Health Benefits of Chocolate

Recent studies have shown that eating chocolate may actually be good for you. Researchers have found that raw and / or minimally processed cocoa - as is found in Yachana Jungle Chocolate - contains flavonoids similar to those found in green tea. According to preliminary studies, these antioxidants have been linked to help accomplish the following:

* Decrease blood pressure
* Improve circulation
* Lower death rate from heart disease
* Improve function of endothelial cells that line the blood vessels
* Defend against destructive molecules called free radicals, which trigger cancer, heart disease and stroke
* Improve Digestion and stimulate kidneys
* Has been used to help treat patients with anemia, kidney stones and poor appetite
There are two different kinds of flavonoids called catechin and epicatechins. Catechins, which have recently been found to be abundant in cocoa and minimally processed chocolates such as Yachana Jungle Chocolate, could also help prevent heart disease and possibly cancer, as well as boosting the immune system, according to recent studies. Dark chocolate has also recently been found to contain more than 3 times the amount of catechins as that found in tea. Chocolate is also a good source of copper and magnesium, which helps to regulate heartbeat and blood pressure.

Of course eating large amounts of chocolate is still bad for you and could cause weight gain. But, taken in smaller quantities, it could prove to be very beneficial to your health. It all depends on the quantity and the type of chocolate that you are eating. There have been many different studies showing the possible effects of chocolate consumption on groups of participants.

One such study by the associated press entitled 'Study: Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure' printed on August 27, 2003 which appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association included 13 adults with untreated mild hypertension. Each of them ate 3-ounce chocolate bars every day for two weeks. Half of them received white chocolate while the other half got dark chocolate. Blood pressure was shown to be relatively unchanged for those who ate the white chocolate, but the dark chocolate eaters' blood pressure showed changes. Their systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 5 points and their diastolic reading dropped an average of nearly two points.

In another study conducted at Pennsylvania State University by study leader Penny Kris-Etherton, a group of participants, split into two groups, ate the same low fat diet except for one of the groups got a chocolate bar and the other group received a high-carb snack. The groups later switched snacks. Total blood cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels didn't vary with either snack. But, increases in HDL ("good") cholesterol and reductions in triglycerides (a heart-risky type of blood fat) were found in the people eating chocolate.

However, it is important to note that these health benefits are seen for people who eat traditional chocolate bars that include minimal amounts of heavily processed cocoa that have been blended with large amounts of sugars, dairy products, and artificial flavorings. But rather, to benefit from eating chocolate, one should be eating dark chocolates that have a high percentage of cocoa content. Even more beneficial to one's health is to eat cocoa is the crudest format possible. This is why Yachana Jungle Chocolate is unique. Yachana Jungle Chocolate is made from cocoa nibs - little bits of cocoa beans that have been fermented, dried, and just slightly roasted - making it one of the healthiest chocolate on the market.

For more information on the health benefits of chocolate and cocoa, please refer to the following articles:
When It Comes to Chocolate, Order Dark, Not White
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2005-03-22T040255Z_01_B541045_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-CHOCOLATE-DARK-DC.XML
Uncovering Chocolate and Compound Coatings
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/2003/0303AP.html

Copyright Weeks Publishing Company.
This article appeared in the March 2003 issue of Food Product Design Magazine. Which chocolate is Healthiest for Heart
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/60/66964.htm
Cup of Cocoa may keep Doctor Away
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/health/3248455.stm
Beyond delicious: Could Chocolate Also be Good For You?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/17/health/nutrition/17CHOC.html?ex=1078059173&ei=1&en=55b4b315a0825223

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Amankah Plastik Yang Anda Gunakan?

Plastik Food Grade vs Non Food Grade
Food Grade yang dimaksud adalah plastik yang aman untuk pembungkus makanan/ minuman sebaliknya Non Food Grade tidak aman, dikategorikan dari sifat dasar monomernya,serta bahan tambahan yang melekat di plastik seperti pewarna,pelunak,pengisi.Monomer adalah komponen utama plastik yang secara kimiawi tersusun atas satu karbon,nah jika monomer bergabung akan terbentuk rantai panjang yang disebut polimer.Jenis plastik yang sangat tidak aman yaitu polistiren dan akrilonitril butadienestiren
Plastik pangan kemasan yang telah mendapat registrasi dari badan berwenang biasanya aman untuk kesehatan.

Plastik Tipe Yang Tidak Aman
Plastik yang berbahaya jenis plastik PP(Polipropilen).jenis ini sering ditemukan sebagai pembungkus soto,mie ayam dan lainnya,berbahaya karena jenis ini mudah bermigrasi ke dalam produk akibat lemahnya ikatan struktur monomernya.tapi Jika tidak digunakan untuk membungkus makanan bersuhu tinggi maka plastik tersebut aman.Tipe lain adalah Polistiren(PS) yang biasanya kebanyakan dijadikan wadah mi instan yang cara penyajiannya langsung menuang air panas ke dalam wadahnya.
Monomer yang bermigrasi ada yang menyebabka karsinogenik(bahan pemicu kanker)ada pula dioksin.menurut WHO dioksin digolongkan sebagai karsinogenik no.1 yang sangat toksik dan beracun.penstabil yang berbahaya adalah penstabil logam yang biasa dipakai pada Plastik PVC.
Faktor Yang Menyebabkan Migrasi
1.suhu tinggi
2.kontak yang lama dengan makanan/minuman
3.Lemak tinggi dan bersifat asam yang biasa terdapat pada buah dimana buah mengandung asam organik yang dapat memicu berpindahnya monomer plastik kedalam makanan.
Yang harus dilakukan cobalah plastik yang terbuat dari Polipropilen(PP) bersifat lebih licin,lebih kokoh dari pada Polistiren(PS)
berikut jenis plastik dan resikonya:
1.Polietilen (PE) : hampir tidak berbahaya
2.Poli propilen (PP) : hampir tidak berbahaya
3.Polistiren(PS) : Karsinogenik,berpengaruh pada sistem syaraf pusat
4.Poli Vinyl Chlorida(PVC) : Karsinogenik,dioksin
5.Vinylidene Chloride Resin : Karsinogenik,dioksin
sumber:Keamanan Plastik(Japan Offspring fund)

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Indonesia wakes up to terror

By Gary LaMoshi

DENPASAR, Bali - Experts have written the obituary of extremist violence in Indonesia, but the violent extremists keep refusing to read the script. Friday morning's deadly twin bombings of Western-branded hotels in Jakarta are proof that complacency in the fight against terrorism in Indonesia remains misplaced.

Restaurant areas at the JW Marriott, site of a car bombing in 2003, and Ritz Carlton were hit by suicide bombers at breakfast time, according to Indonesian police, with the death toll climbing to nine in the first hours after the attacks. Dozens were injured, and hundreds of guests evacuated.

The bombings spoil a seemingly triumphant moment for Indonesia. After veering toward chaos a decade ago, the country
with the world's largest Muslim population had become the world's third largest democracy. "This is a blow to us," presidential spokesperson Dino Patti Djalal said in a broadcast interview.

Spare drill, spoil fill
The attacks also highlight shortcomings in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's nuanced approach to fighting radicalism and violence.

The Friday morning explosions shattered a lull in terror attacks in Indonesia that lasted nearly four years. They came a week after a successful, peaceful election that appears to have given Yudhoyono, a moderate former general with a "speak softly but carry a big stick" reputation, a second term by a landslide margin. The attacks hit after many Western governments lifted their travel restrictions on Indonesia, boosting the tourism trade to record levels.

Things were considered so safe that English Premier League football champions Manchester United were due to stay at the Ritz Carlton from Saturday during a four-day visit to Jakarta, including a scheduled match on Monday against an Indonesian all-star team. A few hours after the bombing, Manchester United announced it would cancel that leg of its Asian tour.

Indonesia has been the target of terrorism dating back to Christmas Eve 2000, when churches were bombed across the archipelago. The attacks were part of widespread Christian-Muslim clashes with shadowy military backing, aimed at undermining reformist president Abdurrahman Wahid. He was ousted in July 2001, but the military's Frankenstein monster took on a life of its own, gaining strength from anti-Western sentiment in the wake of the US-led wars in Afghanistan and then in Iraq.

In October 2002, bombs destroyed a pair of popular nightclubs in Bali, accompanied by a calling card blast at the US Consular Agency on the popular resort island. The Marriott attack in August 2003 killed 12. In September 2004, a car bomb targeted the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, leaving nine dead. In October 2005, suicide bombers hit a pair of popular restaurants in Bali.

Back to the future
The attacks on Bali and beyond were attributed to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a Muslim extremist group that seeks to create a caliphate linking Muslim areas across Southeast Asia. JI has alleged links to al-Qaeda, but operates independently.

Experts say Friday's attacks bear the hallmarks of JI, including coordinated attacks on multiple targets frequented by Westerners. But, after many arrests of its top leadership, the group has reportedly splintered into factions, not all retaining the JI name. So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

After the second Bali bombings, the first confirmed suicide bombings in Indonesia, Yudhoyono rallied Muslim clerics and other religious leaders to denounce sectarian violence and extremism, declaring unequivocally that Indonesia should not be a battleground for jihad. That high-profile declaration, and revulsion at suicide bomber videos, helped turn the tide of public opinion against extremist violence. The momentum held seemingly until Friday morning.

But Yudhoyono's administration has walked a fine line in fighting homegrown terrorism, balancing ties with the West against radical elements at home. It has accepted support from the Australian and US governments, helping Indonesian police crack down on terrorists. Much of the JI leadership has been arrested, and its top bombing mastermind Azahari Husin, a Malaysian with a PhD from Britain, was killed in a 2006 raid. "We've had a number of preventive successes in Sumatra, in Java, and other places," presidential spokesman Djalal said. "We always knew there are terrorist cells out there. You can never fully eradicate them."

Yudhoyono even welcomed George W Bush for a very unpopular visit in 2006 that avoided Jakarta and entailed a virtual lockdown (and cell phone blackout) around the suburban presidential palace in Bogor. The inauguration of US President Barack Obama, who spent part of his childhood living in Jakarta and opposed the war in Iraq, promises even closer ties between the US and Indonesian governments and has already created a great deal of grassroots warmth toward the US.

Embracing extremists
On the other hand, Yudhoyono's political coalition includes extremist Islamic parties that provide a home for sentiments that feed radicalism. He's largely ignored local governments that enact radical-inspired laws, such as dress codes and bans on females traveling alone after dark, that contradict national laws.

Yudhoyono has stoked radical fires by embracing the Palestinian cause as Indonesia's own, in the name of Muslim solidarity. By linking his good name to these fringe elements, Yudhoyono gives legitimacy to parties that advocate imposing sharia law across the archipelago, whose members preach and publish violent anti-Western Islamist screeds.

Indonesia's violence isn't all attributable to Islamic radicals. Despite democratic trappings, there's widespread feeling of powerlessness since government remains largely unresponsive while the elite and connected act with impunity. Many feel Yudhoyono's regime hasn't changed things enough in that regard. For example, it has still failed to convict the masterminds of the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, poisoned aboard a flight on national flag carrier Garuda in September 2004.

Yudhoyono's current cabinet includes Aburizal Bakrie as Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, whose family business has failed to stop the mudflow it caused in Sidoarjo, East Java, in 2006 and adequately compensate the thousands of displaced victims. The company was allowed to sell the affiliate to an offshore company to avoid responsibility for the damage.

Yudhoyono's two faces embody a national personality that prefers accommodation to confrontation. His approach had seemed to lower the political and social temperature in Indonesia, but Friday's bombings show it's failed to extinguish the embers of radical violence.

With his popularity proven by his win at the polls, Yudhoyono must summon the courage to root out elements that aid and abet terrorism. It's a quality called leadership and Indonesia needs it at this dark moment.

Longtime editor of investor rights advocate eRaider.com, Gary LaMoshihas written for Slate and Salon.com, and works a counselor for Writing Camp (www.writingcamp.net). He first visited Indonesia in 1994 and has tracking its progress ever since.

(Copyright 2009 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

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Isra and Miraj: The Miraculous Night Journey

7/20/2009 - Religious - Article Ref: IC0608-3086
Number of comments: 9
By: Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi
IslamiCity* -

The Israa and Miraj refer to, two parts of an miraculous journey that Prophet Muhammad took in one night from Makka to Jerusalem and then an ascension to the heavens.

Israa is an Arabic word referring to Prophet Muhammad's miraculous night journey from Makka to Jerusalem - specifically, to the site of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem - as referred to in Surah Al-Israa in the Quran.

It is believed to have been followed by the Mi'raj, his ascension to heaven. According to some of the Hadith scholars this journey is believed to have taken place just over a year before Prophet Muhammad migrated to from Makka to Madina, on the 27th of Rajab.

Muslims celebrate this night by offering optional prayers during this night, and in many Muslim countries, by illuminating cities with electric lights and candles.

Following is the translation of the first verse of chapter 17, Al-Israa, from the Quran that refers to this journey, followed by a detailed explanation of the verse by Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (in Makka) to the farther Mosque (in Jerusalem) - whose surroundings We have blessed - that We might show him some of Our signs 1. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (Quran 17:1)

¹ This is a reference to the event known as Mi'raj (Ascension) and Isra' (Night Journey). According to most traditions - and especially the authentic ones - this event took place one year before Hijrah. Detailed reports about it are found in the works of Hadith and Sirah and have been narrated from as many as twenty-five Companions. The most exhaustive reports are those from Anas ibn Malik, Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and Abu Hurayrah. Some other details have been narrated by 'Umar, 'Ali, 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, 'Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, and 'A'ishah among other Companions of the Prophet .

The Quran here only mentions that the Prophet was taken from the Ka'bah to the mosque in Jerusalem, and specifies that the purpose of the journey was such that God might "show him some of His signs". Beyond this, The Quran does not concern itself with any detail. However, according to Hadith reports, Gabriel took the Prophet at night from the Ka'bah to the mosque in Jerusalem on a buraq.* On reaching Jerusalem the Prophet along with other Prophets offered Prayers. (Al-Nasa'i, Sunan, K. al-Salah, 'Bab Fard al-Salah wa Dhikr Ikhtilaf al-Naqilin...' -Ed.) Gabriel then took him to the heavens and the Prophet met several great Prophets in different heavenly spheres. (See al-Nasa'i, Sunan, K. al-Salah, 'Bab Fard al-Salah' - Ed.) Finally, he reached the highest point in the heavens and was graced with an experience of the Divine Presence. On that occasion the Prophet received a number of directives including that Prayers were obligatory five times a day. (Al-Bukhari, K. Manaqib al -Ansar, 'Bab al-Mi'raj ; K. al-Tawhid, 'Bab Kallama Musa Taklima' - Ed.) Thereafter, the Prophet returned from the heavens to Jerusalem, and from there to the Holy Mosque in Makka. Numerous reports on the subject reveal that the Prophet was also enabled on this occasion to observe Heaven and Hell. (Al-Bukhari, K. al_Salah, 'Bab Kayfa Furidat al-Salah fi al-Isra' and Ibn Hisham, Sirah, vol. I, p. 404 - Ed.).

It may be recalled that according to authentic reports when the Prophet narrated the incidents of this extraordinary journey the following day to the people in Makka, the unbelievers found the whole narration utterly amusing. (Muslim, K, al-Iman, 'Bab Dhikr al-Masih ibn Maryam' - Ed.) In fact, even the faith of some Muslims was shaken because of the highly extraordinary nature of the account. (See Ibn Hisham, Sirah , vol. I, p.398 and al-Qurtubi, comments on verse 1 of the surah - Ed.)

The details of the event provided by the Hadith supplement the Quranic account. There is no reason, however, to reject all this supplementary information on the grounds that it is opposed to the Quran. Nevertheless, if someone is not quite convinced and hence does not accept some of the details concerning the Ascension mentioned in the Hadith as true, he should not be considered an unbeliever. On the contrary, if someone were to clearly deny any part of the account categorically mentioned in the Quran, he would be deemed to have gone beyond the fold of Islam.

What was the nature of this journey? Did it take place when the Prophet was asleep or when he was awake? Did he actually undertake a journey in the physical sense or did he have a spiritual vision while remaining in his own place? These questions, in our view, have been resolved by the text of the Quran itself. The opening statement: "Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque to the farther Mosque... " (verse 1) itself indicates that it was an extraordinary event which took place by dint of the infinite power of God. For quite obviously, to be able to perceive the kind of things mentioned in connection with the event, either in a dream or by means of intuition, is not so wondrous that it should be prefaced by the statement : "Holy is He Who carried His servant by night..." ; a statement which amounts to proclaiming that God was free from every imperfection and flaw. Such a statement would make absolutely no sense if the purpose of it was merely to affirm that God had the power to enable man to have either visions in the course of a dream, or to receive information intuitively. In our view, the words of the experience or a dream vision, was an actual journey, and the observation in question was a visual observation. All was contingent upon God's will that truths be revealed to the Prophet in this fashion.

Ads by Google: Advertisements not controlled by IslamiCity

Now, let us consider the matter carefully. The Quran tells us, in clear terms, that the Prophet , went from Makka to Jerusalem and then returned to Makka during the night (obviously, without the use of anything resembling an aircraft), owing to God's power. Now, if we believe this to be possible, what justification can there be to reject as inherently impossible the additional details of the event mentioned in the traditional sources? Statements declaring certain acts to be possible and others to be beyond the range of possibility are understandable if these acts are deemed to have been performed by creatures in exercise of the natural powers with which they are endowed.

However, when it is clearly stated that it is God Who did something out of His power, any doubts about the possibility of these acts can be entertained only by those who do not believe God to be all-powerful.

Those who reject the Hadith as such raise several objections against the traditions concerning this incident. It seams that only two of these objections are worth of any consideration.

First, it is claimed that the contents of the traditions relating to the Ascension imply that God is confined to a particular place. For had that not been the case, it is argued there would have been no need to transport the Prophet in order for him to experience the presence of God. Second, it is questionable whether the Prophet was enabled to observe Heaven and Hell and to see people being chastised for their sins even though they had not yet been judged by God. How is it that people were subjected to punishment even before the coming of that Day when all will be judged?

Both these objections, however, carry little substance, The first objection is to be rejected on the grounds that although the Creator is infinite and transcends both time and place, yet in dealing with His creatures He has to have recourse to the means which are finite and are circumscribed by time-space limitations. This is because of the inherent limitations of man. Hence when God speaks to His creatures, He employs, of necessity, the same means of communication which can be comprehensible to the latter even though His Own speech transcends the means employed in the speech. In like fashion, when God wants to show someone the signs of His vast kingdom, He takes him to certain places and enables him to observe whatever he is required to observe. For it is beyond the power of man to view the universe in the manner God can. While God does not stand in need of visiting a certain place in order to observe something that exists there, man does need to do so. The same holds true of having a direct encounter with the Creator. Although God is not confined to a particular place, man needs to experience His presence at a defined place where the effulgence of His Being might be focused. For it is beyond man's power to encounter God in His limitlessness.

Let us now consider the second objection. That too is fallacious for the simple reason that the objects shown to the Prophet represented , in symbolic form, certain truths. For instance , a mischievous statement has allegorically been represented by a fat ox that could not return via the small hole through which it had come. (See Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments on Bani Isra'il 17:1 - Ed.) Or the other allegory relating to those who indulge in fornication - that they prefer to eat rotten meat when fresh, clean meat is available to them. (Loc.cit ; see also Ibn Hisham, vol. 1 p. 406 - Ed.) The same holds true for the punishments to which sinners will be subjected in the Next Life - they are anticipatory representations of the sufferings to which they will be subjected in the Life to Come. The main point which needs to be appreciated regarding the Ascension is that it belongs to a genre of experience through which each Prophet is enabled to observe- consonant with his standing and mission - aspects of God's dominion of the heavens and the earth. Once the material barriers to the normal vision of human beings are removed, it becomes possible to view physically, the realities which the Prophets are required to summon others to believe in as part of faith in the Unseen. This is done in order to distinguish the Prophets from mere speculative philosophers. For a philosopher's contentions are based on speculative reason and hence are essentially conjectural. Were a philosopher to recognize his true position - the position of a philosopher - he would shrink from testifying to the truth of his contentions. In contrast, what the Prophets say is based on their direct knowledge and observation. They can testify before others with full conviction that whatever they expound are realities which they themselves have directly perceived.

Note:

*Buraq was the name of the heavenly steed on which the Prophet rode on his nocturnal journey from Makka to Jerusalem, and then to the heavens (For this nocturnal journey q.v. Mi'raj.).

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My soulmate

My soulmate
Who make me happy when meet
Who make me comfort when near
Who make me calm when far
Because believe each other

There is not enough to take
But...can give each other
Share for everything
In happy and sad

Together is a day when i can be wise
Times when I can smile
Nights when I have beautiful dreams

Glads is when I hear his voice
Cheers is when I feel his tenderness



created by Maliza
2007

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Kapolri: Jakarta Siaga Satu

Headline News / Polkam / Jumat, 17 Juli 2009 15:13 WIB

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta: Kapolri Jenderal Polisi Bambang Hendarso Danuri menyatakan Jakarta siaga satu. Pernyataan itu disampaikan Bambang saat mendampingi Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) menjenguk korban ledakan Hotel JW Marriot dan Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan yang dirawat di Rumah Sakit Metropolitan Medical Centre (MMC), Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan, Jumat (17/7) siang.

Di lokasi berbeda, Kapolda Metro Jaya Inspektur Jenderal Polisi Wahyono menjelaskan, tim Gegana Polda Metro Jaya baru saja menemukan bom rakitan di kamar 1808 Hotel JW Marriot. Bom rakitan itu jenis black powder dengan daya ledak rendah (low explosive). "Bom tersebut sudah bisa dijinakkan," kata Wahyono.

Bom rakitan itu, kata Wahyono, komponen-komponennya sama dengan komponen bom yang meledak di Restoran Syailendra Hotel JW Marriot. Komponennnya, antara lain, ada baut. Untuk mengamankan lokasi, Hotel JW Marriot disterilkan pada jarak 150 meter, baik dari depan, belakang maupun kiri-kanan. Ini untuk menghindari korban apabila ada ledakan.


Sterilisasi dilakukan karena ada dugaan bom masih ada di Hotel JW Marriot. Aparat sendiri masih terus melakukan olah tempat kejadian perkara. Menurut Kapolda Metro Jaya, saat ini lokasi menuju ledakan di Mega Kuningan ditutup. Tidak ada akses warga ke kawasan itu.

Menurut Kapolda Metro Jaya, sampai saat ini ledakan di dua lokasi itu memakan korban sebanyak 61 orang. Sembilan orang di antaranya tewas, tujuh orang tewas di tempat kejadian. Dua yang lain meninggal dalam perjalanan dan saat di rumah sakit. Korban ledakan saat ini dirawat di Rumah Sakit MMC, Medistra dan Rumah Sakit Pusat Pertamina.(DOR)

video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk9MAXFhOTw

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Rationale

The essential feature of Islamic banking is that it is interest-free. Although it is often claimed that there is more to Islamic banking, such as contributions towards a more equitable distribution of income and wealth, and increased equity participation in the economy (Chapra 1982), it nevertheless derives its specific rationale from the fact that there is no place for the institution of interest in the Islamic order.

Islam prohibits Muslims from taking or giving interest (riba) regardless of the purpose for which such loans are made and regardless of the rates at which interest is charged. To be sure, there have been attempts to distinguish between usury and interest and between loans for consumption and for production. It has also been argued that riba refers to usury practised by petty moneylenders and not to interest charged by modern banks and that no riba is involved when interest is imposed on productive loans, but these arguments have not won acceptance. Apart from a few dissenting opinions, he general consensus among Muslim scholars clearly is that there is no difference between riba and interest. In what follows, these two terms are used interchangeably.

The prohibition of riba is mentioned in four different revelations in the Qur'an (1) . The first revelation emphasizes that interest deprives wealth of God's blessings. The second revelation condemns it, placing interest in juxtaposition with wrongful appropriation of property belonging to others. The third revelation enjoins Muslims to stay clear of interest for the sake of their own welfare. The fourth revelation establishes a clear distinction between interest and trade, urging Muslims to take only the principal sum and to forgo even this sum if the borrower is unable to repay. It is further declared in the Qur'an that those who disregard the prohibition of interest are at war with God and His Prophet. The prohibition of interest is also cited in no uncertain terms in the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet). The Prophet condemned not only those who take interest but also those who give interest and those who record or witness the transaction, saying that they are all alike in guilt (2) .

It may be mentioned in passing that similar prohibitions are to be found in the preQur'anic scriptures, although the 'People of the Book', as the Qur'an refers to them, had chosen to rationalize them. It is amazing that Islam has successfully warded off various subsequent rationalization attempts aimed at legitimizing the institution of interest.

Some scholars have put forward economic reasons to explain why interest is banned in Islam. It has been argued, for instance, that interest, being a pre determined cost of production, tends to prevent full employment (Khan 1968; Ahmad n.d.; Mannan 1970). In the same vein, it has been contended that international monetary crises are largely due to the institution of interest (Khan, n.d), and that trade cycles are in no small measure attributable to the phenomenon of interest (Ahmad 1952; Su'ud n.d.). None of these studies, however, has really succeeded in establishing a causal link between interest, on the one hand, and employment and trade cycles, on the other. Others, anxious to vindicate the Islamic position on interest, have argued that interest is not very effective as a monetary policy instrument even in capitalist economies and have questioned the efficacy of the rate of interest as a determinant of saving and investment (Ariff 1982).

A common thread running through all these discussions is the exploitative character of the institution of interest, although some have pointed out that profit (which is lawful in Islam) can also be exploitative. One response to this is that one must distinguish between profit and profiteering, and Islam has prohibited the latter as well.

Some writings have alluded to the 'unearned income' aspect of interest payments as a possible explanation for the Islamic doctrine. The objection that rent on property is considered halal (lawful) is then answered by rejecting the analogy between rent on property and interest on loans, since the benefit to the tenant is certain, while the productivity of the borrowed capital is uncertain. Besides, property rented out is subject to physical wear and tear, while money lent out is not. The question of erosion in the value of money and hence the need for indexation is an interesting one. But the Islamic jurists have ruled out compensation for erosion in the value of money, or, according to Hadith, a fungible good must be returned by its like (mithl): 'gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, salt for salt, like for like, equal for equal, and hand to hand ...' (3) .

The bottom line is that Muslims need no 'proofs' before they reject the institution of interest: no human explanation for a divine injunction is necessary for them to accept a dictum, as they recognize the limits to human reasoning. No human mind can fathom a divine order; therefore it is a matter of faith (iman).

The Islamic ban on interest does not mean that capital is costless in an Islamic system. Islam recognizes capital as a factor of production but it does not allow the factor to make a prior or predetermined claim on the productive surplus in the form of interest. This obviously poses the question as to what will then replace the interest rate mechanism in an Islamic framework. There have been suggestions that profit-sharing can be a viable alternative (Kahf 1982a and 1982b). In Islam, the owner of capital can legitimately share the profits made by the entrepreneur. What makes profit sharing permissible in Islam, while interest is not, is that in the case of the former it is only the profit-sharing ratio, not the rate of return itself that is predetermined.

It has been argued that profit-sharing can help allocate resources efficiently, as the profit-sharing ratio can be influenced by market forces so that capital will flow into those sectors which offer the highest profit sharing ratio to the investor, other things being equal. One dissenting view is that the substitution of profit-sharing for interest as a resource allocating mechanism is crude and imperfect and that the institution of interest should therefore be retained as a necessary evil (Naqvi 1982). However, mainstream Islamic thinking on this subject clearly points to the need to replace interest with something else, although there is no clear consensus on what form the alternative to the interest rate mechanism should take. The issue is not resolved and the search for an alternative continues, but it has not detracted from efforts to experiment with Islamic banking without interest.

Courtesy of Mohamed Ariff, University of Malaya

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Interpretation of Dreams

Interpretation of Dreams - - - -

Narrated Samura bin Jundub

Allah's Apostle very often used to ask his companions, "Did anyone of you see a dream?" So dreams would be narrated to him by those whom Allah wished to tell. One morning the Prophet said, "Last night two persons came to me (in a dream) and woke me up and said to me, 'Proceed!' I set out with them and we came across a man Lying down, and behold, another man was standing over his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man's head, injuring it.The rock rolled away and the thrower followed it and took it back. By the time he reached the man, his head returned to the normal state. The thrower then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said, 'Proceed!' So we proceeded and came to a man Lying flat on his back and another man standing over his head with an iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man's mouth and tear off thatside of his face to the back (of the neck) and similarly tear his nosefrom front to back and his eye from front to back. Then he turned to the other side of the man's face and did just as he had done with the other side. He hardly completed this side when the other side returnedto its normal state. Then he returned to it to repeat what he had donebefore. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said to me, 'Proceed!' So we proceeded and came across something like a Tannur (a kind of baking oven, a pit usually clay-lined for baking bread)." I think the Prophet said, "In that ovent here was much noise and voices." The Prophet added, "We looked into it and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them from underneath, and when it reached them, they criedloudly. I asked them, 'Who are these?' They said to me, 'Proceed!' Andso we proceeded and came across a river." I think he said, ".... red like blood." The Prophet added, "And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold. while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stoneinto his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He returned and everytime the performance was repeated, I asked my two companions, 'Who arethese (two) persons?' They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!' And we proceeded till we came to a man with a repulsive appearance, the most repulsive appearance, you ever saw a man having! Beside him there was a fire and he was kindling it and running around it. I asked my companions, 'Who is this (man)?' They said to me, 'Proceed! Proceed!' So we proceeded till we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colors. In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man and I could hardly see his head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a large number as I have never seen. I said to my companions, 'Who is this?' They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!' So we proceeded till we came to a majestic huge garden, greater and better than I have everseen! My two companions said to me, 'Go up and I went up' The Prophet added, "So we ascended till we reached a city built of gold and silverbricks and we went to its gate and asked (the gatekeeper) to open the gate, and it was opened and we entered the city and found in it, men with one side of their bodies as handsome as the handsomest person youhave ever seen, and the other side as ugly as the ugliest person you have ever seen. My two companions ordered those men to throw themselves into the river. Behold, there was a river flowing across (the city), and its water was like milk in whiteness. Those men went and threw themselves in it and then returned to us after the ugliness (of their bodies) had disappeared and they became in the best shape." The Prophet further added, "My two companions (angels) said to me, 'This place is the Eden Paradise, and that is your place.' I raised upmy sight, and behold, there I saw a palace like a white cloud! My two companions said to me, 'That (palace) is your place.' I said to them, 'May Allah bless you both! Let me enter it.' They replied, 'As for now, you will not enter it, but you shall enter it (one day) I said tothem, 'I have seen many wonders tonight. What does all that mean whichI have seen?' They replied, 'We will inform you: As for the first man you came upon whose head was being injured with the rock, he is the symbol of the one who studies the Quran and then neither recites it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers. As for the man you came upon whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goesout of his house in the morning and tells so many lies that it spreadsall over the world. And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses;, and the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (riba) and the bad looking man whom you saw near the fire kindling it and going round it,is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell and the tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Abraham and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith)." The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Apostle! What about the childrenof pagans?" The Prophet replied, "And also the children of pagans." The Prophet added, "My two companions added, 'The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were those persons who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them.'"

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Empek2 Palembang

Biang: Terigu serba guna 1/4kg (boleh kurang)
Air mendidih 4 gelas belimbing

Bahan: Sagu tani 1 kg (kalo nggak ada sagu tani pake tapioka juga
nggak pa-pa tapi nanti hasilnya kurang putih)
Ikan tenggiri 1/2 kg di blender dengan bawang putih 5 siung
Minyak kelapa 1/2 gelas
Garam secukupnya
2 butir telur ayam kocok lepas

Cuko: Gula aren 1 1/2 tangkup
Cabe (semaunya kamu)
Bawang putih 3 siung

Cara membuat:
Biang: Siram terigu dengan air mendidih aduk rata sampai menggumpal dan agak bening, dinginkan.

Empek2: Tenggiri yang sudah diblender dengan bawang putih diuleni, masukkan minyak kelapa, uleni lagi tambahkan telur, aduk rata.
Masukkan sagu tani uleni lagi sampai kalis dan bisa dibentuk. Bentuk menurut selera, kalok mau bikin yang kapal selam, bentuk bulat trus dibentuk corong, masukkin telur yang dikocok lepas (jangan kebanyakan, nanti bocor)trus lekatkan. Akhirnya direbus deh sampai terapung.

Cuko: Rebus gula dengan air, saring, masukkan ulekan cabe + bwg putih, angkat. kalok udah agak dingin baru beri cuka (ngasihnya dikit aja dulu trus kamu cobain kalok kurang asem boleh tambahin lagi)terakhir masukkan garam, voillaaa jadilah ....


Sebenernya empek2 nggak digoreng juga nggak pa-pa, enak juga kok tapi kalo mau ada efek garing-garingnya yaa goreng aja supaya kamu girang.... Ok, met bikin yaaa...

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Paypal

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make one of them your Primary bank account from your Profile. When you add
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the bank account you designate as Primary.

Bank Codes of Major Banks in Indonesia BANK NAME Bank code BANK INDONESIA 0010016 PT. BANK RAKYAT INDONESIA (Persero) Tbk 0020307 PT. BANK EKSPOR INDONESIA (PERSERO) 0030012 PT. BANK MANDIRI (PERSERO) Tbk. 0080606 PT. BANK NEGARA INDONESIA 1946 (Persero) Tbk. 0090010 BNI SYARIAH 0090010 PT. BANK DANAMON INDONESIA INDONESIA Tbk 0111274 PT. BANK PERMATA Tbk. 0130307 PT. BANK CENTRAL ASIA Tbk. 0140012 PT. BANK INTERNATIONAL INDONESIA Tbk. 0160131 PT. BANK PAN INDONESIA Tbk. / PT. PANIN BANK Tbk. 0190017 PT. BANK NIAGA Tbk. 0220026 PT. BANK UOB BUANA, TBK 0230016 PT. LIPPO BANK 0261399 PT. BANK NILAI INTI SARI PENJIMPAN Tbk. 0280024 AMERICAN EXPRESS BANK LTD. 0300302 CITIBANK NA 0310305 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NA 0320308 BANK OF AMERICA , NA 0330301 PT. BANK MULTICOR / PT. BANK WINDU KENTJANA INTERNASIONAL 0360300 PT. BANK ARTHA GRAHA INTERNASIONAL, TBK 0370028 THE BANGKOK BANK PCL 0400309 THE HONGKONG and SHANGHAI BANKING CORP 0410302 THE BANK OF TOKYO MITSUBISHI UFJ LTD. 0420305 PT. BANK SUMITOMO MITSUI INDONESIA 0450304 PT. BANK DBS INDONESIA 0460307 PT. BANK RESONA PERDANIA 0470300 PT. BANK MIZUHO INDONESIA 0480303 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK 0500306 ALGEMENE BANK NEDERLAND AMRO BANK N.V. / ABN AMRO BANK NV. 0520302 PT. BANK CAPITAL INDONESIA 0540308 PT. BANK BNP PARIBAS INDONESIA 0570307 PT. BANK UOB INDONESIA 0580300 KOREA EXCHANGE BANK DANAMON / PT. BANK KEB INDONESIA 0590303 PT. BANK RABOBANK INTERNATIONAL INDONESIA 0600303 PT. ANZ PANIN BANK 0610306 DEUTSCHE BANK AG 0670304 PT. BANK WOORI INDONESIA 0680307 BANK OF CHINA LIMITED 0690300 PT. BANK BUMI ARTA 0760010 PT. BANK EKONOMI RAHARJA 0870010 PT. BANK ANTAR DAERAH 0880055 PT. HAGABANK INDONESIA / PT. BANK HAGA 0890016 PT. BANK IFI 0930015 PT. BANK CENTURY Tbk. 0950011 BANK MAYAPADA INTERNATIONAL / PT. BANK MAYAPADA Tbk. 0970017 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH JAWA BARAT / PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH JABAR DAN BANTEN 1100093 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH DKI JAKARTA / BANK DKI 1110164 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH DIY / YOGYAKARTA 1120015 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH JAWA TENGAH 1130348 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH JATIM 1140383 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH JAMBI 1150014 PT. BPD ISTIMEWA ACEH 1160033 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SUMUT 1170201 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SUMATERA BARAT / PT. BANK NAGARI 1180259 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH RIAU 1190016 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SUMATERA SELATAN 1200142 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH LAMPUNG 1210051 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH KALIMANTAN SELATAN 1220012 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH KALIMANTAN BARAT 1230015 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH KALIMANTAN TIMUR 1240018 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH KALTENG 1250011 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SULAWESI SELATAN 1260027 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SULAWESI UTARA 1270091 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH NTB / NUSA TENGGARA BARAT 1280010 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH BALI 1290013 BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR 1300013 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH MALUKU 1310016 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH PAPUA 1320019 PT. BPD BENGKULU 1330012 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SULAWESI TENGAH 1340015 PT. BANK PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH SULAWESI TENGGARA 1350018 PT. BANK NUSANTARA PARAHYANGAN 1450028 PT. BANK SWADESI Tbk. 1460021 BANK MUAMALAT INDONESIA / PT. BANK MUAMALAT INDONESIA 1470011 PT. BANK MESTIKA DHARMA 1510049 PT. BANK METRO EKSPRESS 1520013 PT. BANK SINARMAS 1530016 PT. BANK MASPION INDONESIA 1570021 PT. BANK HAGAKITA 1590014 PT. BANK GANESHA 1610017 PT.HALIM INDONESIA BANK / PT. BANK HALIM INDONESIA / PT. BANK ICBC INDONESIA 1640058 PT. BANK HARMONI INTERNASIONAL 1660012 PT. BANK KESAWAN 1670099 PT. BANK TABUNGAN NEGARA (Persero) / PT. BANK TABUNGAN NEGARA (PERSERO) SYARIAH 2000024 PT. BANK HS 1906 / PT. Bank Himpunan Saudara 2120027 B.T. PENSIUNAN NASIONAL / PT. BANK BTPN / PT. BANK TABUNGAN PENSIUNAN NASIONAL 2130101 PT. BANK SWAGUNA 4050072 PT. BANK JASA ARTA 4220051 PT. BANK MEGA Tbk. 4260176 PT. BANK UMUM KOPERASI INDONESIA (BUKOPIN) / PT. BANK BUKOPIN Tbk. 4410010 PT. BANK SYARIAH MANDIRI Tbk. 4510017 PT. BANK BISNIS INTERNATIONAL 4590037 PT. BANK SRI PARTHA 4660019 PT. BANK JASA JAKARTA 4720014 PT. BANK BINTANG MANUNGGAL / PT. BANK HANA 4840017 PT. BANK BUMI PUTERA Tbk. 4850010 PT. BANK YUDHA BHAKTI 4900012 PT. BANK MITRANIAGA 4910015 PT. AGRONIAGA BANK 4940014 PT. BANK INDOMONEX 4980016 PT. BANK ROYAL INDONESIA 5010011 ALFINDO SEJAHTERA BANK / PT. BANK ALFINDO 5030017 PT. BANK SYARIAH MEGA INDONESIA 5060016 PT. BANK INA PERDANA 5130014 PT. BANK HARFA 5170016 PT. PRIMA MASTER BANK 5200025 PT. BANK PERSYARIKATAN INDONESIA 5210031 PT. BANK DIPO INTERNATIONAL 5230011 PT. BANK AKITA 5250046 PT. BANK LIMAN INTERNATIONAL 5260010 PT. ANGLOMAS INTERNATIONAL BANK 5310012 PT. BANK KESEJAHTERAAN EKONOMI 5350014 PT. BANK UIB 5360017 PT. BANK ARTOS INDONESIA 5420025 PT. BANK PURBA DANARTA 5470017 PT. BANK MULTIARTA SENTOSA 5480010 PT. BANK MAYORA INDONESIA 5530012 PT. BANK INDEX SELINDO 5550018 PT. BANK EKSEKUTIF INTERNASIONAL 5580017 PT. CENTRATAMA NASIONAL BANK 5590036 PT. BANK FAMA INTERNATIONAL 5620029 PT. BANK SINAR HARAPAN BALI 5640012 PT. BANK VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL 5660018 PT. BANK HARDA INTERNASIONAL 5670011 PT. BANK FINCONESIA 9450305 PT. BANK MAYBANK INDOCORP 9470301 PT. BANK OCBC INDONESIA 9480304 PT. BANK CHINATRUST INDONESIA 9490307 PT. BANK COMMONWEALTH 9500307

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