Islam

It usually hits me around the 10th night of Ramadan, when the first third of the month, the days of Mercy, have passed. The month is not nearly over, but I find myself looking back and feeling under-accomplished. The Ramadan “Plan” that I had written up during Sha’ban was a hefty one, detailing every action, every thought and prayer that …

Scientific research is finally validating the ancient health and healing practice of fasting. Scientists at the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered that fasting "for as little as three days can regenerate the entire immune system, even in the elderly” Researchers suggest that the mechanism behind this phenomenon is that "starving the body kick-starts stem cells into producing new …

With the approach of Ramadan every year, I always recall the following Prophetic hadith: "My people (Ummah) are granted five gifts that no prophet before me had been given. First, when it is the first night of Ramadan, Allah looks at His servants. He will never punish those at whom He looks. Second, the smell of their mouths when night …

Few Australians are aware that the country's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had regular contact with foreign Muslims long before the arrival of Christian colonisers. And Islam continues to exercise an appeal for some Aboriginal peoples today, writes Janak Rogers. The white lines are faint but unmistakable. Small sailing boats, picked out in white and yellow pigment on the …

Fasting may often be associated with spiritual meditation and discipline but abstaining from food for two to four days at a time apparently has benefits to the physical wellbeing as well. Researchers find evidence that suggest prolonged fasting is beneficial to the body as it helps fight the negative effects of aging to the immune system. The white blood cells …