2 supporting emails, one from my non muslim friend, and one from very good muslim friend!

Hello ,
When I went back to school, I gave myself tests. I read one book or chapter.
Close the book, then think about what I read, then test myself by asking
questions. Then double checking the answers I wrote. (writing helps me
remember; others learn and remember other ways). I also did the same for
topics not covered in the course, in case there were surprise questions.
After cramming each day, I'd declare a holiday and just relax or "play". Then
get good sleep and then continue the next day. So break it up into smaller
sections, to work on.

If you go blank on a question, theink about related topics/; (make notes0
might trigger correct answer. Don't stall too long.
Get the others done; then go back and write what's in your mind even if it's
not the exact answer they're looking for. You might get points for "going
beyond " what they've asked.
(won't work if the questions are True or False or circle the correct answer;
but might help on open-ended questions.

I think you have more knowledge than you realize. It will no doubt help you be
an excellent doctor and maybe even reading here will help you with the tests.
So stay positive; keep working at it. And the very last night, take a break,
have a relaxing meal, do something nice for yourself and have a restful sleep.

We're pulling for your success. You're more than you realize. Stay positive.
J

Assalam u alaikum, ----- behn,

Sorry I wasn't very helpful for you, maybe because I always think you are calling me for my benefit.
But I realize later that you need some comfort too.
You know that for every thing we do it becomes a good deed depending on our niyyah, and for best niyyah we need to do lots of duas with infinite hope.
Getting a medical degree looks like a very worldly thing, but if our goals are high, and our niyyah is to serve Islam through this, inshallah it would be a best means to get Jannah.
It's also good to establish economic situation, for a muslim family to benefit muslim umma.
Sooo be happy & study.

wassalam

If Prophet Muhammad (peace be upone him) Visited You...

Just for a day or two,
If he came unexpectedly,
I wonder what you'd do.

Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room
To such an honored guest,
And all the food you'd serve him,
Would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring him,
You're glad to have him there,
That serving him in your home,
Is joy beyond compare.

But ... when you saw him coming,
Would you meet him at the door,
With arms outstretched in welcome
To your visitor?
Or ... would you have to change your clothes
Before you let him in?
Or hide some magazines and put
The Qur'an where they had been?
Would you still watch the same movies
On your T.V. set?
Or would you switch it off
Before he gets upset?
Would you turn off the radio,
And hope he hadn't heard?
And wish you hadn't uttered that last hasty word?

Would you hide your worldly music,
And instead take Hadith books out?
Could you let him walk right in,
Or would you have to rush about?
And, I wonder ... if the Prophet spent

A day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things
You always do?

Would you go right on saying the things
You always say?
Would life for you continue,
As it does from day to day?

Would your family squabbles
Keep up their usual pace,
And Would you find it hard each meal
To say a table grace?

Would you keep up each and every prayer
Without putting on a frown?
And would you always jump up early
For prayer at dawn?

Would you sing the songs you always sing,
And read the books you read?
And let him know the things on which
Your mind and spirit feed?

Would you take the Prophet with you
Everywhere you plan to go?
Or, would you maybe change your plans
Just for a day or so?

Would you be glad to have him meet
Your very closest friends?
Or, would you hope they stay away
Until his visit ends?

Would you be glad to have him stay
Forever, on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief
When he at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know
The things that you would do,
If Prophet Muhammad, in person, came
to spend some time with you.

by Anonymous
This poem was published in the June 1997 issue of the Islamic Journal.
--------------------

Four things

The Holy Prophet (SAW) Said:

1) Four things that make your body sick:

a) Excessive talking
b) Excessive sleeping
c) Excessive eating and
d) Excessive meeting other people

2) Four things that destroys the body:

a) Worrying
b) Sorrow (Sadness/Grief)
c) Hunger
d) Sleeping late in the night

3) Four things that dry the face & take away its happiness:

a) Lying
b) Being disrespectful / impudent (insisting on something wrong knowingly)
c) Arguing without adequate knowledge & Information.
d) Excessive immorality (doing something wrong without fear).

4) Four things that increases the wetness of face & its happiness:

a) Piety
b) Loyalty
c) Generosity (being kind)
d) To be helpful to others without he/she asking for that.

5) Four things that stop the Rizq (Sustenance) :

a) Sleeping in the morning (from Fajr to sunrise)
b) Not Performing Namaz or Ir-regular in Prayers
c) Laziness / Idleness
d) Treachery / Dishonesty

6) Four things that bring / increase the Rizq:

a) Staying up in the night for prayers.
b) Excessive Repentance
c) Regular Charity
d) Zikr (Remembrance of Allah / God).

The Holy Prophet (SAW), Also said to communicate to others even if you listen One Verse (Ayaah) & this one verse will stand on the Day of Judgment for intercession.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, Stop doing everything during the Azaan, even reading the Quran, the person who talks during the Azaan will not be able to say the Kalima E Shahada on his/her death bed....

Please pass this message to Muslims...

**READ THIS DUAA FOR BETTER LIFE**

Allahumma- inni- ala- Zikr-ika -wa Shuk-rika wa husni-Ibaadatik

Procrstination ,real picture :)

HOW TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION IN 8 EASY STEPS

By Kingsley Tagbo

The Procrastination Problem

As a career coach, one of the biggest hurdles I have to overcome when working with my clients is procrastination. An example is a client that I will call Ryan. Ryan acknowledges that even though he has a degree in Information Systems, he is stuck in a dead end job in Help Desk Support. Ryan would love a great new job as a computer programmer. I have worked with him to create a plan of action that includes updating his skill set while simultaneously putting his resume out there to see if a potential employer will nibble on it.

However, no matter how many pep talks and reminder emails I send Ryan, I can't get him to take any action beyond putting the plan on paper. Why? Ryan is a master procrastinator just like many of us out there who just can't seem to get started on the projects that mean so much to us and our future. If Ryan does not overcome this problem, he will never gain the fulfillment of moving into a new career, nor will he enjoy the benefits of doubling his salary which becoming a computer programmer will undoubtedly give him.

So, What Makes Us Procrastinate?

Why does Ryan or anyone else procrastinate? There are different reasons, but the most common are:

• A perception that a task is unpleasant or overwhelming
• Fear of the Unknown
• Fear of Change
• Perfectionism
• Fear of Failure
• Disorganization

The Cost of Procrastination

While procrastination seems to be a benign human fault, it can eat away at the quality of your life with devastating results. Like my client, Ryan, huge benefits that are just at your fingertips will slip away from you. Opportunities to be all that you can be will pass you by.

Not "getting round" to your annual medical or dental check up can result in death if beginning symptoms of a deadly disease are overlooked. Not "getting round" to balancing your checkbook can result in huge overdraft fees and ruin your credit report. Not "getting round" to purchasing life insurance can leave your young children destitute if anything should happen to you. Not "getting round" to your car's oil change can shave years off the life of your car and result in major repair costs or constantly having to purchase a new vehicle. The list goes on and on.

What's on your "Put It Off List"?

A New Year is a good time to dig out all the things you have left undone and begin to tackle them right now. The good news is that with this article in your hands, you will have proven strategies for success in actually completing these tasks. Here's your very first task. Right now, before going on, make a list of five things that you've been planning to do, but haven't. DO IT NOW. Just grab a pen and paper and make a list of five things that you've been putting off. Then read the rest of the article. You will be able to start applying these tips to accomplish them right now.

How to Overcome Procrastination

Step One: Visualize the End from the Beginning

First, create a vivid image of what it is like to have completed the project. Bring all your faculties of imagination to bear on it. Visualizing the completed task ? the benefits you are reaping, the feeling of success or the admiration of your spouse will help you anticipate the achievement you are striving for. After visualizing the completed task, visualize the process of actually working on the task. Imagine sitting at your desk and turning your computer on, opening up your textbook and reading the assigned chapter, gathering notes for your article, purchasing the tools for building your deck etc.

This visualization will change your attitude toward the task and invigorate you with the energy you need to overcome any inertia you feel.

Step Two: Count the Cost
When procrastination sets in, sometimes it is because we have bitten off more than we can chew. One of my clients once set a goal of studying for her IT certifications so that she would be ready to return to work when her children started school the next year. As time went on, I noticed that she was not making much progress with her study and was on the verge of giving up. On further investigation, I discovered that she was trying to study while her two toddlers were at home with her in the same room! I finally convinced her to accept the cost of hiring a baby sitter for a few hours twice week so she could study. She completed her certifications with flying colors and went on to get the job she wanted at the salary she wanted.

Before putting a task on your list, be realistic about the time, cost, interest and expertise that the task will require. You may need to hire a professional or ask for help or raise more money to complete a task.

Step Three: Brainstorm
If you feel like you are stuck on a project or task, brainstorming is a great way to introduce new energy and break the "block" that is facing you. Sit down with a blank piece of paper and a pen and simply write down all your ideas and possible steps for the project. Browse through books and magazines related to your project and glean ideas from them. Don't criticize any of your thoughts and don't stop until all your possible thoughts have been put on paper.

Step Four: Make a Public Commitment
We tend to improve our performance when we know that we are being watched. Tell your spouse or your boss what you plan to achieve. Sometimes telling your enemies or catty friends can work to motivate you because you'll do whatever it takes to avoid failing with them watching.

Step Five: Gather Material
Buy a box and begin tossing in any and everything that it related to your project: Books, articles, news clippings, tools, fabric, color swatches etc. This process will give you the feeling of having gotten your project underway. You will have also overcome another project-killer: disorganization. Because you have all the material for your project together in one spot, it will be easier for you to find what you need when you need it instead of stalling because of an itty-bitty item that has mysteriously disappeared.

Step Six: Break it down ? Do it One Step at a Time

Now you are ready to tackle your project, but wait, don't dive in yet. You need to break down the entire process into small, simple and doable steps. Having these steps written down on paper creates a kind of automatic action trigger when you look at them. You know that each day you work on your project, you only have to focus on one of the steps at a time. This will prevent procrastination from being triggered by the feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer size of the project.

Step Seven: Sweat It Out For Ten Minutes
When you find yourself not working on a project and continually putting it off, a good way to get yourself jumpstarted again is to set a timer and work on the item with your full item for ten minutes. No matter how unpleasant or stressful you find the task, you can bear to do it for ten minutes at a time. When your ten minutes are up, you can stop and go do something else. More often than not, you will find that just ten minutes of focused work will get you on a roll and you will want to continue the task to completion. For the days that you are still stressed after ten minutes, stop and proceed to another task and return for another ten minutes the next day.

Step Eight: Set the Bar Low
When an otherwise talented and ambitious person is also a chronic procrastinator, the cause is usually a deep seated tendency toward perfectionism. This perfectionism creates an expectation in the individual that he or she must do the job perfectly the first time around. This expectation creates stress, anxiety and the fear of failure. The individual is likely to put the task off indefinitely so that he never has to evaluate his performance and can keep his imagined perfection rather than improving his actual performance. The solution to this is to set the bar low for the initial results of the project. Remind yourself that you can revise your article as many times as you need to once you get your thoughts down on paper. Remind yourself that you can always paint a room over if you botch the job the first time.

Final Thoughts
Apply these steps to your to-do list and you will find that the things you've wished for are easier to obtain than you formerly thought. You will win more victories than defeats just by showing up. You will increase your performance and your ability to create excellence in your life and work. You will decrease anxiety, stress and depression and watch your self-esteem rise. Overcoming procrastination will also earn you a reputation for being dependable and successful.

Last year!

I m back from KY.
My friend passed away this Thursday morning!

I went to see her last time, her funeral was on Friday noon.
I saw her face, she was smiling, her face was not blank but filled
with happy expressions.
There was this amazing dignity around her, I cant explain that
feeling.
When I saw her, I thought she had so much to tell me.
Her face was telling me that she won! She is winner... I cant explain
what i saw on her face, it was like her closed eyes were looking at
something very special. She was more than smiling, her shinning front
teeth were showing.

I want to call her, I want to talk to her, I want to know what
happened, but I have to be like her to be with her.
I was taking her for granted for years, she was my support, my friend,
my sister, my leader and my mentor.
She taught me how to live this life to achieve the eternal pleasure.
I am praying that may my life will be like her.

Time Management Video Clips	Return to Home
The following list of titles will allow you to see video clips of selected time management tips by world-renowned time management expert, Peter "The Time Man" Turla. Simply click on the text of any segment title that sounds interesting. You don't have to proceed in any order. Enjoy these Time Management Videos of Time Tips by Turla
Solutions: How to Set Priorities (10 minute video interview) Solutions: How to Set Priorities (10 minute audio version of above interview. Interview follows one minute of music) The segments that follow are about a minute in length. The high speed connection is higher quality than the low speed connection. Where Does Your Time Go? (Low speed connection) (High speed connection) Develop Good Time Management Habits Make To-Do Lists That Work (Low speed connection) (High speed connection) Focus to Get Organized Planning: "Ready, Aim, Fire" Overcome Procrastination Inter.....ruptions Get Results! Low speed connection) (High speed connection) Enjoy Time Management Made Easy

http://timeman.com

Are You Losing Focus? Use These Time Management Tips To Get It Back

By Gregg Hall

We all have the same 24 hours to work with and unfortunately depending on our individual requirements we lose six to eight of those hours to sleep. Knowing that we have already given up that many hours we don’t have any more time to waste so it’s important to focus on what you need to get done during your waking hours. Learn to manage your time properly and you will be able to focus and be more efficient.

The first thing that must be done before you can learn the proper time management skills is to identify the things you are doing wrong that eat up your time and make your activity unproductive. Look back over the last week and remember how you spent each day. Split the days up into five categories.

The first category is negative productivity or tasks that should have already been completed. This is the area that kills the schedules of most people and gets them off focus.

The second category is allowing your planned tasks to be interrupted by activities that are less important or not important at all. Don’t let others influence you to change your priorities.

The third category is things you have completed. These are the tasks that you actually planned and completed to fruition. You might just find after categorizing in this way that you are getting more done than you think.

The fourth category is the time that you work alone. Even if you are not working on the exact tasks that you should be if you are truly working then this can be deemed positive.

The fifth and final category is your down time or time off. I am not talking about short coffee breaks. This is true leisure activity such as working out. Having down time is crucial to success; if you try to work around the clock you will eventually get burned out.

Now that you have identified the areas where you are spending your time it is important to reduce the items that are eating away at your productivity and causing you to lose focus. Here are a few tips to help you.

First you need to plan your work and everything you need to do. Divide a sheet of paper in half and on one side write the tasks that must be done in order of priority with deadlines. On the other side write down the tasks you would like to see done but aren’t crucial. Focus on one task at a time then cross it off as you move down your list. You should take time to do this each morning.

Next you should have an effective time management system whether it is a desk calendar or an electronic system on your computer, laptop, or cell phone you need to use it daily. Have schedules for tasks and stick to them.

The next thing you need to do is to learn the meaning of the word, “no”. Saying no to something doesn’t mean you will never do it, it just means that you can’t do it now. If you are working on something that absolutely has to be done then you have to say no to the movie or the ball game. You have to be able to find the balance between work and leisure.

Get More Things Done with Ultradian Sprint

By Donald Latumahina, April 28, 2008

Are you satisfied with your current level of productivity? I’m not. I’m always looking for ways to increase my productivity. The challenge, of course, is to get the most results within a certain period of time.

Recently I learned a technique to do exactly that called “ultradian sprint”. I read it in an article entitled Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time in Harvard Business Review:

Distractions are costly: A temporary shift in attention from one task to another - stopping to answer an e-mail or take a phone call, for instance - increases the amount of time necessary to finish the primary task by as much as 25%, a phenomenon known as “switching time”. It’s far more efficient to fully focus for 90 to 120 minutes, take a true break, and then fully focus on the next activity. We refer to these work periods as “ultradian sprints.”

While the ideas of “do not multitask” and “block the time” are not new, I’m interested with the word sprint. It describes the level of intensity required in such work periods. You should not just walk or even run; you should sprint. If you make it a sprint instead of just running, you will be able to accomplish much more in the same amount of time.

While I’m still learning to do ultradian sprints, here are some tips I can share to get more things done with ultradian sprints:

1. Set a clear goal

A sprinter needs a clear finish line to run to. Similarly, doing ultradian sprint requires you to have a clear finish line. Set a goal for your work period. The goal acts as a finish line that helps your mind focus on only one point so that you can run as fast as possible.

2. Kill distractions

Can you imagine a sprinter who is being distracted by someone or something while running? In a race where 0.1 second makes a big difference, even the smallest distraction is not tolerable. That’s why you should kill distractions before you begin. Here are some ways to do that:

1. Listen to music to tune out outside noise
   Of course, the music itself should not be distracting. Instrumental music could be good here.
2. Unplug the Internet connection (unless your work is related to the Internet).
   Unplanned browsing is a major cause of black time.
3. Tell your colleagues not to disturb you
4. Switch your cell phone off or put it to silent mode
5. Use distraction-free tools
   For instance, if you are writing you can use tools like Writeroomor Dark Room. They give you a blank screen with only your writing and nothing else.

When you are tempted to allow distractions, just remember: 0.1 second makes a big difference.

3. Set a timer

Using timer has a lot of benefits to increase productivity. In the case of ultradian sprint, timer helps you:

1. Focus your attention
   Since you know that you work for only a limited amount of time, it will be easier for you to focus within that period.
2. Create a sense of urgency.
   Using timer gives you a form of deadline that creates sense of urgency. This sense of urgency helps you increase your work intensity.

I use Cool Timer, but there is a lot of other timer software you can use.

4. Determine not to stop before the time is up

For me, this is where the difficulty lies. There is often temptation to stop before the time is up because I feel that I can’t concentrate. Often I do stop in such moments, but recently I try not to stop.

I think the word “sprint” gives us a tip on how not to stop. If you sprint,your mind is fully focused on the finish line that you can’t possibly think of something else. Similarly, if you do ultradian sprint, your mind should be so focused that you can no longer think of something else, stopping included. If we still think that we want to stop, it means that we are not focused enough. Perhaps we just run but do not sprint.

5. Aim to accomplish as much as possible

The word sprint means you should run as fast as possible. It is not the time to relax and work at a comfortable pace. Instead, you should push yourself to accomplish as much as possible within that period.

6. Take true break

After you completed a work session, you should take true break. It means that you should not do something work-related like reading emails. Let your mind be fully relaxed. Depending on your preferences, you could meditate, lie on the bed, take a walk in the park, or chat with colleagues over non-work topics. During this break periods, try to clear your mind and refresh your energy so that you are ready for another sprint session. The break periods might not seem important, but the quality of your next sprint session very much depends on it. So not only you should have quality sprint, you should also have quality break.

***

Stay positive

There are times when we must go through negative situations. Maybe people say something negative about us, or they show rejection or even resentment against us. In such situations, it may be difficult to stay positive. We may be inclined to react negatively to them. That won’t do us any good though; doing so will just make the situation worse. People may behave even more negatively to us. Our day would be filled with anger and disappointment. At the end, nobody wins.

Though it’s not easy, it’s important to stay positive in negative situations. Beat the negative situations by staying positive. Here are 15 tips on how to do it; pick the ones that work for you:

1. Never respond when you are not calm. If you are not sure that you are calm, don’t respond. Take time to calm yourself down first.
2. Take a deep breath as a first step to calm yourself down.
3. Speak in gentle tone to reduce the tension of the situation.
4. Realize that you can find opportunities in negative situations. Albert Einstein said: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
5. Look at the content of what people say to you for somethingpositive that you can act upon to improve yourself. Don’t just reject the whole messages.
6. For the rest of the messages which is negative, simply ignore it.
7. Maintain positive view of the people. Maybe you don’t like their messages or behavior, but that doesn’t mean that you can hate them personally.
8. Realize that having negative feelings will just hurt you, not them. So there is no reason for you to have any negative feeling.
9. If you make mistakes, be open to admit it.
10. If you make mistakes, remember this quote by George Bernard Shaw: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
11. If you can, listen to motivational audio program to feed positive thoughts into your mind.
12. Talk to a positive friend who can encourage you.
13. Remember your favorite quotes to give you inspiration and motivation. This is one reason why you should have quote of the day.
14. Look at the negative situations as your training sessions for real life. The higher you climb in life, the worse the negative situations would be, so you’d better be prepared for them.
15. Realize that you can’t please everyone. In fact, nobody can. Sometimes you need to just let some people go. Realizing this will relieve you from a lot of unnecessary burden so that you can focus on the people that you can positively interact with.

from : http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/

What is time boxing?

Time Boxing is an Effective Getting Things Done Strategy

July 26th, 2006 by Dave Cheong

Given a task, there are essentially two ways we can approach it. Either, we can work as hard as we can until it is “done” or we can fix the amount of time we have available and do the “best” we can. The latter approach is known as “Time boxing“.

Time boxing is a very simple technique we often use in software development. It is an effective technique for tracking progress and simply getting things done. From a planning perspective, time boxing is useful, especially when things appear complex or daunting initially and we are unsure of how to begin.

From a personal management perspective, I’ve found that time boxing can greatly improve our productivity and effectiveness. Because it’s simple, anyone can do it - including you. I use it when working on open ended tasks, like writing, where neither the scope or the quality is well defined.

This article briefly discusses how we can apply time boxing to our daily lives and get things done.

What is time boxing?

Time boxing is about fixing the time we have available to work on a given task and then doing the best we can within that time frame. So instead working on something until it is “done” in one sitting, we only work on it for say 30 mins. It is either marked as done at the end of this period or we commit to another 30 mins at a later time or another day.

In software development, an agile team releases new versions of a product to the customer for testing in fixed length iterations, say weekly. The customer and the development team work together to identify the features to be included in each release based on the relative priority and complexity of each task.

What’s special about Time boxing?

There are always several things competing for our time. At any moment, each of us could have hundreds of outstanding things to do. This question immediately become important - How can we ensure we get as much done as possible?

I believe time boxing is special for four reasons. Firstly, by consciously being aware of time, it allows us to focus on doing the things that matter most. Secondly, it serves as a reality check on how much time we spend working on open ended tasks. Thirdly, because of the fixed time constraints, it can be an effective tool against procrastination. Finally, it allows us to work on things during the free gaps we have between our commitments and appointments.

Focus on doing the things that matter most

If the time available we have is limited, a rational person should immediately think about prioritising their outstanding tasks based on what’s important and urgent.

By using time boxing and ranking our outstanding tasks, we make ourselves consciously aware of how much time we have available. This allows us to focus our energies towards things that matter most. In this way, we get things that matter most done first.

There are many techniques for ranking tasks and I won’t go into them in this post. However, it’s worth mentioning “Quality Function Deployment” - which is a technique we use in software development and engineering to translate customer requirements into engineering specifications. In the simplest sense, for each feature, we multiply a number representing a customer’s perception of its importance by another number representing an engineer’s estimation of the complexity. The final result is ranked and the relative ordering gives us an indication of what we should implement given a certain time constraint.

Limiting the time spent on open ended tasks

Do you know people who are perfectionists? Those who are constantly tweaking things to make them incrementally better or just different? To a certain extend, I suffer from a perfectionist personality which is why I find working on open ended tasks difficult. I’ll use some examples relating to my writing to illustrate: Should this sentence be structured in a passive voice? Does this paragraph look ok here? Are there enough anecdotes in this article?

Because by their nature there is no distinction between done and not done, an arbitrary open ended task can take anywhere between 1 min and 3 weeks. Time boxing is particularly useful as a reality check when working on open ended tasks. By limiting the time we spend on a given task, as long as it is complete though not perfect, we can objectively decide when something is done. This frees us up to work on the next task.

Effective tool against procrastination

In my experience, people procrastinate for two reasons - firstly, when faced with a complex task they are unsure of how to start and secondly, the prospect of having to do something they’re not particularly interested in doing.

• As a tool against complex tasks: Time boxing is useful here because it allows us to work on complex tasks over several iterations or in bite sized chunks. For example, writing a good article is a complex task for me and it is rare to be able to find one block of time in which I can write an article from start to finish. For me, it is more effective to write as best as I can within a fixed period, constantly refining and repeating this process until I finish.
• As a tool against uninteresting things: Time boxing is useful here because it allows us to commit to an undesirable task for only a limited amount of time. It’s a lot easier to start working on something we don’t like if we knew we only need to work on it for the next 30 mins. For example, if you have to clean a messy house, instead of trying to get through the entire house in one go, try only doing as much as you can for 30 mins. When you have another 30 mins to spare another day and feel so inclined, you can continue.

Using free gaps between commitments

The composition of a day from person to person and day to day is different. For some of us, our calendars are completely filled with appointments and meetings. For others, our days are relatively unstructured. Irrespective of our calendars, we often have what I call “null” time. That is, gaps between commitments in which we are either waiting for something or have free brain cycles.

Examples of “null” times are: At the station minutes before the train comes. In the car on a winter morning whilst waiting for the engine to warm up. At the desk, after you have kicked off a full compile on a complex codebase.

Time boxing can be immensely useful during these “null” times. If you knew the train will come soon, the car will warm up in moments or the code will compile in a few mins, you can choose to use that time effectively and work on a relatively simple task you know can be done within that short “null” time.

In conclusion

Time boxing is an effective way for getting things done. By fixing the amount of time we spend on a given set of tasks, we can focus on doing the things that matter, give us motivation to start, prevent overruns and use our “null” times effectively. In contrast, if we worked on things until completion in one sitting, we’re less likely to start on complex tasks, more likely to overrun on open ended tasks and leaves us with less time and motivation to work on the next set of tasks.

 From http://www.davecheong.com

Helping Gaza: From baby steps to further actions

Helping Gaza: From baby steps to further actions
To members of What Is Islam? What does it teach? An invitation to Islam.


Asalaamalaikum,

One of my friends posted this and I wanted to share it with you guys. I hope this helps you guys. Remember that everything has to start off at baby steps and then lead into other things. Use these steps to build a foundation inshAllah.

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As many of you know, this past week, Israel has been bombing Gaza and has now moved in with troops. I've spoken with numerous people who want to help, who want to make it end, but are frustrated because as much as they want to do, they can't do anything to do what we all want - to stop the massacre.

Yet even if you can't stop what is happening, does that mean we abandon doing anything we can to help out? Do we simply turn our heads and say, "Well, there are wars everywhere, there's people dying everywhere, I can't do anything."

If you believe that, then you're deluding yourself for two reasons:

1. You Have More Power to Affect the Situation Than You Think: Although you cannot stop the situation, there are other ways you can provide help, help that reaches those people directly. You simply have to either learn or recognize how.

2. Something is Better than Nothing: A common mistake people make is that when they cannot accomplish something 100% to satisfaction, they abandon trying to accomplish that goal even partially. That's a huge huge mistake. The 10% - 15% of help you can provide will insha'Allah be magnified in ways you don't even realize.

So let's get to it - what can you do? MuslimMatters.org has created a post located here:

Actions You Can Do to Help the People of Gaza

This post is a one-stop shopping area for all the things you can do in 60 - 90 minutes. They include:

Du'aas you can make to Allah subhaanahu wa ta'aala for the brothers and sisters of Gaza.
Links to all relief organizations you can donate to
A Special Facebook group dedicated to DIGG'ing stories that need to get out that the mass media ignores (we've found DIGG to be useful in spreading news to 100s of thousands of people)
A How-To of how to call the people of Gaza and offer them support!
…And a whole bunch more, if you want to write congressman, sign petitions, write letters to the editor with talking points listed.
Don't wait to do it - do it now, and spread it out to anyone you know (that's another thing you can do) so that they too can learn what they can do, and insha'Allah, as an Ummah, if we build up enough resources and help, we can bring an end to this crisis and bring help to our brothers and sisters.

If you want to see change, it starts with you - here it is again:

Actions You Can Do to Help the People of Gaza

A Final Note
One thing that needs to be made clear - as much blame as we can put on the Zionist Israelis, or the US government, or the West, or corrupt Muslim governments that stand idly by, realize very clearly that nothing can harm us unless Allah allows it, and nothing can benefit us, unless Allah allows it.

If Allah has given our enemies authority and power over us, it means that as a community, our own sins, our own evil, our own heedlessness of our Lord and Creator whom we are to obey is the #1 reason and root cause for this entire mess.

I know, I know, a lot of you will say, what about technology, what about education, what about political involvement, what about this and that? I say to you, how can you be successful in raising yourself up in any fashion when your Creator, who controls everything, is disappointed with you?

Open up the Qur'aan, and read in Surat al-Baqarah about what happened to the Children of Israel, those whom Allah allowed to escape with Musa. They were the chosen people, but even after being saved, even after seeing all the miracles of Musa, they still disobeyed, and Allah punished them. And after the punishment, they sought forgiveness, and then after a while they sinned again, and were punished, and repented, and then they were given relief again.

These stories are not just to criticize the believers of Bani Israel for their own mistakes, no - it's also a reminder which can be encapsulated in a famous adage I'm sure you've all heard of - "Those Who Fail to Learn History are Doomed to Repeat It."

How bad do things have to become for Muslims worldwide before we return ourselves back to Allah subhaanahu wa ta'aala, return back to the primary purpose of our creation, to worship Him? To obey Him? Should we wait til the oppression, repression, and suppression of Muslims becomes a local phenomenon, or can we finally say, "Enough already, I'm going to change myself, not only for myself, but for the greater good of my ummah."

This is the first step of what you can do for the long-term to prevent genocides, rape camps, oppression, and petty 3rd-world dictator governments. After that, we can look at all the other means (media, education, technology, etc).

Remember, change starts with you.

ISLAM IN FOCUS

The 'first true scientist'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7810846.stm

The 'first true scientist'

By Professor Jim Al-Khalili
University of Surrey

Artist's impression of al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham (BBC)
An artist's impression of al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham

Isaac Newton is, as most will agree, the greatest physicist of all time.

At the very least, he is the undisputed father of modern optics,­ or so we are told at school where our textbooks abound with his famous experiments with lenses and prisms, his study of the nature of light and its reflection, and the refraction and decomposition of light into the colours of the rainbow.

Yet, the truth is rather greyer; and I feel it important to point out that, certainly in the field of optics, Newton himself stood on the shoulders of a giant who lived 700 years earlier.

For, without doubt, another great physicist, who is worthy of ranking up alongside Newton, is a scientist born in AD 965 in what is now Iraq who went by the name of al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham.

Most people in the West will never have even heard of him.

As a physicist myself, I am quite in awe of this man's contribution to my field, but I was fortunate enough to have recently been given the opportunity to dig a little into his life and work through my recent filming of a three-part BBC Four series on medieval Islamic scientists.

Modern methods

Popular accounts of the history of science typically suggest that no major scientific advances took place in between the ancient Greeks and the European Renaissance.

But just because Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages, does not mean there was stagnation elsewhere. Indeed, the period between the 9th and 13th Centuries marked the Golden Age of Arabic science.

Great advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, physics, chemistry and philosophy. Among the many geniuses of that period Ibn al-Haytham stands taller than all the others.
Prism (BBC)
Ibn-al Haytham conducted early investigations into light

Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the father of the modern scientific method.

As commonly defined, this is the approach to investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge, based on the gathering of data through observation and measurement, followed by the formulation and testing of hypotheses to explain the data.

This is how we do science today and is why I put my trust in the advances that have been made in science.

But it is often still claimed that the modern scientific method was not established until the early 17th Century by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes.

There is no doubt in my mind, however, that Ibn al-Haytham arrived there first.

In fact, with his emphasis on experimental data and reproducibility of results, he is often referred to as the "world's first true scientist".

Understanding light

He was the first scientist to give a correct account of how we see objects.

Jim Al-Khalili (BBC)

It is incredible that we are only now uncovering the debt that today's physicists owe to an Arab who lived 1,000 years ago

Prof Jim Al-Khalili

He proved experimentally, for instance, that the so-called emission theory (which stated that light from our eyes shines upon the objects we see), which was believed by great thinkers such as Plato, Euclid and Ptolemy, was wrong and established the modern idea that we see because light enters our eyes.

What he also did that no other scientist had tried before was to use mathematics to describe and prove this process.

So he can be regarded as the very first theoretical physicist, too.

He is perhaps best known for his invention of the pinhole camera and should be credited with the discovery of the laws of refraction.

He also carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light into its constituent colours and studied shadows, rainbows and eclipses; and by observing the way sunlight diffracted through the atmosphere, he was able to work out a rather good estimate for the height of the atmosphere, which he found to be around 100km.

Enforced study

In common with many modern scholars, Ibn-al Haytham badly needed the time and isolation to focus on writing his many treatises, including his great work on optics.

An unwelcome opportunity was granted him, however, when he was imprisoned in Egypt between 1011 and 1021, having failed a task set him by a caliph in Cairo to help solve the problem of regulating the flooding of the Nile.

While still in Basra, Ibn al-Haytham had claimed that the Nile's autumn flood waters could be held by a system of dykes and canals, thereby preserved as reservoirs until the summer's droughts.

But on arrival in Cairo, he soon realised that his scheme was utterly impractical from an engineering perspective.

Yet rather than admit his mistake to the dangerous and murderous caliph, Ibn-al Haytham instead decided to feign madness as a way to escape punishment.

This promptly led to him being placed under house arrest, thereby granting him 10 years of seclusion in which to work.

Planetary motion

He was only released after the caliph's death. He returned to Iraq where he composed a further 100 works on a range of subjects in physics and mathematics.

While travelling through the Middle East during my filming, I interviewed an expert in Alexandria who showed me recently discovered work by Ibn al-Haytham on astronomy.

It seems he had developed what is called celestial mechanics, explaining the orbits of the planets, which was to lead to the eventual work of Europeans like Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton.

It is incredible that we are only now uncovering the debt that today's physicists owe to an Arab who lived 1,000 years ago.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili presents Science and Islam on BBC Four at 2100GMT on Monday 5, 12 & 19 January

The Brutality of the Evil and the Silence of the Good

The Brutality of the Evil and the Silence of the Good


It stated, "The Islamic Circle of North America condemns the brutal air assault on the poor and oppressed people of Gaza. The violence by Israeli army has taken the lives of about 280 people and many more have been injured by these barbaric attacks.



As reported by BBC on the website, a doctor at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City described a desperate scene, with essential medical supplies, fuel and water all running out. Dr Khamis El Essi told the BBC that many people had been admitted with multiple injuries, such as head and back wounds. Some patients had had limbs amputated.



It is astonishing to see that the world powers are not pressing Israel to stop the aggression but rather they are silently watching the murder of innocent people of Gaza and thus giving a supporting nod to the Israeli leaders.



Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The tragedy is not the brutality of the evil but rather silence of the good people."



We ask our government to take immediate action and make Israel stop this terrorism."



Press Contact: Naeem Beig

Secretary General

Islamic Circle of North America

e-mail: sg@icnait.com

Office: (718) 658-1199

Cell: (917) 202-2118





What you can do immediately:

1. Make Dua, and remind others to make special supplications to Allah(swt) for the safety and immediate resolution to the crisis.

2. Speak up against the injustice. Prophet Muhammad(saw) commanded us to stop Evil by our hand, speak up against it, and at the least feel bad about it.

a. Call your elected representative. Below is a list of Chicago area representatives.

b. Join the rallies with other interfaith and antiwar groups and voice your disapproval of the injustice. There is one this Friday January 2nd, 2009 at 3:00 PM. At Tribune Plaza, 435 N. Michigan Avenue & then march to the Israeli Consulate. Buses are leaving from all major masajids after Jumah Salah.

3. Donate: www.helpinghandusa.org, www.zakat.org, www.irw.org.




Contact your representative: Always be polite and courteous and ask them to publicly condemn Israel’s “disproportionate and excessive” attacks on the Gaza Strip. Ask for:



- An immediate end to Israel’s killing of Palestinians, and its attacks and siege on Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israel’s military from Gaza’s borders;

- The opening of Gaza’s borders to humanitarian aid, international observers / protection, media, the United Nations, etc.

- An end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine;

- Support a just and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that takes into account the rights and responsibilities of all parties.



U.S. Congress:

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 224-2152
Chicago Office: (312) 353-4952
Website: www.durbin.senate.gov



U.S. Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL 9th District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-2111
Chicago Office: (773) 506-7100
Website: www.house.gov/schakowsky



U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL 3rd District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-5701
Chicago Office: (312) 886-0481
Website: http://www.lipinski.house.gov/



U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL 1st District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-4372
Chicago Office: (773) 224-6500
Website: www.house.gov/rush

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL 4th District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-8203
Chicago Office: (773) 342-0774
Website: www.luisgutierrez.house.gov

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL 2nd District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-0773
Chicago Office: (773) 734-9660
Website: www.house.gov/jackson



Find your representative:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml



U.S. State Department:

Phone: (202) 647-6575
Website: http://www.state.gov



The White House:

Phone: (202) 456-1111

Email: comments@whitehouse.gov



President-elect Barack Obama:

Website: http://change.gov/page/content/contact/



Write a Letter to the Editor:

Chicago Tribune: ctc-tribletter@tribune.com
Chicago Sun-Times: letters@suntimes.com
Daily Herald: fencepost@dailyherald.com
New York Times: letters@nytimes.com
Washington Post: letters@washpost.com
Los Angeles Times: letters@latimes.com





Inform your fellow American: The Palestinian situation is not just a Muslim issue, it is a humanitarian concern, and this requires us to inform fellow Americans of the issues, in order to develop a broad based opposition to our governments biased support of the atrocities being conducted by Israel. Below are some talking points provided by ADC:



- The Israeli air strikes represent serious violations of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and a range of international humanitarian law.

- This is not a war between two countries with armies; it is a war initiated by the fourth most powerful army in the world against 1.5 million Palestinian civilians living in Gaza.

- The U.S. is complicit in the Israeli violations, and this statement from the White House—“[the Palestinians] are responsible for breaking the ceasefire. We understand that Israel is reacting to the hundreds of rockets that have been fired on the innocent people of Israel over the last few days”—is another example of how our U.S. government DOES NOT play the role of an unbiased peace broker.

- The timing of the air strikes has far more to do with U.S. and Israeli electoral politics than with protecting Israeli civilians; i.e., to strengthen the campaign of certain candidates for Israel’s upcoming elections, and to take advantage of the fact that the lame duck Bush administration is in its final days.

- This serious escalation proves that Israel does not want real peace with the Palestinians.

- For more information click here.

mle studies by June

I have to complete my mle studies by June, I just have to!

First thing is,

Let me finish patho first, with the first aid Pharma, and 50 qs each day, If I do 50 questions daily it will take 40 days to finish them, but If I do 20 qs daily it will take 100 days, so I should do 25 qs daily, which will end 80 days.

I have total 180 days, Parallel

Pathology Jan 1^st - Jan 10^th Pharmacology Jan 2^nd - 30^th Jan

Microbiology Jan 11^th- Jan 30^th

Immunology Jan 31^st - Feb 15^th Anatomy Feb 1^st - Feb 20^th

Physiology, Feb 16^th - Feb 28^th Behav Feb 21^st – March 15^th

Biochemistry, March 1^st- March 20^th

Genetics, March 21^st to April 7^th

Histology, April 8^th - April 15^th

April 16^th to May and June for second read, and July, August 3^rd read September exam

Three hrs a day patho 9,10 11

Two hrs for qs 1to 3

Two hrs for pharma 7 to 9

And two hr for revision.

3 to 7 for kids.