[quote="BBC News Magazine]
By Jon Kelly

MPs could introduce a new offence of causing death by dangerous cycling. But how much of a danger do these two-wheeled travellers really pose?

There is little that divides UK public opinion more sharply than cyclists.

To their supporters, Britain's bike-riders are clean, green, commuters-with-a-conscience, who relieve congestion on the nation's roads while keeping themselves fit.

But to certain newspapers, and indeed plenty of motorists, they are "lycra louts", jumping red lights, hurtling past pedestrians on pavements and denying the Highway Code applies to them.
...
Alex Bailey of the Cyclists Touring Club (CTC), which lobbies on behalf of bike users, says valuable parliamentary time could and should be used more effectively to improve road safety. He says there is no need to change the law as twice in the past decade an 1861 act has been used to jail cyclists who killed pedestrians while riding on the pavement.

The notion of the marauding, aggressive cyclist causing rampage on the road, he insists, has little grounding in fact.

"It has a lot of currency in the media," he says. "But it's emotionally based, not rationally based. The problem is not about cyclists at all."
...
Now, at least in built-up areas, one stereotype, rightly or wrongly, is of well-paid men in expensive leisuirewear with a sense of entitlement and a refusal to conform to the same rules as everyone else.

...Guardian columnist and cycling advocate Zoe Williams says she is exasperated by the references to red light-jumping whenever bikes are discussed.

She insists the practice largely stems from fear, not arrogance, due to the high number of cyclists killed each year by heavy goods vehicles turning left at junctions, and says ministers should concentrate on tackling such deaths if they really want to make the roads safer.

She adds: "Can you imagine if every time we talked about cars people complained about drivers doing 80mph on the motorway?

"Most cyclists are actually pretty timid. You're constantly living on your wits because you're vulnerable. Instead of drawing up laws like this we should be encouraging cycling and making it easier."

Pedestrian casualties 2001-09

Killed by cycles: 18
Seriously injured by cycles: 434
Killed by cars: 3,495
Seriously injured by cars: 46,245
Figures apply to Great Britain. Source: Department for Transport[/quote]

If Death by Dangerous Cycling needs a new law it should be quietly passed, but commotion about such a rare occurrence is weird.

I am all for using common sense on the roads, which is to say be safe and don't make other road users angry or surprise them, but who really cares if you did 80 and caused no harm? Some money-making authority is all. Not me. Nor do I care if cyclists jump red lights, so long as they do so without obstructing anyone. Usually what happens there is I have a number of big vehicles to my right and I will be much safer if the second the opposing lights turn red I get away from traffic and traffic control. Now that does not obstruct anyone, and if we talk about it in retrospect the failure to give priority to, first pedestrians, then cyclists, in all weather conditions reflects terribly on people's common sense and more terribly on their humanity.

Some drivers just hate cyclists blocking paths, and prefer that cyclists do the more dangerous thing by cycling right alongside kerbs and gutters. Which is bad cycling. Good cyclists block tight lanes so they can be seen. The inconvenience to drivers who get wound up is nothing. I know, I usually drive. When I am in a car with someone who cusses cyclists it is never anything to do with being inconvenienced, it is just a lazy attack on some other people. I don't give a tinker's about those guys.

Very occasionally a cyclist does annoy me. Far more often I am astounded by the stupidity and recklessness of drivers, and I find attacks on cyclists largely disingenuous chatter like the sort of leery nonsense you hear in the pub watching football.

Cycling about at your own pace is a pleasant activity, when you feel like doing it, and I don't care what the hooligans think, and I'll jump lights as I see fit.

A Massachusetts woman has been convicted of attempted murder for withholding cancer drugs from her son.

Kristen LaBrie's son Jeremy Fraser, who was autistic, died in 2009 at age nine of leukaemia, the court heard.

BBC News

Sometimes mother doesn't know best.

My short stay here has come to an end. I am leaving revival. Lets face it, guys like me will never be accepted in society, any society, real life or an online one.

I am probably one of the sickest, most evil, fake persons many of you have ever come across, but thats just me. I am on my way now. Sorry for disturbing your world of peace and harmony, pray I find mine.

All da best to all revivalers and sorry for the disease that you became afflicted with, the one I call "Jack the Ripper"

Salaaams

Forgive me if i am wrong but to me it looks like alot of the world is in a war against Islam and i don't know why. Are they afraid, do they just hate muslims or is it something else?

Why is there war, occupations or interventions in Muslim countries e.g. Palestine, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan etc.

Why are there bans on the Burkha in France?

This is just the recent activity i am seeing, this has been going on for centuries.

What i want to know is why they are doing this, i mean is there a reasonable explanation for all of this?

The other thing i wanted to know is if we as muslims in the UK and other surrounding countries where we are free to practice Islam have a duty towards our fellow muslims in these suffering countries?

I have heard some muslims saying what happens in these other parts of the world doesn't affect us and that we cannot do anything about it. Is that a correct way of thinking or should we be showing solidarity for our muslim bretherin?

Just like the war on Islam didn't start all of a sudden, it started off slowly and it grew. I think that in that same way we muslims should start to reunite slowly and then insha allah it will grow and we will be able defend ourselves and fight for our values once more.

May Allah guide us all. Ameen

salaam guys,
Alot of people hold khatams for various days after a person has died. I was wondering what ur views are about this. Is it right? Is there any evidence for its practice in hadith? If not why do so many people take part in it?
:?:

I am from South Africa, and love to hear about some of the challenges faced by the muslims in the UK and the world over. I am pretty sure many of you on this forum are far more knowledgeable than myself, so I am looking forward to learn a lot from you guys.

I hope to challenge as well as be challenged in a constructive way, insha allah we can all benefit from this. Please excuse my ignorance of Islam in certain aspects and feel free to guide me towards the right path.

Jazakallah

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGPKC6rVCjo]
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLn94S2VOl0&feature=related]
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQQfoEdVLR0&feature=related]
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPyfRxw9KTo&feature=related]

A video partly showing the journey of a soul after death and also the punishment after death.

This video is mostly in urdu and has some arabic i think, sorry for those who do not understand urdu but may still be able to make sense of it. [english sub video below]

IMO the videos really effective in portraying what happens to those who do not travel upon the straight path and once death hits us it's too late to make amends.

After all death is something that we all have to face sooner all later and inshAllah may we all be prepared for what faces us after death by preparing the best we can in this life inshAllah and live our life on the straight path, for the true goal in life is pleasing Allah swt and ultimately reaching jannah inshAllah may Allah swt have mercy upon us all.

I'm not sure how accurate this video is but Allah knows best.

Edit: ok i also found one with english subtitles:

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShqBNrqiHxk]

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It was his birthday tomorrow, he loved birthdays, mummy's little boy, is growing up, tomorrow he's going to turn six.

Mummy always baked the most beautiful cakes for his birthday, last year it looked like a soccer ground, with little plastic players and his name right in the middle. He lay awake in bed wondering what mummy's gonna do this time, and daddy always gave him the best presents. He just loved birthdays...

He got up early that morning, waiting to see what was in store for him, but he heard sounds of crying, it was granny, she was ill in hospital and was going to leave us soon, thats what they all said. He ran into the room and into mummy's arms, he saw the tears swelling in her eyes, she hugged him tight, kissed him on his forehead and said mummy's got to go to the hospital with daddy and you gotta stay at home because they don't allow children. You're a big boy now, mummy's gonna make your birthday cake tomorrow. "No, No!" he yelled, I want it NOW!! I promise I will make the most beautiful cake for you tomorrow she said, but you have to behave now, you are turning six.

Sad and disheartened he watched them drive away, it was late at night but he waited for mummy to arrive, he fell asleep on the couch. Suddenly he heard voices it was uncle and aunty, she picked him from the couch, hugged him tight and began to cry, she looked him in the eye and said, "I have to tell you something but you promise not to cry, ok, mummy and daddy were in an accident and god has called them to his house". You have to come home with us.

Then a while later lots of people began to come, some hugged him, some just cried, and then a big car drove up in front of the house, they took out two big boxes and brought it into the living room, there were two people in it, it was mummy and daddy. They just lay still, she did'nt call him by his name, she did'nt hug or kiss him, she just lay there. He touched here hand it was cold, he looked at her but for the first time she did'nt look at him. Then they picked them up and started to take them away, he cried and yelled, leave them alone, don't take them away, mummy, mummy he yelled I won't ask you for a birthday cake, please talk to me, but they took them away.

He does'nt like cakes anymore, and he hates birthdays...