Rs 101 billion to be raised from consumers: ECC

The government has decided to collect Rs 101 billion from gas consumers, maybe through another tax, for construction of North-South Gas pipeline and deferred approval of LNG import and its pricing till today (Friday).A meeting of the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar turned sour when a senior official of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority strongly opposed the proposal of charging gas consumers for development of gas pipeline and argued the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) had been imposed for this purpose.The OGRA''s response reportedly angered Finance Minister who wanted an answer to his question:"Where is GIDC collection?"Media reports soon after the meeting quoting sources in OGRA stated the government collected Rs 150 billion from gas consumers through GIDC but it transferred the amount to its own account instead of parking it in the consolidated fund for this purpose.The ECC on a proposal by Ministry of Petroleum regarding financing of a pipeline infrastructure development plan for the upcoming LNG and anticipated indigenous supplies reaffirmed its decision of September, 3 2015 and allowed gas companies to arrange funding from commercial banks backed by government''s sovereign guarantee.Sources said the project would ensure supplies of gas to the 3600MW RLNG based power plants planned to be set up in the country by 2017 On a proposal for issuance of policy guidelines to NEPRA for power tariff rationalization, the ECC meeting chaired by Finance Minister approved a reduction up to Rs 3 per Kwh in existing base tariff for the Industrial consumers of all discos for the year 2015-16, for units consumed from January 1,2016 onwards.On the issue of LNG import, sources further stated that the ECC directed Barrister Zafarullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Human Rights and Secretary Law to review and rephrase the proposal of LNG import and bring it to the meetingtoday.The Committee noted and placed on record the report presented by Secretaries Committee concerning LNG sale and purchase agreement.A meeting of the ECC on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Petroleum on 12th January 2016 had approved in principle the recommendations of the pricing committee to enter into an agreement with Qatar Gas-2. ECC had also allowed PSO, as buyer, to execute the sale and purchase agreement on Government to Government arrangement.The ECC had constituted a committee comprising Secretary Petroleum, Finance, Law and Justice, and chairman OGRA to examine legal and commercial aspects of the proposal. The Committee accordingly prepared and submitted its report.The ECC on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources gave ex-post facto approval in respect of 6 cargoes arranged byPSO from Qatargas under a Government to Government arrangement on FOB basis on board FSRU as LNG carrier.The Chair on this occasion gave instructions for reconvening ECC meeting on Friday 29th January 2016 to consider important left-over agenda items including provision of salaries to the Pak Steel Mills and supply of wheat to TDPs through the WFP.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy Business Recorder

Buying by mills lends firmness to cotton market

The ready cotton market is witnessing a steady and stable condition due to regular mills buying in recent weeks. Due to a massive fall in the domestic cotton output during the current season in Pakistan (August 2015 / July 2016) of more than 5 million bales leaving the output to be even less than 10 million domestic size bales and reducing the quality of cotton to lower grades in a large way, now lint prices are increasing as leading mills are hunting for quality.Thus the seed cotton prices are said to be steady inthe range of Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 per 40 Kgs in Sindh and from Rs 2300 to Rs 3100 per 40 Kgs reported from Punjab, according to the quality.Likewise, lint prices in Sindh were said to have ranged from Rs 4700 to Rs 5700 per maund (37.32 Kgs) in a stable market. In the Punjab, lint prices are also said to have extended from Rs 4700 to Rs 5700 per maund on Thursday, as per quality.From an output presently being projected to be between 9.7 and 9.8 million bales (155 Kgs) during the current season, now an estimated 1.1 to 1.2 million reportedly remains unsold in the free market. From this quantity, only about 30 percent is said to be of good quality. Most mills in Pakistan are not doing well so that a number of them are only running partially.The stability in ready cotton prices is only related to the meager quantity of domestic cotton which remains unsold in the market. Reports in the readymarket in Karachi indicated that the Pakistani mills are continuing to import cotton to meet their deficits, primarily from India and China. Lower grades of cotton imports from India have also been reported. Imports into Pakistan this year maybe around 3.5 million bales.Global cotton prices generally remain on the weakside due to massive quantities of cotton lying unsold in Chinese stocks and the strength of the US dollars. Chances are that cotton prices around the world will remain subdued due to further weakening of the global economy and softening ofthe commodities complex universally.On the ready cotton market on Thursday, 800 bales from Daur in Sindh reportedly sold at Rs 5375 per maund (37.32 Kgs), while 1000 bales from Rohri are said to have been sold at Rs 5500 per maund. In the Punjab, 400 bales of cotton from Mianwali reportedly sold at Rs 5350 per maund (37.32 Kgs), 400 bales from Fort Abbas sold at Rs 5400 per maund, 1000 bales from Shujabad were sold at Rs 5600 per maund, while 400 bales from Rahimyar Khan were sold at Rs 5700 per maund, according to the quality.Later in the evening, 200 bales of cotton from Multan were reportedly sold at Rs 5150 per maund, while 400 bales from Fakirwali and 1000 bales from Shujabad both are said to have been sold at Rs 5400 per maund. Brokers said in Karachi in the evening that cotton prices in the ready market were veering towards the tight side. Traders added that both raw cottons and also yarns were being imported from India into Pakistan.On the global economic and financial front, weak Chinese economic activity and its ramifications have remained the prime factor affecting the financial and equity markets around the world. Chinese financial and equity markets have performed highly negatively and its economy has simply gone haywire.The recent phenomenon of large capital outflows from China have been primarily responsible to plunge Chinese stocks to a thirteen month low level. It is now estimated that the Chinese capital outflows have increased to more than a trillion US Dollars during 2015 alone.Most industrials groups and conglomerates have slumped universally ranging from the commodity concerns to latter day technologies, and reports also indicate that a liquidity crunch in China may not be too far behind.Thus there are continuing fears that more economic difficulties are in store for China just as the reported depreciation of the Yuan and slower economic growth continues to haunt the financial markets. Worldwide surge in oil firm insolvencies is increasing the global economic gloom, including China.Thus China's business confidence and recruitmentpolicy were reported to have slid to record low levels in January, 2016. Reports from Moscow indicate that Russia's economy contracted by 3.7 percent in 2015. Reuters report added that "a slew of activity indicators (from Russia's economy) suggest the slump is far from over". It is difficult to imagine how Russia can extricate itself from its ongoing recession.Japan has reported that its exports decreased largely in more than three years in December, 2015 primarily because of the slowdown in China and the emerging markets on which China has depended considerably for its exports.It is significant to note that Japan is an economic powerhouse and its economic ill health since more than two decades remains a cause of global concern. Japanese equities also fell due to a contraction in December, 2015, to a three year low level.Germany is also suffering the same blues as Chinaas German exports are of prime importance to their economies and the slowing down of the economies of the emerging markets will hit the German economic performance materially. Spanish bank values conceded decline which led to a general decline in European share values. Weaker mining and banking shares in Europe pulled down FTSE, the prime equity index of the United Kingdom.United States was no different when last Monday the Wall Street was pulled down by the large declines in energy and raw material stocks. None other than the US Federal Reserve has recently acknowledged that the United States economy lostmomentum at the end of 2015.Last Tuesday Shanghai stocks continued to slide more than six percent reportedly due to panic selling because of the continuing concerns regarding the Chinese economy and a continuously declining global economy.There are also many noneconomic factors which are inhibiting the recovery of the global economy ensnared in multifarious problems from which is cannot extricate itself. For instance, the curse of corruption in emerging and several developing economies such as Russia, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Brazil, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Italy, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Greece and several others.Then we must note that the prevailing global refugee crisis is the largest refugee crisis to hit the world since the end of the World War-II in 1945.The upshot of all these reports and comments is that most countries around the world are facing a drag in their economies and the current year (2016) promises to enhance the recessionary tendencies and keep them accelerating. Thus at present there appear no notable signs and signalsthat the global economy can rehabilitate itself in the foreseeable future.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy Business Recorder

Advice to Mothers

1. Consider children a great bounty of Allah Ta’ala. Rejoice at their birth. Congratulate one another on their arrival. Welcome the children into this world with Du’aas of righteousness and blessings. Express your gratitude unto Allah Ta’ala for affording you the opportunity of nurturing a Muslim servant and also for allowing you to leave behind your worldly and religious successor. Make Du‘aa thatAllah Ta’ala makes this child an addition to the Muslim Ummah as a Da’i (inviter to Islâm) and a true servant of the Deen.2. If you don’t have any children, make Du‘â unto Allah Ta’ala for pious children just as Hadrat Zakariyya (alayhis salaam) made Du‘â . He entreated Allah Ta’ala in the following words:Rabbî Hab Lî min Ladunka Zurriyatan-Tayyibah Innaka Sam‘îud-Duâ.Trans: “O My Lord! Grant me from your side pleasant children for verily You are very attentive to the prayers (of everyone). [Maryam]3. Don’t ever be disappointed on the birth of children. Due to financial restraints or health problems or due to any other reason, vigorously refrain from fretting and fuming, from regarding the child as an encumbrance or from belittling or cursing the child.4. After the birth of the child, wash and clean him up and then call out the Azân in the right ear and Iqâmah in the left ear. There is great wisdom in ensuring that the names of Allah Ta’ala and His Rasulullah fall onto the child’s ears the moment he is born. ‘Allamah Ibnu Qayyim writes in his book Tohfatul-Wadood:“The purpose of this is to ensure that words denoting the grandeur and greatness of Allah Ta’ala falls first onto the ears of the child. The Shahâdah (attestation) that would Physically admit him into Islâm later on, the words of the same Shahâdah are being dictated to him the day he is born just as the words of the Kalimah are dictated to him when he is breathing his last. Another benefit of calling out the Azân and Iqâmah isthat Shaytân , who is just waiting to waylay a person and seeks to entangle a person with a snare of trials and tribulations from the moment he is born, flees the moment he hears the Azân . Before the beckoning of Shaytân , he is summoned to the call of Islâm and the devotion of Allah Ta’ala.”5. If possible, after the Azân and Iqâmah , get a pious man or woman to chew a piece of date or anything sweet and place it onto the palate of the child and request the pious person to make Du‘â for the child.6. Choose a suitable name for the child. Name the child after the prophets or the Sâhâbah or add the word ‘Abd to one of the names of Allah Ta’ala like ‘Abdullâh, ‘Abdur-Rahmân etc.7. If out of ignorance you kept an offensive or unpleasant name, change it with another appropriate name.8. Perform ‘Aqîqah on the seventh day. Slaughter two animals for a male and one for a female issue. However, slaughtering two animals for a male child is not necessary. Even one would suffice. Thereafter shave the child’s hair and give gold or silver equivalent to the weight of the hair in charity. (You may give cash as well.)9. On the seventh day, circumcise on the male child. However, if this is not possible by the seventh day, get it done at least before he is seven years old. Khatnah (circumcision) is an Islâmic characteristic.10. When the child starts talking, teach him the words of “Lâ ilâhâ IllAllah” first.11. Feed the child with your own milkas well. This is a right of the child over the mother. Breastfeeding is oneof the favours the Holy Qurân reminds the children about thereby emphasising the importance of showing kindness to the mother. The child naturally develops more love for the mother who breastfeeds him. Such children are generally more obedient and the mothers also have fewer complains about such children. Coupled with this, it is also the mother’s responsibility that with every drop of milk, she imparts the lesson of Tauhîd, the love of Rasulullah , the devotion to Dîn to thechild and also that she endeavours to instil this love in his heart and soul. Do not lighten your burdens and relegate your responsibility ontothe father’s shoulders but fulfil this pleasant religious obligation yourself and you will be blessed with spiritual tranquillity and joy. As far as possible, stay away from T‘awizes(amulets etc.) for the children. Instead of utilising T‘awîzes for them, teach them the Du’aas for various occasions. Recite verses of the Holy Qurân and blow on them yourself. Also inculcate in them the habit of reciting the Manzil and memorising the verses contained therein.12. Refrain from intimidating the child. The anxiety he suffers in these developing years will affect his mind and soul for the rest of his lifetime. Generally, such children are not primed to accomplish any feat of merit. Also, don’t force the child to doanything when he is hungry.13. Be particularly cautious about scolding, admonishing and rebukingthe child for every trivial matter. Instead of showing disgust towards their deficiencies, with wisdom and enthusiasm, endeavour to rear them with love and affection. Nonetheless, your conduct with them should portray that you will not tolerate anything contrary to the Sharî‘ah.14. Always treat your children with love, affection and warmth. As far as possible, attend to their needs and kindle their spirit of obedience. Avoidquestioning the child about Why? When? and Who? Avoid questions like: “Why did you do this? Don’t you have any shame? When would you learn? I don’t know what to do with you!” Instead of admonishing the child in this manner, employ a positive stance. Rub your hand over his head and very affectionately explain that this is not what should be done. Etc. etc.15. Show love and affection to the younger children. Rub your hands affectionately over their heads. Take them into your lap and love them. Your conduct with them should be one of cheerfulness and joviality. Don’t act like a stern and cruel ruler with them. Conducting yourself in this stern manner will fail to encourage any loving spirit in the hearts of the children for their parents. Also, the children will fail to develop any form of self-confidence and the harsh behaviour of their parents has an adverse effect on the natural nurturing of the child.16. Expend all your energies in providing your children with decent education and wholesome upbringing. In pursuit of this objective, don’t be the least hesitant. This is your religious obligation, a great favour unto your children and a great act of goodwill unto yourself as well.17. When the child reaches the age ofseven, teach him about the performance of Salâh. Instruct him to observe this act of ‘Ibâdat. Make the girls perform the Salâh with you and send the boys to the Musjid with their father and develop the enthusiasm for the performance of Salâh. When they turn ten and they show any shortcoming in discharging this obligation, punish them appropriately. Let your actions and statements point out to them thatyou would not tolerate any form of carelessness in the discharge of this duty.18. When they turn ten, separate theirbeds and make each one of them sleep on separate beds.19. Always keep the children clean and tidy. Be very particular about their hygiene, bathing and cleanliness. Ensure that their clothes are clean and Pâk. However, abstain from excessive grooming and vanity.Keep the girls clothing simple as well. Don’t ruin the morals of the boys by making them wear flamboyant and gaudy clothing.20. Avoid mentioning their faults in front of others. Be very cautious about putting the child to shame. At all costs, refrain from bruising his ego. Similarly, when one of them errs, don’t scold all of them. Advise the offender separately or take appropriate action against him alone.21. In front of the children, don’t reveal your despair over their failure to rectify themselves. In fact, to boost their spirits, praise them wholeheartedly even over trivial achievements. Always try to encourage them and raise their spiritof self-confidence.22. Relate to them the stories of the Prophets . Explain how they invited the non-Muslims to Islâm and what role their character played in attracting the infidels to Islâm. Also narrate to them incidents from the

Quality Time with Dad

This article presents the current relationship between a father and a child in this fast paced and time constraint society and provides many practical advises on how to improve this relationship to benefit the whole family.It has been estimated that working fathers spend about 3 minutes a day with their children.Fathers who abandon their families, fathers who rarely see their children because of divorce, and fathers who are busy and have very little or nothing to do with the raising of theirchildren are common.Dad gets up early, takes the long drive to work, gets off late, takes the long drive home, and gets home very tired. He just wants to have dinner, relax a little, and go to bed so that he can repeat the same routine the next day. Every now and then, he tells himself that he will spend more time with his children tomorrow.But Muslims aren’t like that, you say.Perhaps.How much time do you spend with your children in the day? Not just in the same house, but together — reallytogether.A popular American song by Harry Chapin tells the sad story of a boy who always tries to spend time with his father, but always finds him too busy. When the boy grows up and thefather gets older, the father always wants to spend time with his son, but his son always has other things to do.Quality time spent between a father and his children is essential for both the parent and the children. The children need to know that their father loves and cares for them, and the father needs to be careful that he doesn’t lose his relationship with his children by neglect.Tips to Improve Father-Child RelationshipThere are several ways a father can spend quality time with his children and develop a relationship with them. Even if he is extremely busy, he can probably free up enough time to do some of these things.Show your children in simple ways that you love them. Some fathers try to appeal to their children by showering them with gifts rather than giving of themselves. This may cause more harm than good. The simple example of Prophet Muhammad is much better, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. When his daughter Fatima (MayAllah be pleased with her) would come to him, the Prophet used to stand up, kiss her, take her hand, and give her his seat. Later in life, this personal type of affection will be much more memorable to children than receiving a gift that anyone could have given them.Tell or read yourchildren stories on some nights before bed.There are lots of excellent Islamic stories and books available that you can use, or you can make up your own. At the same time, you will be helping your children develop Islamic character. A twist on this idea is to ask your children to make up stories to tell you.Play with your children sometimes.You could play ball, color pictures, build toy houses from blocks, or do whatever they like.Let your children help you with simple tasks.Allow them to help you carry in the groceries, make dinner, or mow the yard. Children often get great joy from doing things that adults consider work.Take the family to for a picnic.Spend time with your children playing Frisbee, passing a ball, or pushing them in the swings. Your children will cherish this special timetogether as a family.Help your children with their homework.Show them that you are truly interested in their education and life by asking them what they did in school and looking at their books, projects, and assignments with them.Have at least two meals a week as a family.Use driving time with your children.Don’t just turn on the news and forget your children when they are in the car with you. Talk or joke with them, or sing Islamic songs together.Give your small children a bath sometimes.Usually, mothers bathe the children, but bath time is an excellent opportunity for fathers to be with their kids. Let them splash around and play a little more than mom does.Teach your childrento make wudu and pray with you.If at home, praying together as a family Jamat is better than praying alone. Children love to call azan. Make the youngest one the salat manager at home, taking care of prayer rugs, timing, and inviting everyone to salat.Take yourchildren to the masjid with you.This is an excellent way for you to build a relationship with them as both a father and a Muslim.Be available for your children, and letthem know that you are there for anything they want to discuss.If you are not available to talk to yourchildren, somebody else probably will be, and it may be the wrong kind of person. A good way of getting to know your children better as individuals is to take them out one at a time for eating, conversation, or some other event.Practice talking with your child, not at him.Since the father often takes the main responsibility for disciplining the children, it is very easy for fathers to merely become order-givers rather than parents and companions of their children. Spend some time listening, rather than talking.We only have one chance to be with our kids before they grow up. If we want them to love us and respect us when we are old, we have to build those relationships while they are young.Fathers usually don’t have the time todevote to their children that mothers do. But if we make the little time we have with our children quality time, we still might be able to build enduring relationships with them before it’s too late.By Ibrahim Bowers

Manners for Young Children

1. Teach children to use the right hand for eating, drinking, giving and taking. To eat and drink while sitting,and to stay, ‘Bismillah’ before eating and, ‘Alhamdulillah’ after finishing.2. Teach children hygienic etiquette, to clip fingernails and toe nails, and to wash hands before and after eating.3. Teach them how to clean themselves after using the toilet and how to keep urine off their clothes.4. Correct their mistakes kindly and privately without scolding them.5. Instruct them to listen to the Adhaan quietely and repeat the words of Adhaan after the Muadhin, then to ask Allah to exalt the mention of the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and supplicate the following,‘O Allah, the Rabb (Lord) of this complete invitation, and the ready prayer, grant Muhammad the means and the virtue, and raise him to a praised rank which You have promised him.’6. Assign each of them a separate bed, if possible, otherwise a separate cover. It is most preferable to have a room for girls and another for boys.7. Instruct them to remove harmful objects off the road and not to throw litter on it.8. Warn against bad company and against loitering.9. Greet children with Assalaamu alaykum at home, in school, and in public.10. Instruct children to be kind to neighbours and to be helpful to them,and avoid bothering or disturbing them.11. Instruct them to be courteous to guests and to treat them with generosity.The rule of Music and SingingIt is the duty of the educators to warn children against listening to music and singing. Allah states, ‘And of men who take idle talk to lead men away from the path of Allah without knowledge, and make fun of it. For such there will be humiliating punishment.’ (31:6)Most scholars are agreed that idle talk is nothing but singing. Ibn Mas’ood [radhiallaahu anhu] said the same. Allah also addressed Satan saying, ‘And excite whoever you can with your sound.’ (17:64)The Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘There will be from my Ummah those who will deem as lawful; fonircation, silk (for Muslim males), liquor and music.’The great scholar Mujahid and others said, ‘The sound of Satan is music and singing.’Singing of TodayMost, if not all, of the singing today talks about love, voluptuous desires, kissing and details of a woman’s body and other sexual connotations, things that excite the youth and incitethem to establish illicit relations.The best way to combat the habit of listening to music is reading the Qur’aan and the rememberance of Allah, and reading the Seerah or the biography of the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam].Obedience to ParentsIf you want to attain success in both worlds, then you should apply the following advice:1. Speak politely to your parents and humble yourself before them and be kind to them, and never scold them nor express a word of disgust to them.2. Obey your parents as long as no disobedience to Allah is involved.3. Never frown at them, nor give theman angry look.4. Honour them and guard their reputation and their property. Never take anything from them without permission.5. Do what pleases them, and help them out even without their asking for your help.6. Consult them in your own affairs, and apologise to them if you fail to do so.7. Respond to them quickly and with a smile and when they call you.8. Treat with courtesy your parents’ friends and relatives during their life and life after their death.9. Never argue with them, nor blame them and if they err, show them politely their error.10. Never speak to them with loud voice, and listen politely to them.11. Help around the house, and offer help to your father at his work.12. Do not travel without their permission, and if you do, keep in touch with them.13. Never enter their bedroom before knocking and receiving permission to enter.14. Never offend them by any bad habit that you may have.15. Never start eating before they do.16. Never give your wife or children priority over them. Seek their pleasure, for doing so secures the pleasure of Allah.17. Do not sit on a place higher than theirs.18. If you maintain them, never be niggardly towards them. The way you treat them, your children will treat you.19. The most deserving of your kindness is your mother, then your father, and know that Jannah lies under the feet of mothers.20. Never be disobedient to your parents, for this is the case of misery in both worlds.21. Ask your parents to supplicate in your favour, because Allah responds to their Du’aa for you or against you.22. Supplicate frequently for them, and ask Allah’s forgiveness for them.23. Never cause anyone to curse them. The Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] explained this by saying, ‘When a man curses another, the other would curse the man’s father. So beware of this horrible sin.’24. Remember whatever good deeds you do or accomplish, your parents will benefit from it after their death. And remember too that the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘You and your property belong to your father’.Guidelines for Raising ChildrenAbdul Rahman Abdullah Manderolla[Source: Madrasa In’aamiyyah]

Nurturing Children

There is great need to devote special attention to the nurturing of children.How will the nurturing of children take place? By establishing friendship! Establish friendship with one’s children. You are in search of friends? What need is there for this! If Allah ta`ala has granted you four sons, realise that your sons are your friends. Establish friendship with your children. Harshness and severity will not work. Keep your relationship with the wife a pleasant and wholesome one. Remember that the better the relationship between husband and wife the better the effectupon the children, the loftier the results with reference to the nurturing of one’s children. If one has the experience, by analysing children, one will be able to determine the relationship between husband and wife.If one has opportunity to spends timewith one’s family occupied in permissible activities one should do so. Such permissible activities will be the precursors, the means to Ibaadah, to worship. Such permissible activities become a fortress against forbidden acts, against the disobedience to Allah Ta`ala. Occasionally go on an outingwith one’s family. Go to some appropriate location together while at other times be together at home. On a weekend get involved in cooking and preparing, pack a picnicbasket and go out. My paternal grandfather, Allah grant him Maghfirat, used to take me at a very early age to the Majaalis of the Mashaaikh. This was during the period of British rule. In fact I was so young that I used to be in his lap in the Majaalis of the Mashaaikh. Shukr, gratitude is due to Alaah Ta`ala that those Majaalis are imprinted on the mind . The hearts of children are like blank sheets of white paper. Whatever is written thereon will indelibly remain imprinted thereon.My Hadhrat (rahmatullahi alai) used to say, “Consider sleeping children tobe awake. If one wants to discuss something, go elsewhere and do so. Do not do so in the presence of sleeping children. Consider sleeping children to be awake. It should not bethat some statement or action of yours becomes imprinted on that white paper.My beloved brothers! These are a fewofferings by this helpless traveller. The gist of the matter, the essence of advice is that one should be fully involved in the nurturing and upbringing of one’s children. Then and then only will one procure peace and serenity in the true sense of the word. Otherwise, if these very children become a means of one being tested, if they become the currency of tribulation your lives will become wretched. We beseech Allah Ta`ala to grant us correct understanding and insight, to grant us Taufeeq, the ability and ease to enact the correct upbringing and nurturing of our children.Source: Right Islam

Citrus board in limbo as centre, provinces

The government is likely to delay setting up its planned advisory Citrus Development Board (CDB)as the project has been beset by regulatory hurdles and complicated by financial woes, officials said.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had constituted a citrus development committee to formulate modalities of the proposed board.However, a consensus emerged at the committee meeting, headed by the Federal National Food Security and Research Minister Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan that the board should also have financial powers, “as only an advisory role would make it ineffective.”It was also decided that the board would need financing on a sustainable basis.However, a major reason for the hold-up of the project is a dispute between the federal and provincial governments on shouldering responsibility of funds to the board on a sustainable basis.The federal government asked the provinces, especially Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take the financial responsibility of the citrus board, as citrus production was negligible in the other two provinces.“The provinces, however, refused to provide the required funds and asked the federal government to channelize the tax amount paid to the export development fund (EDF) to the citrus board,” an official who attended the meeting told The News.“But the minister committed one time funding for the project.”Pakistan produced 2.384 million tons of citrus during the last fiscal year and the country exported less than 16 percent produce.Punjab produced 2.352 million tons, while KhyberPakhtunkhwa’s production reached to 31,600 tons in 2014/15 fiscal year. Total area under citrus cultivation in KP is 9,880 acres; production stands at 31,600 tons with 3.2 tons/acre yield.Measures are underway to increase productivity and better quality.“Pakistan enjoys a huge potential in citrus and the government is making all out efforts to enhance itsproductivity and quality,” Bosan said.He said the next meeting of the committee, responsible of setting up the board, will be held after two weeks. “It is expected that the committee would suggest the composition and mandate of citrus development board in the upcoming meeting,” Bosan said.The minister stressed that issues pertaining to citrus nursery, best agriculture practices, plant nutrition, pruning, intercropping, mechanisation, drainage, pest control and poor post harvest handling need to be addressed at the earliest.The government also constituted a committee to inspect the citrus orchards. Top three growers as per international standards would be awarded cash prizes.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy The News

TCP scraps rice procurement tender

Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) scrapped rice procurement tender, as the quoted prices weresignificantly higher than the prevailing local prices.Following the directives of the federal government,TCP invited bids for purchase of 15,000 tons of Long Grain White Rice (IRRI-6) for "Benin" as gift from people of Pakistan.Some seven bidders submitted their bids price ranging Rs 46,770 per metric ton to Rs 48,000 per metric tons for the supply of IRRI-6 rice. Out of seven bids, one bid found nonresponsive as its bidsecurity was short.Later, a meeting of the TCP''s Tender Award Committee was held on January 25, 2016 at TCP office to consider the received bids.The representative of Transparency International Pakistan and Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and Federation Pakistan Chamberof Commerce and Industry were also invited as observers to witness the proceedings of Tender Award Committee. However, the representative of REAP did not attend the meeting.The Tender Award Committee noted that as per theBid Evaluation Report the lowest responsive bidder is M/s. Meskay & Famtee Private Limited as it has quoted the price of Rs 46,770/- per metric ton on Cost Insurance and Freight basis.The Committee noted that the prices of Long Grain White Rice IRRI-6 (5 percent broken) have shown an upward trend over the last one month, especially during the last few days and the demand emanating from China has resulted in hike in prices of Rice in the local market.However, it also observed that notwithstanding the recent upsurge in the prices of IRRI-6 Rice, the lowest bid of Rs 46,770/- per metric ton on CIF basis was significantly higher than the prevailing market prices of approximately 340 to 345 dollar per metric ton on FOB basis.The Tender Award committee observed that since the price quoted by the lowest evaluated bidder was not economical and was significantly higher than the prevailing local prices.Therefore, accepting the bid would not be in the interest of the government.The Committee, therefore, decided to scrap the tender.Meanwhile, the TCP has invited fresh sealed bids (under Public Procurement Rules, 2004) from companies/ partnership/ sole proprieties dealing in export of rice for purchase of 15,000 tons long grain white rice (IRRI-6) on Cost and Free on Board(C&FoB) basis upto the port of Cotonou, Benin, packed in polypropylene (PP) woven bags as per provided specification.The fresh tender will be opened on February 3, 2016. As per tender documents, a party can submit a bid for minimum quantity of 7,500 tons or multiple therefore with maximum quantity of 15,000 tons.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy Business Recorder

Import of fruits: Senate panel recommends uniform rate of duty

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance has recommended a uniform rate of customs values for assessment of customs duty on the import of fruits from all regional countries including Iran and Afghanistan.During the committee proceedings here on Thursday at the Parliament House, FBR Chairman Nisar Muhammad Khan said that 35 percent duty/taxes are applicable on the import of fruits from Iran.Customs duty of 20 percent is applicable on the import of fruit whereas 15 percent RD is also applicable at the import stage. In case of Iran, the import value of apples has been raised from Rs 27 per kg to Rs 46 per kg for calculation of duty at import stage.He said the FBR has collected Rs 65 million duty onthe import of fruits during 2015-16 against Rs 60 million in 2014-15.Total import of fruits stood at 10,754 Metric Tons (MT) in 2015-16 against 10,368 MT in same period of 2014-15. Due to imposition of RD on the import of fruits, the FBR has collected Rs 18 millionRD on import of fruits in 2015-16 against Rs 9 million in 2014-15.He said the imports of vegetables and fruits have substantially declined from Iran due to impositionof the regulatory duty on fruits.The value of imported fruits as well as duty structure has been increased. When asked if importers of fruits can change route from Iran to Afghanistan to enter in Pakistan, he said fruit is a perishable item which cannot be smuggled through long routes of borders.Fruits and vegetables are freely importable in the country under Import Policy Order 2013. In order to protect the local producers, fruits are subject to maximum slab of customs duty, ie, 20 percent.Beside this, regulatory duty @ 10 percent was also levied on import of fruits which has been increased from 10 percent to 15 percent w.e.f. 1st December 2015.The minimum assessable value of Iranian Apple has been increased from Rs 27 to Rs 46 percent per kg in order to protect local production of Apples.Though, vegetables, being socially sensitive, are subject to zero percent rate of duty at the time of import.As far as the clearance of fruits/vegetables imported from Iran is concerned, the field formations of the FBR will ensure proper examination and assessment of the fruits and vegetables at the time of import.To prevent smuggling of these items necessary possible measures have been put in place, however, instructions to further boast these efforts are being issued.As far as the apprehension that fruits/vegetables of Iran origin may be imported via Afghanistan, the same may not be feasible due to perishable nature of these items and geographic distance involved for such a route.In any case even on imports of fruits from Afghanistan rate of customs duty has been enhanced from 5 percent to 10 percent in the Finance Act, 2015.Measuring of proper weight at Torkham and Taftan is being ensured, however, monitoring for any misdeclaration of quantity or value will be further enhanced.The EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) with Afghanistan is also being established for better exchange of data/information to prevent any misuse of the trade regime between two countries.The data shows that there is no abnormal surge inthe import of vegetables or fruits.In fact import quantity of vegetables from Iran has declined drastically (-91 percent) in the current financial year (July-December) compared to the same period of previous financial year, he added.The committee members suggested that there should be only one uniform rate of duty on the import of fruits from Iran and Afghanistan.It could be 10 or 15 percent. To a query on the rate of duty on the import of fruits from China, the FBR chairman said that the similar rate of 20 percent duty would be applicable on the import of fruits.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy Business Recorder

The Reward for Good Husbands & Fathers

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most MercifulAllah says in the Glorious Qur’an:“And live with [them] in a beautiful manner. If you are then displeased with them, [then know] perhaps you dislike something which Allah has created abundant goodness in it (al-Qur’an 4:19 ).The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:The believer with the most perfect faith is the one who has best character and the one who is kindest to his wife (Sahih Muslim).The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:The believer should not harbor hatred towards his wife. If he dislikessomething in her, then surely he will be pleased with another quality in her (Sahih Muslim).Shaykh Asharaf Ali Thanwi said, commenting on the above verse:“Brothers! when Allah has ordained these rights for women, then who canchange them.If a man fails to fulfill these rights, he will be guilty of not upholding the rights of the creation. Man should ponder over how Allah has interceded on behalf of women in the above verse.While there may be many reasons forbeing displeased with one’s wife, the main reason is usually bad character—this becomes a source of grief for the husband.Nevertheless, Allah has promised that even this bad character can become a means of attaining goodness—for He is All-wise and capable of doing anything. For example, she could bear you childrenwho become the means of your salvation come qiyamah. Just ponder over how clearly the rights of women are emphasized in the above Qur’anic verse.”The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:The best of you is the one best to his wife. I am the best among you to his wife (Tirmidhi, Darimi).‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) relates that a desert Arab came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and remarked:“Do you kiss your children, for we do not?” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied, “What can I do if Allah has taken mercy out of your heart?” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim)Anas (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:“Whoever brings up and nurtures two young girls until they reach maturity will appear on the Day of Judgment in a state that he and I will be like this (and he joined his fingers together).” [(Sahih Muslim)]It is easy to gauge from here how Islam has granted so many incentives upon actions necessary for the upkeep of society.The Spiritual Care of One’s FamilyFurthermore, just as it is necessary and rewarding to see to the physical and monetary needs of one’s family it is even more important and rewarding to see to their spiritual (ruhani) development.Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an:“O people of faith, save yourself and your families from the Hellfire.” (al-Qur’an66:6)Likewise, the rewards for a women are also many if she interacts well with her husband.The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said in a hadith narrated by Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with him):“Any woman who dies with her husband pleased with her shall enterParadise .” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said in a hadith narrated by Anas radhiyallahu anhu:“If a women performs her five prayers, fasts the month of Ramadan,protects herself from immorality, andis obedient to her husband, she will enter into Paradise from any door she desires.” (Hilya)It is greatly rewarding to treat all the creation of Allah with gentleness andkindness. This reward (along with the responsibility) only increases when their is kinship and closeness. This makes the person into a complete believer, and he is rewarded in this life and the Hereafter.Much of the above information was gleaned from Ashraf’s Advice on Marriage available from www.al-rashad.com and the Mishkat al-Masabih, the great hadith collection by ‘Allama Tabrizi in Arabic.This is just a sample of what rich heritage we have been left by our pious predecessors. Other marriage books and relevant chapters in hadith works like the Riyad al-Salihin (translated) and the al-Adab al-Mufrad by Imam Bukhari(translated) can be consulted for more information.WassalamAbdurrahman ibn Yusuf

10 Principles for the Upbringing of Children

1. Teach by example, because children listen with their eyes.2. Introduce Allah to your child: His glory, obedience to Him over obedience to anyone else, asking only from Him, Importance of theFaraa’idh.3. Introduce Rasoolullah (S) to your child: His life & times, following hisSunnahin everything in life, his Message, and his Work:Da’wah.4. Systematic education of Islam parallel with regular education: 4-5 hours/week; Arabic language,Tajweed,Qira’ah ul-Qur’an,Aqeedah,Hadith,Fiqh,Seerah.5. Manners:Akhlaaq. Attention to detail about all aspects of behavior reinforced by your own behavior. You have to practice what you preach.6.Concern for others: Self centered: Family members, environment, servants, strangers, road users, neighbors, shop keepers: Sensitive orsenseless?7. Physical fitness: Mothers stop pampering. Regular sports, especially team sports, nutrition, no junk food.8. Scheduling time: Wake & Sleep early, TV, DailyMuhasiba, diary writing.9.Responsibility: School projects, commons, home, neighborhood,10. Drive for excellence in everything: Being No.1. Winning is a habit. So is losing. Focus on quality. Be a Standard Bearer of Islam.Source:At-Talib

Halal Diet and Pregnancy

We are what we eat. Today we complain our children are disobedient towards us, but why the surprise? If we feed our childrenharam(even while in the womb) then the thoughts that will be bred in their minds (later in life) will beharam.Understand well,halalfoods breedhalalthoughts andhalalactions whilstharamfood breedsharamthoughts andharamactions.Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanwi narrates, ‘If before birth of the child, parents were to reform themselves and adoptpiety, then there is no reason why the child born too should not be pious. The actions of parents during pregnancy have a profound effect on the unborn child. Accordingly, the son of a saint was quite mischievous. Somebody queried the saint; ‘It is indeed strange; you are sopious yet your son so naughty?’ The saint replied, ‘ One evening I was invited to meals by a rich person (whose income was doubtful). After eating, my nafs became excited and I made love to my wife who became pregnant. This child is the effect of the doubtful food.’Therefore, during pregnancy (especially) it is of the utmost importance to eat a variedhalaldiet brought fromhalalincome. If in doubt regarding ingredients, leave it out.Source: Ashrafs Blessings of Marriage published by Ashrafs Amanat

The Virtues of Pregnancy

After some time has elapsed, the couple desire that Allah Taa’la bless them with a child and thus through marital consummation Allah Taa’la grants their wish. The first stage that follows is that of pregnancy. A person should not be ashamed of being pregnant or treat it as a big burden, as there are many beautiful virtues and rewards for being pregnant.Virtues for being PregnantRasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The woman that dies in her virginity or during her pregnancy or at the time of birth or thereafter (in nifaas) will attain the rank of a martyr.”It is mentioned in another Hadith thatRasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Does it not please you (O Women!) that when you conceive from your husbands while he is pleased with you then that woman will receive such reward equal to that of a fasting person in the path of Allah and spending the night in ibaadat. When her labour pains commence the inhabitants of the earth and the sky are unaware of the stores of comfort that are prepared for her. When she delivers and breast feeds her child then she will be granted a reward for every gulp of milk, and if she had to remainawake during the night for the sake of her child, she will receive the reward of emancipating seventy slaves in the path of Allah. O Salaamat! Do you know who these women are? They are pious, upright, delicately natured but yet are obedient to their husbands and not ungrateful to them.”Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “A woman from her pregnancy till the time of weaning her child is like one protecting the boundaries of the Islamic state. If shepasses away during this period she attains the reward of martyrdom.”In another Hadith it is mentioned that, “The woman who dies of labour pains is regarded as a martyr (shaheedah).”A woman should therefore gladly bear these difficulties patiently and calmly as she will be highly rewarded.Hazrat Mail bin Yasaar (radiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Marry such women who are loving and produce children (in abundance)because (on the day of Qiyaamah) I will vie with other Ummats and be proud of your numbers.”In another Hadith Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Even the miscarried foetus will drag its mother towards Jannat if she exercised patience with the hope of acquiring reward.”Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “When the woman breast feeds then on every gulp of milk the child receives, the reward is as though she has granted life to a being and when she weans her child, then the angels pat her on her back saying: CONGRATULATIONS! all yourpast sins have been forgiven, now start all over again.”[By sins is intended the minor sins, this is also a great reward.]Source:Beautiful Islam

The Blessing of being Pregnant

Once a woman has confirmed her pregnancy, she should express her gratitude before Allah Ta’ala as this is indeed a great bounty of Allah Ta’ala. This is such a boon that many people beseech Allah Ta’ala throughout their lives for pious children but Allah Ta’ala has destined otherwise. In fact one of the greatest Nabîes of Allah Ta’ala, Prophet Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam) used to supplicate to Allah Ta’ala most profoundly and frequently. Even Hadrat Zakariyya (Alayhis salaam) used to supplicate for children most passionately and fervently during the latter part of his life.Hence, a Muslim woman is required to express her gratitude unto Allah Ta’ala for this great bounty. Gratitude may be expressed in the following ways:1. Recite the following Du’aa very frequently:Allahummâ Lakal Hamdû Wa Lakash-ShukruTranslation: O Allah! All praises are due to You alone and I express my gratitude unto You alone (for granting me the honour of motherhood).2. Allocate a fixed time for two Rak‘aat of Nafl Salaat. Whilst in Sajdah, make Du‘aa abundantly. Recite the following Du’aa as well:Rabbi Hab Liy Min-Ladunka Zurriyatan-Tayyibah Innaka Sam‘iud-Du’aaTranslation: O my Lord! Bless me from your side with pure children. Verily You are all-hearing of the Du’aa.3. Recite the following Du’aa as well:Rabbi-j‘alniy Muqeema-Salaati wa min Zurriyatiy Rabbanaa wa Taqabbal Du’aaTranslation: O my Lord! Render me as well as my progeny as establishers of Salâh and accept our Du’aas.4. Similarly, express your gratitude from the heart in such a manner that you stay happy and try to stay happy at all times. Try to forget all your pastsorrows. Build your dreams and keep your hopes and spirits high. Ponder over the bounties of Jannat.Instead of embroiling yourself in the daily disputes with the mother-in-law and sisters-in law and instead of involving yourself with the unbecoming behaviour of your husband, maintain strict silence. On the impending happiness of the birth of your child, maintain a friendly andtrouble-free relationship with all. If you do tend to hurt anyone, apologise immediately and try to forget about the dispute. If you continue vexing others, the evil effects of this nature will fall on the unborn child as well. The conditions of the mother during pregnancy, in fact even her spirit and perceptions during this state has a profound effect on the unborn child.Hence, a Muslim woman should express gratitude at all times especially during the period of her pregnancy. This gratitude should in turn develop in her the love of Allah Ta’ala. She should ponder that since Allah Ta’ala has blessed us with so many bounties, we should also devote ourselves to Him. To disobey such a majestic benefactor – by strutting about veil-less, watching television, videos, backbiting etc. – atany time and especially during pregnancy is not acceptable. Allah Ta’ala showers His bounties upon usand we in turn disobey Him!?The first month of pregnancyRemember that you are not a single entity now. Now a child is being nourished within your own body. With a bit of precaution on your part, this child may become healthy, intelligent, understanding, pious andreligious. However, with your negligence and indifference, the childmay turn out to be weak, sickly and incompetent.Hence, your life should not be the same as it was before you fell pregnant. Every moment should be passed with caution and concern over the well-being of yourself as well your child. Therefore, pay careful attention to the following points:1. Be careful with your diet. Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. Avoid over-eating and abstain from food that can cause constipation.2. Eat green, fresh vegetables, like salads, cucumbers etc. in abundance. Make sure that they are clean and washed before use.3. Drink lots of sour-milk and milk. Drink as much milk as your digestive system can handle. Milk is a very blessed form of nutrition. After consuming other types of food, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) would utter:Allahummâ At‘imnâ Khayran-MinhuTranslation: O Allah! Grant us food better than this (in Jannat).However, milk is of such a blessed nature that there is no food better than milk since after drinking milk Rasûlullâh recited the following Du’aa:Allahummâ Bârik Lanâ Fîhî wa ZidnâMinhuTranslation: O Allah! Bless us in this and increase it for us.In other words, whilst drinking milk, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) did not ask for somethingbetter (as he did in the case of other foods), because there is no better food than milk. This is why he beseeched Allah Ta’ala for Barkat (blessing) and increase in it.In short, a pregnant woman should drink lots of milk because Allah Ta’ala has placed the vitamins and proteins required by the human bodyin milk.If pure or raw milk is detrimental to you, consume it in other forms like Lassî (curds), sour-milk, custard, Khîr etc. This is beneficial to the mother as well as the child.4. Abstain from tea, coffee, Pân (betel leaf), oil, Ghee, chillies and oily foods. Besides affecting the digestive system, these foods are detrimental to the muscles and nervous system ofthe mother and may also affect the child.5. Ensure that you refrain from all types of medication during pregnancy especially pain-relievers. If you are really desperate, consult a reliable female (or male) doctor explaining your pregnancy and conditions to her. It should not be such that you are prescribed medication that is injurious to pregnant women. Some medication clearly states on the label that it is not advisable for pregnant women. Hence, if you are really desperate to use some medication, make sure you scrutinize the label and make thorough investigation before use.6. In the first three months and the last month, in fact from the seventh month onwards, avoid sexual contact with your husband. This at times, adversely affects the mother and the child.7. Avoid sleeping late. Try to get at least eight hours of peaceful sleep. This will ensure that your body and mind is well rested. This in turn is beneficial for the child as well and it may simplify delivery of the child.8. Avoid excessively hard work and picking up very heavy objects as this may lead to a miscarriage. If your cruel mother-in-law or hard-hearted sister-in-law compels you to pick up heavy objects or forcesyou to carry out some difficult task, then excuse yourself very politely andexplain to them that this task is beyond you and that you will pay a labourer to carry out this task.However, if your cruel mother-in-lawor hard-hearted sister-in-law fails to take pity on your condition, explain your helplessness to your husband and with his permission, goto your mother’s house to rest. If you are a sister-in-law to another woman (your brother’s wife), don’t be cruel to her as well. The moment she falls pregnant, try to make her comfortable and relaxed at all times. Your benevolence won’t be directed to your sister-in-law alone but you will be showing mercy to a sinless child, a priceless gem, a blossoming flower, the coolness of your brother’seyes, a luminance of this worldly life and a source of perpetual reward for the hereafter. The degree of happiness and comfort of your sister-in-law or daughter-in-law will, Inshâ Allah Ta’ala, determine the well-being, health, robustness and happiness of the new arrival.Source: alinaamCourtesy:www.everymuslim.net

The Bond of Holy Love

An extract from Az-Zaujus Salih (The Pious Husband) by Mujlisul Ulama of South AfricaThe Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:“The noblest of you are those who are the noblest to their families…”“Verily, among the most perfect Believers in Iman are those who are best in character and kindest to their wives.”Even lifting a morsel of food to the mouth of the wife has been given the significance of ibadat. It is an act of love by which the husband derives thawab (reward in the Hereafter).It was part of the Uswah Hasanah (Noble character) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to engage in light hearted talk with his wives. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah رضى الله تعالى عنه said:Allah loves a man who caresses his wife. Both of them are awarded thawab because of this loving attitude and their rizq (earning) is increased.”A man is rewarded for even a drink ofwater he presents to his wife. According to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم the mercy of Allah Ta’ala cascades on a couple when the husband glances at his wife with love and pleasure and she returns his glance with love and pleasure.When a husband clasps the hand of his wife with love their sins fall from the gaps between their clasped fingers. Even mutual love between husband and wives serve as a kaffara (expiation) for sins. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:“When a man enters his home cheerfully, Allah creates, as a result of his happy attitude, an angel who engages in istighfar (prayers of forgiveness) on behalf of the man until the day of Qiyamah.”May Allah give us the ability to act upon the above, ameen.Al-Mar’atus Salihah (The Pious Wife)is also published by Mujlisul Ulama, both books can be found in the English language and have been described asthe islamic prescriptionfor a happy and successful marriage,the blessings and rewards of which extend into even the Hereafter.

Why do You Always go Crying to Your Mum?

By Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf MangeraIn the name of Allah, the Inspirer of truth.In life, it is quite natural that things don’t always necessarily go the way we want them to. Life is full of difficulties, challenges and obstacles. What defines whether a person will be successful in this life is the knowledge of how to deal with these problems in a correct and wise way. This is what our religion teaches us – belief in Allah and the firm acceptance that He is our Lord and Sustainer helps us to rise above our self-centred natures as we have a higher authority to invoke, to please, to seek support from and from whom we receive rewards in this life and the next. A believer’s trust in Allah makes him understand that despite all the apparent negativities that may surround him at any point in his life, if he continues to do the right thing in the right way, that is according todeen, then Allah will help him and guide him towards a better end, as Allah is the Wise, the All-knowing.Complaining about our spousesMany of us may have witnessed within our own family or elsewhere amarried couple experiencing problems with each other – a few months into the marriage when the romantic period, where everything seemed to smell of roses, is gone, the defects of the spouse begin to become apparent. Each begins to seeshortcomings in the other that they hadn’t noticed thus far and may evenbegin to regret having married his/her partner. So the first thing theydo, particularly so for women, is that they call their mother. Mothers will quite naturally be partial to their ownson or daughter. This is the reality and mothers are not to be blamed forthat, it’s just the way they are (and may Allah bless them for it as the positive aspect of this is truly beneficial for us). Even supposedly ‘tough’ fathers are sometimes guilty of this favouritism too!In a related story, it is mentioned that there was a woman who called her mother every single time she had a problem with her husband. While hermother would normally listen to her complaints and both would engage in a back-biting session, on one occasion the woman was surprised to hear a different answer from her mother. She asked her: “Have you prayed to Allah first to resolve your matter?”The daughter was very surprised as her mother had never asked anything like this before. She continued: “Look my girl. I love you a lot, but I think it’s unfair for us to keeptalking about your husband like this.” The daughter was dumbstruck.She was completely caught by surprise by the response, because this was the same mother who had always listened attentively to her andsupported her, who would suggest retorts to the husband and who had blindly taken her side in every situation. Surprising as it may have been to the daughter, the mother had become aware of the fact that supporting her daughter in back-biting the son-in-law was not helping the situation in any way. The mother then explained: “You and your husband have a very special relationship, which I don’t have with your husband. Whatever happens between the two of you, it’s much easier for you to resolve it amongst yourselves, to overlook and to be patient and forgive each other. I’m looking at the situation as a third party, with emotional attachments to you alone and not to him, so I don’t want you to call me anymore about this problem.” The words of the mother hit home and the daughter understood that it was her own responsibility to deal with her issues.Soon Allah most High gave her the wisdom to approach them herself and the problems were soon resolved between husband and wife. This mother had some wisdom in what she said to her daughter. Many parents are not like this and will continue to carelessly engage in back-biting to support their children.If our parents speak ill of our spouses, even if they are perfect for us, we will also inevitably begin to think ill of them. Although it is very difficult, we must be able to politely tell our parents that what they expect and what we expect from our spouses may not be the same thing and that nothing more needs to be said.Emotional blackmailAnother common problem between spouses that can be extremely detrimental for relationships is the concept of ‘emotional blackmail’. When tensions rise, the husband can be quick to say,“I’ll divorce you!” andthe wife may be even quicker to respond, “Give me a divorce then! If you don’t like me, why don’t you really do it?” Although in most cases they don’t really mean what they are saying at all, but are simply in a stateof heightened emotion and getting carried away, spouses may say things like this to each other. In someextreme cases, these sorts of outbursts even lead to actual divorces, despite the fact that they didn’t really mean any of it when the argument started. We must understand that the words we utter from our mouths can have a significant impact on our lives, whether we consider them seriously or not. So important an issue is the impact of words that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to change the names of people who had names carrying bad meanings, replacing them with pleasant ones. On one such occasionhe came across a man who was calledHazn, meaning ‘the aggrievedone’, and so changed his name toSahl, meaning ‘easy-going’.Just as names and the words we utter have an impact on us, so too must we realise that if we keep saying bad things to each other, whether we actually mean them or not, then Shaytan will seize that opportunity to create discord between two people, especially spouses. Sometimes people are simply not in the right state of mind to consider things calmly: the husband may have had a rough day at work, struggled through terrible traffic and when he arrives home he may be stressed, hungry, tired and frustrated. Similarly, the wife may have had a particularly tiring day at home, with the children playing up orjust feeling the mental drain of no adult company all day. So in those moments it is especially important toreflect on how we should greet each other, what we say to each other and the way we say it as well.Fostering LoveWe must be able to admit that we all make mistakes and sometimes behave with each other in ways we shouldn’t. But even when we realise that we have made a mistake in our behaviour, our arrogance keeps us from going to our partner and sayingsalaam, from making peace. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The one who says salaam first, is free from arrogance” (Bayhaqi). This arrogance is the very thing that keeps us from reconciling – we carry a false notion that if we admit our own fault, our spouse will always try to take advantage over us.In reality, admitting the mistake to the wife or husband will most likely make love increase. The practice of admitting mistakes and reconciling with our partner will increase the probability that they will also return the favour when a mistake is made by him or her. Saying kind words, bringing gifts, being the first one to saysalaam, asking about how each other’s days have been and overall trying to make the other understand that we really care; these are the things that ‘score points’ with our spouse. We have to make an active effort to do these kinds of things and we must be aware of what our spouses need. Men and women are not the same and will appreciate different things. Women may feel cared for through gifts while a man presented with the same gift would find it an insult to his manhood! A man may simply crave his wife’s womanly attention and care. At the end of the day, the more points a couple can score with each other the happier and more romantic their relationship will be.Many men think that as soon as children arrive they become more important than their wives. In the example of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the Companions, the focus of love is on the relationship between spouses, not between parents and children. The parent-child relationship shouldbe more focussed ontarbiya, that is bringing up children with sound moral and social values. Researchers are now saying that the wife should have more priority in the eyes of her husband than t

Nurturing Marital Love

Since marital love is prone to sickness and even death, it is imperative for couples to constantly work to revitalize and preserve it.Husbands and wives must do the following:1. They have to get in the habit of saying things that are positive, like offering compliments and like making little prayers for each other.A husband could say to his wife: “If I were sent back to the days of my youth, I would not choose for a wife anyone besides you.” Of course, the wife can easily say something similar to her husband.Affectionate words have an effect, especially on women. They have, indeed, often been the weapons used by unscrupulous men to gain access to what is not theirs.Sweet words arouse a woman’s heart. A husband should take care to say them to his wife before someone else does.2. Husbands and wives have to get into the habit of doing those little things that mean so much.If a man comes home to find his wife asleep, he can cover her and tuck her into bed.A husband can give his wife a call from work just to say hello and to let her know that he is thinking about her.If a wife finds that her husband has fallen asleep, she can give him a littlekiss on the forehead, even if she thinks that he will not be aware of it. Indeed, on some level his senses are working even though he is asleep and he may very well be aware of it.The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the value of these little things, “…even the morsel of food thatyou place in your wife’s mouth…” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]It may very well be that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was alluding to the expenditure of a man for his wife’s needs. Nonetheless, the Prophet (peace be upon him) chose to express it in the way he did for a reason. Most importantly, this is the way the Prophet peace be upon him) conducted himself with his family.This type of behavior is governed by the tastes of the people involved. It may take some getting used to, but it really does not take a lot of effort.A person who is not accustomed to such things may feel embarrassed just hearing about them and may prefer to leave matters the way they are rather than try to change his behavior and do things that he mightsee as ridiculous.Still, we must be willing introduce new habits into our lives if we do not want our problems to go on forever.3. The husband and wife must set aside time to talk to each other.They should talk about the past; reminisceabout the good times. Talking about them keeps them fresh in our minds as if they had happened only yesterday. They should talk about thefuture and share their hopes and their plans. They should also talk about the present, both the good and bad of it, and discuss different ways to solve their problems.4. Keeping close physical contact is good for the relationship.This is not just for times of intimacy, but at all times, like when sitting in the lounge or walking down the street. This is regardless of the fact that there are still men in our society who are ashamed to have people see them walking in public with their wives at their sides.5. Emotional support should be guaranteed whenever it is required.When the wife is pregnant or on her monthly period, she may need her husband to lend her a little moral support. He should take her mental state into consideration. Medical experts attest to the fact that when women go through pregnancy, menstruation, or postpartum bleeding, they suffer from psychological stress that can aversely affect their behavior. It is at times like these that a woman needs her husband’s support. She needs him to let her know how much she means to him and how much he needs her in his life.Likewise, the husband might fall ill orcome under a lot of difficulties. The wife must take these things into consideration. If people want their relationship to last, they must let each other feel that support.6. There have to be some material expressions of love.Gifts should be given, sometimes without there beingany occasion for it, since a pleasant surprise is always welcome. A good gift is one that expresses feelings of affection. It does not have to be expensive, but it has to be appropriate for the other’s tastes andpersonality; something that will be cherished.7. The husband and wife have to learn how to be more tolerant of eachother and overlook one another’s shortcomings.It should become a habit to forget about the little mistakes of daily life and not even bring them up. Silence in these trivialities is a sign of noble character.A woman said to Aishah: “When my husband comes home, he becomes like a cat. When he goes out, he becomes like a lion. He does not ask about what might have happened.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]Ibn Hajar explains her words as follows:They might mean that he is very generous and tolerant. He does no make a big fuss about what goes missing of his wealth. If he brings something for the house, he dies not enquire about it later on. He does not make an issue of the shortcomings that he might see at home but insteadis clement and tolerant.It is wrong to go overboard in considering the faults of others but when it comes to ourselves, keep a running account of all our good qualities.There is a tradition that goes: “One ofyou sees the dust in his brother’s eyes and forgets about the dirt in his own.”8. A husband and wife must come to an understanding when it comes to matters of mutual concern, like the raising of children, work, travel, expenses, and problems that might pose a threat to the marital relationship.9. Husbands and wives need to do things to liven up their relationship.Each one of them can read a book or listen to a cassette that might give them some ideas on how they can revitalize their marital life and bring more meaning to it. They can vary their habits when it comes to relaxing together, dining, taking refreshments, decorating their home, and in relating to each other both openly and intimately. These are the things that keep up the excitement and interest in a relationship.10. The relationship must be protected from negative influences that can harm it.One of the worst of these is the habit of comparing one’s spouse to others. Many men tend to compare their wives to those of other men. Some even compare them with the faces they see in magazines and on television. Women also compare their husbands with other women’s husbands in things like wealth, looks, and how many times he takes her out. All of this makes people feel bad and insufficient and it can ruin the marital relationship.If we must compare ourselves to others, we should do so with those who have less going for them than ourselves. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Look towards those who are beneath you and do not look towards those who are above you. This is better so that you do not belittle Allah’s blessings.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]We must accustom ourselves to living in the real world and to findingcontentment in what Allah has decreed for us. We should not look longingly at what others have been given. Whatever little that we have will be a lot if we utilize it well.It is quite possible that many who speak about their marital bliss and go on boasting about their husbandsand wives are untruthful in what theysay. They just like to brag.The grass often does seem greener on the other side, but only because we are not looking at it up close.By Salmaan ibn Fahd al-‘Awdah

Modern Health Care in the Age of the Internet and Social Medicine

Are we are all "medical citizens," embedded as potential or actual patients, with our physicians, insurer's, pharmaceutical companies, government bodies and others in a system of societal, moral and organizational stakeholders?Today, with the advent of the Internet, High Speed Bandwidth, Social Media, Support Groups and Self Care Protocols, patients for the first time in the history of medicine have the ability to alter the outcome of disease and illness for themselves, family members, friends and significant others.This essay attempts to address a most compelling issue of our time. Are medical self-help groups and self-care methods helpful or are they challenges to the delivery of traditional medical care? How do they differ and what consequences arise from this debate?Also, how has the advent of the Internet and Social media transformed the landscape of medicine? What limitations may exist in this new era of information technology and social communication? And to what degree do they challenge traditional care models? Can a patient or their advocate become more of an expert on their own medical conditions than their own physicians? The answer to this question is a resounding yes, if the patient uses all the tools now available to them.Various published estimates unanimously indicate that hundreds of thousands of patients die and millions more are injured by medical procedures gone wrong, medication errors or their side effects and by medications improperly prescribed or not taken as directed by patients. And it is not just the infirm that suffer, but their families, their loved one's, friends and employer's who must suffer with the grief and change of lifestyle that so often comes with these mistakes.Furthermore, on May 8, 2013 National Center for Policy Analysis, in a release, stated that first diagnosis error rates are increasing at an alarming rate:• An estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of cases are misdiagnosed, which exceeds drug errors, andsurgery on the wrong patient or body part, both of which receive considerably more attention.• One report found that 28 percent of 583 diagnostic mistakes were life threatening or had resulted in death or permanent disability.• Another study estimated that fatal diagnostic errors in United States intensive care units equal the number of breast cancer deaths each year -- 40,500.Therefore, second opinions are often necessary precautions, as are third opinions when the first two differ. In fact, Medicare and insurers often pay for third opinions under these circumstances as it saves them billions in the long run.Prudence dictates that the "medical citizen" must beware of these pitfalls, as their lives may depend on it.Also, with patient reviews and rating systems available right on our own smartphones, we must question whether or not physician decision making is being compromised as well. For instance, a surgeon knows that his or her treatment decisions can possibly either result in either saving a life or ending it resulting in damning social media judgements, whether legitimate or not, which can then hurt their medical practices? Does this introduce a bias that may alter or cloud a doctor's judgement? There is no data to provide an answer as of yet.So, are doctors becoming more risk adverse as a result of this new landscape? Physicians are now being compensated more and more based on better outcomes, lower costs, reduced re-admission rates and other variables - not staff friendliness or less waiting room times which many doctor review sites measure.Often 5 star rating systems get few patient reviews despite the fact that the average doctor has some 2,000 patient charts (most healthy) and while it is human nature to complain when we don't get the outcome we want, consumers are less likely to praise a positive experience because we naturally expect top service and thus neglect to post a positive patient review yet are rather far more likely to post a negative review to retaliate against the provider. So patient reviews are not a very good or objective source of fair and balanced overall rating of a doctor's performance.How can this dilemma be resolved especially when a surgeon does everything perfectly but the patient becomes a victim of medication errors, poor nursing compliance with medical orders or perhaps contracts a hospital born infection, or some other adverse event out of the doctor's control even if the doctor's work is excellent? Nevertheless these doctor review sites often blame the physician. So Patients need better tools to make judgements about their own healthcare whether it be which plan to select or which treatment option to go with given a choice.If a patient does utilize a rating site, they should make sure it is a government site based on huge amounts of data or a private site wherein doctors nominate other doctors for their excellence and would use these "doctor's doctors" to provide care for their very own friends and loved ones.Doctor reviews by other sites using stupid criteria like waiting room times, friendliness of staff, waiting room decor and other questions that have nothing to do with best outcomes accomplish nothing but make money for their operators.In modern day, it is not unusual for patients to challenge doctors when it comes to illness and disease. After all, according to Tejal Gandhi, MD, president of the National Patient Safety Foundation and associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, "Preventable medical errors persist as the No. 3 killer in the U.S. - third only to heart disease and cancer - claiming the lives of some 400,000 people each year, at a cost of over a trillion dollars a year"".Self-help groups and self-care probably date back to the dawn of civilization when people lived cooperatively in tribal settings. These groups dealt with all life issues related to the survival and political stability of the group. The dawn of medical ethics probably dates back some 2300 years with the publication of the Hippocratic Oath.But now the game has dramatically changed due to major technological advances in medicine and with the great advances of the Internet now being the primary source of medical information for medical consumers. And with the explosion in social media, people have the ability to communicate and share information on a scale never before foreseen or imagined.Add to this all the new stakeholders that have entered the fray such as insurance companies, employers, managed care organizations, Obamacare, biotech companies, governments and, of course, pharmaceutical companies and healthcare policy makers. The challenges faced bythe medical citizen and social policy planners have never been so daunting.Postmodern Medicine probably arose after the institution of Medicare in 1965 when Medicare was signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson and third party payer insurance companies soon appeared thereafter. By the 1970's the practice of medicine became the business of medicine and third party payment systems caused a surge in demand for services and the costs of healthcare delivery soared. Also, the debate over what is a disease and what is an illness now must be addressed in a sociological manner more than ever as it affects whether treatments are made available and what costs are covered by third party payers.Self Help Groups are usually a group or set of people who all share or suffer from a similar malady which involves great personal cost and suffering for themselves and those who care for them.Self-care is seemingly clear in meaning. We get a cut and we put a band aid on it. Have a headache, take an aspirin. But is it really so clear as pharmacy shelves that are now filled will medications that used to be available only by prescription and medical devices one can use for self-diagnosis and self-care which measure bodily functions and vital signs such as blood sugar levels, blood pressure, pulse oxygenation, etc. have resulted in patients self diagnosing and treating themselves, often without medical advice. Defibrillators are now a fixture in most large organizations where non-medical designated company personnel are trained

Anti-Aging Ingredients: Learn the Anti-Aging Ingredients Your Skin Truly Needs

In terms of your diet and health, it's what's on the inside that counts-and the same is true when it comes to your skin. But, the anti-aging ingredients you put on top of your skin can also make a big difference in how your skin appears to age.Want Results? Treat Skin-Care Like Your DietWe all know our bodies need an array of nutritionally-balanced foods to keep us healthy. Yet the cosmetics industry wants you to believe in the benefit of their ever-changing roster of single magical, miracle ingredients. Have you noticed that even with all the new miracle ingredients none of them ever work as promised or have the research supporting the often absurd claims?The fact is your skin cannot rely on one ingredient to enhance it's function any more than your diet can rely on only one nutrient to fuel your body. Skin needs a balanced mixture of powerful anti-aging ingredients to improve the appearanceof wrinkles. Think about it this way: if you only consumed one food or one vitamin you would soon be unhealthy and malnourished. The same goes for skin! It's the body's largest organ and requires a complex range of anti-aging ingredients to look beautiful and ward off telltale signs of aging.The 5 Things Your Skin Simply Can't Go Without1.AntioxidantsWithout question, topically applied antioxidants are essential for skin.Antioxidants can:*.Reduce some amount of the daily free radical damage that destroys skin over time.*.Boost the effectiveness of sunscreens.*.Help skin heal and produce healthy collagen.2.Skin-Identical IngredientsHealthy, young skin naturally contains substancesthat keep it smooth, hydrated, protected from the environment, and free from infection.Skin-Identical ingredients function to:*.Repair the skin's outer barrier to retain moisture and look less wrinkled.*.Mimic the structure of skin to dramatically improve texture and smoothness.*.Reinforce the skin's natural ability to fight environmental stress.3.Cell-Communicating IngredientsAs a result of sun damage, age, and hormone fluctuations, skin cells become permanently damaged. They regenerate into irregular, defective, and older cells.Cell-communicating ingredients have the ability to:*.Tell a skin cell to look, act, and behave more like a normal, healthy skin cell.*.Communicate with other cells that are causing damage.*.Reduce cellular damage thus preventing significant wrinkles.4.SunscreenAbout 75% of what we think of as aging is caused by unprotected sun exposure. Daily use of a sunscreen is vital.A well-formulated sunscreen will:*.Prevent damage to your skin in the form of wrinkles and "age spots," not to mention skin cancer!*.Adequately protect against both UVB (burning rays) and UVA (aging rays) sun damage.*.Be a minimum of SPF 25.5.A Formula That Suits Your Skin TypeNow that you know the essential anti-aging ingredients. What type of product should you buy?Here's how to choose the right product:*.Creams, balms, and ointments are best only for dry to very dry skin.*.Lotions and serums are ideal for normal to combination skin.*.Gels, liquids, or serums are unlikely to clog poresand are best for oily or blemish-prone skin.There are remarkable anti-aging ingredients with proven long-term benefit for your skin's overall health and appearance. Every skin type needs the same state-of-the-art ingredients to be younger, healthier, less wrinkled, and to fight environmental damage that ages skin. Repeat after us: Sunscreens, antioxidants, skin-identical ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients. That's what the best anti-aging ingredients deliver!To learn more about anti-aging ingredients clickHERE.Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr._Janna_Maher/2179840

Tips for Hosting a Charity Event

What's the Objective?Why is this event being hosted? If the objective is raising money, this needs tobe made very clear to the attendees. They are not just being invited to have fun, but to help a cause or organization gain more profit. If the objective is to inform and educate the attendees on thecause, put together a plan for speakers, presentations, and pamplets or brochures.Choose the ConceptChoosing a concept is the most important part of hosting a charity event. Events should be welcoming and engaging. Guests should enjoy themselves while coming together for a common purpose. Will it be formal, family-oriented, or professional? Deciding on the event concept will help in determining the atmosphere, attendees, marketing, and venue.Pick a DatePicking the event date prior to preparing for an event is crucial because it provides the deadline for each task to be completed. This helps toprevent any procrastination and promotes promptness as well as motivation. If the event is larger or requires more preparation, plan it at least six months to a year in advance.Create a Calendar and BudgetThis is often the tricky part because resources should be spent wisely and efficiently. A budget should cover hired staff, the venue, supplies, catering, licenses, rentals, and contingencies. Create a calendar with tasks and dates to follow through to completion.Gather VolunteersRecruiting volunteers can be difficult, but if the right resources are used, along with a good strategy, this obstacle can be overcome. Try placing an ad on a website designed for grassroots or non-profit organizations. Remember that this is a structured event and there are college students or college graduates who can use the event planning experience. Theyare able to use this on their resume and they also could use the professional jobreference for future employment.Locate a VenueIt is always good to choose a few different venues. There is a possibility that the first idea for a venue may not work out. It may be overbooked, they may choose another event, or there mayeven be an internal change. If you have a group lined up, you can find a replacement in a more timely manner. When choosing a venue, consider the weather, number of attendees, display, and catering.Find the FundingFunding can come in various forms: sponsorships, in-kind gifts, donations, fundraisers, or grants. In-kind gifts can be used for raffles, event supplies, or anything that will benefit your event. When approaching potential sponsors, have a few different options to provide to them. If they are not able to provide a monetary sponsorship, they may be able to help raise funds by setting up a collection box within their business or asking other people if they are interesting in helping with the cause.Inform the PublicAudiences can be informed of events in different ways. A well planned grassroots campaign will help to build a relationship with the community and inform them of the organization or cause that is being supported by the event. Fill out as many local communitycalendars as possible with the date, time, venue, speakers, and ticket information. Send out invitations by email to potential attendees. Send public service announcements and press releases to local relevant and reputable new stations, blogs, or online magazines. Find local bloggers who specialize in the same cause and ask them if they will be willing to provide information to their online audience.Setup EventMake that the setup of any displays are done the night before or the morning of the event. If the event is in the evening, the morning may be enough time to prepare a larger event, but don't fully rely on it. Carefully plan the setup, catering, check-in, service, and takedown/cleanup for the event.Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Charonda_Edwards/2188586

Leader Vs Boss

The number one thing that makes a good employee quit their job is that theydon't like their boss. This is why the top companies in the word put millions of dollars a year towards educating management on how to not only be able to get results from their team, but also be a leader that their team wants towork for. But, what is it that separates a boss from a leader?1.A leader is standing beside you in the trenches. Not gazing at you from above.No one wants to feel that they are a slave, doing all of the work while their boss sits back in their office relaxing or worse, is out on the golf course"schmoozing clients". A leader is someone who doesn't ask their staff to work overtime to complete a job unless they are pulling in the same weekend or evening hours. They are also someone who collaborates on projects, where employees know exactly what their boss is contributing, rather than spending all their time delegating or (worse) micromanaging.1.A leader has experience and expertise.There is a reason that few people want to work for boy's son who graduated from school and skyrocketed up the corporate ladder to a management position. And it isn't just that they were on the fast track. It's also that they missed a lot of important information and valuable information that they would have learned if they had worked their way up.You want your boss to be someone whoyou can go to for advice and will have the answers that you're looking for. If your boss has never done your job (or something very similar) than how couldthey understand what your daily challenges are?1.Leaders show that they value their employees.Employees that feel that they are valued both by the company that they work for and their direct manager are more likely to be loyal to their current job than those that feel they are invisible or that they are being taken advantage of. There are many businesses that are now putting into practice the belief that if you take care of your employees, they will in turn take care of your customers. This starts with managers providing positive feedback to their employees, recognizing when there is an issue or when someone on their team needs assistance, and not asking more of theiremployees than they are capable of doing under a healthy work schedule.1.Leaders inspire their team.It's not enough to just feel that you are a valuable member of the team. Most people also want to feel that the work that they are doing is valuable and worthwhile. Those that are happiest in their jobs feel that they have found their place in the world where they are filling a need and doing work that few others could do. A great leader is someone who is able to pick their team up when there are problems and can keep them motivated when deadlines need to be met. They don't rule by fear but instead show how everyone benefits from the best possible results.1.Leaders want to create more leaders.One of the best things that a leader can do is to teach their employees how to get by without them. Just like a parent teaches their child to leave on their own one day, good leaders want to give theirtop employees the tools and knowledge that they need to one day rise higher in their own careers. The best leaders are those that help people to see their potential and foster that to get the best results for everyone. A bad boss is someone who tries to hold the best employees back and doesn't give them to freedom to really ever reach their potential.We all had those people in our lives, whether they were a boss, coach or family member, who inspired us to grow and succeed. Think back to those that positively influenced your life and career and try to emulate their best traits every day at work. This is what will make you a leader rather than just a boss.Tokii is a lifestyle company that is all about helping you to love yourself, achieve more and improve the world around you. Check out our iOS appPersonality Profile Quizzes by Tokiiwhere we offer you a chance to explore your own psyche through hundreds of fun and informative games and quizzes. Our online storeWearable Therapy by Tokiiis a place where you can define your normal through original fashion based on real emotions and feelings that are not commonly expressed through other companies. We all have our own brand of normal. Embrace yours.Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Karla_D_Tolstoy/2180872

Pakistan enjoys potential in citrus production

Pakistan enjoys a huge potential in citrus production and the government is making all out efforts to enhance citrus productivity and quality.This was stated by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan while chairing a meeting of committee constituted by the Prime Minister on citrus development.The participants had a detailed discussion on the composition of citrus development board.It is expected that the committee would suggest thecomposition and mandate of citrus development board in the upcoming meeting.The Director General (DG) Agriculture Extension Punjab Dr Anjum Ali highlighted the salient features of the proposed project on citrus productivity and quality improvement.Citrus production during 2014-2015 was recorded as 2352.61 thousand tons whereas 370 thousand tons was exported. The DG reiterated that 15.73% of the total production was exported last year.The similar trend is expected this year as well.The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa representative apprised the Minister that total area under citrus cultivationin KPK is 9880 acres; production stands at 31600 tons with 3.2 tons/acre yield.Measures are underway to increase productivity and better quality.The Minister stressed that issues pertaining to citrus nursery, best agriculture practices, plant nutrition, pruning, intercropping, mechanization, drainage, pest control and poor post harvest handling need to be addressed at the earliest.Bosan directed the authorities to make all out efforts for citrus development and export. DG agriculture extension Punjab briefed the minister on undergoing projects in Punjab.He highlighted that incidence of citrus canker in Sargodha has declined from 45% to 20% as compared to previous year because of timely measures by the government.It was decided that NARC would initiate training sessions for citrus growers on modern agricultural lines for better quality and yield. It was proposed that Citrus Research Institute may be upgraded to centre of excellence for citrus promotion.The Federal Minister also constituted a committee headed by deputy food security commissioner to inspect the citrus orchards.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.com

Ongoing weather system to be beneficial for Rabi crop

The recent dry spell followed by rains forecast from Thursday (tomorrow) will have a positive impact on all the Rabi crops, especially wheat that stands over an area of 8.99 million hectares in the country.A senior official of Ministry of National Food Security and Research told Business Recorder that at present wheat crop was at booting stage and required a rain shower at that stage, therefore the ongoing weather system and rains would prove beneficial for the crop.He said expected rains would also meet the water requirements of other seasonal corps including gram pulses, barley and mustard. Rain would enhance the wheat output especially in rain-fed areas contributing nearly one million tons of wheat, he said.Dr Ghulam Rasoul of Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) said that a new westerly wave was likely to approach upper parts of the country in the next few days that would produce light and moderate rains in Malakand, Hazara divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.Under the influence of the new weather system, scattered rain with snowfall over the hills is expected in Islamabad, North Balochistan (Quetta, Kalat, Zhob & Sibbi divisions), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), FATA, Upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad and Sahiwal divisions), Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (from January 28 to January 30).He said isolated light rain was also expected in southern Punjab (DG Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur divisions) during the period. Rasoul said rain-fed areas of Punjab and KP might receive good rain that would be very beneficial for the standing wheat crop.According to PMD, during the next 24 hours cloudy weather conditions are likely over upper parts of the country.However, light rain (with light snowfall over the hills) is expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Rawalpindi divisions, Islamabad, upper FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.Foggy conditions would continue over most plain areas of Punjab and upper Sindh during night & morning hours.The Federal Committee on Agriculture in October last year fixed wheat production target at 26 million tons for 2015-16 from an area of 8.99 million hectares.Out of 26 million tons, Punjab is projected to produce 19.5 million tons from an area of 6.68 million hectares, Sindh 4.2 million tons from an area of 1.15 million hectares, KP 1.4 million ton 0.75 million hectares and Balochistan 0.9 million tons from an area of 0.4 million hectares.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.com