Kerja sampingan mendulang dollar mudah di Microworkers

Buat yang ingin cari tambahan dan dapet penghasilan dari internet dengan cara melakukan tugas-tugas yang anda sukai mungkin anda bisa mencoba situsMicroworkes.

Di situs ini anda dapat memilih tugas yang ingin anda lakukan dan mendapatkan pembayaran dari tugas yang anda kerjakan, bayaran yang anda dapatkan tergantung dari kesulitan tugas tersebut, tapi tenang saja sejauh ini tugas yg diberikan gampang kok, seperti

mendaftar di suatu situs, klik iklan, dll. tapi kalo ada pekerjaan yang meminta password email kita jangan pernah dikerjakan ya...soalnya kemungkinan itu spam.

Pay out di Microworkers bisa dilakukan setelah penghasilan anda telah mencapai $10 yang bisa diambil melalui paypal anda, hal lain yg menarik lainnya adalah pada saat anda mendaftar anda akan mendapatkan bonus $1 di account anda.

berikut screen shoot dari beberapa pekerjaan yg saya lakukan di Microworkers :

Buat temen-temen yang mau ikutan microworkers, silakan klik daftar disini

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10 Tips to healthy eating and physical activity for you.

1. Start your day with breakfast.
   Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. And it can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night's pizza!
   
2. Get Moving!
   It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.
   
3. Snack smart.
   Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.
   
4. Work up a sweat.
   Vigorous work-outs - when you're breathing hard and sweating - help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging, or dancing. Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as push-ups or lifting weights. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.
   
5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of any one thing.
   You don't have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels will help you get all these nutrients.
   
6. Get fit with friends or family.
   Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each week.
   
7. Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables.
   These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Besides, they taste good! Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels and pita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in the grain group.
   Bananas, strawberries and melons are some great tasting fruits. Try vegetables raw, on a sandwich or salad.
   
   
8. Join in physical activities at school.
   Whether you take a physical education class or do other physical activities at school, such as intramural sports, structures activities are a sure way to feel good, look good and stay physically fit.
   
9. Foods aren't good or bad.
   A healthy eating style is like a puzzle with many parts. Each part -- or food -- is different. Some foods may have more fat, sugar or salt while others may have more vitamins or fiber. There is a place for all these foods. What makes a diet good or bad is how foods fit together. Balancing your choices is important. Fit in a higher-fat food, like pepperoni pizza, at dinner by choosing lower-fat foods at other meals. And don't forget about moderation. If two pieces of pizza fill you up, you don't need a third.
   
10. Make healthy eating and physical activities fun!
    Take advantage of physical activities you and your friends enjoy doing together and eat the foods you like. Be adventurous - try new sports, games and other activities as well as new foods. You'll grow stronger, play longer, and look and feel better! Set realistic goals - don't try changing too much at once.

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Facebook: Parents 'help children break age limits'

Children under the age of 13 are not supposed to have Facebook accounts 

Parents are helping their children to set up under-age profiles on social networking site Facebook, Children's Minister Tim Loughton has said.

This meant that children were getting involved in social media at too young an age, he suggested.

He added that parents had a responsibility to monitor youngsters' online activity.

The comments came in a debate on "sexting" - youngsters sending explicit pictures to each other.

Mr Loughton, who has three teenage children, said parents had a responsibility to monitor youngsters online, adding: "Having a Facebook page, you should be at least 13 to do that. That is not legally enforceable.

"We know, and I know from personal experience, the temptations for younger children to set up a Facebook site and get involved with those social media.

"And I also know that in too many cases they do that aided and abetted by parents. So it's not just a question of giving information to parents, it's making sure parents are acting responsibly on behalf of their children too."

When individuals set up Facebook accounts, they are asked to certify that they are 13 or over by entering a date of birth. If the date of birth shows them to be younger they are prevented from continuing.

A Facebook spokeswoman said it set the age limit for setting up accounts to comply with international regulations on children accessing social media.

It also said it applied more stringent protections and security settings for its younger users aged between 13 and 17.

'Risk'

This involves limiting who can see what teenagers post on their accounts to people in their social networks - Facebook friends, friends of friends, and people they have a prior connection with.

"We maintain added protections and security settings for teens (age 13-17) that ensure their timelines and posts don't show up in public search results," Facebook says on its website.

Mr Loughton's comments came as a Labour MP Ann Coffey urged the government and mobile phone companies to do more to combat "sexting" during a Westminster Hall debate.

The Stockport MP said youngsters who sent explicit images to their boyfriends and girlfriends risked having those pictures shown around playgrounds.

She said: "Once taken and sent, the sender loses control of these images and they could end up anywhere from being passed all around school to being viewed and passed on by paedophiles."

'No silver bullet'

She also claimed pornographic pictures willingly uploaded to the internet could be shared with the world without the subject's consent, a practice known as "doxing".

She added: "A key problem is that young people see the texts as harmless fun but they quickly lead to sexualised conversations and grooming.

"Because it is not face-to-face interaction, young people will also behave in a different way without realising the risks they are exposing themselves to until it is too late."

She called on mobile phone firms to pay for advertising campaigns warnings youngsters about the dangers of sexting, and demanded more training for shop workers selling handsets.

Mr Loughton said there was "no silver bullet" to combat the problem, but added: "The concept of peer-to-peer sexting is now really raising its head and can have far-reaching consequences. That needs to be addressed."

He said the government took "very seriously our responsibility to ensure the response in all areas of child protection and safeguarding is as effective as possible".

src

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Influenza

Have you ever suffered from influenza or the flu? The flu is contagious illness that is caused by  viruses, and it may sometimes even lead to death. The flu usually starts suddenly and may include these symptoms: fever (usually high), headache, cough, sorethroat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches; diarrhea and vomiting can also occur. There are things you can do to prevent the flu. First, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue everytime you sneeze. Do not forget to throw the tissue  away after you use it. Second, frequently wash your hands with soap, especially after you cough or sneeze. Third, try not to touch your nose, eyes, or mouth. Germs are usually spread this way.  Fourth, stay away from people if possible. When you get the flu, stay at home. Do not go to school because other people can get sick too.

What should you do if you have the flu? Eat chicken soup! Chicken soup has been proven to relieve some of the symptoms related with the flu. For a sorethroat, drink either hot fluids or try cool stuff, like popsicles or ice cream. Finally, get some rest. Wait a day after your temperature normal before going back to school.

In english speaking countries, people often get a flu shot before the flu season begins. The flu shot help them be immune to the viruses that cause the flu.

Questions!

1. What kind of text is that?

2. What is flu?

3. How many ways of preventing flu are mention in the text?

4. When should we wash our hand to prevent the flu?

5. Can we drink iced tea when we get flu?

6. What is the similar word of "cure" you can find in the text? 

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Manfaat Madu Dalam Al Qur'an

Masalah madu ini, Rasul saw pernah ditegur Allah dengan firman Allah swt, sebagai berikut:

“Wahai Nabi!, mengapa kamu mengharamkan apa yang Allah menghalalkannya bagimu; kamu mencari kesenangan hati isteri-isterimu? Dan Allah maha Pengampun lagi Maha Penyayang. (QS 66:1)

Bukhari dan Muslim meriwayatkan bahwa Rasullulah saw pernah mengharamkan atas dirinya meminum madu hanya untuk menyenangkan isteri-isterinya, maka turunlah ayat ini sebagai teguran kepada Rasul saw. Al Quran menegaskan khasiat madu ini, yakni:

“Dari perut lebah itu ke luar minuman (madu) yang bermacam-macam warnanya, di dalamnya terdapat obat yang menyembuhkan bagi manusia (QS 16:69)


Hal ini dipertegas lagi oleh Rasul saw terhadap khasiat madu sebagai obat berikut ini:

“Dari Aisyah ra, Nabi saw, amat gemar pada makanan yang manis-manis dan madu (HR Bukhari)

“Dari Abu Sa’id ra: Ada seorang laki-laki datang kepada Rasullulah saw dan berkata: “Saudara saya sakit perut”. Rasul menjawab: “Beri ia madu!”. Hal ini dilakukan orang itu sampai tiga kali bolak balik menanyakan kepada Rasul saw, jawabannyapun tetap madu dan madu (HR Buhkari)

Keajaiban Madu

1.  Madu Lebah

Madu lebah memangnya diakui dan dari pandangan Islam sendiri ia merupakan penawar pelbagai penyakit. Madu lebah berasal dari tumbuhan berbunga yang menghasilkan nektar. Sehingga kurun abad ke-11, kebanyakkan orang di dunia ini mengakui rasa kemanisan madu yang begitu unik.

Di Amerika Utara madu dihasilkan dalam jus minuman. Madu dihasilkan daripada sarang lebah. Madu mengandung campuran gula monosakarida dan gula polisakarida serta kaya dengan zat yang penting yaitu asam amino, mineral dan vitamin. Dalam masyarakat Melayu madu digunakan untuk tujuan untuk melembabkan muka gadis-gadis. Ini biasa dilakukan pada zaman dahulu, namun masih ada segelintir orang yang meneruskan kebiasaan ini. Madu disapukan pada seluruh muka dan dibiarkan kering, kemudian dibasuh. Lembapan amat penting untuk kulit setelah seharian kita bekerja di bawah sinaran mentari dan suasana hawa dingin. Namun belum ada produk modern yang agak terkenal menggunakan madu untuk kecantikan.

“Dan Rabbmu mewahyukan kepada lebah: Buatlah sarang-sarang di bukit-bukit, di pohon-pohon kayu, dan di tempat-tempat yang dibikin manusia. (QS. An-Nahl [ 16]:6

Alam dan isinya memberikan pelajaran hidup bagi manusia. Ia mampu memberikan inspirasi. Bagaimana seharusnya manusia berhubungan dengan manusia lainnya. Dan bagaimana pula manusia mesti berprilaku untuk manusia lainnya. Jika kita menelusuri koloni lebah madu, mereka mampu memberikan contoh yang baik bagi manusia. Mereka memperlihatkan kombinasi perilaku individual serta kerja sama sosial yang menakjubkan. Tak ada yang saling memangsa seperti yang berlaku dalam hukum rimba. Dan jika kemudian meneliti ke sarang lebah, kita dapat menemukan jawaban mengapa sejak awal lebah madu telah mempersona manusia, untuk melakukan observasi terhadapnya.

Sarang lebah, memiliki infrastruktur yang sempurna dan fungsional, terbentuk dari jalinan zat lendir yang berasal dari tubuh mereka. Sarang itu, juga dikonstruksi menjadi sebuah rangkaian sel heksagonal yang sangat sempurna. Terlihat begitu indahnya sarang yang mereka buat secara gotong royong itu.

Seperti diketahui, bahwa sarang ini menjadi tempat bermulanya aktivitas koloni lebah madu. Baik sebagai media pemeliharaan larva maupun pusat pesan, bagi setiap anggota koloni dalam menjalankan tugasnya. Pada tingkat individual, lebah madu terbagi menjadi tiga jenis anggota koloni. Mereka adalah ratu, lebah jantan serta lebah pekerja. Semuanya memiliki tugasnya masing-masing. Dan saling mendukung satu sama lain. Dalam sebuah koloni lebah madu, ratu lebah diperlakukan secara istimewa. Ia mendapatkan pasokan makanan yang berlimpah.

Tujuannya, agar ia mampu menjalankan tugas krusial dalam koloni tersebut, yaitu menghasilkan pheromone, sinyal kimiawi bagi para lebah pekerja yang mengendalikan perilaku mereka. Sang ratu juga memiliki tugas untuk menciptakan 'perekat sosial' yang mengikat semua lebah untuk hidup dalam kebersamaan. Maka menjelmalah sebuah struktur masyarakat lebah yang terorganisasi dengan baik. Mereka menggunakan 'tarian' untuk saling mengkomunikasikan di mana letak sumber-sumber makanan yang mereka perlukan. Tak nampak satu pun dari mereka yang mengunggulkan diri dan egois. Semuanya berada dalam kebersamaan dan kedamaian. Kekaguman kita tentu tak hanya berhenti pada terciptanya hubungan dalam komunitas mereka yang mengagumkan. Namun juga pada produk yang mereka hasilkan, yaitu madu.

Madu merupakan cairan mujarab, yang dihasilkan lebah dari saripati beragam tanaman. Dan madu telah mendapatkan tempat yang istimewa dalam sejarah pengobatan tradisional. Orang-orang Mesir, Assyria, Cina, Yunani dan Romawi kuno memanfaatkan madu untuk menyembuhkan luka dan beragam penyakit.

Baik dalam hadits Nabi Muhammad maupun kitab suci Al Quran, juga memberikan keterangan akan khasiat madu yang menyembuhkan ini. Dalam surat An Nahl (lebah) ayat 68-69 Allah Swt menyatakan: ''Dan Tuhanmu mewahyukan kepada lebah:

“'...Dari perut lebah itu keluar minuman (madu) yang bermacam-macam warnanya, di dalamnya terdapat obat yang menyembuhkan bagi manusia. Sesungguhnya, pada yang demikian terdapat tanda-tanda kebesaran Tuhan bagi mereka yang memikirkan''. (QS 16:69)

Kemudian Rasulullah Muhammad juga menegaskan khasiat madu tersebut dalam hadits yang diriwayatkan oleh Bukhari: ''Madu adalah penyembuh bagi semua jenis sakit dan Al Quran adalah penyembuh bagi semua kekusutan pikiran (sakit pikiran).

“Dari Abu Sa’id ra: Ada seorang laki-laki datang kepada Rasullulah SAW dan berkata: “Saudara saya sakit perut”. Rasul menjawab: “Beri ia madu!”. Hal ini dilakukan orang itu sampai tiga kali bolak balik menanyakan kepada Rasul SAW, jawabannyapun tetap madu dan madu (HR Buhkari)

Maka disarankan bagimu kedua penyembuh tersebut, Al Quran dan madu.'' Para ilmuwan, akhir-akhir ini juga tergerak hatinya untuk melakukan penelitian secara mendalam akan khasiat madu secara ilmiah. Mereka membuktikan bahwa ternyata madu mamang memiliki efek yang menguntungkan pada kondisi medis tertentu.

Pertama, madu dapat digunakan sebagai zat anti bakteri dan jamur. Karena madu ternyata dapat menghambat pertumbuhan bakteri seperti Staphylococcus aureus, patogen tertentu, serta fungi atau jamur, semisal Candida albicans. Dengan konsentrasi 30-50 persen, madu mampu memperlihatkan khasiatnya sebagai antibiotik konvensional untuk infeksi saluran kencing.

Kedua, madu digunakan sebagai anti mencret. Dengan konsentrasi hingga 40 persen, madu memberikan efek bakterial yang akan menghambat laju sejumlah bakteri yang menyebabkan mencret serta disentri, seperti Salmonella, Shigella, enteropatogenik E coli, dan Vibrio cholera. Dalam sebuah studi, madu dengan cairan rehidrasi oral mampu mengurangi durasi bakteri baik pada anak-anak maupun bayi yang menderita mencret.

Ketiga, madu dapat digunakan sebagai penyembuh luka dan anti-inflammatory (luka bakar). Madu memiliki arti penting dalam menyembuhkan luka bakar, infeksi bekas operasi. Ia sangat liat, sehingga mampu menyerap air yang berada di sekitar jaringan kulit yang terbakar. Kita bisa merujuk pada sebuah studi yang dilakukan di Afrika Barat. Dalam studi itu, penyembuhan luka pada wanita setelah menjalani vulvectomy (operasi pada vagina) akibat kanker vagina, memakan waktu lebih cepat dengan menggunakan madu. Penggunaan madu juga disarankan untuk mengurangi tajamnya bau yang diakibatkan borok pada orang yang berpenyakit kusta.

Keempat, madu dapat digunakan sebagai zat antitusif dan ekspektoran. Madu yang diandalkan sebagai obat batuk ini terkait dengan kemampuannya untuk mencairkan dahak dan melegakan tenggorokan.

Kelima, madu sebagai sumber nutrisi. Madu yang tak terkontaminasi sangat sehat, makanan yang alami, dan mengandung banyak energi. Karena mengandung karbohidrat, protein, lipid, enzim dan vitamin. Satu sendok madu mengandung 60 kalori, serta mengandung 11 gram karbohidrat, 1 mg kalsium, 0,2 mg zat besi, 0,1 mg vitamin B dan 1 mg vitamin C. Madu kini telah tersedia secara luas di kalangan masyarakat.

Meski khasiat madu belum sepenuhnya diketahui masyarakat secara luas. Dan kalangan ilmuwan juga dituntut untuk melakukan penelaahan mendalam mengenai khasiat madu dan mampu menggunakannya dalam cakupan yang lebih luas. Keajaiban madu telah diungkapkan dalam dalam Al Quran maupun sunah secara indah, lebih 14 abad lalu. Penjelasan kedua rujukan suci mengenai madu ini, juga telah merambah dunia sains modern yang telah menerima dan melakukan penelahaan lebih mendalam atas penggunaan madu. Al Quran memang bukan sekadar tuntunan hidup, tapi juga sumber ilmu pengetahuan.


2. Madu "Makanan Istimewa" untuk Kebugaran Tubuh

Dengan demikian Madu ternyata tak cuma nikmat diminum. Si kental manis asam ini juga baik untuk kesehatan tubuh pengonsumsinya. Bahkan, ia sudah mulai dilirik sebagai bahan obat. Padahal, sebenarnya madu merupakan cadangan pakan bergizi tinggi bagi anak-anak lebah. Wajar kalau kemudian madu dimasukkan ke dalam kelompok bahan makanan bergizi oleh manusia.

Sebagian masyarakat Indonesia yakin kalau madu merupakan cairan alami yang enak dan manis. Kita juga beranggapan, madu kental itu sebagai "makanan istimewa" untuk kebugaran tubuh. Serta katanya, mampu menjaga lestarinya kemampuan seksual seseorang. Menurut sumber kepustakaan, setiap 1.000 g madu bernilai 3.280 kalori. Nilai kalori 1 kg madu sama dengan 50 butir telur atau 5,575 l susu, atau 1,680 kg daging.

Sebetulnya, khasiat madu amat berkaitan dengan kandungan gulanya yang tinggi. Yakni fruktosa 41%, glukosa 35%, dan sukrosa 1,9%. Serta unsur kan-dungan lainnya, seperti tepung sari ditambah berbagai enzim pencernaan. Lalu ada vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, antibiotika, dan lainnya. Meski sama manisnya, perlakuan tubuh manusia terhadap madu yang manis itu berbeda dibandingkan dengan gula atau gula pasir. Madu dapat diproses langsung menjadi glukogen, sedangkan gula harus diproses terlebih dulu oleh enzim pencernaan di usus. Dengan demikian tubuh manusia bisa lebih cepat merasakan manfaat madu dibandingkan dengan gula pasir. Dari beberapa hal itu, rasanya bisa disimpulkan kalau madu bisa memberikan manfaat sangat penting dalam kehidupan manusia.

berbagai sumber

Silahkan selengkapnya berkunjung ke http://saga-islamicnet.blogspot.com/2012/02/khasiat-dan-manfaat-madu-dalam-al-quran.html#ixzz1sm2ja4lN

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Muhammad Al Fatih (sang pembebas konstantinopel)

Abu Qubail menuturkan dari Abdullah bin Amr bin Ash, “Suatu ketika kami sedang menulis di sisi Rasulullah SAW, tiba-tiba beliau ditanya, “Mana yang terkalahkan lebih dahulu, Konstantinopel atau Romawi?” Beliau menjawab, “Kota Heraklius-lah yang akan terkalahkan lebih dulu.” Maksudnya adalah Konstantinopel.” [H.R. Ahmad, Ad-Darimi, Al-Hakim]

“Kota Konstantinopel akan jatuh ke tangan Islam. Pemimpin yang menaklukkannya adalah sebaik-baik pemimpin dan pasukan yang berada di bawah komandonya adalah sebaik-baik pasukan.” [H.R. Ahmad bin Hambal Al-Musnad 4/335]

Kekaisaran Romawi terpecah dua, Katholik Roma di Vatikan dan Yunani Orthodoks di Byzantium atau Constantinople yang kini menjadi Istanbul. Perpecahan tersebut sebagai akibat konflik gereja meskipun dunia masih tetap mengakui keduanya sebagai pusat peradaban. Constantine The Great memilih kota di selat Bosphorus tersebut sebagai ibukota, dengan alasan strategis di batas Eropa dan Asia, baik di darat sebagai salah satu Jalur Sutera maupun di laut antara Laut Tengah dengan Laut Hitam dan dianggap sebagai titik terbaik sebagai pusat kebudayaan dunia, setidaknya pada kondisi geopolitik saat itu.

Yang mengincar kota ini untuk dikuasai termasuk bangsa Gothik, Avars, Persia, Bulgar, Rusia, Khazar, Arab-Muslim dan Pasukan Salib meskipun misi awalnya adalah menguasai Jerusalem. Arab-Muslim terdorong ingin menguasai Byzantium tidak hanya karena nilai strategisnya, tapi juga atas kepercayaan kepada hadits Rasulullah SAW melalui riwayat Hadits di atas.

Upaya pertama dilakukan oleh Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan pada tahun 668 M, namun gagal dan salah satu sahabat Rasulullah SAW yaitu Abu Ayyub Al-Anshari ra. gugur. Sebelumnya Abu Ayyub sempat berwasiat jika ia wafat meminta dimakamkan di titik terjauh yang bisa dicapai oleh kaum muslim. Dan para sahabatnya berhasil menyelinap dan memakamkan beliau persis di sisi tembok benteng Konstantinopel di wilayah Golden Horn.

Generasi berikutnya, baik dari kekhalifahan Bani Umayyah dan Bani Abbasiyyah hingga Turki Utsmani pada masa pemerintahan Murad II ayah Muhammad II juga gagal menaklukkan Byzantium. Salah satu peperangan Murad II di wilayah Balkanadalah melawan Vlad Dracula, seorang tokoh Crusader (Perang Salib) yang bengis dan sadis (Dracula karya Bram Stoker adalah terinsipirasi dari tokoh Vlad Dracula ini). Selama 800 tahun kegagalan selalu terjadi, hingga anak Sultan Murad II yaitu Muhammad II naik tahta Turki Utsmani.

Sejak Sultan Murad I, Turki Utsmani dibangun dengan kemiliteran yang canggih, salah satunya adalah dengan dibentuknya pasukan khusus yang disebut Yanisari. Dengan pasukan militernya Turki Utsmani menguasasi sekeliling Byzantium hingga Constantine merasa terancam, walaupun benteng yang melindungi –bahkan dua lapis– seluruh kota sangat sulit ditembus, Constantine pun meminta bantuan ke Roma, namun konflik gereja yang terjadi tidak menelurkan banyak bala bantuan.

Hari Jumat, 6 April 1453 M, Muhammad II atau disebut juga Mehmed II bersama gurunya, syaikh Aaq Syamsudin, beserta pasukannya dibawah komando Halil Pasha dan Zaghanos Pasha merencanakan penyerangan ke Byzantium dari berbagai penjuru benteng kota tersebut. Dengan berbekal 150.000 ribu pasukan dan meriam buatan Urban –teknologi baru pada saat itu–Muhammad II mengirim surat kepada Paleologus untuk masuk Islam atau menyerahkan penguasaan kota secara damai atau perang. Constantine XI Paleologus menjawab tetap mempertahankan kota dengan dibantu oleh Kardinal Isidor, Pangeran Orkhan dan Giovanni Giustiniani dari Genoa.

Kota dengan benteng 10m-an tersebut memang sulit ditembus, selain di sisi luar benteng pun dilindungi oleh parit 7 m. Dari sebelah barat melalui pasukan altileri harus membobol benteng dua lapis, dari arah selatan laut Marmara pasukan laut harus berhadapan dengan pelaut Genoa pimpinan Giustiniani dan dari arah timur armada laut harus masuk ke selat sempit Golden Horn yang sudah dilindungi dengan rantai besar hingga kapal perang ukuran kecil pun tak bisa lewat.

Berhari-hari hingga berminggu-minggu benteng Konstantinople atau Byzantium tak bisa jebol, kalaupun runtuh membuat celah pasukan Constantine mampu mempertahankan celah tersebut dan dengan cepat menumpuk kembali hingga tertutup. Usaha lain pun dicoba dengan menggali terowongan di bawah benteng, cukup menimbulkan kepanikan kota, namun juga gagal. Hingga akhirnya sebuah ide yang terdengar bodoh dilakukan hanya dalam semalam. Salah satu pertahanan yang agak lemah adalah melalui selat Golden Horn yang sudah dirantai. Ide tersebut akhirnya dilakukan, yaitu memindahkan kapal-kapal melalui darat untuk menghindari rantai penghalang, hanya dalam semalam dan 70-an kapal bisa memasuki wilayah selat Golden Horn.

29 Mei, setelah sehari istirahat perang Muhammad II kembali menyerang total, diiringi hujan dengan tiga lapis pasukan, irregular di lapis pertama, Anatolian Army di lapis kedua dan terakhir pasukan Yanisari. Giustiniani sudah menyarankan Constantine untuk mundur atau menyerah tapi Constantine tetap konsisten hingga gugur di peperangan. Kabarnya Constantine melepas baju perang kerajaannya dan bertempur bersama pasukan biasa hingga tak pernah ditemukan jasadnya. Giustiniani sendiri meninggalkan kota dengan pasukan Genoa-nya. Kardinal Isidor sendiri lolos dengan menyamar sebagai budak melalui Galata, dan Pangeran Orkhan gugur di peperangan.

Konstantinopel telah jatuh, penduduk kota berbondong-bondong berkumpul di Hagia Sophia, dan Sultan Muhammad II memberi perlindungan kepada semua penduduk, siapapun, baik Islam, Yahudi ataupun Kristen. Hagia Sophia pun akhirnya dijadikan masjid dan gereja-gereja lain tetap sebagaimana fungsinya bagi penganutnya.

Makanya karena prestasinya menaklukkan Konstantinopel, Muhammad II kemudian mendapat gelar “Al-Fatih”. Artinya “Sang Pembebas”. Barangkali karena para pelaku sejarah sebelumnya tidak pernah berhasil melakukannya, meski telah dijanjikan nabi SAW.

Namun orang barat menyebutkan The Conqueror, artinya Sang Penakluk. Ada kesan bila menggunakan kata “Sang Penakluk” bahwa beliau seolah-olah penguasa yang keras dan kejam. Padahal gelar yang sebenarnya dalam bahasa arab adalah Al-Fatih. Berasal dari kata: fataha – yaftahu. Artinya membuka atau membebaskan. Kata ini terkesan lebih santun dan lebih beradab. Karena pada hakikatnya, yang beliau lakukan bukan sekedar penaklukan, melainkan pembebasan menuju kepada iman dan Islam.

Toleransi tetap ditegakkan, siapa pun boleh tinggal dan mencari nafkah di kota tersebut. Sultan kemudian membangun kembali kota, membangun sekolah –terutama sekolah untuk kepentingan administratif kota– secara gratis, siapa pun boleh belajar, tak ada perbedaan terhadap agama, membangun pasar, membangun perumahan, bahkan rumah diberikan gratis kepada para pendatang yang bersedia tinggal dan mencari nafkah di reruntuhan kota Konstantinople atau Byzantium tersebut. Hingga akhirnya kota tersebut diubah menjadi nama Islambul yang berarti “Kota Islam”. Tapi kini nama tersebut telah diganti oleh Mustafa Kemal menjadi Istanbul. Dan pencarian makam Abu Ayyub sahabat Nabi dilakukan hingga ditemukan dan dilestarikan.

Dan kini Hagia Sophia yang megah berubah fungsi menjadi museum. Jika sahabat semua berkesempatan ke Turki singgahlah kesini.

o iya, ada fakta yang menyebutkan bahwa ketika Muhammad Al Fatih menaklukkan Konstantinopel, hal pertama yang ia lakukan adalah sholat. maka beliau bertanya pada para pasukannya, siapakah yang mau menjadi imam sholat. setelah ditunggu sekian lama, ternyata tidak ada satupun dari pasukannya yang berani mengangkat tangannya. maka beliaupun mengajukan 3 pertanyaan yang jika mereka tidak melakukan tiga hal yang ditanyakan itu maka mereka dipersilahkan untuk duduk. pertanyaan tersebut adalah:

1. siapakah diantara kalian yang tidak pernah  meninggalkan sholat fardhu sejak mereka balig? ternyata seluruh pasukannya masih berdiri yang menandakan bahwa semua pasukan yang dipimpin oleh Muhammad Al Fatih adalah orang yang memang tidak pernah meninggalkan sholat fardhu sejak mereka masuk masa balig.
2. siapakah diantara kalian yang tidak pernah meninggalkan sholat rawatib? maka sebagian kecil dari pasukannya duduk dan sebagian besarnya berdiri. hal ini menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar pasukan yang dipimpin oleh Muhammad Al fatih adalah orang-orang yang juga menjaga sholat sunnah rawatib mereka.
3. siapakah yang sejak kita berperang dari awal tidak pernah meninggalkan sholat tahajud? maka hanya satu orang yang berdiri, yaitu Muhammad Al fatih itu sendiri. 

dari cerita di atas, dapatlah kita simpulkan bahwa apa yang dikatakan oleh rasulullah bahwa pemimpin yang dapat menembus konstantinopel  adalah pemimpin yang terbaik memang benar. lihat saja apa yang dilakukan oleh Muhammad Al Fatih. beliau adalah orang yang tidak pernah meninggalkan sholat sama sekali dan bahkan beliaupun menambah dengan sholat sunnah yang lain termasuk sholat tahajjud yang bagi sebaagian besar orang orang adalah sholat sunnah yang paling berat. bahkan, pasukan beliaupun merupakan orang-orang terpilih yang mempunyai kekuatan ruhiyah yang luar biasa. semoga kita bisa menjadi seperti Muhammad Al Fatih. Amin...

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number one for me (maher zain)

I was a foolish little child

Crazy things I used to do

And all the pain I put you through

Mama now I'm here for you

For all the times I made you cry

The days I told you lies

Now it's time for you to rise

For all the things you sacrificed

Oooh

If I could turn back time rewind

If I could make it undone I swear that I would

I would make it up to you

Oooh

If I could turn back time rewind

If I could make it undone I swear that I would

I would make it up to you

Mom I'm all grown up now

I'ts a brand new day

I'd like to put a smile on your face everyday

Mom I'm all grown up now

And it's not too late

I'd like to put a smile on your face everyday

You know you are the number one for me

You know you are the number one for me

You know you are the number one for me

Oh oh

number one for me

Now I finally understand

That  famous  line

About the day I'd face in time

Coz now I have a child of mine

Even though I was so bad

I've learnt so much from you

Now I'm trying to do it too

Love my kids the way you do

Oooh

If I could turn back time rewind

If I could make it undone I swear that I would

I would make it up to you

Oooh

If I could turn back time rewind

If I could make it undone I swear that I would

I would make it up to you

Mom I'm all grown up now

I'ts a brand new day

I'd like to put a smile on your face everyday

Mom I'm all grown up now

And it's not too late

I'd like to put a smile on your face everyday

You know you are the number one for me

You know you are the number one for me

You know you are the number one for me

Oh oh

number one for me

There is no one in this world

That can take your place

Oooh I'm sorry for ever taken you for granted

I will use every chance I get

To make you smile

Whenever I'm around you

Now I will to try to love you

Like you love me

Only God knows how much you mean to me

Oooh

If I could turn back time rewind

If I could make it undone I swear that I would

I would make it up to you

Oooh

If I could turn back time rewind

If I could make it undone I swear that I would

I would make it up to you

Mom I'm all grown up now

I'ts a brand new day

I'd like to put a smile on your face everyday

Mom I'm all grown up now

And it's not too late

I'd like to put a smile on your face everyday

The number one for me

The number one for me

The number one for me

Oh oh

number one for me

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22 Tips for Parents

What does it take for parents to get a teen to become a practicing Muslim?

Sound Vision has talked to parents, Imams, activists and Muslims who have grown up in the West to ask what are some practical things parents can do to help Muslim teens maintain their Deen. These are some of their suggestions:

Tip #1: Take parenting more seriously than you would a full-time job
This means both parents must understand their children are a trust from Allah, and He will ask how they were raised. If the children do not grow up practicing Islam because of their parents' negligence, it is not going to be pretty in this life or the next.

Tip #2:Reduce or change work hours and exchange them for time with the family

It is better to have one full-time job, fewer luxuries in the house (i.e. more cars, expensive clothes, a bigger, fancier home) and more time with the family, than many material things and absent parents. This goes for mothers AND fathers. Parents can't instill values in their children if they just aren't there, period. Quit that extra job on the weekends or in the evenings and instead drive the kids to the mosque for Halaqas and activities instead. Or consider switching shifts at work so that you're home when the kids are.

Tip #3: Read the Quran, understanding its meaning, for five minutes every day
Just five minutes. Whether it's in the car during a traffic jam, early morning after Fajr, or right before you go to bed, read the Quran with a translation and/or Tafseer. Then watch the snowball effect. You will, Insha Allah, reconnect with Allah, and in the long run, develop into a role model helping your whole family, not just your teen, reconnect with Him too.

Tip #4: Attend a weekly Halaqa
Trade playing cards or watching television on Sunday afternoons for a Halaqa. If you don't have something already in place during that time slot, help the Imam to set one up. Attend it vigilantly. The added bonus of this is that when children see their parents striving to learn about Islam, they will in many cases be encouraged to do the same.

Tip #5: Respect your teen

Respecting your teen means not treating them like inept babies, but like maturing adults, not talking down to them or humiliating and insulting them. It means involving them in useful activities around the home and seeking their opinions on matters of importance.

Tip #6: Take an interest in what they do
Does Noor play hockey in an all-girls' sports league? Attend Noor's games as regularly as possible. Does Ihsan collect stamps? See if you can find old letters from your parents in Malaysia or Lebanon and pass the stamps on them to her. Does Muhsin love building websites? Visit his site, post a congratulatory e-mail on the message board and offer some suggestions for the site. Give him a book on advanced web design as Eid gift.

Tip #7: Be aware of problems and address them straightforwardly
As you spend more time with your teen, you will be more able to sense if there is something bothering them. Don't brush this feeling under the carpet. Address it straight on. But don't do this in the family meeting or n in front of others. Do it during the next tip.

Tip #8: "Date" your teenager
While dating is commonly associated with boy-girl social meetings, the concept can be extended to any meeting between two people wanting to get to know each other better.

It's especially important to "date" your children on an individual level once they hit their teens because they are no longer just "one of the kids". They are young adults who need attention and guidance on an individual level. You can go out on a "date" when Sumayya graduates from high school (instead of going to the prom), when Ahmed gets his driver's license or if you feel there is something bothering them and you want to address them alone.

Tip #9: Don't just be your teen's parent, be his or her partner
Making them a partner means giving them responsibilities within the family. Get 16 year old Amir, who just got his driver's license, to help his mom with grocery shopping on Saturday's; get 15 year old Jasmine, who loves flowers, to be responsible for the garden and mowing the lawn. This way, teens will feel a part of the family, included and needed.

Tip #10: Build a Masjid in your home

Delegate a room, part of the basement or the living room as the home Masjid. You can do this for less than $25.

Make this Masjid entirely the responsibility of the kids. Get the eldest to be in charge and to delegate responsibilities for younger siblings. Responsibilities include keeping the Masjid clean, waking people up for Fajr, calling the Adhan, etc.

Tip #11: Don't practice "men's Islam"

That means don't exclude wives or daughters from prayers. When the men are praying in Jamaah, make sure the women are either behind them or also praying in congregation. Make sure the Imam recites the prayer loud enough for the women to hear if they are in another part of the house. Also, encourage women to pray in Jamaah if there are no men present.

Tip #12: Establish an Islamic library and choose a librarian
Equip your home with an Islamic library with books, video and audio cassettes about various aspects of Islam, catering to everyone's age and interests. If 13-year-old Bilal likes adventure novels, for example, make sure you have a couple of Islamic adventure books

Get one of your teens to be the librarian. S/he keeps materials organized and in good condition. Any requests for materials to be added to the collection have to go through him or her. Give this librarian a monthly budget for ordering new books, cassettes, etc.

Tip#13: Take them out.....to Islamic activities
Instead of a fancy dinner at a restaurant, save your money to take everyone out to the next Muslim community dinner or activity. Make a special effort to go to events where other Muslim teens will be present and the speaker caters his/her message to this crowd.

It's also important to regularly take Bilal and Humayra to Islamic camps and conferences where they will meet other Muslim kids their age on a larger scale.

Tip #14: Move to a racially and religiously mix neighborhood in your city
If your children can interact with Muslim as well as non-Muslim children on a daily basis, it is going to be healthier for their growth. May be a move closer to a masjid is going to help as well.

Tip #15 : Help teens start their own youth group
After living in a Muslim neighborhood and attending Islamic activities regularly, teens in many cases will develop a friendship with other Muslims their age. Don't let this end here.

Help them establish a youth group, not just to learn about Islam, but to go to the amusement park together, go swimming, etc. Have meetings at members' houses on a weekly or bimonthly basis. Get this group involved in useful work like cleaning up litter around the Masjid or visiting senior citizens' homes.This group must have parental supervision, although teens' decision-making powers should not be interfered with unless really necessary.

Tip #16: Establish a TV-free evening and monitor TV watching in general
Parents' biggest competitor for their children's attention is the T.V. Sound Vision's unTV guide. Monitoring what everyone watches simply means taking care to remind and help everyone avoid shows which depict sex, violence and encourage unIslamic activities. Put up a list of acceptable and unacceptable shows on the wall beside the T.V.

Establishing TV-free evenings means having one evening of the week when no one, adult, teen or child is allowed to watch television. Hopefully, this is a first step towards general TV reduction in the home. This is an ideal time to have the next tip.

Tip #17: Have weekly family meetings
The purpose: to find out what is going on in everyone's lives and to consult the family on important issues. Hanan started attending a Halaqa, Imran just returned from a Muslim youth camp, Bilal aced the last algebra test. The point is not to just give this news in point form. It's to elicit discussion and communication between everyone, and to keep up-to-date about what is going on in everyone's life, which gets harder when kids become teenagers.

This is also the place to consult the family and decide on major issues affecting everyone: a move to another city; a marriage of one of the family members; difficulties with a bully in school, etc.

Please note: Shura in the family does not mean a majority vote determines what to do about a situation. While the parents remain in charge, teens and younger children voice opinions and suggestions parents will consider in making a final decision about a matter.

Tip #18: Have "Halal Fun night" once a month
"Fun is Haram" is a joke sometimes heard amongst Muslim youth, mocking the attitude of some Muslims for whom virtually anything enjoyable is automatically labeled Haram (forbidden).

Islamic entertainment is a much neglected area of Muslim concern. Islamic songs, skits, etc. are a viable tool for the transmission of Islam. Maybe 16-year-old Jameel knows how to play the Duff, while his sister Amira, 14, can write and sing well. Let them present their own Islamic song to the whole family. Or have 12-year-old Ridwan recite some of his best poetry. Make one of the teens in charge of this event. Help them establish a criteria of acceptable and unacceptable Halal entertainment.

Tip #19: Provide the right role models-What would Abu Bakr have done?

Apart from being a role model yourself by trying to practice Islam, make sure you provide teens with reading material about the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (Sahaba), both the men and the women. Otherwise, the characters on the programs your kids watch on television may become their "Sahabas".

Discuss what a Companion may have done in a situation relevant to teens' lives. What would Abu Bakr Siddiq do if he saw a someone selling answers to the grade 11 math final exam? What would Aisha have done is she was confronted with the opportunity to cheat her parents?

Tip #20: Read books on Positive Parenting

These can be books written by Muslims, but even books by non-Muslims can help. However, just be ready and make sure you are able to identify what is Islamically acceptable versus what is not.

Tip #21: Get them married early

The societies of the West are permeated by sex: on TV, billboards, on the streets, buses, in movies, etc. A Muslim teenager facing this is in a tough position: succumb to the temptations or try really, really hard not to. Getting them married early (check out some tips for parents) will ease the pressure, and they don't have to stop their studies to do this. Remember, as a parent you will also be partly responsible if your son or daughter wanted to marry, you stopped them and they ended up having sex outside of marriage. You should also remember when undertaking this step not to force your son or daughter to marry someone they do not like.

Tip #22: Last but not least-Make Dua

Make Dua. It is really Allah who guides and misguides, but if you've done your job as a parent, Insha Allah, keeping your teen a practicing Muslim will be easier to do than if you had neglected this duty. As well, make Dua for your teen in front of them. This reminds them how much you love them and your concern for them.


src: http://soundvision.com/Info/parenting/teens/22tips.asp

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