Weeds

By: Shazia Yousuf

In a garden with lovely vibrant blossoms and fresh crisp green vegetation, weeds are inevitable. A gardener has to be vigilant, always on the lookout for them; de-weeding every now and then, or else the plants in the garden would grow weak and wilt.

But some of the weeds are so beautiful; you may not even want to pluck them off. Looking at the beauty of these naturally growing plants, it makes me wonder, who are we to mercilessly pull the weeds out?

Weeds are also a part of nature, essentially God’s creation. Nothing exists without a reason; nothing comes into being on its own. So, are we out of our selfish desires, deciding on our own to put an end to a life that is actually meant to live on?

Earth Day – Mobilize The Earth Towards “A Billion Acts of Green”

By: Shazia Yousuf

April 22, 2012 will be the 42nd anniversary of the Earth Day. Last year’s theme was “A Billion Acts of Green” and the goal was to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy before the global Earth Summit 2012 in Rio.

This year, more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2012 and help Mobilize the Earth™. People of all nationalities and backgrounds will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection and contribute towards "A Billion Acts of Green".

We may contribute to a greener earth, by doing at least one act of conservation in order to make those “billion acts of green” possible.

The Beast

By: Shazia Yousuf

(Extracted from the diary of my late father Muhammad Haris)

“When the time of the resurrection approaches [the sinners], We shall bring forth ‘The Beast’, [the animal, the Satan within them], which will rise [with them] from the earth to speak [and confront them], because they had no faith in Our Revelations.” (Al Quran 27:82)

“Beast from the earth” has not been clarified convincingly by anyone. It is not yet understood what kind of creature it would be, whether one or several, or would it be an animal, insect, monster or a human being. Various scholars have interpreted this in different ways.