All posts by Bismillah School

Sister Maryam: Teacher, Traveller; Tutoring Services - English, Math, Islamic Studies; Worked with Kids/ students from the ages 4 to 18 - in elementary school, hischool and madrasah tutoring;
Language,Rosethorn

HAMLET – TO BE OR NOT TO BE

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To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die — to sleep,
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to: ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep;
To sleep, perchance to dream — ay, there’s the rub:
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause — there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th’oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of dispriz’d love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th’unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovere’d country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of action.

Geography, Uncategorized

Northern Ontario Views

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BATCHEWANA BAY

Shore at Batchawana
Photographer: Gary McGuffin

Hiwatha – Crystal falls, Chipewwa Falls, Pointe

Hiwatha – Crystal falls, Chipewwa Falls, Pointe des Chenes

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BRUCE MINES – SAULT LOCKS – CANDIED SALMON

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BOARDWALK – SAULT STE MARIE

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GROUP OF SEVEN – CANADIAN ART

File written by Adobe Photoshop? 5.2

The Group of Seven was a group of Canadian Artists between the years 1920-1933.  The group had more than seven artists over its formation, but the founding members included Franklin Carmichael (1890-1945) who was born in Orillia, A.Y. Jackson (1882-1974), Frederick Varley (1881-1969), Lawren Harris (1885-1970), J.E.H. MacDonald (1873-1932), Frank Johnston (1888-1949) and Arthur Lismer (1885-1969).  Other artists associated with the Group of Seven included Tom Thomson (1877-1917), A.J. Casson (1898-1992), Edwin Holgate (1892-1977) LeMoine FitzGerald (1890-1956) and Emily Carr (1871-1945).  Each artist within this group had their own style, but the common thread was that they were artists rooted in traditional Academic art but inspired by European Post-Impressionism and even contemporary Scandanavian landscape painting.  The group was known for painting the Canadian landscape almost always void of its inhabitants.  The Group of Seven helped to solidify Canada’s contribution to the artworld in the twentieth century, and their influence is still seen in many landscape artists today.

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Geography

Canadian Population Stats

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Key Ethnic and Cultural Groups:

  • European: 52.5% of the population reported European origins, with English, Scottish, French, and Irish being the most common. 
  • North American: 22.9% reported North American origins, including Canadian. 
  • Asian: 19.3% reported Asian origins, with Chinese being a prominent group. 
  • North American Indigenous: 6.1% of the population identified with North American Indigenous origins. 
  • Visible Minorities: In 2021, 26.5% of the population belonged to visible minority groups, with South Asians, Chinese, and Black populations being the largest. 

Key Statistics:

  • Multiple Origins: 35.5% of the population reported multiple ethnic origins. 
  • Growth of Racialized Population: Between 2001 and 2021, the racialized population increased by 130%, while the White population increased by only 1%. 
  • Immigrant Population: In 2021, 23% of the population were immigrants or permanent residents. 
  • Indigenous Population: The Indigenous population grew by 9.4% between 2016 and 2021, while the non-Indigenous population grew by 5.3%. 

Statistics Canada conducts a country-wide census that collects demographic data every five years on the first and sixth year of each decade. The 2021 Canadian census enumerated a total population of 36,991,981, an increase of around 5.2 percent over the 2016 figure.[6] It is estimated that Canada’s population surpassed 40 million in 2023 and 41 million in 2024.[7] Between 1990 and 2008, the population increased by 5.6 million, equivalent to 20.4 percent overall growth.[8] The main driver of population growth is immigration,[9][10] with 6.2% of the country’s population being made up of temporary residents as of 2023,[11] or about 2.5 million people.[12] Between 2011 and May 2016, Canada’s population grew by 1.7 million people, with immigrants accounting for two-thirds of the increase.[13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Canada

Islam, Religion

Raised Blind in Ressurection – surah Taha 20:124 –

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20:123 – Sahih International: [Allah] said, “Descend from Paradise – all, [your descendants] being enemies to one another. And if there should come to you guidance from Me – then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].

20:124 – Sahih International: And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”

20:125 –Sahih International: He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?”

20:125 –Sahih International: [Allah] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.”

20:126 – Sahih International: And thus do We recompense he who transgressed and did not believe in the signs of his Lord. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more enduring.

Surah Taha; #Raised, #Blind, #Ressurection. #Islam #Verses

Biology/Health, Islam, Religion

Heart and Sin – In Islam

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Surah Ash Shuarah

The Day (The Ressurection) when neither wealth will be of any use (to any one) nor sons, [ 88] except to one who will come to Allah with a sound heart, [ Surah As Shuarah – the Poets 26:89]

This verse has declared that wealth and children will not be of any help to a person on the Day of Judgment. This declaration is subjected to exception in the words, “except to one who will come to Allah with sound heart”

Of the most significant effects of persistent sinning that remains unchecked, is that it hardens the heart. As The Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily, when the servant commits a sin a black spot appears upon his heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the sin, the blackness will be increased until it overcomes his heart. It is the covering that Allah has mentioned: ‘No, but on their hearts is a covering because of what they have earned’.” [Tirmidhi]

Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ

Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart. Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 52, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

We said, “O Messenger of Allah, we know truthful in speech. What is a heart swept clean?” The Prophet said:

هُوَ التَّقِيُّ النَّقِيُّ لا إِثْمَ فِيهِ وَلا بَغْيَ وَلا حَسَدَ

One that is Godfearing and pure, in which there is neither sin, nor transgression, nor envy. We said, “Who shows a sign of it?” The Prophet said: الَّذِي يَشْنَأُ الدُّنْيَا وَيُحِبُّ الآخِرَةَ One who despises worldliness and loves the Hereafter. We said, “And who shows a sign of it?” The Prophet said: A believer with good character.Source: Shu’ab al-Imān 4462, Grade: Sahih

مُؤْمِنٌ فِي خُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me:

يَا بُنَيَّ إِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ تُصْبِحَ وَتُمْسِيَ لَيْسَ فِي قَلْبِكَ غِشٌّ لِأَحَدٍ فَافْعَلْ

Young man, if you are able every morning and evening to remove any rancor from your heart towards anyone, do so.

Abu Huraira reported: A man came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he complained about the hardness of his heart. The Prophet said:

إِنْ أَرَدْتَ تَلْيِينَ قَلْبِكَ فَأَطْعِمْ الْمِسْكِينَ وَامْسَحْ رَأْسَ الْيَتِيمِ

If you want to soften your heart, feed the poor and pat the head of the orphan.

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 7576, Grade: Hasan

Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

Wealth is in the heart and poverty is in the heart. Whoever is wealthy in his heart will not be harmed no matter what happens in the world. Whoever is impoverished in his heart will not be satisfied no matter how much he has in the world. Verily, he will only be harmed by the greed of his own soul.

الْغِنَى فِي الْقَلْبِ وَالْفَقْرُ فِي الْقَلْبِ مَنْ كَانَ الْغِنَى فِي قَلْبِهِ لا يَضُرُّهُ مَا لَقِيَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَنْ كَانَ الْفَقْرُ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَلا يُغْنِيهِ مَا أَكْثَرَ لَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّمَا يَضُرُّ نَفْسَهُ شُحُّها

Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 1643, Grade: Sahih

Consequences of Sin in Islam

We will quote here some of the effects of sin, as described by Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him):

  1. Being deprived of knowledge for knowledge is light that Allah causes to reach the heart, and sin extinguishes that light. When Ash-Shafi`i sat before Malik and read to him, he admired him because of the intelligence, alertness and understanding that he saw in him. He said, “I think that Allah has caused light to enter your heart, so do not extinguish it with the darkness of sin.”
  2. Being deprived of provision. In Musnad Ahmad it is narrated that Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘A man is deprived of provision because of the sins that he commits.’” (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 4022, classed as sound by Al-Albani in Sahih Ibn Majah)
  3. Sense of alienation that comes between a person and his Lord, and between him and other people. One of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) said: “If I disobey Allah, I see that in the attitude of my riding beast and my wife.”
  4. Things become difficult for him, so that he does not turn his attention towards any matter but he finds the way blocked or he finds it difficult. By the same token, for the one who fears Allah, things are made easy for him.
  5. The sinner will find darkness in his heart, which he will feel just as he feels the darkness of night. So this darkness affects his heart as the physical darkness affects his vision. For obedience is light and disobedience is darkness. The stronger the darkness grows, the greater becomes his confusion, until he falls into innovation, misguidance and other things that lead to doom, without even realizing, like a blind man who goes out in the darkness of the night, walking alone

This darkness grows stronger until it covers the eyes, then it grows stronger until it covers the face, which appears dark and is seen by everyone. `Abdullah ibn `Abbas said: “Good deeds make the face light, give light to the heart, and bring about ample provision, physical strength and love in people’s hearts. Bad deeds make the face dark, give darkness to the heart, and bring about physical weakness, a lack of provision and hatred in people’s hearts.”

  1. Deprivation of worship and obedience. If sin brought no punishment other than that it prevents a person from doing an act of worship which is the opposite of sin, and cuts off access to other acts of worship, that would be bad enough. So the sin cuts off a third way and a fourth way and so on, and because of the sin he is cut off from many acts of worship, each of which would have been better for him than this world and everything in it. So he is like a man who eats food that is bound to cause a lengthy sickness, and thus he is deprived of many other foods that are better than that. And Allah is the One Whose help we seek.
  2. Sin breeds sin until it dominates a person and he cannot escape from it.
  3. Sin weakens a person’s willpower. It gradually strengthens his will to commit sin and weakens his will to repent until there is no will in his heart to repent at all… so he seeks forgiveness and expresses repentance, but it is merely words on the lips, like the repentance of the liars, whose hearts are still determined to commit sin and persist in it. This is one of the most serious diseases that are most likely to lead to doom.
  4. He will become desensitized and will no longer find sin abhorrent, so it will become his habit, and he will not be bothered if people see him committing the sin or talk about him.

For the leaders of immorality, this is the ultimate shamelessness in which they find great pleasure, such that they feel proud of their sin and will speak of it to people who do not know that they have done it, saying, “O so and so, I did such and such.” Such people cannot be helped and the path to repentance is blocked for them in most cases. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “All of my ummah (followers) will be fine except for those who commit sin openly, and that includes cases where Allah conceals a person’s sin, but the following morning he exposes himself and says, ‘O So and so, I did such and such last night, so he shamelessly exposes himself when all night his Lord had concealed his sin.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 5949 and Muslim, 2744).

  1. When there are many sins they leave a mark on the heart of the person who commits them, so he becomes one of the negligent. As one of the Salaf said, concerning the verse–

{Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.} [Al-Mutaffifin 83:14 – interpretation of the meaning] – this means sin after sin.

How this starts is that the heart gets stained by sin, and if the sin increases then the stain grows bigger until it becomes the Ran (covering of sin and evil deeds), then it increases until it becomes a seal, and the heart becomes covered and sealed. If that happens after a person had been guided and had understood, then his heart is turned upside down, and at that point the devil gains control over him and directs him as he wants.

“Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah ? Then will you not be reminded?” (45:23)

يَا بُنَيَّ وَذَلِكَ مِنْ سُنَّتِي وَمَنْ أَحْيَا سُنَّتِي فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنِي وَمَنْ أَحَبَّنِي كَانَ مَعِي فِي الْجَنَّة

Young man, that is my Sunnah. Whoever revives my Sunnah has loved me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Paradise. Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2678, Grade: Hasan

REPENTANCE: The Prophet ﷺ said, that Allah said in a Hadith Qudsi, “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.”

Sahih International: And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together – Surah Nisa(The Women) – 4:10;

#Heart, #Sin, #Islam, #Repentance,

Library, Tech

Cool Fonts – Keyboard and Online

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https://www.fontspace.com

https://www.1001fonts.com

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fontskeyboard.fonts&pcampaignid=web_share

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fonts-keyboard/id1636254820

Stylish fonts make you stand out in Instagram or WhatsApp! We provide new text styles with 100+ stylish fonts, symbols, kaomoji, emojis, and themes. Emo? Gothic? Romantic? Chill? Kawaii? What are you feeling right now? Use Fonts Keyboard to express your every thought and mood in a fancy way.

Fonts & Keyboards

https://fonts.google.com – Google Fonts

https://elements.envato.com/graphic-templates/fonts

Islam, Religion

Surah Inshirah – With Hardship comes Ease

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Here’s the English translation of the verses: 

Surah Ash-Sharh (Arabic text: الشرح) is the 94th chapter of the Qur’an, it is also referred to as Surah Inshirah. The surah titled in English means “The Expansion” or “The Opening-Up of the Heart” and it consists of 8 verses…

  1. “Have We not expanded for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?”
  2. “And We removed from you your burden”
  3. “Which weighed upon your back?”
  4. “And We raised high for you your repute?”
  5. “For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.”
  6. “Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.”
  7. “So when you have finished (your duties), then stand up [for worship].”
  8. “And to your Lord direct [your] longing.”

Divine Comfort and Encouragement

Surah Ash-Sharh begins with Allah SWT addressing the Prophet SAW directly, asking if He has not expanded the Prophet SAW’s chest. This metaphorical expansion signifies the easing of emotional and spiritual burdens, allowing the Prophet SAW to carry out his mission with greater fortitude. The verse, “Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your chest?” (Quran 94:1), highlights the divine support and encouragement given to the Prophet SAW during times of distress.

This surah reminds believers that Allah SWT is always there to support and ease their difficulties. It reassures them that Allah’s assistance and comfort are near even in the most challenging times. This message is timeless and offers solace to all believers experiencing hardship.

Key Lessons of Surah Ash-Sharh

Surah Ash-Sharh offers several key lessons for believers:

1. Divine Support: Allah SWT’s support and comfort are always near, especially in times of hardship.

2. Relief from Burdens: Trust in Allah SWT to alleviate burdens and provide ease.

3. Elevation through Perseverance: Patience and dedication to faith lead to honor and rewards.

4. Promise of Ease: Hardships are temporary, and ease will follow, instilling hope and resilience.

5. Importance of Worship: Devotion to Allah SWT is a source of strength and comfort, guiding believers through challenges.

Islam, Religion

Eeman/ Faith – Islam

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The Prophet (ﷺ) said:”Eman means that you believe in Allah, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Judgment and in the Divine Decree (Qadr) in its good and evil.”[Sahih Muslim 8a]

Abu Ja’far reported: ‘Umayr ibn Habib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Faith increases and decreases.” It was said, “How does it increase and decrease?” ‘Umayr said, “If we remember our Lord and fear him, it will increase. If we are heedless and we forget and we waste our time,  it will decrease.”

Source: Shu’ab al-Imān 55

عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْخَطْمِيِّ عُمَيْرِ بْنِ حَبِيبِ رضي الله عنه أَنَّهُ قَالَ الإِيمَانُ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا زِيَادَتُهُ وَمَا نُقْصَانُهُ قَالَ إِذَا ذَكَرْنَا رَبَّنَا وَخَشَيْنَاهُ فَذَلِكَ زِيَادَتُهُ وَإِذَا غَفَلْنَا وَنَسِينَا وَضَيَّعْنَا فَذَلِكَ نُقْصَانُهُ

55 شعب الإيمان للبيهقي باب القول في زيادة الإيمان ونقصانه

  • 1. Belief in Allah:This includes believing in Allah’s existence, His oneness (Tawhid), His attributes, His Lordship, and His right to be worshipped alone. 
  • 2. Belief in Angels:This involves believing in the existence of angels as Allah’s messengers, their obedience to Him, and their specific roles. 
  • 3. Belief in Allah’s Books:Muslims believe in the divine books revealed by Allah to various prophets, including the Quran, which is considered the final and complete revelation. 
  • 4. Belief in Allah’s Messengers:This pillar encompasses belief in all prophets sent by Allah, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). 
  • 5. Belief in the Last Day:This is the belief in the Day of Judgment, when all of humanity will be resurrected and judged by Allah based on their deeds. 
  • 6. Belief in Divine Decree (Qadar):This pillar entails believing in Allah’s predestination of all things, both good and bad, and that everything happens according to His will and wisdom.