assalamualaikum. is it true theres some chnges in taking students to al azhar?

wa3alaikumsalam. :).

sorry for the late reply..
im not too sure of the changes that you were referring to. do u mind specifying them so i can give u an accurate answer?

but just for your information, the most frequently asked question would be the admissions to year 3 or 4 for IPT students to al-azhar or Muadalah. In this case, this privilage is no longer available to such students since 2 years ago.

hope this somehow answer your questions?

Anything you want to know about studying in Alexandria- Egypt? Do ask.. :)

do you have a hostel for student?

no, for foreign student we rent an apartment. :).

Anything you want to know about studying in Alexandria- Egypt? Do ask.. :)

fight laziness!

How to Overcome Laziness at the Root of Its Source

By Jimmy Richardson

Deep down at the core of every human being is a person that wants to relax 24/7 and do whatever they want. Unfortunately the way that society has been set up that is not possible to do for most people.


Each and every one of us has a lazy side. I love to procrastinate but I cannot if I want to manifest a better life for myself. I would love to sleep whenever I begin to get tired but it is not possible for me to do.


Your feelings of laziness is a natural everyday state of mind that anybody can relate to. If we did not need money to survive and pay bills nobody would work at their 9-to-5 unless they loved it. So do not feel bad about your feelings to give in to your laziness.


You have came here to help you push past your laziness because you know you need to improve your self to get your desired results. Now that you know that your state of mind is completely normal I want you to encompass a different state of mind.


If you want something you know that you must go and get it. You want something to eat you must make it or go pick it up at a fast food place. This is a good example of taking the easier route if you go pick it up at a fast food place.


It is more beneficial for you to make the food because you save money, you help your body out, and you are more productive. First define what areas you need to be more productive in. After you read this article go ahead and make your list of your bad habits and areas of needed improvement.


Once you have your list go ahead and complete the first thing on the list. Do not stop moving until that task is complete. My first task on my list for today was to wash my truck. The second that I got off work I unraveled the hose, got the soap and got to work.


Immediate action is the best way to overcome laziness. Doing one step at a time is going to make each task manageable and able to handle. Don't look at your schedule as one big task, look at it as one piece at a time.


If you do one thing at a time hours later you can look up and realize that you have completed that massive schedule. It will seem hard to complete if you look at the big picture instead of detail by detail.


Find a motivation for why you are wanting to complete something and deeply embedded that into yourself as a drive. Remove any distractions that can hinder you from completing what you need to do and get to work.


Once you complete what you need to do reward yourself by relaxing and taking breaks. It's best to let go of the stress of work the second that you step away from it. Your relaxation time is your rejuvenation time and you should enjoy yourself during this time.
Do not allow yourself to get caught up in the mental cycle of thinking about something and never doing it. Make that list and get started immediately. Do not delay I'm counting on you and I want you to succeed.

NO Procrastination

How To Cure Procrastination: 3 Powerful Ways To Stop Procrastination And Take Action


Knowing how to cure procrastination might not seem like such a big priority, but procrastinating does have the potential to make life more difficult for you. You may not see it that way now as you settle yourself comfortably on the couch instead of working on your paper; but come next week, you’ll definitely start feeling the effects.

With the deadline looming and a bunch of other tasks waiting in line, you’ll wonder how you ever got into such a mess in the first place. Well, we all know the answer to that. What you now need to know is how to cure procrastination.

That in itself is a tricky thing. Even if you want to deal with your problem, you might end up waiting until next week or next month to start working on it. If you really want to learn how to stop procrastination, you must be committed to the cause 100%.

Here are some tips to help you overcome this awful habit:

1) Be Excited About It.

One effective way on how to cure procrastination is to give yourself encouragement. Tell yourself that there is no better time than now to do your task.

Excite yourself with the prospect of actually finishing something on time or excite yourself with the project itself. Imagine the worst possible consequences of delaying your actions. Thinking about the benefits of accomplishment and the penalty of laziness is a powerful way to cure procrastination.

2) Remind Yourself And Increase Your Accountability.

Remind yourself about an upcoming project or a report that still needs to be finished. Do this by writing in your planner or sticking post-its right where you can see them.

If possible, increase your sense of accountability by telling your friends or relatives about what you plan to accomplish. That way, you will feel “embarrassed” if you don’t take action, so that would likely motivate you to get on with your tasks.

3) Be Generous with Yourself.

Rewarding yourself is a wonderful way to cure procrastination. With every task accomplished (without procrastination), a reward should be bestowed. It might seem silly to be the one to reward yourself, but this kind of system actually has a very positive effect on people.

The reward can be as simple as a cup of coffee at your favorite coffee shop or that nice, velvet coat you’ve seen in the mall… It’s all up to you. You should, however, avoid giving yourself rewards that are counterproductive to stopping procrastination. For example, don’t reward yourself with 3 procrastination free passes!

Learning how to cure procrastination is a step everyone must take. Not only does it give your life a sense of order, it also reduces stress and increases the chance of success.

(ArticlesBase SC #1810566)



Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/how-to-cure-procrastination-3-powerful-ways-to-stop-procrastination-and-take-action-1810566.html#ixzz0nkWgpgz7
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Productivity

How to Push Yourself Past the Limits to Get Maximum Productivity Out of Yourself

By Jimmy Richardson

Your mind is more powerful than your body and can control what your maximum limits are. Have you ever gotten on the treadmill and gotten to a certain point where you were exhausted but told yourself to keep going and did it?


That is a great example of how you pushed yourself past the limit to get maximum productivity out of yourself. The top millionaires work in spurts of time. This was taught to me by Jonathan Budd in how he works to get the maximum productivity.


It is not substantial for you to try to work eight hours straight without breaks. It is best to work in the 90 minute to 120 minute spurts of time to get the most work done in shortest time. By working in short spurts you allow yourself to metaphorically sprint to the finish line and then have cool down periods before your next sprint.


Allowing yourself to mentally focus in on a goal is the first step to push yourself to get maximum productivity out of yourself. If you tell your mind that you must complete something do not allow your body to stop you from completing it.


The top body builders have mastered this craft of rejecting what their body has to say and only listen to their mind. I don't want you to go and burn yourself out but this is a guide to help you complete more work than you thought you could do.


In order to get yourself ready to push yourself past your limits you must start training immediately. Take a second to write down what it is that you do on a daily basis. Now take a second to write down what you want to do on a daily basis.


Hopefully there is a difference in workload of much more work in what you truly desire to complete. The best way to complete the higher workload is to add one extra task in your schedule until you get comfortable with your regular schedule plus the extra task.


It's all about the build up over time and consistency of you completing an extra load. Let's take push ups as a daily routine that you will complete. Let's say that you can only do 10 push-ups in a row. The easiest way to push yourself past your limits is to make yourself do at least one or two over the 10 push-ups.


If you consistently make yourself do 11 or 12 push-ups in time you will be completely comfortable with that amount. That is the same mentality that you must have to push yourself past the limits for anything that you want to do.


So remember that your mind will control what you do and not your body. Do not let your emotions dictate what you can complete. Make sure that you set your goals and set your schedule to meet your goals.

Sleeping Positions and Their Meanings

Sleeping Positions and Their Meanings




1. Back Sleeper With Arms Crossed To Support The Head.

You’re highly intelligent and enthusiastic to learn. Yet some time you are filled with cranky ideas which people find to follow. You take good care of your family but the problem is you hardly love any body. A little bit choosy, huh?

2. Home Alone Back Sleeper With Legs Crossed.

Anyone who sleeps cross-lagged is said to be self-obsessed and find difficulty in accepting changes. Solitude is your priority. Yet your redeeming quality is your threshold for tolerance.

3. Unknown Covering from Head to Toe.

You may appear real macho in public, but deep down inside you are shy and weak. You tend to keep loads of secrets. If you encounter any problem, you will rather keep it to your self and agonies over it than ask for help. No wonder you grimace in your sleep!

4. Unknown Cuddled Up:

You feel lonely and depressed because are obsessed with your past failures and set backs. You are hesitant and indecisive, giving others an impression that love has been missing in your life.

5. Side Sleeper Curling Up:

Selfish, jealous and vindictive are words that describe you. People around you got to be careful; not to step on your toes as you are easily irritated!

6. Side Sleeper with One Knee Bended:

You have inclined to be funny, always whining and complaining. Nervousness is probably your second name. You tense up easily and get overly excited over small matters. Life isn’t such a big deal. Learn to relax.

7. Side Sleeper Lying On One Arm:

Contrary to the previous one (curling up), you are gentle, polite, sincere, and loving. Well, nothing is perfect. Build up yourself confidence and learn to accept mistake or imperfection. Happiness will than come your way!

8. Side Sleeper Lying On One Side:

This picture indicates that you are the confident person. You will see success in whatever you undertake, owing to your unrelentess Endeavour. People who sleep

on their right side with their right arm stretching over their head and laying on the right side are said to be blessed with power and fortune.

9. Back Sleeper With Arms And Legs Spread Out:

What a liberty Loving-soul! Well, this picture reveals your true identity. Comfort-lover and beauty-worshipper, you are also a real spendthrift 0but lucky you eat just as much). Your other undesirable trait is that you are a bit nosy and seem to enjoy gossiping. Well, who did you mention in your tales lately?

ACU, video sharing session.

Beating Procrastination




how to get amazing results.


study smart

assalamualaikum,dear ustazah .Does the term 1 geneh equal to 1egyption pound

walaikumsalam ustz/ustazah. :).

yep yep.. 1 egyption pound is one geneh. :).

Anything you want to know about studying in Alexandria- Egypt? Do ask.. :)

assalamualaikum,what subject your learn ? (sarah-from malaysia)

wa alaikumusalam sarah from malaysia. :).

we (as in all of us here al-azhar under-graduates) generally learn islamic studies.. and arabic subject.

but specifically most of us major in 3 courses.. islamic jurisprudence, islamic theology and arabic language and lit.

and each course has more than 15 subjects. :).

Anything you want to know about studying in Alexandria- Egypt? Do ask.. :)

Good Brain Food & Memory Foods For Students

Good Brain Food & Memory Foods For Students

It is often said that you are what you eat and this is very true. Students of any age must be on a good student diet and consumer an adequate amount of brain food in order to help them study better and perform better academically. Brain foods are not literally fed to your brain but they are consumed the same way as normal food but act as fodder for you brain and helps it function better. Some of them like memory foods, help to improve student memories while others help to improve attentivity, sharpness, alertness, focus etc. While a healthy student diet is encourage all year round, it is especially important to incorporate healthy brain food into the diet during examinations so students can study better with their enhanced brain functionality.

Good Brain Foods

Good brain food is not an unattainable type of expensive food only accessible to special people. It is in fact simple every day food that most of us are able to attain and consume on a daily basis. Good brain foods help to diffuse stress and charge your brain cells and encourage its functional capacity. In order to ensure your student diet incorporate the best brain food, you might want to consider some of the following:

• Fish

As much as people might want to deny it, eating fish is definitely one of the best things one can do to improve your brain’s ability to function well and properly. Fish is rich in Choline and Omege-3 fatty acids – the right kind of fat that the human body requires. In addition, fish oil such as cod liver oil is known for its good effects on the human body.

• Fruits & Vegetables

Not surprisingly, these healthy foods are on the list of good brain foods as they serve as the good carbohydrates that a body needs. Carbohydrates such as bread, pizzas and junk food are bad for a bad and don’t provide the right type of energy. Fruits and vegetables on the other hand provide good energy and help stimulate the brain cells into activity.

Foods That Improve Memory

The brain’s memory center, the hippocampus needs to be continually stimulated in order for it to keep functioning to its maximum capacity. The hippocampus, like other parts of the brain can be stimulated by certain types of food and these types of brain foods are specifically known as memory foods. Foods that improve memory are a better substitute for artificial memory pills sold in the market as they not only provide the body the nutrition it requires but help to improve the brain’s capacity to remember as well.
Fish, for example is an excellent memory food. It is rich and choline and B vitamin, both of which are excellent memory stimulants.

Caffeine – Good Brain Food?

Caffeine is the most common stimulant when the brain is feeling tired and most of us are known to swig a cup of coffee when we are tired. While caffeine definitely increases the brain’s alertness, it is not recommended for regular intake as it can be very addictive and is not suitable, especially for young student diets.
A student diet should incorporate a healthy amount of carbohydrates minus the unhealthy fats combined with a good dose of Omega-3 fatty acids. A healthy does of sugar is also essential. Keeping this in mind will ensure students consumer the good brain food and memory foods required to keep their brain active.

FOODS FOR THOUGHT: FOODS THAT BUILD AND FOODS THAT DRAIN THE BRAIN

Some foods help the brain work better, some foods drag down brain performance. Be smart and feed ourselves foods that will make us smart ;)

BRAIN BUILDERS	BRAIN DRAINERS
·  Avocados ·  Bananas ·  Beef, lean ·  Brewer's yeast ·  Broccoli ·  Brown rice ·  Brussel sprouts ·  Cantaloupe ·  Cheese ·  Chicken ·  Collard greens ·  Eggs ·  Flaxseed oil ·  Legumes ·  Milk ·  Oatmeal ·  Oranges ·  Peanut butter ·  Peas ·  Potatoes ·  Romaine lettuce ·  Salmon ·  Soybeans ·  Spinach ·  Tuna ·  Turkey ·  Wheat germ ·  Yogurt	·  Alcohol ·  Artificial food colorings ·  Artificial sweeteners ·  Colas ·  Corn syrup ·  Frostings ·  High-sugar "drinks" ·  Hydrogenated fats ·  Junk sugars ·  Nicotine ·  Overeating ·  White bread

source:http://edu-center.org/, http://www.askdrsears.com/

hows the weather now

its breezy~ alhamdullilah. :)

Anything you want to know about studying in Alexandria- Egypt? Do ask.. :)

i don't have a question, but I'd like to say good job on the website! Love the articles. :)

masyaAllah thank you! keep reading n supporting yeah. and most importantly we need your doa for us here as ilm seeker. :)

Anything you want to know about studying in Alexandria- Egypt? Do ask.. :)

ACU article; How to fight laziness and boredom when trying to study.

As-Salamu Alaykum (peace be upon you),

THE SEVEN WAYS TO FIGHT LAZINESS, BOREDOM & WEAKNESS WHEN TRYING TO STUDY
 By: Sheikh Ahmed Najmi

The Questioner says:

"I'm weak in my reading the books of benefit and when I begin to read some of the books of `Ilm (knowledge) I feel weakness and boredom; so what is your advice for me, and what is the correct path in reading the books which contain beneficial knowledge; benefit us (those seeking reward)?"

Firstly:
It is a must for the one who seeks knowledge to purify his intention for Allah the Lord of the worlds, and make his seeking the `Ilm (knowledge) being only for the purpose and goal of obtaining the pleasure of Allah; and in order to know the truth, to act by it, and to know falsehood so as to refrain from it.

Secondly:
To act by that, which he has learned from knowledge within in himself, and to try and teach what he has learned from knowledge to others.

Thirdly:
To safeguard what he has learned by memorizing it, and reviewing the `Ilm (knowledge) so it does not escape him.

Fourthly:
To be steadfast in learning what he does not know, so to add knowledge on top of knowledge.

Fifthly:
To ask Allah constantly to bestow & grant him with beneficial knowledge and provisions that are vast, and actions that are accepted; and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would say if he prayed the Fajr prayer after he would make Taslim (Salam to the right then the left) this Du'a:

"O Allah, I ask you for knowledge which is beneficial and sustenance which is good, and deeds which are acceptable." (To be said after making salaam for the Fajr prayer)

Sixthly:
If he was to feel tired and weak when he is in front of knowledge and ready to study, then he should ask Allah to make for him will power and a desire to gain knowledge and dedicate himself to it.

Seventhly:
Its obligatory on the student of knowledge to refrain from disobedience, for indeed disobedience kills the heart and weakens the understanding and its narrated about Imam Shafi'i he said: "I complained to my teacher Wa'ki about my weak memory so he directed me to leave of sin and then he said, `know!!!! That knowledge is light; and the light of Allah He does not give it to a disobedient person." And I say the proof for that is found in the Book of Allah when He Glorified be He Says,

"O you who believe! If you obey and Fear Allah, He will grant you Furqan a criterion, and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you, and Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty." [Noble Quran 8:29]

"O you who believe Fear Allah, and believe too in His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he will give you a double portion of His Mercy, and he will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight), and he will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. So what is important is that the student of knowledge needs consistent striving, striving against himself and against ones passions and lower desires and its greed, and to tire himself out in acquiring knowledge, and to hope that Allah will enable him to achieve that, and the success (Tawfiq) is from Allah." [Noble Quran 57:28]

Khadejah Jones
Share Islam Team
ShareIslam.com

Rubber Ducking

Rubber Ducking

If explaining a problem is usually enough to solve it by itself, why would you need someone listening to you?

You don’t. Next time you’re stuck with a problem, why don’t you try explaining your problem to an inanimate object, such as, say, a rubber duck?

I know, your parents have warned you about people who talk to objects — but the fact is that it works. Telling your problem to a rubber duck is as effective as telling your problem to a human (if not more). Flesh, feather or plastic, it doesn’t matter of what material your listener is made of: the principles that make this technique effective always work.

If it serves to reduce your resistance and feeling of weirdness towards the idea of explaining problems to objects, be aware that the concept is rather popular in the software development industry. There’s even a term coined for it: ‘rubber ducking’ (popularized by the book The Pragmatic Programmer, a must-read for software developers).

“Are you saying I should replace real people and start talking to rubber ducks?”

Well, not replacing — but what about developing the habit of always consulting your rubber duck first? I don’t mean to slight us humans, but rubber ducks do in fact have some advantages:

Rubber ducks never interrupt your flow of thinking.

You don’t need to be worried if you are bothering the rubber duck with your problems.

Rubber ducks don’t gossip about your private problems with other rubber ducks.

Your trusted rubber duck is never busy and is always waiting for your inquiries.

Give rubber ducking a try. Once you get past the initial odd sensation of talking to a thing, you’ll certainly enjoy the feeling of convenience and independence it brings; not to mention you’ll also save a lot of your time as well as other people’s.

And, in case the rubber duck doesn’t solve your problem, just go ahead and explain it again to a friend. By then, you’ll have the problem much more well-defined and articulated, dramatically increasing the chances that that friend will be able to help you.

Silent Rubber Ducking

You should always practice rubber ducking out loud — but there are situations when you can’t make noises or simply can’t afford the social awkwardness of it (“excuse me while I talk to my duck…”). Fear not: do your rubber ducking in writing instead — sure, you won’t have the benefits of verbalization, but the technique still works fine.

One way to do it that works particularly well is to write an e-mail message explaining your problem. Pretend you’re going to send it to the smartest (and busiest) person in the world. Describe the problem in detail, the solutions you tried so far and why they didn’t work. List your assumptions and make sure you include all relevant information. Be both thorough and objective.

When you are done writing the message, you’ll probably have had many ideas to try out. If not, find a specialized forum and just send it as it is: with your perfectly-crafted message, I’m sure the Internet gods will help you.

Get Your Own Rubber Duck

Ready to start rubber ducking? As you imagined, there’s not much to it, except getting yourself a rubber duck. Well, it doesn’t need to be an actual rubber duck – any inanimate object will do. But it pays off choosing one that you really like: this will be a long-term relationship, after all.

source: litemind.com

correct timing to take water

Correct timing to take water, will maximize its effectiveness to Human body. 

Two (02) glass of water      - After waking up -  Helps activate internal organs  

One (01) glasses of water  - 30 minutes before meal - Help digestion  

One (01) glass of water      - Before taking a bath - Helps lower blood pressure

One (01) glass of water      - Before sleep  - To avoid stroke or heart attack 

source: email

article sharing by ACU

Kejayaan bukanlah suatu misteri yang tidak terungkap. Malah sekiranya seseorang itu telah melakukan sesuatu perkara maka orang lain pasti mampu melakukannya juga.

Tetapi janganlah pula sekadar selesa dengan pencapaian yang biasa hingga tiada apa yang boleh dibanggakan oleh kita atau yang boleh diceritakan kepada anak cucu kita nanti. Sekurang-kurangnya, kalau kita sebagai pekerja maka berusahalah untuk menjadi pekerja yang cemerlang hingga menerima anugerah dari majikan. Kalau kita seorang usahawan binalah empayar perniagaan kita yang mampu diwarisi oleh anak cucu. Kalau kita sebagai seorang pelajar belajarlah dan berusahalah hingga sampai ke peringkat yang tertinggi.

Kejayaan bolehlah ditakrifkan sebagai pencapaian seseorang menepati matlamat atau sasaran yang telah ditetapkan olehnya. Oleh itu kejayaan adalah suatu bentuk yang subjektif dan relatif dengan individu itu sendiri. Apabila kita tiba ke matlamat yang telah ditetapkan kita mula rasa selesa. Setelah beberapa ketika kita rasa tiada apa lagi yang mencabar di tahap tersebut. Kalau kita terus berada dalam zon selesa itu maka lambat laun kita akan gagal kerana orang lain sudah semakin maju. Oleh itu perlu bagi kita setelah mencapai satu sasaran, kemudiannya mencabar diri untuk maju ketahap yang seterusnya pula. Berikut adalah beberapa langkah yang boleh diambil untuk cabar diri bagi terus maju dalam kehidupan.

1. Letakkan Sasaran Yang Tinggi

Apabila satu matlamat dicapai maka teruslah menetapkan matlamat baru yang lebih tinggi lagi. Misalnya, dulunya sebagai seorang pelajar kita sering dapat nombor yang tercorot dalam kelas maka letaklah matlamat untuk meletakkan nama kita dalam 10 pelajar terbaik. Cabar diri untuk berusaha bersungguh-sungguh mencapai sasaran itu. Kalau satu hari kita berjaya merealisasikannya, maka mula letakkan sasaran baru untuk jadi pelajar nombor 1 pula. Kalau kita seorang usahawan maka letakkan sasaran untuk mengembangkan perniagaan kita ke seluruh pelusuk negeri bukan sekadar berniaga setempat sahaja. Kalau sasaran itu dicapai, cabar diri dengan sasaran baru untuk mengembangkan perniagaan ke seluruh negara dan tidak mustahil selepas itu sampai ke peringkat antarabangsa pula. Sasaran yang tinggi ini sentiasa membuatkan kita memandang ke depan. Hasilnya, tanpa kita sedari kita semakin hari semakin maju dalam bidang yang kita ceburi tersebut.

2. Cemburu Dengan Kejayaan Orang Lain

Lihat mereka yang lebih berjaya dari kita. Kalau orang lain boleh kita juga boleh. Untuk maju kita mesti cemburu dengan kejayaan orang lain dan cabar diri kita untuk berusaha lebih dari orang lain. Kalau kita tidak tahu bagaimana mahu melakukannya maka belajarlah dari mereka yang telah berjaya. Buka mulut dan bertanya. Jangan sekadar berdiam diri kerana tiada apa yang berlaku kalau kita tidak bertindak. Baca kisah-kisah kejayaan orang lain, hayati bagaimana mereka menghadapi cabaran dan menyusuri liku-liku kepayahan sebelum nama mereka tersohor. Sikap cemburu dengan kejayaan orang lain ini mestilah ditanam untuk membentuk suatu persaingan yang sihat bukannya cemburu yang membawa kepada sifat dengki dan irihati yang membuatkan kita mengambil langkah-langkah buruk menjatuhkan saingan kita.

Perasaan cemburu ini patut terbit lebih-lebih lagi apabila mereka yang lebih lemah, lebih muda, dan kurang upaya dari kita mampu mencapai satu pencapaian yang luar biasa.

Saudara Abdul Halim, seorang yang kudung kaki dan tangannya tetapi boleh belajar masuk universiti, keluar sebagai akauntan, buka syarikat sendiri dan pernah terima anugerah daripada PM Malaysia. Tak cemburukah kita?

3. Elakkan Dari Sikap Cepat Puashati

Sikap cepat berpuashati adalah penyakit yang menghalang diri kita untuk terus berjaya. Apabila kita sudah meraih pendapatan RM10,000 sebulan kita mula rasa selesa dan kita berkata, “Aku ni kira oklah, berapa kerat sangat orang yang meraih pendapatan lima angka sebulan. Sekurang-kurangnya dah ada rumah sendiri berapa ramai lagi orang yang tidak mampu beli rumah. Kira ok lah aku ni… ”. Sikap puashati beginilah yang membuatkan kita berhenti untuk berusaha dan mencipta kejayaan yang lebih besar lagi. Kenapa tidak kita ambil contoh orang yang lebih berjaya dari kita? Kenapa sering membandingkan diri dengan orang yang lemah dan kurang dari kita? Bandinglah dengan mereka yang lebih berjaya, yang memiliki bangunan sendiri, yang menjadi jutawan, yang berkereta mewah, yang memiliki rumah-rumah untuk disewakan dan sebagainya maka barulah tercabar bahawa kita belum lagi OK! Jadi, usah lagi berpuashati dengan pencapaian kita kerana setiap kali kita berjaya maka kita pasti boleh pergi lebih jauh lagi.


4. Soal Diri Dengan Soalan Positif

Untuk berjaya, soal diri dengan soalan-soalan yang positif. Misalnya, soalan-soalan seperti berikut hanya membawa diri kita untuk merasa lemah dan tidak berdaya:

Kenapalah aku gagal?
Mengapa nasib aku sentiasa malang?
Kenapalah orang semua tak suka aku?
Apalah nak jadi dengan aku ni?

Sebaliknya soalan-soalan berikut pula akan membuatkan kita berfikir, mencabar diri dan membolehkan kita mengumpul kekuatan untuk atasi setiap halangan.

Apa yang belum aku lakukan lagi?
Bagaimana aku nak tingkatkan 20% lagi pendapatan aku bulan depan?
Apakah kelebihan diri aku yang belum aku bongkar lagi?
Dimana aku nak dapatkan ilmu pengetahuan dan kemahiran untuk maju dalam bidang ini?
Siapa yang boleh bantu aku?

Jadi kita tidak berjaya kerana bertanyakan soalan yang salah kepada diri kita. Oleh itu berhati-hatilah dengan suara hati. Nilai betul-betul soalan yang kita tanyakan pada hati kita adakah ia akan mencabar kita untuk terus maju atau hanya melemahkan kita.

5. Tingkatkan ‘Standard’ Anda

Untuk berjaya kita kena cabar diri untuk tingkatkan ‘standard’ kita. Misalnya, kita berkata pada diri kita bahawa tidak ‘standard’lah untuk selama-lamanya jadi kerani, 5 tahun dari sekarang mesti nak jadi pengurus pula. Tidak ‘standard’ lah untuk selama-lamanya bekerja dengan orang, 10 tahun dari sekarang mesti jadi bos pula. Tidak ‘standard’ lah selama-lamanya dapat markah ‘C’, 3 bulan dari sekarang aku mesti dapat ‘A’ pula. Tidak ‘standard’ lah asyik bawa kereta Jepun aje, 5 tahun dari sekarang aku mesti nak bawa kereta Jerman pula. Tidak ‘standard’ lah untuk berumah teres sahaja, 10 tahun dari sekarang aku mesti nak ada rumah banglo pula.

Tujuannya bukan untuk menunjuk-nunjuk atau untuk takbur tetapi untuk membuatkan kita mahu berusaha lebih gigih lagi demi memenuhi tuntutan hidup kita yang mengikut ‘standard’ baru itu. Lagi pula kita tidak melafazkan kata-kata itu kepada orang lain tetapi kita tujukan kata-kata tersebut hanya kepada diri sendiri sebagai satu bentuk cabaran.

Perlu diingatkan bahawa kita hanya boleh hidup dalam ‘standard’ yang lebih tinggi hanya setelah kita berjaya merealisasikan pendapatan yang mampu menampung ‘standard’ tersebut. Jangan pula menjadi orang yang papa asal bergaya.

Malah Islam sendiri tidak menghalang umatnya untuk hidup selesa apabila punya kemampuan. Asal sahaja keselesaan itu tidak menghalang kita untuk terus menjadikan hidup ini sebagai suatu ibadah yang mengningkatkan lagi keimanan dan ketaqwaan kita. Oleh itu, teruslah cabar diri untuk berjaya dalam hidup kita.

ACU article sharing quiz

Academic Article Sharing (22 April 2010)

The questions are :

Based on article number 1 :

1. Name the title of the first ACU’s article sharing.
2. In Europe, Ibn sina was known as ___________.

Based on article number 2 :

1. Name five out of ten principles of success that was shared on this article?
2. What was the first school in the history of Islam?

Based on article number 3 :

1.هات مثالين على متفائل من النص قد قرأت من قبل دكتوراه مايكل ميرسر؟
2.كيف نمارس رياضة المتفائل؟

Based on article number 4 :

1. Mengapakah mengingati mati menjadi salah satu petua mencuci hati?
2. Namakan LIMA petua mencuci hati yang telah di kongsi oleh Datok Dr. Haji Fadzilah Kamzah?

Once you have completed, please send your answers to our beloved uhktyy Liyana Bte Abdul Rahaim. All right? (:

Laughing no joke, scientists say

© The Canadian Press, 2010

So a scientist walks into a shopping mall to watch people laugh. There's no punchline. Laughter is a serious scientific subject, one that researchers are still trying to figure out.


Laughing is primal, our first way of communicating. Apes laugh. So do dogs and rats. Babies laugh long before they speak. No one teaches you how to laugh. You just do. And often you laugh involuntarily, in a specific rhythm and in certain spots in conversation.
You may laugh at a prank on April Fool's Day. But surprisingly, only 10 to 15 per cent of laughter is the result of someone making a joke, said Baltimore neuroscientist Robert Provine, who has studied laughter for decades. Laughter is mostly about social responses rather than reaction to a joke.


"Laughter above all else is a social thing," Provine said. "The requirement for laughter is another person."
Over the years, Provine, a professor with the University of Maryland Baltimore County, has boiled laughter down to its basics.


"All language groups laugh 'ha-ha-ha' basically the same way," he said. "Whether you speak Mandarin, French or English, everyone will understand laughter.… There's a pattern generator in our brain that produces this sound."
Each "ha" is about 1/15th of a second, repeated every fifth of a second, he said. Laugh faster or slower than that and it sounds more like panting or something else.


Deaf people laugh without hearing, and people on cellphones laugh without seeing, illustrating that laughter isn't dependent on a single sense but on social interactions, said Provine, author of the book Laughter: A Scientific Investigation.


"It's joy, it's positive engagement with life," said Jaak Panksepp, a Bowling Green University psychology professor. "It's deeply social."

Animal crackers

And it's not just a people thing either. Chimps tickle each other and even laugh when another chimp pretends to tickle them.


"That's my candidate for the most ancient joke," Provine said. "It's a feigned tickle. That's primal humour."
Panksepp studies rats that laugh when he tickles them. Sound silly? It's on YouTube and in scientific journals, a funny pairing of proofs when you think about.
It turns out rats love to be tickled. They return again and again to the hands of researchers tickling them, Panksepp's video shows.


By studying rats, Panksepp and other scientists can figure out what's going on in the brain during laughter. And it holds promise for human ills.


Northwestern University biomedical engineering professor Jeffrey Burgdorf has found that laughter in rats produces an insulin-like growth factor chemical that acts as an antidepressant and anxiety-reducer. He thinks the same thing probably happens in humans, too. This would give doctors a new chemical target in the brain in their effort to develop drugs that fight depression and anxiety in people.


Even so, laughter itself hasn't been proven to be the best medicine, experts said.
Dr. Margaret Stuber, a psychiatry professor at University of California Los Angeles Medical School, studied whether laughter helped patients. She found that distraction and mood improvement helped, but she could not find a benefit for laughter alone.


"No study has shown that laughter produces a direct health benefit," Provine said, largely because it's hard to separate laughter from just good feelings. But he thinks it doesn't really matter: "Isn't the fact that laughter feels good when you do it, isn't that enough?"


While studying laughter is serious work to researchers, it apparently sounds like a silly topic when they're seeking research grants. For that reason, Northwestern's Burgdorf avoids the word "laughter." He calls it "positive emotional response."

Panksepp understands, saying: "There's no funding in fun research."

Fun Experiments To Do On Your Brain
by Steve Gillman
Ready for some fun experiments on your brain? Don't worry, you can try these at home. They are perfectly safe, and they will help you demonstrate brainpower

 Fun Experiments

1. Sing to access your right brain.

It is easier to rhyme when you're singing, because you are working from the part of your brain that recognizes patterns (usually the right hemisphere). Try a singing experiment. First try making a rhyming poem about something that happened today. Work on this for just a minute or two. Then try it again, but sing the poem as you make it up.

Most people find that they can easily find rhyming words when singing. You can also make a song up to remember things. Singing may help to activate your right-brain when you are working on a problem involving spatial reasoning. This last suggestion is speculative, but it can be a fun experiment to try, and no harm should come from singing.  

2. Consciously control autonomic body functions. 

Your pupils get bigger when it is darker, but they also get bigger when you see something you like. In fact, they get larger if you just vividly imagine something you like. Try this experiment right now. Go to the mirror and watch your eyes as you imagine someone you like, a favorite food, or anything you would like to see. 

You should see your pupils quickly grow in size. Imagine different scenes to see which work best. With practice, you can train yourself to consciously change your pupil size at will. Looking towards a light in the room will make your pupils smaller again, by the way. There are ways to use this eye-trick, but for our now, it is just a way to demonstrate how you can consciously control what is normally an unconscious body function. (There are also techniques for controling the heart rate as well.) 

3. Try fun experiments to motivate yourself. 

Ever feel like you just can't work, or your brain just won't wake up? Try a simple experiment on yourself. Simply talk about your plans, or anything you are passionate about. When I'm stuck staring at the keyboard, I might talk about the next mountain I am going to climb here in Colorado, and suddenly I have the mental energy to get back to writing. 

Try different topics, because what works for each of us will be different. You can even try this experiment on friends. When they are in a bad mood, have them explain something to you that they are passionate about. The process will change the chemicals in their brains, and so change their state of mind. Experiment to find the topics that work best - for them and yourself - and remember them for future use. 

Fun experiments or just useful ones? Either way, there is no harm in trying these and other simple experiments to learn how to better use your brain.

الناصر صلاح الدين الأيوبي

الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، أما بعد،

فهو أبو المظفر يوسف بن أيوب بن شاذي، الملقب بالملك الناصر صلاح الدين.

اتفق أهل التاريخ على أن أباه وأهله من "دوين"، وهي بلدة في آخر أذربيجان، وأنهم أكراد، وكان شاذي -جد صلاح الدين- قد أخذ ولديه "أسد الدين شيركوه"، و"نجم الدين أيوب"، وخرج بهما إلى بغداد، ومن هناك نزلوا تكريت.

مولده وشبابه:

ولد صلاح الدين سنة 532هـ بقلعة تكريت في الليلة التي أخرجوا منها، فتشاءموا به، وتطيروا منه، فقال بعضهم: لعل فيه الخير، وما تعلمون...

ولم يزل صلاح الدين تحت كنف أبيه حتى ترعرع، ولما ملك نور الدين محمود دمشق لازم نجم الدين أيوب خدمته، وكذلك ولده صلاح الدين.

وكانت مخايل السعادة عليه لائحة، والنجابة تقدمه من حالة إلى حالة، ونور الدين يؤثره ويقدمه، ومنه تعلم صلاح الدين طرائق الخير، وفعل المعروف والاجتهاد في أمور الجهاد.

ملك مصر والقضاء على الشيعة:

في 558هـ استنجد الوزير شاور العبيدي -"الفاطمي كما يسمى"- بنور الدين محمود على خصمه الوزير "ضرغام بن عامر"، فأرسل نور الدين الأمير أسد الدين شيركوه ومعه صلاح الدين إلى مصر، وكان صلاح الدين كارها لهذا الخروج.

ولما أعادوا الأمر لشاور، ما لبث أن غدر بهم -كعادة الشيعة- واستنجد بالفرنجة الصليبيين فصالح أسد الدين أهل مصر. ثم ما لبث الفرنجة أن أغاروا على مصر مرة أخرى ناكثين العهود مع المصريين، فتوجه إليهم أسد الدين وصلاح الدين فرجع الصليبيين على أعقابهم خاسرين، ثم قتل أسد الدين الوزير شاور؛ لغدره وخيانته، ولأنه لا استقرار لمصر طالما هذا الوزير الخائن موجود فيها، وصار أسد الدين وزير مصر إلى أن توفي سنة 564هـ فصار الأمر من بعده لصلاح الدين فصار وزير مصر.

فبذل الأموال وملك قلوب الرجال، وهانت عنده الدنيا، فملكها وشكر نعمة الله عليه، وأعرض عن أسباب اللهو، وتقمص بقميص الجد والاجتهاد استعداداً لمواجهات مستمرة مع الصليبيين من جهة، وخزعبلات الدولة العبيدية "المسماة بالفاطمية" من جهة أخرى.

ولما علم الإفرنج استقرار الأمر لصلاح الدين أجمعوا وجمعوا جيوشهم، وقصدوا "دمياط"، فنازلهم صلاح الدين فهزمهم هزيمة منكرة، وأُخذت منهم آلاتهم الحربية، وقتل من رجالهم العدد الكبير.

وحاول الشيعة العبيديون -"الفاطميون كما يسمون"- اغتيال صلاح الدين أكثر من ثلاث مرات، لكن الله خذلهم ورد كيدهم.

واستقرت الأمور لصلاح الدين، ونقل أسرته ووالده إلى مصر، ليتم له السرور، وتكون قصته مشابهة لقصة يوسف الصديق -عليه الصلاة والسلام-.

ولم يزل صلاح الدين وزيراً حتى مات العاضد آخر خلفاء العبيديين 565هـ، وبذلك انتهت الدولة العبيدية، وبدأت دولة بني أيوب "الأيوبية"، ولـُقِب صلاح الدين بالملك الناصر، وثبتت قدمه ورسخ ملكه.

قال ابن شداد: "لم يزل صلاح الدين على قدم بساط العدل، ونشر الإحسان، وإفاضة الإنعام على الناس".

جهاده ضد الصليبيين لاستعادة بيت المقدس:

بدأ صلاح الدين جهاده سنة 568هـ فبدأ ببلاد "الكرك" و"الشوبك" ودارت بينه وبين الفرنج معارك لم يظفر فيها بشيء، وفي أثناء ذلك قضى على حركات التمرد سواء من الشيعة أو من المصريين كحركة رجل يدعى "الكنز".

ثم إن صلاح الدين توجه إلى دمشق لما علم اختلاف أحوالها بعد وفاة نور الدين، وتولية الصالح إسماعيل ولده، وكان صبياً غير قادر على أعباء الدولة، فأخذها وفرح الدمشقيون به فرحاً شديداً، وبدأت البلاد الشامية وما حولها تدين له بالولاء والطاعة، وبدأ صلاح الدين يوطد ملكه على هذه البلاد حتى دانت له.

واقعة حطين واستعادة بيت المقدس:

ثم كانت واقعة حطين يوم السبت 14 ربيع الآخر 583هـ، وكانت من أيام المسلمين المجيدة، ونصر الله المسلمين نصراً مؤزراً، وكان الصليبيون 63 ألفاً أُسر منهم 30 ألفاً وقتل 30 ألفاً، وفر ثلاثة آلاف مثخنين بالجراح وغنم المسلمون مغانم عظيمة حتى لقد حكى من عاصرها أنه شاهد رجلاً معه نيف وثلاثين أسيراً، وباع أحدُهم صليبياً بنعل يلبسه.

وقبض صلاح الدين على "أرناط" صاحب الكرك، وقد قتل بعض الحجاج المسلمين، واستهزأ بالنبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، فأحضره أمامه فقال له: "ها أنا أنتصر لمحمد -صلى الله عليه وسلم- منك" ثم عرض عليه الإسلام فأبى، فضرب عنقه.

ثم رحل إلى عكا وقاتل الصليبيين يوم الخميس مستهل جمادى الأولى 583هـ، فأخذها واستنقذ من كان بها من أسارى المسلمين، وتفرق جيشه في بلاد الساحل يأخذون الحصون والقلاع، والأماكن المنيعة، ثم أخذ "صيدا" ثم "بيروت" في يوم الخميس التاسع والعشرين من شهر جمادى الأولى.

ثم لما تسلم صلاح الدين "عسقلان" والأماكن المحيطة بالقدس؛ شمر عن ساق الجد والاجتهاد في قصد القدس المبارك، فاجتمعت إليه العساكر التي كانت متفرقة بالساحل، فسار نحوه معتمداً على الله -تعالى- مفوضاً أمره إليه. وكان نزوله عليه في الخامس من رجب 583هـ، وفي يوم الجمعة العشرين من رجب نصب المجانيق، ولما رأى أعداء الله الصليبيون ما نزل بهم من الأمر وأنهم لا قبل لهم بجند المسلمين، استكانوا وطلبوا الأمان، وكان تسلم صلاح الدين لبيت المقدس يوم الجمعة السابع والعشرين من رجب، ثم استكمل بعد ذلك فتح ما حول القدس الشريف وبقية بلاد الشام، حتى دانت له هذه البلاد، ووقعت في أثناء ذلك بينه وبين الصليبيين حروب انتهت بانتصاره ومصالحتهم له.

ثم اهتم بعد ذلك بإصلاح أحوال بلاد المسلمين، وإصلاح ما خربه الصليبيون أثناء وجودهم في بلاد المسلمين.

زهده -رحمه الله-:

قال أبو شامة: "لم يخلف في خزانته إلا سبعة وأربعين درهما ودينارا صوريا، ولم يخلف مِلكاً ولا عقاراً".

وقال العماد: "أطلق مدة حصار عكا اثني عشر ألف فرس وما حضر اللقاء إلا استعار فرسا ولا يلبس إلا الكتان والقطن".

من صفاته -رحمه الله-:

قال أبو شامة: "كان -رحمه الله- شديد القوى عاقلاً وقوراً مهيباً كريماً شجاعاً، كثير الغزو عالي الهمة. لم يختلف عليه في أيامه أحد من أصحابه، وكان الناس يأمنون ظلمه، ويرجون رفده، وأكثر ما كان يصل عطاؤه إلى الشجعان والعلماء، ولم يكن لمبطل ولا لمزَّاح عنده نصيب".

قال العماد: "نزَّه المجالس من الهزل. يؤثر سماع الحديث بالأسانيد، حليماً، مُقيلاً للعثرة، تقياً، نقياً، وفياً، يغضي ولا يغضب، ما ردَّ سائلاً، ولا خجَّل قائلاً، كثير البر والصدقات. ما رأيته صلى إلا في جماعة".

طلبه للعلم:

كان حريصا -رحمه الله- على طلب العلم، فقد رحل إلى الإسكندرية لسماع موطأ الإمام مالك، ولم يشغله جهاده عن طلب العلم، ومن معرفته لقيمة العلم وأثره كان يأمر بقراءة صحيح البخاري على الجنود في الخيام أثناء الاستعداد لمعركة حطين.

وفاته -رحمه الله-:

في السادس عشر من صفر 589هـ يوم السبت أصيب بحمى صفراوية كانت في باطنه أكثر من ظاهره، واحتد عليه المرض حتى توفي يوم الأربعاء السابع والعشرين من صفر عام 589هـ.

وذكر أبو جعفر القرطبي أنه قرأ عند صلاح الدين وهو في مرض موته حتى انتهى إلى قوله -تعالى-:{هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ} [الحشر: 22]، فسمع صلاحَ الدين يقول: "صحيح"، وكان ذهنه غائباً قبل ذلك، ثم مات رحمه الله رحمة واسعة، وحشرنا وإياه مع الأنبياء والمرسلين، وصلِّ اللهم وسلِم وبارك على عبدك ونبيك محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم.

http://www.al-eman.com/Monwat/Ozamaa/Salah.asp