Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha

Meaning of "The Festival of Sacrifice"

What is Eid al-Adha

At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca),

Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday

of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In 2007,

Eid al-Adha will begin on approximately

December 19st, and will last for three days.

What does Eid al-Adha commemorate?

During the Hajj, Muslims remember and

commemorate the trials and triumphs of

the Prophet Abraham. The Qur'an describes

Abraham as follows: "Surely Abraham was an example,

obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not

of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties.

We chose him and guided him unto a right path.

We gave him good in this world, and in the next he

will most surely be among the righteous." (Qur'an 16:120-121)

One of Abraham's main trials was to face the command

of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command,

he prepared to submit to Allah's will. When he was all

prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his "sacrifice"

had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for

his Lord superceded all others, that he would lay down his

own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God.

During the celebration of Eid al-Adha,

Muslims commemorate and remember

Abraham's trials, by themselves slaughtering

an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat.

This action is very often misunderstood

by those outside the faith.

Allah has given us power over animals

and allowed us to eat meat, but only

if we pronounce His name at the

solemn act of taking life. Muslims

slaughter animals in the same way

throughout the year. By saying the

name of Allah at the time of slaughter,

we are reminded that life is sacred.

The meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha

is mostly given away to others.

One-third is eaten by immediate family

and relatives, one-third is given away

to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor.

The act symbolizes our willingness to give

up things that are of benefit to us or close

to our hearts, in order to follow Allah's commands.

It also symbolizes our willingness to give

up some of our own bounties, in order

to strengthen ties of friendship and help

those who are in need. We recognize

that all blessings come from Allah, and

we should open our hearts and share

with others. It is very important to understand that

the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims,

has nothing to do with atoning for our sins

or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin.

This is a misunderstanding by those of

previous generations: "It is not their

meat nor their blood that reaches Allah;

it is your piety that reaches Him." (Qur'an 22:37)

The symbolism is in the attitude -

a willingness to make sacrifices in our

lives in order to stay on the Straight Path.

Each of us makes small sacrifices, giving up

things that are fun or important to us. A true Muslim,

one who submits his or herself completely to the Lord,

is willing to follow Allah's commands completely

and obediently. It is this strength of heart, purity

in faith, and willing obedience that our Lord desires

from us.

What else do Muslims do to celebrate the holiday?

On the first morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims

around the world attend morning prayers at

their local mosques. Prayers are followed by

visits with family and friends, and the exchange

of greetings and gifts. At some point, members

of the family will visit a local farm or otherwise

will make arrangements for the slaughter of an

animal. The meat is distributed during the days

of the holiday or shortly thereafter.

HAJJ

HAJJ:

About 2 million Muslims from more than 70 countries journey to the holy city of Mecca each year to make the spiritual pilgrimage known as the Hajj. The pilgrimage is one of five Pillars of Islam that form the framework of Islamic life. All Muslims who are physically and financially able are expected to perform the Hajj at least once. The Hajj begins on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah (month for Hajj), the 12th month of the Islamic year, and lasts for as long as six days.

The five Pillars of Islam form the framework of Islamic life. They represent the five actions a Muslim must fulfill to achieve salvation.

Islam: Key facts

• Islam is considered one of three major world religions, along with

Judaism and Christianity.

• Islam is strictly monotheistic, and its central teaching is that

there is one all-powerful, all-knowing God who created the

universe. God is referred by the Arabic name, Allah.

• In Arabic, Islam means "surrender" or "submission" --

to the will of God. Followers are known as Muslims, an

Arabic word that means "one who surrenders to God."

• Islam says all Muslims are equal before God, and all

Muslims belong to one community, regardless of ethnic

or national background.

• Islam was founded by the prophet Mohammed, who

Muslims believe was the last and most important in a series of

prophets, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

• According to Islam, the angel Gabriel appeared to

Mohammed and informed him that he was God's chosen messenger.

• Mohammed was born in Mecca around A.D. 570, and

settled in Medina around 622. Islam rejects the idea that God

was ever born, a key difference with the Christian belief

that Jesus was born the son of God.

• The holy book of Islam is the Koran, which means

"the timeless words of God." It has 114 chapters and

comprises the main teachings of Islam.

• The Koran portrays Mohammed as a human being

who sometimes makes mistakes but who never sins

against God. Mohammed's humanity serves as a

reminder that other humans can also aspire to lead a good life.

• The core practices of Islam are known as the

Five Pillars: daily prayer, faith, fasting, pilgrimage and alms

giving. For more information, go here.

• There are an estimated 1 billion Muslims, with

Indonesia being the most populous Muslim country.

The faith is considered the world's fastest growing religion.

• There are several sects and traditions within

Islam, including Shia Islam, Sunni Islam and Sufism.

Sunni Muslims constitute the vast majority of the world's Muslims.

• Islamic law forbids the artistic representation of God,

the prophets and -- sometimes -- of human beings in general.

At the pilgrimage, men,

women pray side by side

"Heaven is at your mother's feet."

That's what many naughty Muslim children are told

when they're misbehaving. It's supposed to represent

not only the importance of the role of motherhood in

Islam, but also how women are definitely not inferior

to men. Children are being told that there's nothing

higher than their mother. So, it makes the critics ask,

"Why do Muslim women seem to have fewer rights

than their men?"

In theory, they don't. For about 1,500 years, women

under Islamic laws have had rights that might have

surprised their counterparts in other religions, such

as the right to independent wealth and property --

which can even be kept private from a woman's husband.

One staunch feminist living in Saudi Arabia pointed out in

an interview that the arrival of Islam,

particularly in Middle Eastern countries, actually improved

conditions for women. She said before then, the pagan, often

nomadic, tribes treated women like easily discarded property.

Islam set standards that looked after women's interests and

protected them from men.

The feminist added that, sadly, things don't always develop

the right way, and that modern laws and restrictions don't

always reflect what Islam had intended all those centuries

ago. Women aren't allowed to drive cars in Saudi Arabia, for

example, and the extent to which a woman has to cover her

face and body in some places also peeves those demanding

that the religion modernise. After all, cars hardly

cluttered the desert at the dawn of Islam.

The feminist said she had to live with a strange mixture

of frustration and pride in her religion.

Equality is not always that easy to judge. It's common

in Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

to notice that men are far more visible than women in

public places. Often that's because the culture is much more

traditional. The woman's role is to stay at home and bring

up a family, while the husband goes out to work.

But the degree to which a woman will cover herself varies

from country to country. Pakistani women dress in

anything from Western clothes to more conservative

traditional "pajama"-style outfits. In an officially secular

country such as Turkey, women are dressed in

modern Western clothing, including figure-hugging jeans.

In Iran, it's very unlikely to see that, and far more

common to witness the all-encompassing black tent-

like "burqa." Interpretation of Islam varies. That's

where most problems within the religion arise.

To some strict, traditional Muslims, music and

dancing is a total no-no. Other Muslim cultures

revel in song and dance.

At the Hajj, men and women walk together and pray

together. Mosques around the world are generally

segregated into sections keeping the sexes apart.

To some degree that would present a major problem

at the pilgrimage. It's easy enough to get lost in the

huge crowds. The last thing the gathering needs is

thousands of men and women trying to find their

spouses and children after prayers. There are groups

from some countries that prefer to remain apart in

the Great Mosque, although not straying too far

from each other. The atmosphere is relaxed.

No one is tense that the segregation rules they

follow at home are put aside in Islam's most holy mosque.

In this respect, performing the Hajj is also an

education. It almost challenges convention.

In Arabic, the Great Mosque is called

"Al-Haram" ... the Sanctuary. It may surprise some,

but it's a sanctuary, equally, for men and women.

Optimistic attitude -

We should always try to keep a positive and optimistic attitude. Try to eliminate the negativism, because that's detrimental to the whole group. Personally I'm happy to work long hours when I'm around happy and cheerful people. But when I'm around somebody who's complaining or whining often, then that depresses me. We're all here to work, and we should appreciate all the business that we can get.

From time to time I hear about a patient being dumped upon us by somebody. I personally never consider a patient as a dump. A dump is what's dumped into a dumpster, and that's trash. I even consider it disrespectful to call patients as hits. Our main concern should be to provide the best possible care for the patient. In most cases, if another physician is unavailable or unwilling to take care of a patient, we can provide that care without any compromise, if needed we can ask for consultants to help us. Sometimes the ER doctors need our help in determining if the patient needs to be admitted or not, and there's nothing wrong with such consults.

I think that our lives can be happier, and our relationships with others can be so much better, if we would try to see other people's perspectives. Most of us think that we can see that perspective, but we don't. Do we try to put ourselves in the shoes of the ER Doc who is having all beds full, all stretchers in the hallway full and 20 patients are waiting. Of course he would try to call us as early as possible to try to move the patients, sometimes we can make their jobs easier for them, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Imagine putting yourself in the shoes of a hospital administrator, who finds out that a psych. patient has been yelling and screaming the whole night long because psych beds are unavailable. That creates a bad impression for the hospital. The hospital is subsidizing and providing for our hospitalist program, and they expect us to come to their help when they need us.

I think, and I don't expect others to agree with me, but I think that an employer is in certain ways like a parent. Just like our parents nurture us, and provide for us, the employer does some of that too. I would certainly have a sense of gratitude and goodwill towards my employer.

Our profession is such, that if we love our work, it would become easy upon us, otherwise we'll be overwhelmed by stresses. I have found one thing that helps me to enjoy my work, and that's by making an attempt to be a good listener. Listening is not just the act of staying quiet until you get an opportunity to interrupt the speaker. A good listener will take genuine interest in hearing about events and people outside the self. And a truly good listener will have the ability to turn what he's hearing into his own vicarious experience, so that he melts into it and becomes a part of it. This brings about an empathy towards the speaker, and a sense of joy in helping that person although he may be putting excessive demands upon us.

Intercede Health Richmond-Happy Holidays.

Authentic Bollywood

Authentic Bollywood Entertainment to be Showcased at AIF's Dec.1 Event Yogen Bhagat with his troupe. BY A STAFF REPORTER Anaheim, CA - Bollywood Step Dance, a premiere dance company in Los Angeles, which has brought true Bollywood dancing to Southern California will be among the lead performers at the American India Foundation annual event on Dec.1 to be held at the Hilton hotel, here.

The dance company led by choreographer Yogen Bhagat, is the only established Bollywood performer to create his own troupe in the United States. Bhagat has performed and worked for some of India's leading dance directors such as Ganesh Hegde, Farah Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant, and Cesar and Bosco in films such as "Mohabatein", "Company", and "Koi Mil Gaya".

In addition to 150 live stage shows, he has also performed with Bollywood celebrities Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Aishwariya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, to name a few.

Beginning as a hobby, dancing and choreography eventually led him to juggling between being a civil engineer and an Artistic Director for Bollywood Step Dance. Bhagat feels it is important for Bollywood to be recognized internationally and that with strong talent such as his assistant choreographer Amna Mazin and his troupe members in Los Angeles, he can present the authenticity of Bollywood dancing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQHfKKdeQJE

Bollywood Step Dance troupe members wowed audiences at the sold out A.R. Rehman concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Other credits include KTLA morning news, CBS.com sitcom "Barbecue Bill", TATACorporate Summit with Boman Irani, India Splendor at Royce Hall (live performance with Bipasha Basu), Santa Monica Festival, South Asia Pageant, and many more!

Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital

The commitment of the Sisters of Bon Secours is the foundation on which we were built.

Appreciate the History

“Bon Secours” means “good help” in French. The Sisters of Bon Secours was founded in Paris in 1824. After the French Revolution, they defied tradition by caring for the sick and dying at their own bedsides. Eventually these brave nuns won the approval of the Catholic Archbishop of Paris.

Bon Secours in America

In 1881, the Sisters of Bon Secours arrived in the United States where they continued their work of visiting the poor, the sick and the dying in their homes. Over time they built a multi-state network of hospitals, long-term care facilities and healthcare services. All preserved the Bon Secours Catholic tradition of providing quality care, especially to the poor and the sick.

Bon Secours in Richmond

Bon Secours opened its first hospital in Virginia — Saint Mary's in Richmond. Today the Catholic healthcare system is one of the area’s largest employers, nationally recognized by AARP and Working Mother magazine. In addition to four hospitals, Bon Secours Richmond operates a school of nursing, a school of medical imaging, and two family practice residency programs. And true to the sisters’ original mission of a healing ministry, Bon Secours Richmond is active in community outreach health programs and services.

The Mission of Bon Secours

To provide compassionate, quality healthcare services to those in need, including the poor and dying, for the purpose of alleviating human suffering and bringing people to wholeness in the midst of pain and loss.

Mrs. Rodham and Chelsea's

Doyle, Hillary Clinton for President to me

show details 12:24 PM (5 hours ago)

:

Dear Abid, I have something very special to show you. Last week Hillary was joined in Iowa by her two favorite women in the world: her mother and daughter. It was Mrs. Rodham and Chelsea's first trip out on the campaign trail, and I wanted to make sure that our online supporters were the very first to see our exclusive video of the trip. Take a look here: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/motheranddaughter I hope you enjoy it, and pass it on to friends and family! Sincerely, Patti Solis Doyle Campaign Manager Hillary for President

Happy Birthday Marian ! 11/26/2007.

Abid, Marian, Melissa
Marian & Erinmarie
Marian & Dottie
Marian & Abid
Marian & Abid
Marian
Marian
Marian

Hillary for President

Dear Abid, I wanted to share a very personal interview that Hillary did last night with Charles Gibson of ABC News. She talked about her family life, growing up, and what it's like to be the first woman with a chance at winning the White House. If you love Hillary as much as I do, I know you will love this video. Please take a few minutes to watch, and be sure to share it with your friends. Click here to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2lSU47xkL4 Sincerely, Patti Solis Doyle Campaign Manager Hillary for President