CAT AND RELIGIOUS SANCTITY

CAT AND RELIGIOUS SANCTITY

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

           

          Cat is a common animal in our society; it usually roams about during the night in search of prey. Many people keep them in homes. There are many proverbs, sayings, superstitions, tales and fears associated with this animal.

            For an instance “A cat has nine lives” expresses the prevailing belief that it is very difficult to kill a cat. Another maxim “Care killed a cat” refers to depressing effect of care “worry” upon body health; it even killed a cat which has nine lives. The myth of kilkenny cats, who said to have fought until only their tails remained, entered in our daily life slang as “killkill” (long persistent fighting).

            

There are many tales connected with this animal, sometimes it is regarded as ‘Sher ki Khala’ auntie of lion. It is believed that the cats love places and the dogs love persons. It is also said that cats patrol their kittens through seven houses one after another etc. In Urdu language we find number of phrases like billi ko chicharoon ki khwabain(dream of one’s own longings); billi na sher parahia, billi ko khanay aya(Frankenstein’s monster);billi Khuda wastay choha nahi khatti (every one struggles for one’s own interests);billi ka rasta katna ( a nuisance sign); billi ka ghoo na lapnay ka na potnay ka (there is no utilization of a useless person); billi ke Meow sa dar lagta ha (terror of a terrible person),etc.

            My younger brother is very fond of rearing rabbits. A cat is consistently preying upon his rabbits one by one. On seeing her routine, I decided to kill her. But my mother did not allow me to do so. She argued that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once took his meal with one. It shows that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had great affection for cats, so it is a sin to kill it.

               She further added if you are enraged over a cat’s outrageous acts, you can throw a swab at her, the only permitted penalty for cat. So I adjourned my intention of killing the cat. 

                           But still I am not convinced with this sanctification of cat. Cats kill many innocent domestic animals like chicken, duck, parrot, partridge, pigeon, rabbit, etc. They steal milk and meat from houses and sometime even endeavors to tear away a piece of flesh from the bodies of infants. An animal of such habits cannot be sacred!

                This article was published in the Frontier Post in which I requested to Professor Rafi Ullah Shahab or any other religious scholar to elaborate this issue under the light of Quran and Sunnah and to cut this Gordian knot?

                  Recently, Prof Dr Mahfooz Ahmad (Islamic Education). Sangla Hill accepted the challenge to solve the Sphinx riddle like Oedipus and came up with many convincing references. He said, there are two types of animals, noxious (harmful) and innoxious (harmless). Innoxious are those which are harmless for man whether domesticated or not e.g. cat. Noxious are those animals which are harmful e.g. snake, scorpion, lizard, etc. Islam allows only killing of those animals which are pernicious. The term pernicious apply only to physical harm and not the financial one.

                 As far as, the matter of cat is concerned. Cat is one of those animals whose left- over food is permissible for eating as Istahsan (general welfare of public). Hazarat Abdul Rehman bin Sakhar reported: “I used to graze other’s goats and had a cat. During night, I used to lay her on the tree and on the morning, I used to play with her. People, on noticing this activity, gave me the surname of Abu Haraira. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to call me with this surname.” It shows the silent endorsement (Taqreri Hadith) of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in rearing a cat.

                 It is recorded in Saheh Muslim: “One woman was tormented for this very sin that she kept a cat in bonds and during this hostage, she neither gave her food and drink nor freed her”. So killing of cat is not allowed in Islam.

            If one looks around, one will find the respect of cat in many nations: Irish says-Beware of people who dislikes cats; French says-The cat is nature’s beauty and in another saying, they say-The dog may be wonderful prose but only the cat is poetry ; Chinese says-When rats infest the palace, a lame cat is better than the swiftest horse; German says-The cat who frightens the mice away is as good as the cat who eats them; Italian says-Happy is the home with 

at least one cat; British says-The dog for the man, the cat for the woman; Indian says-A cat is a lion in the jungle of small bushes; Pakistani says-Billi sher ki khala ha ,thus lifted cat to a status of Queen of the Jungle, etc. In sum, the cats have won winsome wonderful worldwide worth.

             So my mother was right in her judgment and cat is sacred commodity as they have got the legitimacy from the Hadith. But once, I was living in Sheikhupura with my elder brother and one of furious cat attacked my newly born niece and tried to tear apart flesh of her naked hand as my sister-in-law had enveloped her completely, leaving behind one hand exposed that allured the cat to hunt for fresh human meat. It was a matter of chance that my sister-in-law entered the room and cat ran away in a jiffy. Thus small baby remained safe except for few rashes on hand. This cat had become deleterious and general principle of killing of living creatures is:  Islam allows only killing of those animals which are pernicious (physically). Was this cat not pernicious(physically)?

               

STORY OF SEEING SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER OF CAMEL

STORY OF SEEING SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER OF CAMEL

  PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

          Before Eid-ul-Adha, I came to know that a Mahmood Akhtar, a butcher by profession, has bought a camel for sacrifice. He has been sacrificing camel since three years. His wife was very fond of camel sacrifice. She advocated that the Holy Prophet(PBUH) had great reverence for this animal.She often quoted Hadith: "The sacrifice of camel is supreme of all". So, he managed camel at her wish and fulfilled her religious aspiration.  Later she died but he is still undergoing camel slaughter on Eid. This year, he again bought camel for sacrifice and kept it at mandi Muweshain (Cattle market) temporarily established for Eid ul Adha. One day I was searching for goat and went to Mandi Muweshian. Where, I saw the camel. I inquired his son Mittho, what is its cost? He replied ‘1,15,000 Rs’. Then I asked him, ‘How many shares, it contains?’ Mittho replied: “I don’t know, some say seven, some say ten!” He then asked me to confirm the shares. I phoned Prof. Dr. Mahfooz Ahmad (Islamic education) of Sangla Hill. He replied:

         Rafeh Bin Hudekh (RA) said: “There can be seven shares of camel”. But it is written in Badat-ul-Majtahid (Book of Ibne Rushd) that almost all Ulema have consensus (ijma) that the above statement is not correct. Dr. Sahib, further added, that it is written in Tahawi Shareef that after Sulah Huddabya(truce of Huddabya) when the Holy Prophet(PBUH) performed Ummrah (pilgrimmage to Mecca on days  other than the Hajj days ) along with 700 Sahabis (companions of the Holy Prophet, PBUH) and 70 Camels were slaughtered. So, it shows camel has 10 shares. There is also tradition that one camel and one cow were also slaughtered on that occasion. In sum, there is difference of opinion; some says seven shares and some are of the view that there are ten Shares.However, there are many Hadith about 7 shares.So the seven shares are more reliable.

                I narrated the whole episode of shares to him and inquired when they are planning to slaughter camel. He told on 3^rd day of Eid at 9 am.

                 On third day of Eid, I along with my family reached the spot of sacrifice. Many people were present on the scene to watch the rare phenomenon of camel sacrifice. Camel was tied with a thin rope. My friend Saeed Ahmad told that the camel is not tied with rope but with a ‘thought’ that he had been tied thus could not escape. He told: “When, a camel is first fettered with rope in his tender age. He puts his energy to go away and keeps on struggling for a few days. Being a young, weak and frail cannot break the shackle of rope and finally abandon the struggle and accepts the fate. But, when it grows bigger and powerful and can easily break the rope but still he thinks of his past experience that he cannot break that rope. Now, he is not tied with rope but with a “thought”. It was an interesting fact which Mr Saeed disclosed. In the meanwhile many more people came to the spot.

 Suddenly, the owner of camel Mahmood Akhtar came to the scene. I found the opportunity to ask him a few questions. He told that my wife provoked me to sacrifice camel and now I am doing it on regular basis. When asked about its price. He told 1,15,000 Rs. Camel gets donda (grow mature) at the age of 5 year. It yields about 12 maund (480 kg) meat. In local language, it is called todda and female toddy. Todda is very dangerous and difficult to handle. Todda catches his enemy in mouth and throw on ground sits upon, crushing opponent to death. On hearing this I stepped away from toddy in a fear. He also informed that butcher charges 30,000 Rs to slaughter a camel.

                       When asked, how it is slaughtered. Akhtar told that first its legs and mouth are tied with rope and then razed to the ground. Its long neck is cut at three places. In Arabian countries, a knife or spear is thrust into the hollow between its neck and chest in standing posture. A fountain of blood erupts from the cut, it falls on the ground then it is cut from three points. Suddenly, I noticed hustle in the crowd as camel was being tied and then six to seven sturdy people tried to ground it. But the toddy was powerful enough and finally managed to knock down to the ground. Then a person raised voice of Allah ho Akbar…… and started cutting her neck.

        A spring of gushing blood came out, colouring the clothes red on nearby people. Then second and third cut were made and finally toddy succumbed and breathed its last and butcher started pealing of it skin. I went near to them and started getting information about hide and leather of camel.

 The rate of camel skin is just 700 Rs whereas goat hide sells at 400Rs and cow at 2700 Rs. The leather of camel is not good for shoes as it has weak texture and gets deteriorated in water. So, it is used to make wallet, decoration items, and prayer mat. Multan is famous for camel skin work.

              By offering parting slam, we returned home on Blue Cultus. On the way, my elder son Amsar Hussain showered rain of questions about camel. Other sons Zawar Hussain and Nisar Hussain also joined him, making it a torrential rain. Hold on my sons! Let’s hear the salient and astonishing facts about camel.

                Camel is 50 million year old specie of genus camela having distinct fat deposits on its back commonly known as hump.

 Camel has two prominent species dromedary (one-humped camel found in Middle East, South Asia and horn of Africa) and Bactrian (two-humped camel inhabitant of Central Asia. There are 14 million domesticated dromedaries and 1.4 million domesticated Bactrian in the world. The word camel has Latin origin meaning to carry. Its average life expectancy is 40-50 years, height 7 feet and can run up to speed of 65km/hour. The weight of male dromedary carcass is 400 kg and that of male Bactrian is 650 kg. Camel has 74 chromosomes with unusual immune system.

                Now, take note of the distinctive unique features of camel. The male dromedary camel has unusual organ in neck called “dulla”. It is large inflatable sac which camel extrudes from his mouth to assert dominance and attract female. It resembles a long, swollen, pink tongue hanging out of the side of its mouth. Camels mate by having both male and female sitting on the ground.

              The other distinctive feature of camel is its heat withstanding and water holding capacity by distinctive morphological structure.

               First, the hump is reservoir of fatty tissues that insulate its body from excessive heat of desert and also acts as water reservoir. When fat metabolizes, it yields 1g of water for each 1g of fat, oxidized by air.

               Secondly, camel can withstand long period of drought as their red blood cells(RBC) are oval shaped, unlike circular RBC of other mammals. These oval RBC can flow easily in dehydrated state and can withstand high osmetic variations without rupturing on drinking 100 litre of water in a single drink.

                Third, camel can endure changes in body temperature and water consumption that would kill most of animals. Camel’s temperature ranges from 34^oC (93^oF) at night to 41^oC (106^oF) at noon. Camel starts sweating above 41^oC so water is not lost in sweating in mild hot conditions.

                 Fourthly, the nature has designed nostrils of camel in a way that they trap water vapours of exhaled air and return them to body fluid.

                 Fifthly, thick skin of camel insulates their bodies from desert heat. These traits make camel suitable for desert terrain. Camel’s flat feet do not sink in desert sand, making it unmatchable riding in desert. Its milk provides protein for the desert people. Its dung is a fertilizer for many desert trees. That is why it is termed as “the ship of the desert”. In fact, toddy (local name of camel) is the 2D (Corrola 2D) of the desert. Its meat is palatable and easily digestible. In Karachi, Nihari(a special dish of meat) of camel is very famous and special Nihari restaurants are running. In Chiniot, kunna goosht (a special dish of meat cooked in pitcher) of camel is very popular. Apart from meat, camel provides hairs for textile, leather for decoration pieces and dung for fuel. It dung is so dried that it can be burnt as it is excreted.  According to a local tradition, its milk is good for jaundice, its meat is treatment of rheumatic pains and some Vedic drugs are made from its jaws. According to Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim, Muhammad (PBUH) ordered people to drink camel milk and urine  as a medicine.However, other Islamic Scholars have stated Muhammad(PBUH) did not recommended drinking camel urine and this was later addition.Dr Mahfooz told the essence of a Hadith that once a delegation of non -muslim came to the Holy Prophet(PBUH) and ate too much as a result, they fell ill due to stomach disorder.On seeing this, the Holy Prophet(PBUH) suggested  a medine but they didn't recover.Then the Holy Prophet(PBUH) asked them to drink urine of camel and they recovered.But this order was not for the Muslim. 
            These virtues have made camel very popular in our daily lives and many  maxims of camel are roaming in our day to day discussion. For instance: last straw breaks the camel’s back; Trust in Allah, but tie your camel; Strain at a gnat and swallow the camel;At 20 a man is a peacock, at 30 a lion, at 40 a camel, at 50 a serpent, at 60 a dog, at 70 an ape, at 80 nothing; Oonth ra oonth, teri konsi kal sedhi(a person having no quality); Oonth budha hoa, per mootna na aya(lack of manners even after attaining  age of puberty); Oonth ka galay main billi( an unmatched relationship); Oonth ka monh main zerra( a little food presented to a big fellow); Oonth kis karwat bhait ta ha( wait till the outcome of an issue); Oonth charay ko kutta katay(an incidence of extreme misfortune); Oonth ki pakar aur orat ka makkar sa Khuda bachay(God forbade from the grip of a camel and from the pretence of a woman),etc.

             Toynbee has matched Muslim civilization with queue of camels, striding in desert and described that the Muslim like camels tread on the footsteps of their forefathers. Sir Winston Churchill said: “The Arabs are a backwards people who eat nothing but camel dung.” George W. Bush went further ahead in animosity of the Muslim and said:  “When I take action, I’m not going to fire a 2 million dollar missile at a 10 dollar empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive.” To the Western people, I want to add that camel is known for its rage and revenge when irritated to ad nauseam and keeps his enemy in mind for years till he tells him the deserved lesson. It first clutches its enemy from the neck, throw him to the ground and then trample him under his feet and Toynbee has equated the Muslim with the camel. Be careful of the day when the Muslim will exhibit this trait of camel. So, don’t irritate the Muslims by cartoons,film,etc. A nod is enough for the wise!

GHEE: A TOXIC EDIBLE

GHEE: A TOXIC EDIBLE

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

                     The statistical data regarding the                          number of death by various diseases revealed that CVD (CardioVascular Disease) is the number one killer in the world today.As one person out of three dies from CVD.It is estimated that 17.3 million people die from CVD each year.Out of these deaths, 7.3 million were due to Cornory Heart Diseases(CHD) and 6.2 million were due to strokes.

         No the question arises what is the cause of CVD? Are the scientists totally helpless in countering this malady? Answer to such questions need to be probed as there are many factors responsible for CVD. Let focus on one of the biggest cause of CVD i.e. Vanaspati Ghee.

            First look upon the health hazard created by the impurities of ghee. Hydrogenated vegetable oils are now customarily used in our country in a variety of foods. Fat and Oil (triglyceride of fatty acids) are regarded as one of the basic food material along with protein and carbohydrate. Whether of animal, vegetable or marine origin- fat and oil represent the richest source of energy man consume as food.Primarily,they serve three vital functions: source of enegy, structructural component and precursor of biological regulator.

             

Hydrogenation is simply “hardening” of oil. This process is accomplished by treating unsaturated fatty acid (oils) with hydrogen in presence of catalyst to convert it into saturated fatty acid (ghee). The catalyst used is a critical element for hydrogenation process. Nickel (Ni) is the usual catalyst employed in the hydrogenation of vegetable oil. The other catalysts are palladium and platinum but both are costly.

            A catalyst is normally used several times although its percentage is increased slightly for each reuse to compensate for decrease in it activity. Recovery of the catalyst from hydrogenated oil is very essential because even its minute concentration in the final product leads not only to un-economic operation but also create health hazard. Recent advance in food toxicology have proved that nickel is severely toxic both for man and animal. The ill effect of excessive nickel intake is now well established.  The major sickness associated with excessive nickel intake may include cardiovascular disease, nervous disorder, jaundice, miscarriage, respiratory tract neoplasia, carcinogenic effects etc.

            The common complaint against the vanaspati ghee industry is that nickel catalyst employed for hydrogenation in the form of nickel formate complex is not fully recovered. This unrecovered nickel remaining in the final product badly affects the health of consumers. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended 2 µg of nickel per 10 gm of ghee as a safe upper limit for human consumption. According to experts, this upper limit touches 60µg in some brands of ghee in Pakistan and that is alarming and threatening. In China, nickel was extracted and determined in ten different brands of ghee and in all sample its amout was well above the permissible limit of WHO.
                The scientists planned a research project to investigate the effect of various factors on the recovery of nickel catalyst from vegetable ghee. Different factors including the catalyst, the filter cloth and type and quality of oil) were studied comparatively in order to determine their effect on the recovery of nickel catalyst from hydrogenated oil.

            Studies prove that the quality of nickel catalyst and filter cloth as well as quality and type of oil all play a major role during hydrogenation and the final filtration process. The scrap nickel used with the fresh nickel catalyst in varying ratios during hydrogenation result in excessive nickel in the final product (due to increased fatigue of catalyst) and thus further reduce the particle size.

             Phosphatides and certain other compounds present in vegetable oil also effect nickel recovery. Similarly quality of filter cloth can badly affect nickel level in find product.Recent studies have disclose that nickel can be extracted from ghee by using solvent like toluene, carbon tetrachloride or benzene.However, tolune is proved to be the best solvent mediating a 95% extraction of nickel from the ghee.The better recovery of tolune has been attributed to polar nature of toluene as compared to carbon tetrachloride and benzene.Furthermore, toluene is completely immiscible with water whereas  tetrachloride and benzene are slightly miscible.

              The interesting thing to note is that in the recent past there has been a mushroom growth of vanaspati ghee industry. The owner of these units earned millions of rupees by using low quality imported palm-stearine which is unfit for human consumption for manufacturing of vanaspati ghee after mixing it with soya-bean and cottonseed oil.

           Efforts should be made at government level to keep prices of refined vegetable oil under strict control and much lower than those of vanaspati ghee so people start using these refined edible oils as cooking medium. Refined sunflower, canola, soybean and corn oil are available in Pakistan and are best for human consumption.

          It is strongly recommended for establishment of a quality and price control department to monitor the quality and price of food. It is not possible to create a new department; the work of monitoring may be entrusted to any present department which has a network at district level and is linked with industrial units.

            Now we come to the other point i.e. the poisonous deposit of ghee in the body. The use of vegetable ghee increase cholesterol level and triglyceride level in the blood. Cholesterol is an organic compounds containing sterol ring. Our liver also produces cholesterol but in a very small amout. It is a rich source of energy. It forms coating on the outer part of body above the bones and beneath the skin and acts a buffer and safeguard our body against mechanical shock. It acts as a precursor of other steroids required in metabolism: notably the bile acids, sex hormones and adrenocortical hormones.

            Contrary to these blessings, it deposits on the wall of arteries, making them hard and narrow,causing arteriosclerosis and thus leads the way for elevated blood pressure. The worsen condition may cause heart attack and in some time sudden death (God forbade). In the past, man used to work from dawn to dusk. 

             Means of transportation were not available. He has to do a lot of manual work. Now everything is replaced by machinery, the work of hours is completed within minutes and with less labour. Man is facilitated physcically to a greater extent. Au contrary, he has not reduced his diet. The excessive diet deposits in the body and causes trouble. Man becomes fat and obesity is directly proportional to CVD. Fat deposits interfere in natural working of body. They block the vessels and cause many diseases and deaths in acute cases.And now CVD is the number one cause of death globally: more people die from CVD than from any other cause.

          From the above discussion it can be inferred that fat deposits are fatal for human life. On the other hand, we are taking a bulk of fat in the shape of vanaspati ghee. It is time to check our diet and replace ghee with cooking oil (Refined) which is free from saturated fat and nickel impurity.

                                          

EID UL AZHA AND SACRIFICE OF ANIMAL

             EID UL AZHA AND SACRIFICE OF ANIMAL
   

                PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

                 EID UL AZHA IS ONE THE CHIEF RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL OF MUSLIM TO COMMEMORATE THE INDISTINGUISHED AND UNIQUE SACRIFICE OF HAZRAT IBRAHIM(AS) WHEN HE OFFERED THE LIFE OF HIS BELOVED SON HAZRAT ISMAIL(AS) IN THE WAY OF GOD AS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE BUT INSTEAD WAS ABLE  TO SACRIFICE A RAM BY ALLAH’S COMMAND. A PERSON LOVES HIS SON MORE THAN ANY THING ELSE AND HE PRESENTED THE SON TO PLEASE GOD.THEN A PERSON LOVES HIS LIFE THAN ANY OTHER COMMODITY AND HAZRAT ISMAIL(AS) SHOWED READINESS TO BE SACRIFICED. SO BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON PRESENTED THE SACRIFICE TO PLEASE THE ALLMIGHTY ALLAH AND SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE COMING GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW THEIR SUITE BY A SUBSTITUTE OF SACRIFICE OF ANIMAL THAT IS A SYMBOLIC RECOGNITION THAT ONE IS READY TO SACRIFICE EVEN HIS PRECIOUS THINGS IN THE WAY OF GOD.  THE QURAN DESCRIBES IBRAHIM (RA) AS FOLLOWS: “SURELY IBRAHIM WAS AN EXAMPLE OF OBEDIENCE TO ALLAH,BY NATURE UPRIGHT AND HE WAS NOT OF THE POLYTHEISTS.HE WAS GRATEFUL FOR OUR BOUNTIES. WE CHOSE HIM AND GUIDED HIM UNTO A RIGHT PATH.WE GAVE HIM GOOD IN THIS WORLD AND IN NEXT LIFE.HE WILL MOST SURELY BE AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS.”(THE QURAN 16:120-121)

                  NOW THE MUSLIMS REMIND THAT COMMITMENT BY OFFERING THE LIVES OF ANIMALS WORLDWIDE.EACH FAMILY SACRIFICES A DOMESTICATED ANIMAL SUCH AS GOAT, SHEEP, COW, BUFFALO OR CAMEL.THE MEAT IS THEN DIVIDED INTO THREE EQUAL PARTS; ONE FOR THE FAMILY, THE OTHER FOR RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS AND THE THIRD ONE FOR THE POOR AS GIFT.

                  ON THIS DAY,MILLIONS OF ANIMALS ARE SLAUGHTERED TO SHOW HARMONY WITH THE MARVELLOUS ACTION OF HAZRAT IBRAHIM(AS).ULEMA DESCRIBE IT AS AN OBLIGATORY WORSHIP EVEN FOR WOMEN.BUT THIS SYMBOLIC PRACTICE HAS TURNED TO A MASSIVE SLAUGHTERING

PUTTING, BURDEN ON ECONOMY AS THE CATTLE HAVE PIVOTAL ROLE IN LIVESTOCK RUN ECONOMY.PEOPLE OFFER SACRIFICE OF NUMBER OF ANIMALS AND TRY TO BUY THE ROBUST ONE TO EXHIBIT THEIR WEALTH.IN DOING SO WE ARE LOOSING THE REAL SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE AND IT HAS 

BECOME A STATUS SYMBOL AND MEAT COLLECTION EXERCISE.TWENTY YEARS AGO, I READ AN ARTICLE OF DR RAFI ULLAH SHAHAB IN THE FRONTIER POST AND JOTTED DOWN THE MAIN POINTS.THE GIST OF ARTICLE IS WRITTEN BELOW FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE READERS.THE CORE AND CRUX OF HIS ARTICLE IS THAT IT IS A SYMBOLIC PRACTICE AND NOT THE NAME OF MASSIVE SLAUGHTERING.

            *ACCORDING TO DR RAFI ULLAH SHAHAB HAZARAT ABU BAKR (RA) AND HAZARAT UMER (RA) DID NOT OFFER ANIMAL SACRIFICE IN THEIR LIVES.ULEMA SAYS THEY WERE NOT WELL TO DO.BUT IN FACT THEY WERE NOT SO POOR TO KEEP AWAY FROM THIS VIRTUE.

              *ACCORDING TO HADITH IT IS VIRTUE TO UNDERGO SACRIFICE BUT NOT FULFILLING IS NOT A SIN.

                *ACCORDING TO ANOTHER HADITH “THE SACRIFICE OF HEAD OF A FAMILY IS THE SACRIFICE OF THE WHOLE FAMILY.”

                 * HAZARAT ABDULLAH BIN UMER (RA) AND HAZARAT ABDULLAH BIN ABBAS (RA) WERE USED TO WALK ON THE ROADS AND OFFER PRAYER IN MOSQUES IN WHICH THE HOLY PROPHET (PBUH) ONCE WALKED OR OFFERED PRAYERS.IN SUM, THEY USE TO FOLLOW THE HOLY PROPHET (PBUH) IN EVERY INCH OF THEIR LIVES THAT IS WHY THEIR CONDUCT IS BEING CONSIDERED AUTHIORITY IN ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE.BUT THEY DID NOT OFFER SACRIFICE IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE.

                   *IT IS RECORDED IN SUNNAH THAT THE HOLY PROPHET (PBUH) USED TO OFFER TWO RAMS; ONE FOR HIS UMMAH AND ONE FOR HIMSELF (PBUH) AND HIS FAMILY.

                  *ONCE HAZARAT IBNE ABBASS (RA) CAME TO KNOW ON EID UL AZHA DAY THAT THEIR FAMILY HAS NOT OFFERED SACRIFICE .HE SEND HIS SERVANT TO MARKET BY GIVING TWO DIRHAM AND ASKED HIM TO FETCH MEAT .WHEN HE BOUGHT MEAT AND BRING IT BACK TO HOME.IBNE E ABBASS TOOK THAT MEAT AND SAID, “IT WAS THE SACRIFICE OF HIS AND HIS FAMILY”.IT SHOW THAT IN THOSE DAYS MEAT WAS BEING SOLD IN MARKET ON THE EID DAY.BUT NOW MEAT SHOPS REMAIN CLOSE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND REFRIGERATOR HOLD THE MEAT FOR EVEN TWO MONTHS.IT SHOWS THE TUNE OF MASSIVE MEAT COLLECTION.

                     *HAZARAT ABU MASOOD INSARI (RA) WAS AN AFFLUENT PERSON WHO POSSESSED THOUSANDS OF GOATS AND SHEEP BUT HE NEVER OFFERED SACRIFICE IN HIS LIVE.

                      *HAZRAT BILAL HABSHI (RA) SACRIFICED A COCK.THE JURISTS SAY THAT HE MIGHT HAVE SOUGHT THE HOLY PROPHET’S PERMISSION.HE ALSO SAID THAT HE FELT IT BETTER TO DISTRIBUTE THIS MONEY AMONG THE POOR MUSLIMS.

                        *IN MANY ARAB COUNTRIES THE HEAD OF A FAMILY SACRIFICES AN ANIMAL.

                         *AHMAD BIN BILLAH, THE EX- PRESIDENT OF ALGERIA, ORDERED, “THERE WILL BE ONE SACRIFICE OF ANIMAL IN A MOHALLAH.”HE IS A MUSLIM SCHOLAR AND AFTER HIS PRESIDENCY TENURE, HE STARTED PROPAGATION OF ISLAM.

                            *IN OUR COUNTRY, MULLAH GET THE HIDE OF SLAUGHTERED ANIMALS SO THEY STRESS UPON THE SACRIFICE OF THE ANIMALS.WHEREAS THE COMPANIONS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (PBUH) USED TO USE THE HIDES FOR THEIR PERSONAL USE.  

              DR RAFI ULLAH SHAHAB HAS TRIED TO EMPHASIS THAT THE SACRIFICE OF HEAD OF A FAMILY IS THE SACRIFICE OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY.PROBABLY HE WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE NEED TO GET TO KNOW THE PHILOSOPHY OF SACRIFICE INSTEAD OF FALLING PREY TO OSTENTATIOUS STATUS RACE. IT HAS BECOMING CUSTOMARY TO OFFER PRIZED STOUT ANIMALS TO SHOW THE GLARE OF WEALTH.THEN AT MANY PLACES ESPECIALLY IN BIG CITIES, PEOPLE DONOT DISTRIBUTE THE MEAT ACCORDING TO PRESCRIBED FORMULA AND PLUG THEIR FRIGS.HADITH CLEARLY ADVISE “DISTRIBUTE MEAT AMONG THE POOR”.ONE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THE SANCTITY OF SACRIFICE THAT IT IS RELIGIOUS MANDATORY PRACTICE FOR THE PROSPEROUS PEOPLE AND NOT A “SHOW PEACE” AND THE MEAT SHOULD REACH THE POOR.

DIFFERENTIATE CULEX, ANOPHELES AND AEDES MOSQUITOES

                                         DIFFERENTIATE CULEX, ANOPHELES AND AEDES MOSQUITOES

          DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FRIEND AND FOE MOSQUITOES

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN 

                                MOSQUITO, LITERAL MEANING LITTLE FLIES, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST SPECIE OF GNAT, EXITING SINCE 150 MILLION YEARS. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 100 TRILLION MOSQUITOES WITH AT LEAST 3500 SPECIES IN THE WORLD. MOSQUITOES INFECT 700 MILLION PEOPLE ANNUALLY WITH FATALITY TO THE TUNE OF 3 MILLIONS. THIS HARMFUL CREATURES POSES GREATEST THREAT TO MANKIND. IN ORDER TO WIPE OFF OR LESSEN THEIR POPULATION, ONE MUST DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN FRIEND AND FOE GENERA OF MOSQUITOES.THIS CATEGORIZATION WILL HELP TO ERADICATE COMPARATIVELY FEWER NUMBERS OF PERNICIOUS MOSQUITOES SUCCESSFULLY. SO DON’T WASTE TIME, MONEY, ENERGY AND KILLING DEVICES LAVISHLY IN HUNT OF ALL MOSQUITOES INSTEAD SINGLE OUT THE DANGEROUS ONES AND KILL THEM EFFECTIVELY.
                     OF ALL THE 3500 SPECIES, THE THREE MOST SIGNIFICANT GENERA ARE THE CULEX, ANOPHELES AND AEDES, RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSMITTING DIFFERENT DEADLY DANGEROUS DISEASES TO HOMO SAPIENS.ONLY SLIGHT ATTENTION IS REQUIRED TO DISTINGUISH THE THREE.

                                  CULEX, LITERAL MEANING GNAT, IS A GENUS OF MOSQUITO COMPRISING OF 88 SPECIES AND SERVE AS VECTOR FOR DISEASES; WEST NILE VIRUS, FILARIASIS, JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS, ST. LOUISE ENCEPHALITIS AND AVIAN MALARIA. CULEX MOSQUITOES ARE IN ABUNDANCE. THEY ARE MOSTLY BROWN OR GREY WITH STOUT BODY, UNSPOTTED WINGS AND BODY AND ITS SITTING POSTURE IS PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE. CULEX IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEAST DANGEROUS OF THE THREE TYPES OF MOSQUITOES DUE TO THE FACT THAT HUMAN BLOOD IS NOT THEIR PREFERRED MEAL. INSTEAD, MOST SPECIES OF CULEX BITE BIRD RATHER THAN HUMAN.

                               ANOPHELES, LITERAL MEANING USELESS, COMPRISES OF 460 SPECIES AND SERVE AS VECTOR FOR DISEASES; MALARIA, CANNINE HEARTWORM, DIROFILARIA IMMITIS, THE FILARIASIS CAUSING WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI, BURGI MALAYI AND O'NYONG'NYOUNG FEVER. ANOPHELES MOSQUITO CAN BE DISTINGUISHED BY THE PALPS WHICH ARE AS LONG AS THE PROBOSCIS AND BY THE PRESENCE OF DISCRETE BLACK AND WHITE SCALES ON THE WINGS. ANOPHELES CAN EASILY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE TYPICAL RESTING POSITION, ABDOMEN STICKING UP IN THE AIR, MAKING AN ANGLE OF 45^O DEGREE WITH THE SURFACE. MALES FORM LARGE SWARMS USUALLY AROUND DUSK AND FEMALE FLY INTO THE HORDES TO MATE.

                                      AEDES, LITERAL MEANING UNPLEASANT, CONSISTS OF 700 SPECIES AND SERVE AS VECTOR FOR MANY DISEASES; DENGUE, YELLOW FEVER, CHIKUNGUNYA AND LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS AN ILLNESS THAT CAN TRIGGER ELEPHANTIASIS IN CERTAIN CASES. MOSQUITOES OF THIS GENUS ARE TYPICAL SMALL AND HAVE BLACK AND WHITE STRIPE MARKING ON THEIR BODY AND LEGS. AEDES HAS A WHITE "LYRE" ON HER THORAX WITH TWO YELLOW "CHORDS" IN THE CENTER. AEDES RESTS WITH ABDOMEN PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE MAKING A SLIGHT HUMP. AEDES FORM CONCOURSE NEVER EXCEEDING SIX IN NUMBER. IT MEANS IF YOU SEE A SWARM, BE SURE, THESE MOSQUITOES ARE NOT AEDES. ON IDENTIFICATION OF OBNOXIOUS MOSQUITOES, IT IS EASIER TO OBLITERATE THEM SUCCESSFULLY.
                  AS WE ALL KNOW THAT ONLY FEMALE MOSQUITO BITE HUMANS FOR PROTEIN AND IRON; REQUIRED FOR EGG DEVELOPMENT. MALE MOSQUITO ONLY FEED ON PLANT SAP, DEW AND NECTAR. TO FURTHER REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MENACING MOSQUITOES, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE MOSQUITOES BY NOTING BELOW MENTIONED TIPS. FIRST, IF TWO MOSQUITOES HAVE SAME COLOUR, RESTING POSTURE AND DESIGN; THE SLIGHTLY LARGER ONE IS FEMALE.

SECOND, FEMALE MOSQUITO HAS LONGER PROBOSCIS(PIERCING ORGAN) THAN MALE; THIRD, MALE MOSQUITO HAS MORE BUSHY ANTENNA; FOURTH, MALE HAS PALPS AS LONG AS PROBOSCIS OR EVEN LONGER AND CURVED UPWARD, APPEARING IN SHAPE OF GREEK LETTER PSI WITH EXCEPTION OF FEMALE ANOPHELES WHICH HAS PALPS EQUAL TO ITS PROBOSCIS; FIFTH, MALE MOSQUITO'S BUZZ OR FLIGHT TONE IS ABOUT 600 Hz WHEREAS FEMALE’S TONE IS ABOUT 400 Hz. SO, LOW PITCHED WHINNY BUZZ INDICATES FEMALE MOSQUITO.

                     BY APPLYING VISUAL AND AUDITORY SENSES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH   BETWEEN DANGEROUS ANOPHELES AND AEDES FROM ALMOST INNOCUOUS CULEX AND ALSO BETWEEN INNOXIOUS MALE AND NOXIOUS FEMALE .THIS "SELECTIVE PERSPECTIVE" APPROACH WILL LESSEN THE NUMBER OF TARGETED ENEMIES ENABLING US TO COPE EFFECTIVELY WITH THIS TINY FIERCE CREATURE. ON THE RECENT ONSLAUGHT OF DENGUE,

WE ARE LEFT WITH HOBSON'S CHOICE;"KILL MOSQUITO TO KILL DENGUE". KEEP IN MIND!" IF YOU ALLOWED MOSQUITO TO BREED; YOU WILL BLEED". A NOD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE!

EASY WAY TO KILL MOSQUITOES

                                         EASY WAY TO KILL MOSQUITOES

          DIFFERENTIATE; FRIEND AND FOE MOSQUITOES
PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN
                     MOSQUITO, LITERAL MEANING LITTLE FLIES, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST SPECIE OF GNAT, EXITING SINCE 150 MILLION YEARS. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 100 TRILLION MOSQUITOES WITH AT LEAST 3500 SPECIES IN THE WORLD. MOSQUITOES INFECT 700 MILLION PEOPLE ANNUALLY WITH FATALITY TO THE TUNE OF 3 MILLIONS. THIS HARMFUL CREATURES POSES GREATEST THREAT TO MANKIND. IN ORDER TO WIPE OFF OR LESSEN THEIR POPULATION, ONE MUST DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN FRIEND AND FOE GENERA OF MOSQUITOES.THIS CATEGORIZATION WILL HELP TO ERADICATE COMPARATIVELY FEWER NUMBERS OF PERNICIOUS MOSQUITOES SUCCESSFULLY. SO DON’T WASTE TIME, MONEY, ENERGY AND KILLING DEVICES LAVISHLY IN HUNT OF ALL MOSQUITOES INSTEAD SINGLE OUT THE DANGEROUS ONES AND KILL THEM EFFECTIVELY.
                     OF ALL THE 3500 SPECIES, THE THREE MOST SIGNIFICANT GENERA ARE THE CULEX, ANOPHELES AND AEDES, RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSMITTING DIFFERENT DEADLY DANGEROUS DISEASES TO HOMO SAPIENS.ONLY SLIGHT ATTENTION IS REQUIRED TO DISTINGUISH THE THREE.

                   CULEX, LITERAL MEANING GNAT, IS A GENUS OF MOSQUITO COMPRISING OF 88 SPECIES AND SERVE AS VECTOR FOR DISEASES; WEST NILE VIRUS, FILARIASIS, JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS, ST. LOUISE ENCEPHALITIS AND AVIAN MALARIA. CULEX MOSQUITOES ARE IN ABUNDANCE. THEY ARE MOSTLY BROWN OR GREY WITH STOUT BODY, UNSPOTTED WINGS AND BODY AND ITS SITTING POSTURE IS PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE. CULEX IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEAST DANGEROUS OF THE THREE TYPES OF MOSQUITOES DUE TO THE FACT THAT HUMAN BLOOD IS NOT THEIR PREFERRED MEAL. INSTEAD, MOST SPECIES OF CULEX BITE BIRD RATHER THAN HUMAN.

                 ANOPHELES, LITERAL MEANING USELESS, COMPRISES OF 460 SPECIES AND SERVE AS VECTOR FOR DISEASES; MALARIA, CANNINE HEARTWORM, DIROFILARIA IMMITIS, THE FILARIASIS CAUSING WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI, BURGI MALAYI AND O'NYONG'NYOUNG FEVER. ANOPHELES MOSQUITO CAN BE DISTINGUISHED BY THE PALPS WHICH ARE AS LONG AS THE PROBOSCIS AND BY THE PRESENCE OF DISCRETE BLACK AND WHITE SCALES ON THE WINGS. ANOPHELES CAN EASILY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE TYPICAL RESTING POSITION, ABDOMEN STICKING UP IN THE AIR, MAKING AN ANGLE OF 45^O DEGREE WITH THE SURFACE. MALES FORM LARGE SWARMS USUALLY AROUND DUSK AND FEMALE FLY INTO THE HORDES TO MATE.

                    AEDES, LITERAL MEANING UNPLEASANT, CONSISTS OF 700 SPECIES AND SERVE AS VECTOR FOR MANY DISEASES; DENGUE, YELLOW FEVER, CHIKUNGUNYA AND LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS AN ILLNESS THAT CAN TRIGGER ELEPHANTIASIS IN CERTAIN CASES. MOSQUITOES OF THIS GENUS ARE TYPICAL SMALL AND HAVE BLACK AND WHITE STRIPE MARKING ON THEIR BODY AND LEGS. AEDES HAS A WHITE "LYRE" ON HER THORAX WITH TWO YELLOW "CHORDS" IN THE CENTER. AEDES RESTS WITH ABDOMEN PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE MAKING A SLIGHT HUMP. AEDES FORM CONCOURSE NEVER EXCEEDING SIX IN NUMBER. IT MEANS IF YOU SEE A SWARM, BE SURE, THESE MOSQUITOES ARE NOT AEDES. ON IDENTIFICATION OF OBNOXIOUS MOSQUITOES, IT IS EASIER TO OBLITERATE THEM SUCCESSFULLY.

                  AS WE ALL KNOW THAT ONLY FEMALE MOSQUITO BITE HUMANS FOR PROTEIN AND IRON; REQUIRED FOR EGG DEVELOPMENT. MALE MOSQUITO ONLY FEED ON PLANT SAP, DEW AND NECTAR. TO FURTHER REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MENACING MOSQUITOES, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE MOSQUITOES BY NOTING BELOW MENTIONED TIPS. FIRST, IF TWO MOSQUITOES HAVE SAME COLOUR, RESTING POSTURE AND DESIGN; THE SLIGHTLY LARGER ONE IS FEMALE. SECOND, FEMALE MOSQUITO HAS LONGER PROBOSCIS(PIERCING ORGAN) THAN MALE; THIRD, MALE MOSQUITO HAS MORE BUSHY ANTENNA; FOURTH, MALE HAS PALPS AS LONG AS PROBOSCIS OR EVEN LONGER AND CURVED UPWARD, APPEARING IN SHAPE OF GREEK LETTER PSI WITH EXCEPTION OF FEMALE ANOPHELES WHICH HAS PALPS EQUAL TO ITS PROBOSCIS; FIFTH, MALE MOSQUITO'S BUZZ OR FLIGHT TONE IS ABOUT 600 Hz WHEREAS FEMALE’S TONE IS ABOUT 400 Hz. SO, LOW PITCHED WHINNY BUZZ INDICATES FEMALE MOSQUITO.
               BY APPLYING VISUAL AND AUDITORY SENSES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH   BETWEEN DANGEROUS ANOPHELES AND AEDES FROM ALMOST INNOCUOUS CULEX AND ALSO BETWEEN INNOXIOUS MALE AND NOXIOUS FEMALE .THIS "SELECTIVE PERSPECTIVE" APPROACH WILL LESSEN THE NUMBER OF TARGETED ENEMIES ENABLING US TO COPE EFFECTIVELY WITH THIS TINY FIERCE CREATURE. ON THE RECENT ONSLAUGHT OF DENGUE, WE ARE LEFT WITH HOBSON'S CHOICE;"KILL MOSQUITO TO KILL DENGUE". KEEP IN MIND!" IF YOU ALLOWED MOSQUITO TO BREED; YOU WILL BLEED". A NOD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE!