have, the more opportunity you are exposed to. Some investment such as buying properties, or investing in hedge fund overseas require larger initial lump sum. You will be able to invest in those larger investments which are not available to you before.

Better Tax Planning
This is even better for those who has business income. You can plan your account and distribute your income more evenly, so that your income won’t be at the highest tax bracket. For both working spouses, you can opt for separate tax

Share the load
You will get to make financial decision together, usually through thorough discussions which will enhance bonding between spouses. You’ll share you opinion, before committing a whole life insurance plan. You’ll educate each other on money matters. assessment and claim for many relief. Ask your tax agent for advice.

No more “I owe you”
When you are short of cash and ask your husband to pay for the meal, do you pay him back later? It’s ridiculous right? If you have combined your finances, you will by default, know that whenever you spend and save, the money is yours together. It was added or deducted from your “joint account”.

Who Should Control the Finances?

Usually, one person of a couple acts as the family accountant or “financial controller”. He/She will be responsible for managing investment, tracking expenses, budgeting, and making other financial decisions. If you are one of those couple who opt to combine finances, it won’t be hard to appoint the person responsible. Use these criteria as a guide:

• Who is more frugal?
• Who is better in accounting?
• Who is better in personal finance knowledge?
• Who is better in investment skills?
• Who is more convenient to handle the accounts - attends seminar, meets financial planners, goes to the bank etc.?
• Who is more dominant?

Do you combine your finances with your spouse?

I do combine our finances. My wife trusts me with all our money and assets. We both know that I am more frugal and smarter in financial planning. I make most of the financial decisions.

However, I still get consent from my wife to make major financial decisions, such as buying another house, or vehicle. My wife still has the freedom to spend, within the budget.

-KC LAU.

Mathematics

ROMANCE MATHEMATICS

Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy
____________ _________ _________

OFFICE ARITHMETIC

Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime
____________ _________ ________

SHOPPING MATH

A man will pay $20 for a $10 item he needs.
A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item that she doesn't need.
____________ _________ ________

GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
____________ _________ ________

HAPPINESS

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
____________ _________ _________

LONGEVITY

Married men live longer than single men do,
but married men are a lot more willing to die.
____________ _________ _________

PROPENSITY TO CHANGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.
____________ _________ ________

DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE

A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.
____________ _________ ________

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BUGGING YOU ABOUT GETTING MARRIED

Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking
me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, "You're next."
They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.
____________ _________ _________

SEND THIS TO A SMART WOMAN WHO NEEDS A LAUGH
AND TO THE SMART GUYS YOU KNOW CAN HANDLE IT

Hati-hati!!! Udang + Vitamin C = Racun!

Cerita di bawah ini perlu diberitahukan kepada keluarga, dan semua teman atau orang yang anda sayangi...

Peristiwa ini terjadi di Taiwan, ada seorang wanita meninggal mendadak dengan lima pancaindera keluar darah, setelah diselidiki ternyata wanita ini meninggal bukan kerana bunuh diri atau dibunuh melainkan tetapi kerana keracunan makanan.

Wanita ini kebiasaannya minum Vitamin C setiap hari, ini tidak masalah, masalahnya kerana malam itu wanita banyak makan udang, sebenarnya cuma makan udang saja tidak masalah, keluarganya juga banyak makan udang malam itu dan tidak ada yg meninggal.

Pada dasarnya udang mengandung Arsenic Pentoxide (As2O5) , berhuhung habis makan udang wanita itu minum Vitamin C , dan terjadilah reaksi kimia di dalam perut membuat As3O5 berubah menjadi Arsenic Trioxide (As2O3) yang sangat beracun , mengakibatkan hati, jantung, ginjal, pembuluh darah rusak, usus keluar darah, pembuluh darah melebar hingga wanita itu meninggal dengan kelima panca indera keluar darah.

Jadi hati-hati, habis banyak makan udang, jangan minum Vitamin C pada satu masa yang sama.

Gadis Seksi Ala Barat Yang Celupar

Pada suatu hari, seorang gadis yang terpengaruh dengan cara hidup masyarakat Barat menaiki sebuah bas mini untuk menuju ke destinasi di wilayah Iskandariah. Malangnya walau pun tinggal dibumi yang terkenal dengan tradisi keislaman, pakaian gadis tersebut sangat menjolok mata. Bajunya agak nipis dan seksi hampir terlihat segala yang patut disembunyikan bagi seorang perempuan dari pandangan lelaki ajnabi atau mahramnya.

Gadis itu dalam lingkungan 20 tahun. Di dalam bas itu ada seorang tua yang dipenuhi uban menegurnya.

"Wahai pemudi! Alangkah baiknya jika kamu berpakaian yang baik, yang sesuai dengan ketimuran dan adat serta agama Islam kamu, itu lebih baik daripada kamu berpakaian begini yang pastinya menjadi mangsa pandangan liar kaum lelaki...." nasihat orang tua itu.

Namun, nasihat yang sangat bertetapan dengan tuntutan agama itu dijawab oleh gadis itu dengan jawapan mengejek. "Siapalah kamu hai orang tua? Apakah di tangan kamu ada anak kunci syurga? Atau adakah kamu memiliki sejenis kuasa yang menentukan aku bakal berada di syurga atau neraka?"

Setelah menghamburkan kata-kata yang sangat menghiris perasaan orang tua itu gadis itu tertawa mengejek panjang. Tidak cukup setakat itu, si gadis lantas cuba memberikan telefon bimbitnya kepada orang tua tadi sambil melafazkan kata kata yang lebih dahsyat.

"Ambil hanphone ku ini dan hubungilah Allah serta tolong tempahkan sebuah bilik di neraka jahannam untukku," katanya lagi lantas ketawa berdekah-dekah tanpa mengetahui bahawasanya dia sedang mempertikaikan hukum Allah dengan begitu biadab.

Orang tua tersebut sangat terkejut mendengar jawapan dari si gadis manis. Sayang wajahnya yang ayu tidak sama dengan perilakunya yang buruk. Penumpang-penumpang yang lain turut terdiam ada yang menggelengkan kepala kebingungan. Semua yang di dalam bas tidak menghiraukan gadis yang masih muda itu yang tidak menghormati hukum hakam itu dan mereka tidak mahu menasihatinya kerana khuatir dia akan akan menghina agama dengan lebih teruk lagi.

Sepuluh minit kemudian bas pun tiba perhentian. Gadis seksi bermulut celupar tersebut di dapati tertidur di muka pintu bas. Puas pemandu bas termasuk para penumpang yang lain mengejutkannya tapi gadis tersebut tidak sedarkan diri. Tiba tiba orang tua tadi memeriksa nadi si gadis. Sedetik kemudian dia menggelengkan kepalanya. Gadis itu telah kembali menemui Tuhannya dalam keadaan yang tidak disangka. Para penumpang menjadi cemas dengan berita yang menggemparkan itu.

Dalam suasana kelam kabut itu, tiba tiba tubuh gadis itu terjatuh ke pinggir jalan. Orang ramai segera berkejar untuk menyelamatkan jenazah tersebut. Tapi sekali lagi mereka terkejut. Sesuatu yang aneh menimpa jenazah yang terbujur kaku di jalan raya. Mayatnya menjadi hitam seolah olah dibakar api. Dua tiga orang yang cuba mengangkat mayat tersebut juga kehairanan kerana tangan mereka terasa panas dan hampir melecur sebaik saja menyentuh tubuh si mayat.

Akhirnya mereka memanggil pihak keselamatan menguruskan mayat itu. Begitulah kisah ngeri lagi menyayat hati yang menimpa gadis malang tersebut. Apakah hasratnya menempah sebuah bilik di neraka dimakbulkan Allah? Nauzubillah, sesungguhnya Allah itu Maha Berkuasa di atas segala sesuatu. Sangat baik kita jadikan ikhtibar dan pelajaran dengan kisah benar ini sebagai muslim sejati. Jangan sekali sekali kita mempertikaikan hukum Allah dan mahupun sunnah RasulNya saw dengan mempersendakan atau ejekan.

Kata kata seperti ajaran Islam tidak sesuai lagi dengan arus kemodenan dunia hari ini atau sembahyang tidak akan buat kita jadi kaya dan seumpamanya adalah kata kata yang sangat biadab dan menghina Allah, pencipta seluruh alam. Ingatlah teman, kita boleh melupakan kematian, tetapi kematian tetap akan terjadi bagi kita. Hanya masanya saja yang akan menentukan bila kita akan kembali ke alam barzakh.

Janganlah menjadi orang yang bodoh, siapakah orang yang bodohitu? Mereka itulah orang yang ingin melawan Tuhan Rabbul alamin. Apabila anda enggan melaksanakan suruhan Tuhan bererti anda ingin melawan arahan Tuhan. Sewaktu di sekolah anda tertakluk dengan undang-undang sekolah, dalam pekerjaan anda tertakluk dengan undang-undang yang di lakar oleh majikan anda, di dalam negeri anda tertakluk di bawah undang-undang negara anda. Begitu taksub sekali anda terhadap undang-undang itu hingga terlalu prihatin takut kalau melanggar undang-undang itu.

Apabila anda berpijak di bumi ini, anda juga tertakluk dengan undang-undang yang telah di gubal oleh yang menjadikan bumi ini. Setiap Sultan ada taman larangannya, begitu juga Allah swt. Taman laranganNya adalah perkara-perkara yang telah diharamkan bagi hamba-hambaNya di muka bumi ini.

Sama samalah kita memohon agar Allah sentiasa memberi kita petunjuk di atas jalan yang benar dan kekuatan agar sentiasa dapat menjaga lidah kita.

Dipetik dari majalah Iskandariah Mesir 'MANAR ISLAM'