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Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Vocational/Masonry

1. Name at least six materials commonly used by masons in the erection of walls or buildings.
Primary materials include:
 * 1) Brick
 * 2) Concrete Block (also known as cinder block)
 * 3) Poured Concrete
 * 4) Stone
 * 5) Glass Block
 * 6) Tile

Secondary materials include
 * 1) Mortar
 * 2) Rebar
 * 3) Grout

Plumb line
A plumb line is a string with a plumb bob at the end of it. The plumb bob hangs straight down, so the plumb line can be used to make sure that a wall is perfectly vertical and does not lean in any direction. A perfectly vertical line is said to be plumb.

Line stretcher (chicken legs)
A line stretcher is used for guiding the mason when laying brick or other materials in a straight line. Typically, the mason will build up the corners or ends of a wall first, stretch a line between them, and lay the remaining bricks between them. The line stretcher is often set about a sixteenth of an inch away from the wall so that the bricks do not touch it (otherwise they might push the line out).

Level
A spirit level or bubble level is an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is level or plumb. Spirit levels feature a slightly curved glass tube which is incompletely filled with a liquid, usually colored 'spirit' (a synonym for ethanol), leaving a bubble in the tube. Ethanol is used because of its low freezing point, −114 °C, which prevents it from freezing in cold weather. Most commonly spirit levels are employed to indicate how horizontal (level) or how vertical (plumb) a surface is.

Trowel
A trowel is used for applying mortar to bricks, blocks, or other material. It is also used for "throwing a mortar line" - that is, laying a line of mortar atop the surface upon which that the bricks will be laid.

S-tool
An S-Tool is more commonly known as a jointer. The purpose of the S-tool is to place the grooves in the mortar between bricks. The concave grooves seen within the mortar lines of bricks are placed there by scraping the S-tool along the mortar well before it sets.

The S-tool should be used sometime between the time that the mortar is placed, and when it begins to harden. If the S-tool is used too late, then it will result in uneven lines throughout the mortar. The mortar will not have a smooth concave surface, and will look very raggedy.

Sometimes an S-tool is not used, and the mortar is placed on in excess; the slapping of the bricks causes it to drip down over the bricks, and it has a very nice effect when the bricks are painted afterwards.

Mason's hammer
A Mason's hammer has one flat traditional face and a short or long chisel-shaped blade. It can thus be used to chip off edges or small pieces of stone without using a separate chisel. The chisel blade can also be used to rapidly cut bricks or cinder blocks.

3. Demonstrate a knowledge of building cement characteristics (know how to prevent sweating, cracking, shrinking, crumbling, and loss of strength).
Properly mixing and curing concrete will address most of the problems listed here. Adding too much water to concrete will cause it to lose strength. Ideally, you should only add enough water to the dry ingredients to make them all slightly wet. It is sometimes necessary to add more water than this so that the concrete can be poured into a form, and in these cases, only enough water to get the concrete to flow should be added.

Once the concrete is wet, it will begin to cure. It must be kept moist while it cures, and this can be accomplished by slowing the evaporation of the water that was mixed into it. Usually, this is done by covering the concrete with plastic sheeting or by spraying it lightly with water as it cures.

Concrete will shrink and expand with temperature, so large slabs must be fitted with expansion joints. These are most commonly seen as the gaps in roadways and sidewalks, but they are also built into walls and other structures as well.

4. Make usable mortar and state proper proportions of ingredients (lime, sand, etc.).
There are two basic types of mortar: type N and type S.

Type N mortar is used for interior work and exterior work that is above grade (that is, not buried). It is made by combining:

 * Lime (one part)
 * Cement (one part)
 * Sand (six parts)

Type S mortar is used for below-grade applications such as retaining walls and basements. It is made by combining:

 * Lime (one part)
 * Cement (two parts)
 * Sand (nine parts)

Water is added to either of these mixtures and worked in with a trowel or a hoe until it reaches the desired consistency. Both types can be purchased pre-mixed so the mason need only add the water. Mixing is done on a hard flat surface, often in a wheelbarrow or on a sheet of plywood, but more properly in a mortar box.

Brick
Good bricklaying procedure depends on good workmanship and efficiency. Efficiency involves doing the work with the fewest possible motions. Each motion should have a purpose and should accomplish  a definite result. After learning the fundamentals, every builder should develop  methods for achieving maximum efficiency. The work must be arranged in such a way that the Builder is continually supplied with brick and mortar. The scaffolding required must be planned before the work begins. It must be built in such a way as to cause the least interference with other crew members.

To efficiently and effectively lay bricks, you must be familiar with the terms that identify the position of masonry units and mortar joints in a wall. The following list, which is referenced in Figure 1, provides some of the basic terms you will encounter.

 * Course: One of several continuous, horizontal layers (or rows) of masonry units bonded together.

 * Wythe: Each continuous, vertical section of a wall, one masonry unit thick. Sometimes called a tier.

 * Stretcher: A masonry unit laid flat on its bed along the length of a wall with its face parallel to the face of the wall.

 * Header: A masonry unit laid flat on its bed across the width of a wall with its face perpendicular to the face of the wall. Generally used to bond two wythes.

 * Row lock: A header laid on its face or edge across the width of a wall.

 * Bull header: A rowlock brick laid with its bed perpendicular to the face of the wall.

 * Bull stretcher: A rowlock brick laid with its bed parallel to the face of the wall.

 * Soldier: A brick laid on its end with its face perpendicular to the face of the wall.

Bonds
The term “bond” as used in masonry has three different meanings: structural bond, mortar bond, or pattern bond. Structural bond refers to how the individual masonry units interlock or tie together into a single structural unit. You can achieve structural bonding of brick and tile walls in one of three ways:

 * Overlapping (interlocking) the masonry units
 * Embedding metal ties in connecting joints
 * Using grout to adhere adjacent wythes of masonry.

Mortar bond refers to the adhesion of the joint mortar to the masonry units or to the reinforcing steel. Pattern bond refers to the pattern formed by the masonry units and mortar joints on the face of a wall. The pattern may result from the structural bond, or may be purely decorative and unrelated to the structural bond. Figure 2 shows  the  six  basic pattern bonds in common use today: running, common or American, Flemish, English,  stack, and English cross or Dutch bond.

The running  bond  is  the  simplest  of  the  six patterns,  consisting  of  all  stretchers. Because the bond  has  no  headers,  metal  ties  usually  form  the structural bond.

The common, or American, bond is a variation of the running bond, having a course of full-length headers at regular intervals that provide the structural bond as well as the pattern. Header courses usually appear at every fifth, sixth, or seventh course, depending on the structural bonding requirements. You can vary the common bond with a Flemish header course. In laying out any bond pattern, be sure to start the corners correctly. In a common bond, use a three-quarter closure at the corner of each header course.

In the Flemish bond, each course consists of alternating headers and stretchers. The headers in every other course center over and under the stretchers in the courses in between. The joints between stretchers in all stretcher courses align vertically. When headers are not required for structural bonding, you can use bricks called blind headers. You can start the corners in two different ways. In the Dutch corner, a three-quarter closure starts each course. In the English corner, a 2-inch or quarter closure starts the course.

The English bond consists of alternating courses of headers and stretchers. The headers center over and under the stretchers. However, the joints between stretchers in all stretcher courses do not align vertically. You can use blind headers in courses that are not structural bonding courses.

The stack bond is purely a pattern bond, with no overlapping units and all vertical joints aligning. You must use dimensionally accurate or carefully rematched units to achieve good vertical joint alignment. You can vary the pattern with combinations and modifications of the basic patterns shown above. This pattern usually bonds to the backing with rigid steel ties or 8-inch-thick stretcher units when available. In large wall areas or load-bearing construction, insert steel pencil rods into the horizontal mortar joints as reinforcement.

The English cross or Dutch bond is a variation of the English bond. It differs only in that the joints between the stretchers in the stretcher courses align vertically. These joints center on the headers in the courses above and below.

When a wall bond has no header courses, use metal ties to bond the exterior wall brick to the backing courses. Figure 3 shows three typical metal ties.

Install flashing at any spot where moisture is likely to enter a brick masonry structure. Flashing diverts the moisture back outside. Always install flashing under horizontal masonry surfaces, such as sills and copings; at intersections between masonry walls and horizontal surfaces, such as a roof and parapet or a roof and chimney; above openings (doors and windows, for example); and frequently at floor lines, depending on the type of construction. The flashing should extend through the exterior wall face and then turn downward against the wall face to form a drop.

You should provide weep holes at intervals of 18 to 24 inches to drain water to the outside that might accumulate on the flashing. Weep holes are even more important when appearance requires the flashing to stop behind the wall face instead of extending through the wall. This type of concealed flashing, when combined with tooled mortar joints, often retains water in the wall for long periods and, by concentrating the moisture at one spot, does more harm than good.

Mortar Joints and Pointing
There is no set rule governing the thickness of a brick masonry mortar joint. Irregularly shaped bricks may require mortar joints up to 1/2 inch thick to compensate for the irregularities. However, mortar joints 1/4 inch thick are the strongest. Use this thickness when the bricks are regular enough in shape to permit it. A slushed joint is made simply by depositing the mortar on top of the head joints and allowing it to run down between the bricks to form a joint. You cannot make solid joints this way. Even if you fill the space between the bricks completely, there is no way you can compact the mortar against the brick faces; consequently a poor bond results. The only effective way to build a good joint is to trowel it. The secret of mortar joint construction and pointing is in how you hold the trowel for spreading mortar.

Figure 4 shows the correct way to hold a trowel. Hold it firmly in the grip shown, with your thumb resting on top of the handle, not encircling it. If you are right-handed, pick up mortar from the outside of the mortar board pile with the left edge of your trowel. You can pick up enough to spread one to five bricks, depending on the wall space and your skill. A pickup for one brick forms only a small pile along the left edge of the trowel. A pickup for five bricks is a full load for a large trowel.

If you are right-handed, work from left to right along the wall. Holding the left edge of the trowel directly over the center line of the previous course, tilt the trowel slightly and move it to the right (view 3), spreading an equal amount of mortar on each brick until you either complete the course or the trowel is empty (view 4). Return any mortar left over to the mortar board.

Do not spread the mortar for a bed joint too far ahead of laying - four or five brick lengths is best. Mortar spread out too far ahead dries  out  before  the bricks become bedded and causes a poor bond. The mortar must be soft and plastic so that the brick will bed in it easily. Spread the mortar about 1 inch thick and then make a shallow furrow in it (Figure 7, view 1). A furrow that is too deep leaves a gap between the mortar and the bedded brick. This reduces the resistance of the wall to  water penetration. Using a smooth, even stroke, cut off any mortar projecting beyond the wall line with the edge of the trowel (view 2). Retain enough mortar on the trowel to butter the left end of the first brick you will lay in the fresh mortar. Throw the rest back on the mortar board. Pick up the first brick to be laid with your thumb on one side of the brick and your fingers on the other. Apply as much mortar as will stick to the end of the brick and then push it into place (Figure 8). Squeeze out the excess mortar at the head joint and at the sides. Make sure the mortar completely fills the head joint (Figure 9). After bedding the brick, cut off the excess mortar and use it to start the next end joint. Throw any surplus mortar back on the mortar board where it can be restored to workability.

Figure 10 shows how to insert a brick into a space left in a wall. First, spread a thick bed of mortar (view 1), and then shove the brick into the wall space (view 2) until mortar squeezes out of all four joints (view 3). This way, you know that the joints are full of mortar at every point. To make a cross joint in a header course, spread the bed joint mortar several brick widths in advance. Then, spread mortar over the face of the header brick before placing it in the wall (Figure  11, view 1). Next, shove the brick into place, squeezing out mortar at the top of the joint. Finally, cut off the excess mortar as shown in view 2.

Figure 12 shows how to lay a closure brick in a header course. First, spread about 1 inch of mortar on the sides of the brick already in place (view 1), as well as on both sides of the closure brick (view 2). Then, lay the closure brick carefully into position without disturbing the brick already laid (view 3). If you do disturb any adjacent brick, cracks will form between the brick and mortar, allowing moisture to penetrate the wall. You should place a closure brick for a stretcher course using the same techniques as for a header course. As we mentioned earlier, filling exposed joints with mortar immediately after laying a wall is called pointing. You can also fill holes and correct defective mortar joints by pointing, using a pointing trowel.

Planning
The first step in laying a block wall is to carefully plan the project. When using concrete block to build a wall, it is important to select the dimensions of the wall based on the size of the block. Standard concrete blocks are 7 5/8" wide, 7 5/8" deep, and 15 5/8" long. Assuming that the mortar joint is 3/8" thick brings the block plus mortar dimensions to 8x8x16".  You will want the outside dimension of the wall to be a multiple of a half-block length (minus one mortar joint) so that you do not have to cut blocks to a custom size.  The height of the wall should also be a multiple of the block height (including the mortar joint).

Locate the Corners
The first step in building a concrete masonry wall is to locate the corners of the structure. In locating the corners, you should also make sure the footing or slab formation is level so that each builder starts each section wall on a common plane. This also helps ensure that the bed joints are straight when the sections are connected. If the foundation is badly out of level, the entire first course should be laid before builders begin working on other courses. If this is not possible, a level plane should be established with a transit or  engineer’s  level.

Chase Out Bond
The second step is to chase out bond, or lay out, by placing the first course of blocks without mortar (Figure 13, view 1).

Snap a chalk line to mark the footing and align the blocks accurately. Then, use a piece of material 3/8 inch thick to properly space the blocks. This helps you get an accurate measurement.

Lay the Mortar Bed
The third step is to replace the loose blocks with a full mortar bed, spreading and furrowing it with a trowel to ensure plenty of mortar under the bottom edges of the   first course (figure 13, view 2). Carefully position and align the corner block first (view 3 of figure 14). Lay the remaining first-course blocks with the thicker end up to provide a larger mortar-bedding area. For the vertical joints, apply mortar only to the block ends by placing several blocks on end and buttering them all in one operation (view 4). Make the joints 3/8 inch thick. Then, place each block in its final position, and push the block down vertically into the mortar bed and against the previously laid block. This ensures a well-tilled vertical mortar joint (view 5). After laying three or four blocks, use a mason’s level as a straightedge to check correct block alignment (figure 14, view 1). Then, use the level to bring the blocks to proper grade and plumb by tapping with a trowel handle as shown in view 2. Always lay out the first course of concrete masonry carefully and make sure that you properly align, level, and plumb it. This assures that succeeding courses and the final wall are both straight and true.

Build Up the Corners
The fourth step is to build up the corners of the wall, usually four or five courses high. This is also called laying up a lead. Step back each course one-half block. For the horizontal joints, apply mortar only to the tops of the blocks already laid. For the vertical joints, you can apply mortar either to the ends of the new block or the end of the block previously laid, or both, to ensure well-filled joints (figure 15). As you lay each course at the corner, check the course with a level for alignment (figure 16, view 1),  for level (view 2), and for plumb (view 3). Carefully check each block with a level or straightedge to make sure that all the block faces are in the same plane. This ensures true, straight walls. A story or course pole, which is a board with markings 8 inches apart (figure 17), helps accurately place each masonry course. Also check the horizontal block spacing by placing a level diagonally across the corners of the blocks (figure 18). When filling in the wall between the corners, first stretch a mason’s line along the extensor block edges from corner to corner for each course. Then lay the top outside  edge  of  each  new  block  to  this  line (figure 19). How you grip a block before laying is important. First, tip it slightly toward you so that you can see the edge of the course below. Then place the lower edge of the new block directly on the edges of the block below (figure 19). Make all position adjustments while the mortar is soft and plastic. Any adjustments you make after the mortar stiffens will break the mortar bond and allow water to penetrate. Level each block and align it to the mason’s line by tapping it lightly with a trowel handle.

Installing the Closure Block
Fifth and last, before installing the closure block, butter both edges of the opening and all four vertical edges of the closure block with mortar. Then, lower the closure block carefully into place (figure 20). If any mortar falls out, leaving an open joint, remove the block and  repeat the procedure. To assure a good bond, do not spread mortar too far ahead when actually laying blocks. If you do, the mortar will stiffen and lose its plasticity. The recommended width of mortar joints for concrete masonry units is 3/8 inch. When properly made, these joints produce a weathertight, neat, and durable concrete masonry wall.

As you lay each block, cut off excess mortar from the joints using a trowel (figure 21) and throw it back on the mortar board to rework into the fresh mortar. Do not, however, rework any mortar dropped on the scaffold or floor. Weathertight joints and the neat appearance of concrete masonry walls depend on proper striking (tooling). After laying a section of the wall, tool the mortar joint when the mortar becomes “thumb print” hard. Tooling compacts the mortar and forces it tightly against the masonry on each side of the joint. Use either concave or V-shaped tooling on all joints (figure 22).

Tool horizontal joints (figure 23, view 1) with a long jointer first, followed by tooling the vertical joints (view 2). Trim off mortar burrs from the tooling flush with the wall face using a trowel, soft bristle brush, or by rubbing with a burlap bag.

A procedure known as pointing may be required after jointing. Pointing is the process of inserting mortar into horizontal and vertical joints after the unit has been laid. Basically, pointing is done to restore or replace deteriorated surface mortar in old work. Pointing of this nature is called tuck pointing. However, even in freshly laid masonry, pointing may be necessary for filling holes or correcting defective joints.

You must prepare in advance for installing wood plates with anchor bolts on top of hollow concrete masonry walls. To do this, place pieces of metal lath in the second horizontal mortar joint from the top of the wall under the cores that will contain the bolts (figure 24, view 1). Use anchor bolts 1/2 inch in diameter and 18 inches long. Space them not more than 4 feet apart. Then, when you complete the top course, insert the bolts into the cores of the top two courses and till the cores with concrete or mortar. The metal lath underneath holds the concrete or mortar filling in place. The threaded end of the bolt should extend above the top of the wall (view 2).

6. Pour a level footing, using hand mixed cement and proper reinforcement.
A footing is a concrete structure upon which a wall is built. Figure 25 shows a typical footing formwork for a bearing wall, and figure 26 shows bracing methods for a bearing footing. A bearing wall, also called a load-bearing wall, is an exterior wall that serves as an enclosure and also transmits structural loads to the foundation. The form sides are 2-inch lumber whose width equals the footing depth. Stakes hold the sides in place while spreaders maintain the correct distance between them. The short braces at each stake hold the form in line. A keyway is made in the wet concrete by placing a 2-by-2-inch board along the center of the wall footing form. After the concrete is dry, the board is removed. This leaves an indentation, or key, in the concrete. When you pour the foundation wall, the key provides a tie between the footing and wall.

Concrete is strong under compression, but relatively weak under tension. The reverse is true for steel. Therefore, when the two are combined, one makes up for the deficiency of the other. When steel is embedded in concrete in a manner that assists it in carrying imposed loads, the combination is known as reinforced concrete. The steel may consist of welded wire fabric or expanded metal mesh, but, more often, it consists of reinforcing bars, or more commonly "rebar."

Before placing reinforcing steel in forms, use a piece of burlap to clean the bars of rust, scale, grease, mud, or other foreign matter. A light film of rust or mill scale is not objectionable. Rebars must be tied together for the bars to remain in a desired arrangement during pouring. Tying is also a means of keeping laps or splices in place. Laps allow bond stress to transfer the load from one bar, first into the concrete and then into the second bar.

Once the forms are in place and the rebar has been laid, it is time to mix the concrete. You can get the dry ingredients premixed and simply add water to it (follow the directions on the bag). Mixing can be done in a wheelbarrow or in a mixer. Use a hoe to work the water into the cement until it is thoroughly worked in. Do not add more water to the mix than the bag indicates is acceptable. Adding too much water will create a weaker concrete. When the mixing is complete, pour the concrete into the forms. You must then consolidate the concrete.

Consolidation eliminates rock pockets and air bubbles and brings enough fine material both to the surface and against the forms to produce the desired finish. You can use such hand tools as spades, puddling sticks, or tampers, but mechanical vibrators are best. Any compacting device must reach the bottom of the form and be small enough to pass between reinforcing bars. The process involves carefully working around all reinforcing steel with the compacting device to assure proper embedding of reinforcing steel in the concrete. Since the strength of the concrete member depends on proper reinforcement location, be careful not to displace the reinforcing steel.

Manual consolidation methods require spades, puddling sticks, or various types of tampers. To consolidate concrete by spading, insert the spade along the inside surface of the forms, through the layer just placed, and several inches into the layer underneath. Continue spading or puddling until the coarse aggregate disappears into the concrete.

Finishing
The finishing process provides the final concrete surface. There are many ways to finish concrete surfaces, depending on the effect required. Sometimes you only need to correct surface defects, fill bolt holes, or clean the surface. Unformed surfaces may require only screeding to proper contour and elevation, or a broomed, floated, or troweled finish may be specified.

Screeding
The top surface of a floor slab, sidewalk, or pavement is rarely placed at the exact specified elevation. Screeding brings the surface to the required elevation by striking off the excess concrete. Two types of screeds are used in concrete finishing operations: the hand screed and the mechanical screed.

Hand screeding requires a tool called a screed. This is actually a template (usually a 2-by-4) having a straight lower  edge  to  produce  a  flat  surface  (or  a curved  lower  edge  to  produce  a  curved  surface). Move the screed back and forth across the concrete using a sawing motion. With each sawing  motion,  move  the  screed  forward  an  inch or so along the forms. This forces the concrete built up against the screed face into the low spots. If the screed tends  to  tear  the  surface,  as  it  may  on air-entrained  concrete  due  to  its  sticky  nature,  either reduce  the  rate  of  forward  movement  or  cover  the lower edge of the screed with metal. This stops the tearing action in most cases.

7. Make the forms and lay a piece of concrete walk or floor, using commercially mixed cement. Finish it and rule it.
The interpretation of "commercially mixed" cement is up to interpretation. If you call a concrete company and have them show up with a cement truck, that is certainly "commercial." But if it's a small job, you may wish to use "commercially mixed" cement available in bags (just add water). It's up to you.

To lay a sidewalk or a floor, proceed as described for a footing, but once the screeding is done, there are additional steps in finishing: floating, edging, and troweling:

Floating
If a  smoother  surface  is  required  than  the  one obtained by screeding, the surface should be worked sparingly  with  a  wood  or  aluminum  magnesium  float. The aluminum  float,  which  is  used  the same  way  as  the  wood  float,  gives  the  finished concrete a much smoother surface. To avoid cracking and dusting  of  the  finished  concrete,  begin  aluminum floating when the water sheen disappears from the freshly  placed  concrete  surface. Do not  use  cement  or water as an aid in finishing the surface. Floating has  three purposes:
 * 1) to embed aggregate particles just beneath the surface;
 * 2) to remove slight imperfections (high and low spots); and,
 * 3) to compact the concrete at the surface in preparation for other finishing operations.

Begin floating immediately after screeding while the concrete is still plastic and workable. However, do not overwork the concrete while it is still plastic because you may bring an excess of water and paste to the surface. This fine  material  forms  a  thin,  weak layer that will scale or quickly wear off under use. To remove a coarse texture as the final finish, you usually have to float the surface a second time after it partially hardens.

Edging
As the sheen of water begins to leave the surface, edging should begin. All edges of a slab that do not abut another  structure  should  be  finished  with  an edger. An edger  dresses  corners  and rounds or bevels the concrete edges. Edging the slab helps prevent chipping at the corners and helps give the slab a finished appearance.

Troweling
If a  dense,  smooth  finish  is  desired,  floating  must be   followed   by   steel   troweling. Troweling should  begin  after  the  moisture  film  or sheen disappears from the floated surface and when the  concrete  has  hardened  enough  to  prevent  fine material  and  water  from  being  worked  to  the  surface. This step  should  be  delayed  as  long  as  possible. Troweling too  early  tends  to  produce  crazing  and  lack of durability. However, too long a delay in troweling results in a surface too hard to finish properly. The usual tendency  is  to  start  to  trowel  too  soon. Troweling should  leave  the  surface  smooth,  even,  and free  of  marks  and  ripples. Spreading dry  cement  on  a wet  surface  to  take  up  excess  water  is  not  a  good practice where a wear-resistant and durable surface is required. Wet spots  must  be  avoided  if  possible. When they  do  occur,  however,  finishing  operations should  not  be  resumed  until  the  water  has  been absorbed,  has  evaporated,  or  has  been  mopped  up.

An unslippery, fine-textured surface can be obtained by troweling lightly over the surface with a circular motion immediately after the first regular troweling. In this process, the trowel is kept flat on the surface of the concrete. Where a hard steel-troweled finish is required, follow the first regular troweling by a second troweling. The second troweling should begin after the concrete has become hard enough so that no mortar adheres to the  trowel, and a ringing sound is produced as the trowel passes over the surface. During this final troweling, the trowel should be tilted slightly and heavy pressure exerted to thoroughly compact the surface. Hairline cracks are usually due to a concentration of water and extremely fine aggregates at the surface. This results from overworking the concrete during finishing operations. Such cracking is aggravated by drying and cooling too rapidly. Checks that develop before troweling can usually be closed by pounding the concrete with a hand float.

8. Write a paragraph describing the behavior of cement; that is, its reaction to water, its adhesive qualities, how long it takes to set, etc.
Adding water to Portland cement to form the water-cement paste that holds concrete together starts a chemical reaction that makes the paste into a bonding agent. This reaction, called hydration, produces a stone-like substance — the hardened cement paste. Both the rate and degree of hydration, and the resulting strength of the final concrete, depend on the curing process that follows placing and consolidating the plastic concrete. Hydration continues indefinitely at a decreasing rate as long as the mixture contains water and the temperature conditions are favorable. Once the water is removed, hydration ceases and cannot be restarted. Curing is the period of time from consolidation to the point where the concrete reaches its design strength. During this period, you must take certain steps to keep the concrete moist and as near 73 °F (23 °C) as practical. The properties of concrete, such as freeze and thaw resistance, strength, watertightness, wear resistance, and volume stability, cure or improve with age as long as you maintain the moisture and temperature conditions favorable to continued hydration. The length of time that you must protect concrete against moisture loss depends on the type of cement used, mix proportions, required strength, size and shape of the concrete mass, weather, and future exposure conditions. The period can vary from a few days to a month or longer. For most structural use, the curing period for cast-in-place concrete is usually 3 days to 2 weeks. This period depends on such conditions as temperature, cement type, mix proportions, and so forth.

Historical Notes
Masonry was introduced in 1937, discontinued in 1956, and revised and reintroduced in 1986.


text: User talk:Blackcap

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: User talk:Blackcap


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Scourgify

Overview
Scourgify is one of the cleaning charms, used to clean foreign material off surfaces.

Extended Description
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we see it a couple of times; Tonks uses it with limited results to clean Hedwig's cage (she admits that she's not very good at that); and Ginny uses it to clean up the Stinksap that Neville's Mimbulus Mimbletonia has sprayed around the compartment of the Hogwarts Express. It is also used to "wash out" a young Snape's mouth in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Analysis
Scourgify seems to be limited to surfaces; it cannot restore spilled liquids to a container, only eliminating them. It also is not used to remove foreign matter from a container; Evanesco is used for that – which may be why Tonks' attempt to clean Hedwig's cage, a container, does not succeed. There is also a charm Tergeo that seems to be used for almost the same purpose.


text:
Budget Watch Collecting/Watch Photography

With many cameras, it can be difficult to get a good clear picture of a watch. Many cameras will not focus close enough. If that problem is solved, then the flash is likely to be too bright, and if you turn the flash off indoors, colors are likely to be incorrect.

Budget macro
A jeweler's loupe or similar magnifying lens held in front of the camera lens will allow the camera to focus closer. On my camera a 2x or 3x works best for a whole watch, while a 10x is useful to highlight a watch part or a small area. I temporarily attach the loupe with Velcro, so I can change loupes or take standard pictures.

Flash
The easiest way to get good pictures is outdoors with natural light. If that is not practical, you may be able to diffuse the flash enough to allow closeup pictures with flash. I use several layers of crumpled watch tissue (Watch tissue is similar to gift wrap tissue, except pre-cut in 3" squares) over the flash--Sometimes I tape them directly over the flash, other times I will sandwich the tissue between 2 small plastic condiment cups.

Other lighting
Diffused lighting will typically mask scratches and similar flaws, while leaving markings clear. Many photographers use a light tent--Some sort of translucent material covering the watch, with a small opening for the camera. Lights will be outside the tent. This will produce extremely diffused light. To control reflections, you may want a ring of dark material around the watch, just outside the camera's field of view

Be careful of the colors around the watch--I've had problems with silvertone watches looking gold when I take pictures at my watch bench. I blamed it on my fluorescent lights, so replaced one with an incandescent. That helped a very little. I discovered that the main problem was the cork base and backdrop I had been using. Switching to green craft foam (what I had handy other than yellow) helped a lot.

Sometimes you want to enhance flaws--In these cases, you will want direct light--Experiment with different angles to get the result you want. I will use this for auction pictures, rather than describing the flaw's severity-I will find an angle that shows the flaw on the camera at approximately realistic levels and say "Watch has a blister on the dial, see pics" or something similar.

Resolution
For web pictures, 640x480 (or 480x640) is a good minimum for most purposes with careful framing, though going into the 1000-2000 pixel region in x or y does not generally hurt as of the 2020s, especially if you use a platform that automatically creates lower resolution thumbnails to save bandwidth on previews. Generally speaking, you should use a higher resolution to a point if it enhances the readability of the image. If you want to show a particular detail, take a second close-up of just that detail.

If you are taking photos for use as stills in video, consider a minimum resolution of 1280x720 (720p), preferably 1920x1080 (1080p) or 3840x2160 (4K), and topping out at 7680x4320 (8K).

If you are taking Photographs for print, you'll probably want to use the maximum native resolution offered by your camera. Resolution doesn't cleanly translate into DPI since size isn't inherent in digital files, but you'll want to hit 300PDI with your prints.

Misc
If you take a batch of pictures by holding the camera sideways, and the camera doesn't auto-rotate, Windows XP and later can batch-rotate in Windows Explorer when in thumbnail mode. Hold the ctrl button while clicking on each picture that needs to be rotated in the same way (you can also draw boxes to select multiple pictures) then right-click and select one of the rotate options.


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Budget Watch Collecting/Bulova Caravelle date codes

Starting in 1949, Bulova used a simple date code for its watches. There will be a 2 character code. The first character will be a letter indicating the decade:

A=1940's L=50’s M=60's N=70's P=80's T=90's

Earlier Bulovas used a cycle of symbols to indicate date. References can be found here:

Bulova Watch Codes

Vintage and Antique Bulova Watches


text:
Islam Way of Life/Spirituality

In the previous chapter, we learn about salvation, inner-peace. In this chapter, we will learn about a fulfilling, honorable life. Just after explaining The Straight Path, in 6:153, God mentions the righteous. In 49:13, God mentions that "being righteous" is the highest honor a human can get.

"O mankind, We created you from a male and female, and We made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Surely, the most honourable among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. God is Knowledgeable, Expert."

In 2:177, God explains that being righteous requires much more than just moral and wisdom:
 * 1) Believe in God and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Scripture, and the prophets,
 * 2) Give money out of love to the near relatives, and the orphans, and the needy and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to free the slaves, and
 * 3) Hold the contact-method, and
 * 4) Contribute towards betterment; and
 * 5) Keep their pledges when they make a pledge,
 * 6) Patient in the face of good and bad and when in despair.

In the previous chapter, God offered us The Assenter's Charter, where we need to believe only in God, believe in the Last Day and do good according to The Moral Criterion. We don't have to believe in Quran nor Muhammad, nor have to do any religious rituals as far as this charter is concerned. Now suddenly, we need to believe in the Angels, the Scripture and the Prophets and do rituals, such as the contact-method and paying the betterment. This is clearly a new charter offered by God.

These are not just physical rituals. To achieve righteousness, one should be focus and determined. And not like the people described by God as:
 * 1) Totally heedless of their contact-method in  107:5-7
 * 2) Clueless, turning towards the east and the west  2:177

The Believer's Charter
In 8:2-3, this new charter is not offered for the entire humankind, but only for the believers. In Modern Islam, believers is known as Muslim. But, the way that hearts trembles, as described in the verse, give us a hint that a true believer is a person who fall in love with God.
 * 1) When God is mentioned, their hearts reverence; and
 * 2) When His revelations are recited to them, it increases their faith; and
 * 3) They put their trust in their Lord.
 * 4) They hold the contact-method, and
 * 5) from Our provisions to them they spend.

The benefit of this charter is the believer will become a real believer that will receive:
 * 1) Grades with their Lord and
 * 2) A forgiveness and
 * 3) A generous provision.

We will call it the Believer's charter. Another proof, that this charter is not for everybody is in 49:14-15. Here, God refuses one person to call himself a believer. Finally, God only allow him to call himself an assenter. In other words, he pacts only The Assenter's Charter with God, but not the Believer's charter yet.

Unlike The Assenter's Charter that understandable with common sense, the Believer's charter does not. Everything in this charter are sacrifice for the love of God. This personal and direct bonding with God cannot be explained with common sense, not to mention finding the right words to describe it. For example doing religious pilgrimage requires enormous sacrifice of time and material, physically and emotionally. Such as by going to a long travel to a desert country not knowing to be able to return to the family left behind. That is why it start with "When God is mentioned, their hearts reverence". However, this is a re-enforcing cycle. The more sacrifice you make, the tighter your bond to God, which in turn encourage you to sacrifice more.

In the Modern Islam, a person converts into Islam religion by uttering two confession. The first confession makes him an assenter to God (i.e. not a dissenter). The second one makes him a believer to God's Book and Prophet. With these two confessions, a person pacts both The Assenter's Charter and the Believer's charter with God at the same time.

The diagram below illustrates human grades, from the highest to the lowest:

Please do not confuse the terms Real Believers and Believers. A true believer is a believer, while a believer is not always the true believer. Righteous and Criminal are a general classification mentioned in Koran 19:85. In the Modern Islam, the term believer is synonym of the term Muslim, the follower of Muhammad. Real believer is the highest rank possible for Moslem, while dissenter, a false believer, is the lowest rank possible. A false believer are either hypocrite or bigot Moslem.

Hypocrites are Muslims who do The Believer's Charter while skipping some or all of The Assenter charters. For example, he could prays five times a day and fasts during the Ramadhan, but he is a corrupt business man or a corrupt government employee. So, he is skippling the Fairness part of The Straight Path, which is part of The Assenter's Charter. Bigots are Muslims who assumes that he, his scholar or his religious institution are partners of God. For example, a bigots make a various prohibitions such as smoking or shaving beard as a sacred prohibition sanctioned by God. See the previous chapter for more info.

What happens to Muslims that does not fully practicing The Believer's Charter while still practicing The Assenter charters? The society knows them as non-practicing Muslims. Perhaps, we can offer them a better name. We can call them as Muslim Apprentice.

We can spot Moslem Apprentice by the following signs:
 * 1) The women do not cover their hair and the men shave their beards
 * 2) They eat meat that has been slaughtered without mentioning the name of Allah
 * 3) They cannot recite nor understand the Arabic Koran
 * 4) They never shows up or show up late for the weekly prayer
 * 5) They never pause from work for the five-times-daily prayer
 * 6) They do not have the mark of prostration in their forehead

Please note, that those signs are not required as long as The Assenter charter is concerned, nor part of Sacred Prohibitions from God. They are still our brothers and sisters as long as they still believe in the Prophet Muhammad. However, their love and loyalty to the Prophet is not high enough. They cannot be trusted for high level religious affair, such as teaching, defending, promoting the religion or leading a religious gathering or ceremony. On the other hand, they need to be given a lot of love and encouragement, and not hate and judgement.

The Contact-Method
Holding the contact-method is part of Believer's Charter. The contact-method has specific goals: There is a third goal that may be related. It is glorifying God.
 * 1) Remembering God ( 20:14)
 * 2) Prohibiting evil and vice ( 29:45)

The 11:84-87 is the proof that contact-method is a tool to prohibit evil and vice. Here the people of Median questioned whether the contact-method ordered Shu'ayb to prevent corruptions in business dealing.

Unfortunately, these two goals are not automatic. In 107:4-7, there are cases of people doing the contact-method but failing to reach its specific goals, because:
 * 1) His is totally heedless
 * 2) They only want to be seen
 * 3) And they deter from helping others

This book suggests that the secret to have an effective contact-prayer is to have an activity during or after the contact-method aimed to reach its goals. Such activities might include:
 * Doing it together with family
 * Reciting God's Message
 * Evaluating its implementation

In the Modern Islam, the contact-method is the most important activity. But in 29:45, it is what you do after the contact method that is more and the most important. This activity is called remembering God. In 3:191, it is important because it is done continuously during standing, sitting and resting, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

We learn from the previous chapter that remembering God, includes remembering His commandments during every single activities in our life. Remembering God is the last defense against the devil. In 5:91, we can witness that intoxicants and gambling is the most powerful weapons used by the devil to cause strife between people and repel them from remembering God.

The Development
Spending is part of Believer's charter. In various part of Koran, it is referred as the development. We cannot find any practical detail about it in Koran. But in 9:103, the development is detailed as either charity or spending. So, if we collects all details about both charity and spending, we conclude that it is to bring welfare benefit to the women, your family, the relatives, the orphans, the poor, the handicap, those who work to collect them, those whose hearts have been united, to free slaves, those in debt, in the cause of God, and the wayfarer.

The targets of charity and gift are detailed in 2:215,  9:60, and  4:4.

But how much to spend? According to 2:219 it is the excess of wealth. It means, it wont put you in a great burden.

To be effective, according to 2:262-263 a gift should not be followed with either insult or harm.

The Self-Restraint
In 2:183, fasting is decreed for the believers. It also mentions that the purpose of fasting is to be righteous.

In 2:187, this purpose can be achieved by self-restraint ourselves from lower passions, such eating, drinking and sex and into higher aspiration of righteous.

In various verses such as 4:92, the fasting can be used as a tool to take control of ourselves after making a serious mistake.

The Visit
In 22:27, the visit to the Abraham's sanctuary is offered to the entire mankind. In 22:28, the purpose of this visit to witness the benefits for themselves.

In 22:31-33, to take the full benefit of the visit, you should be at least a monotheist, and preferably a believer.

The effective visit is the one that allow people to observe their benefits. Their benefits is detailed in 3:96-97. There also some details on how to reach the benefits in 2:197-200

Talk Back
Have you ever experience a situation when your heart is pumping when somebody special is near? Or when your heart becomes empty when she/he is away? Have you seen such phenomenon happening on a Moslem when the name of God is mentioned?

Please, share your stories in the discussion page

title: Islam Way of Life/Spirituality


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Islam Way of Life/Practising Islam

"ISLAM" is derived from the Arabic root salaama peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law.

This book is about Modern Islam, a 1.5 millennium old religion originating in the Middle East. There was an Ancient Islam, which is explained in other parts of this book. The Ancient Islam is inclusive, religion-neutral and guarantees equal salvation to the followers of Judaism and Christianity as well, anyone who trusts in God and acts accordingly. This is based on the Holy Book of Islam, Quran 2:62 or  Quran 5:69.

Islam as a religion consists of Faith (Aqidah), Law (Sharia) and Attitude (Akhlaq). The first two regulates the Six Articles of Faith and Five Pillars. The later and the most important of all is remembering God continuously, 24 hour per day. We discuss the public part of Law in another chapter, ../Legislation/.

Articles of Faith
First, the six principles of beliefs start this book from the inner soul of a believer. This chapter tries to present a vivid vision on what results you will get from God if you succeed in becoming the true believer. This chapter also discusses about things that happen before this life, the hidden and future after life.

'''Why Believe?

Time is precious. "Time is money" might best express it. So, why should we believe on some invisible things and doing some weird rituals like Muslims do? We are busy people.

In Chapter 103, The Quran address this "busy" people straight to the point.

''1By time. ''2The human is indeed in loss. ''3Except those who believe, do good works, support one another with the truth, and support one another with perseverance.

The Quran argues that by becoming a true believer, humans can reach its full potential, by directing him/her resources more effectively and efficiently to achieve what is the most precious for him/her. This book tries to explore The Quran's unique approach to the Time and Resource management issue through Faith, Good Works, Collaboration and Perseverance.

'''What to Believe?

This book argues that belief in God and the Final Justice are something natural for humans. The book Quranic Law of Nature shows to the great length how natural it is. But the true believers do not stop on that point. True believers also believe in God's Books, Prophets, Angels, Divine Guidance and Predestination.

Allah, the One and Only God
A Muslim believes in ONE GOD, Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider. God has neither father nor mother, neither sons nor was He fathered. None equal to Him. He is God of all mankind, not of a special tribe or race.

God is High and Supreme but He is very near to the pious thoughtful believers; He answers their prayers and helps them. He loves the people who love Him and forgives their sins. He gives them peace, happiness, knowledge and success. God is the Loving and the Provider, the Generous, and the Benevolent, the Rich and the Independent, the Forgiving and the Clement, the Patient and the Appreciative, the Unique and the Protector, the Judge and the Peace. God's attributes are mentioned in the Quran.

God creates in humanity the mind to understand, the soul and conscience to be good and righteous, the feelings and sentiments to be kind and humane. If we try to count His favors upon us, we cannot, because they are countless. In return for all the great favors and mercy, God does not need anything from us, because He is Needless and Independent. God asks us to know Him, to love Him and to enforce His law for our benefit and our own good.

Messengers and Prophets of God
A Muslim believes in all the Messengers and Prophets of God without any discrimination. All messengers were mortals, human beings, endowed with Divine revelations and appointed by God to teach mankind. The Holy Quran mentions the names of 25 messengers and prophets and states that there are others. These include Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Their message might look different, but the core message is similar. The miracles of the prophets are somehow dependent on the era they were chosen.

Moses had miracles to challenge the magicians, because magic was very popular in his era. At the time when Jesus was chosen, medicine and healing was popular, so his miracles was mainly related to giving life to the dead or making a statue come alive. Corrupt poetry was very popular when Muhammad was chosen. Muslims believe that Muhammad’s miracle is the holy Quran, and is the direct book of God.

The book itself challenges people in many ways, and tells them they can not bring a verse, or a sura like Quran. God tells the humankind that he protects Quran from being corrupted, and has saved it until now without any corruption.

Revelations and the Quran
A Muslim believes in all scriptures and revelations of God, as they were complete and in their original versions. Allah, the Creator, has not left man without guidance for the conduct of his life. Revelations were given to guide the people to the right path of Allah and sent down to selected people, the prophets and messengers, to convey it to their fellow men.

The message of all the prophet and messengers is the same. They all asked the people of their time to obey and worship Allah and none other. Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad who were revealed their own book of Allah, were sent at different times to bring back straying human beings from deviation to the right course.

The Quran is the sacred book of the Muslims. It is the last book of guidance from Allah, sent down to Muhammad, peace be upon him, through the angel Jibraeel (Gabriel). Every word of it is the word of Allah. It was revealed over a period of 23 years in the Arabic language. It contains 114 Surahs (chapters) and over 6000 verses.

The Quran deals with man and his ultimate goal in life. Its teachings cover all areas of this life and the life after death. It contains principles, doctrines and directions for every sphere of human life. The theme of the Quran broadly consists of three fundamental ideas: Oneness of Allah, Prophethood and life after death. The success of human beings on this earth and in the life hereafter depends on obedience to the Quran teaching.

The Angels
There are purely spiritual and splendid beings created by Allah. They require no food or drink or sleep. They have neither physical desires nor material needs. Angels spend their time in the service of Allah. Each is charged with a certain duty. Angels cannot be seen by the naked eyes. Knowledge and the truth are not entirely confined to sensory knowledge or sensory perception alone.Angels have been created from 'nur' which means light.We do not know the exact number of angels from the holy Quran or authentic hadiths.

The Day of Judgment
A Muslim believes in the Day of the Judgment. This world as we know it will come to an end, and the dead will rise to stand for their final and fair trial. On that day, all men and women from Adam to the last person will be resurrected from the state of death for judgment. Everything we do, say, make, intends and thinks are accounted for and kept in accurate records. They are brought up on the Day of Judgment.

One who believes in life after death is not expected to behave against the Will of Allah. He will always bear in mind that Allah is watching all his actions and the angels are recording them.

People with good records will be generously rewarded and warmly welcomed to Allah's Heaven. People with bad records will be fairly punished and cast into Hell. People who killed other people will go to Hell, because their records are bad. They killed people who were created by Allah. The real nature of Heaven and Hell are known to Allah only, but they are described by Allah in man's familiar terms in the Quran.

If some good deeds are seen not to get full appreciation and credit in this life, they will receive full compensation and be widely acknowledged on the Day of Judgment. If some people who commit sins, neglect Allah and indulge in immoral activities, seem superficially successful and prosperous in this life, absolute justice will be done to them on the Day of Judgment. The time of the Day of Judgment is only known to Allah and Allah alone.

Qadaa and Qadar
A Muslim believes in Qadaa and Qadar which relate to the ultimate power of Allah. Qadaa and Qadar mean the Timeless Knowledge of Allah and His power to plan and execute His plans. Allah is not indifferent to this world nor is He neutral to it. It implies that everything on this earth originates from the one and only Creator who is also the Sustainer and the Sole Source of guidance.

Allah is Wise, Just, and Loving, and whatever He does must have a good motive, although we may fail sometimes to understand it fully. We should have strong faith in Allah and accept whatever He does because our knowledge is limited and our thinking is based on individual consideration, whereas His knowledge is limitless and He plans on a universal basis. Man should think, plan and make sound choices, but if things do not happen the way he wants, he should not lose faith and surrender himself to mental strains or shattering worries.

Pillars of Islam
Second, the five pillars of Islam give you the framework that gives schedule, controls and state of mind necessaries to prepare you into the real actions. There are several schools in Islam about this study notably Hanafi, Shafi'i, Hanbali and Maliki.

Witnessing (Shahada)
That Allah is one and Muhammad is His Messenger

This statement of faith must be declared publicly. It should be a genuine belief which includes all the above articles of faith. The witnessing of the Oneness of Allah is the rejection of any form of deity other than Allah, and the witnessing that Muhammad is His Messenger is the acceptance of him being chosen by Allah to convey His message of Islam to all humanity and to deliver it from the darkness of ignorance into the light of belief in, and knowledge of, the Creator. The statement of Shahada in Arabic is:

Ashhadu Ana la Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammad Rasulu Allah

An English translation would be:

I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger

Prayer (Salah)
Praying to the Creator on a daily basis is the best way to cultivate in a man a sound personality and to actualize his aspiration. Allah does not need man's prayer because He is free of all needs. Prayer is for our immeasurable benefit, and the blessings are beyond imagination.

In prayer, every muscle of the body joins the soul and the mind in the worship and glory of Allah. Prayer is an act of worship. It is a matchless and unprecedented formula of intellectual meditation and spiritual devotion, of moral elevation and physical exercise, all combined.

Offering of prayers is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female who is sane, mature and in the case of women free from menstruation and confinement due to child birth. Requirements of prayer: performing of ablution (Vozu), purity of the whole body, clothes and ground used for prayer, dressing properly and having the intention and facing the Qiblah (the direction of the Ka'bah at Mecca).

Obligatory prayers: Five daily prayers, the Friday's noon congregation prayer and the funeral prayer. Times of obligatory prayers:

 * 1) Early morning: After dawn and before sunrise.
 * 2) Noon: After the sun begins to decline from its zenith until it is about midway on its course to set.
 * 3) Mid-afternoon: After the expiration of the noon prayer time until sunset.
 * 4) Sunset: Immediately after sunset until the red glow in the western horizon disappears.
 * 5) Evening: After the expiration of the sunset prayer until dawn.

Highly recommended prayer:Those accompanying the obligatory prayer and the two great festival prayers.

Optional prayer:Voluntary prayer during the day and night.

Prayer should be offered in its due time, unless there is a reasonable excuse. Delayed obligatory prayers must be made up. In addition to the prescribed prayer, a Muslim expresses gratitude to God and appreciation of His favours and asks for His mercy all the time. Especially at times of, for example, childbirth, marriage, going to or rising from bed, leaving and returning to his home, starting a journey or entering a city, riding or driving, before or after eating or drinking, harvesting, visiting graveyards and at time of distress and sickness (see Remembering God).

Obligatory Charity (Zakah)
Obligatory charity giving is an act of worship and spiritual investment. The literal meaning of Zakah is purity and it refers to the annual amount in kind or coin which a Muslim with means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries. Zakah does not only purify the property of the contributor but also purifies his heart from selfishness and greed. It also purifies the heart of the recipient from envy and jealousy, from hatred and uneasiness. It fosters instead good-will and warm wishes for the contributors.

Zakah has a deep humanitarian and social-political value; for example, it frees society from class welfare, from ill feelings and distrust and from corruption. Although Islam does not hinder private enterprise or condemn private possession, it does not tolerate selfish and greedy capitalism. Islam adopts a moderate but positive and effective course between individual and society, between the citizen and the state, between capitalism and socialism, between materialism and spiritualism.

Zakah is paid on the net balance after paying personal expenses, family expenses, due credits, taxes, etc. Every Muslim male or female who at the end of the year is in possession of the equivalent of 85 grams of gold (approx. $1400 in 1990) or more in cash or articles of trade, must give Zakah at the minimum rate of 2.5%. Taxes paid to government do not substitute for this religious duty. The contributor should not seek pride or fame but if disclosing his name and his contribution is likely to encourage others, it is acceptable to do so.

The recipients of Zakah are: the poor, the needy, the new Muslim converts, the Muslim prisoners of war (to liberate them), Muslims in debt, employees appointed to collect Zakah, Muslims in service of research or study or propagation of Islam, and wayfarers who are foreigners in need of help.

Note the obligatory nature of Zakah; it is required. Muslims can also go above and beyond what they pay as Zakah, in which case the offering is a strictly voluntary charity (sadaqa).

Fasting (Sawm)
Fasting is abstaining completely from eating, drinking, intimate sexual contacts and smoking from the break of dawn till sunset. It is a matchless Islamic institution which teaches man the principle of sincere love to God. Fasting teaches man a creative sense of hope, devotion, patience, unselfishness, moderation, willpower, wise saving, sound budgeting, mature adaptability, healthy survival, discipline, spirit of social belonging, unity and brotherhood.

Obligatory fasting is done once a year for the period of the month of Ramadan; the ninth month of the Islamic year. Recommended fasting includes every Monday and Thursday of every week, three days in the middle of each Islamic month, six days after Ramadan following the Feast Day and a few days of the two months before Ramadan. But usually it is done on everyday in the month of Ramadan in India, this is up to my knowledge. Fasting of Ramadan is a worship act which is obligatory on every adult Muslim, male or female if he/she is mentally and physically fit and not on a journey. Exceptions: women during their period of menstruation and while nursing their child, and also in case of travel and sickness for both men and women.

The Pilgrimage (Hajj)
It is a pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime and it is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female who is mentally, physically and financially fit. It is the largest annual convention of faith on earth (in 1989: 2.5 million). Peace is the dominant theme. Peace with Allah, with one's soul, with one another, with all living creatures. To disturb the peace of anyone or any creature in any shape or form is strictly prohibited.

Muslims from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe assemble in Mecca in response to the call of Allah. There is no royalty, but there is loyalty of all to Allah, the Creator. It is to commemorate the Divine rituals observed by the Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael, who were the first pilgrims to the house of Allah on earth: the Ka'bah. It is also to remember the great assembly of the Day of Judgment when people will stand equal before Allah.

Muslims go to Mecca to glorify Allah, not to worship a man. The visit to the tomb of Prophet Muhammad at Madena is highly recommended but not essential in making the Hajj valid and complete.

Remembering God
Third, The Remembering God (Zikr Allah), is the real actions you need to do continuously in your life 24 hour per day to be the true believer.

Sajda is a best pray to happy our Allah

The purpose of life
A Muslim believes that the purpose of life is to worship Allah. Worshipping Allah does not mean we spend our entire lives in constant seclusion and absolute meditation. To worship Allah is to live life according to His commands, not to run away from it. To worship Allah is to know Him, to love Him, to obey His commands, to enforce His laws in every aspect of life, to serve His cause by doing right and shunning evil and to be just to Him, to ourselves and to our fellow human beings.

Status of Human Beings
A Muslim believes that human beings enjoy an especially high ranking status in the hierarchy of all known creatures. Man and woman occupy this distinguished position because they alone are gifted with rational faculties and spiritual aspirations as well as powers of action. Man and woman are not a condemned race from birth to death, but dignified beings potentially capable of good and noble achievements.

A Muslim also believes that every person is born Muslim. Every person is endowed by Allah with the spiritual potential and intellectual inclination that can make him a good Muslim. Every person's birth takes place according to the will of Allah in realization of His plans and in submission to His commands. Every person is born FREE FROM SIN. When the person reaches the age of maturity and if he is sane, he becomes accountable for all his deeds and intentions. Man is free from sin until he commits sin. There is no inherited sin, and no original sin. Adam committed the first sin, but he prayed to Allah for pardon and Allah granted Adam pardon.

Salvation
A Muslim believes that man must work out his salvation through the guidance of Allah. No one can act on behalf of another or intercede between him and Allah. In order to obtain salvation, a person must combine faith and action, belief and practice. Faith without doing good deeds is as insufficient as doing good deeds without faith.

Also, a Muslim believes that Allah does not hold any person responsible until he has shown him the Right Way. If people do not know and have no way of knowing about Islam, they will not be responsible for failing to be Muslim. Every Muslim must preach Islam in words and action.

Acceptance of Faith
A Muslim believes that faith is not complete when it is followed blindly or accepted unquestioningly. Man must build his faith on well-grounded convictions beyond any reasonable doubt and above uncertainty. Islam ensures freedom to believe and forbids compulsion in religion (one of the oldest synagogues and one of the oldest churches in the world are in Muslim countries).

A Muslim believes that the Quran is the word of Allah revealed to prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. The Quran was revealed from Allah on various occasions to answer questions, solve problems, and settle disputes and to be man's best guide to the truth. The Quran was revealed in Arabic and it is still in its original and complete Arabic version today. It is memorized by millions.

A Muslim also believes in a clear distinction between the Quran and the Traditions (called Hadiths) of the Prophet Muhammad. Whereas, the Quran is the word of Allah, the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad (hadiths - i.e. his teachings, sayings, and actions) are the practical interpretations of the Quran. Both the Quran and the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad are the primary sources of knowledge in Islam.

The Straight Path
This part will explain The Straight Path as understood in Islam Way of Life. According to the Islam Way of Life, the straight path is keeping the moral values of Equality, Family, Humanity, Fairness and Integrity.

One Day in Muslim Life
Meet Khadijah! She is a twenty-year old Muslimah. Currently, she is studying in France, who bans headscarf in public school. Her home country, Turkey, bans the headscarf years earlier before France. Most of the time, she covers her head, except at school and at home. She feels comfortable and confidence with it. What is important for her is dress modestly, so it bring respect from the boys and they did not disturb her.

Khadijah is a complete opposite of her brother, Khidr, who spent most of his time in the mosque. For her, Islam is the most pure and flexible form of religion that strengthen her soul and enhance her productivity. She believes that the problem in the Muslim world today, such as poverty and lack of education is because of lack of commitment. The leaders do not commit to their people, the fathers do not commit to their children future, even her friends often have problems keeping their promises or deciding something even for themselves.

Reading the Quran
She wakes up at 5 a.m. in the morning. As usual, she starts her day with a tahajud prayer. The fresh water helps her to wake up fully. The standing and bowing doubles as her morning stretch.

Normally, she would start either listening or reciting Quran. The rhythm of Quran calms her, massages her soul. But, from time-to-time she tries to understand the translations to get some inspiration from her Creator. Some verses in Quran are quite practical, but some other verses require deep understanding and may contain multiple valid meanings. She understands this and only focuses on practical verses and uses her heart for the other verses. It is a great way to start a day. After reading the Quran, normally she feels ready for anything that could happens today.

But, today is special. She and her friends invite decided for Online Quran Study. Normally, she does it through internet mailing-list. But, today they choose to chat about it, before the Early-morning prayer.

The sound of Adzan, calling for prayer, breaks their chat. The sound came from the prayer-time software installed in one of their computer. The sound thrills their heart. Some of them listen, some of them leave to do the preparatory washing.

Once the Adzan stop, they continue chatting because the chat was almost finished. After saying goodbye, Khadijah perform the Early-morning prayer.

Trustworthy
Today’s breakfast is cereals and orange juice. Even then, she never forgets to mention the God's name before eating. While eating, her eyes wander around her kitchen and notice that the sink was blocked. It is still early in the morning, so she writes in her agenda to call her landlord to fix it.

God told her to keep her commitments. She has several lists in her agenda to help her remembers all commitments that she make to her self or other people. The blocked sink is an urgent one, but she can only call her landlord during office hour. Therefore, she writes the task in her "at office" task list. Similarly, when she remembers to bring something from home, she write the task in her "at home" list while she is in the office. Each time, she needs to buy something, she write it in her "at shopping" list first. To keep her commitments under a manageable number, she drop, do it now or delegate it as much as possible.

The Prophet Muhammad was known as "Al-Amin" or The Trustworthy in his community. She believes that if someone dares to claim that he or she is the follower of Muhammad, then the first thing she or he should follow is how the Prophet manages his commitments. Don't be surprise if she also keeps track of other people commitment to her. For example, if the landlord promises to fix the sink, she will note it in her "at people" list. If the landlord forgets, she will help him to remember.

She also keeps track her schedule and projects. So, when one of her relatives ask her whether she can come to help this weekend, she can answer it quickly yes, no or propose alternative time or other person to help. She believes that undecided commitment is the second worst than a broken commitment. It burdens everybody and "Make me getting old faster", she jokes.

Also when she knows in advance that she will not be able make a commitment, she informs the other party as soon as possible. A renegotiated commitment is not a broken one. Last but not least, she never makes a commitment without saying, "God Willing, I will do that". Because, she never knows what would happens tomorrow, but God decides it.

As typical women, she likes to shop. Especially if there is something new or discounted. Therefore she likes to read offers. Each time she receive an offers, she quickly decide whether to trash it, put it in her "at reading" box to read it later or if she has interest, note in her calendar when the offer expires. Her desk is clean most of the time, so is her mind. Her friends always wonder why she could be so productive and happy with so many activities and commitments.

Of course, she also keeps the list of summary of moral codes and wisdoms from sura Al-An'aam and Al-Isra. See Remembering God above. This is her commitments to God, she does not want to forget.

Prayers
She tries to keep her prayer short and on time. Even in such a short she does it in full concentration. When she stands for the prayer, she tries to imagine God in front of her, heaven on her right and hell on her left. That way she can forget whatever is going on in this temporarily world. Once she finishes her praying, she feels that she is ready for anything. When her forehead touch the ground, the gravity refreshes the blood presure in her brain. She feels humbleness in front of The Almighty.

And during the extreme winter or summer time she combines two prayers in one go. The praying time during these two extreme is totally impractical. During the extreme summer, the night prayer and early morning prayer are too close to each other giving her no time to sleep. During the extreme winter, the noon, afternoon and evening prayer are too close to each other, giving her no time to work.

For her, what she does in-between prayers that are important. Remember that to do the prayer we need to be in a clean condition? She tries to be in clean condition all the time. When she breaks this condition, such as coming from the toilet, she tries to take another abdulation as soon as possible. She believes that clean and fresh body helps to clean her mind, her acts and her talks all the time. The water on her skins reminds her that God watch her all the time on every single acts, talks and intention she makes.

Unlike typical Muslimah from Arabian countries who prefers to pray at home, she likes to go to the mosque. Except during Friday noon prayer when so many Muslim men crowd the mosque for Friday gathering. In the mosque, she often meets Muslimah from Asian countries that also likes to go to the mosque. She prays anywhere she could, at her office, at the parking or in a janitor room.

Charity
For her, charity has a broad meaning. Prophet Muhammad once said that smile is also a charity. Charity for her means solidarity and empathy. She learns from her Online Quran Study that the Koran wants her to take cares of her relatives first before the rest of the world. In her agenda there are entries like "One month since I call my auntie in Turkey". That way she can regularly call and find out whether her relatives need her help. If she cannot helps, at least she can sooth them or ask somebody else to help.

For her solidarity starts early: First, she should be honest on her work, so she is not a burden to the society such as the corrupts and criminals. One day she bought a discount train ticket, but can only be used after 9 a.m. Her friend ask her, why she let the 8:55 trains away? She said that she does not want God to kick her out of heaven just because of this stupid 2 Euro ticket. Second, she should not spend money on unnecessary things and tries to re-use a lot. Remember that she tries to keep track everything, so she knows where to buy, why and when efficiently. She also shares and gives away some items she is not using for friends who need it. Third, she keeps up with her relatives and her neighborhood whether her helps is needed. Because some people does not ask repeatedly or even asked for help when they need it.

Trusting God
When she goes to sleep, she prays to God that her life and her death are belonging to God. Salvation is a condition of no fears and no regrets. With this peace in her mind, she can rest and ready for another day of her life tomorrow. If there is still something in her mind, she writes it down to a paper and off her mind and tries to rest. She prays to God to grant her wealth, so she can be as rich as Khadijah, the Prophet first wife. She also asks a loving husband as handsome as the Prophet and life happily ever after during her life in this world. She has a firm believe that God will grant her wish or replace it with something better. Sweet dream.

One Year in Muslim Life
Khidr is Khadijah's older brother. Unlike his sister, he has no interest of getting rich. He chooses simple life with less commitments and devout more time at the mosque glorying God and learns the Books of older Scholar of Islam. He spent sometime in jail during his struggle with his friends to turn his country back into an Islamic State.

Because he does not like to see so much violence and hatred, he later joins a tarika. He believes peace is the true meaning of Islam and the greater jihad is to conquer our own soul. He also believes that true Islam can only be learned through scholarship and not from friends or by reading the Quran yourself, like what he did before he went to jail.

He spends some time in Syria, just to learn Islam from a knowledgeable scholar. Unlike Iran or Saudi Arabia follows only one version of Islam, Syria has both. This phenomenon is reflected in Khidr respects on what other people believes. People turn to him for help and spiritual cure. He never says no and always can see the bright side of even the worst situation.

Muharram
Of much interest to us Muslims these days should be the fasting of the 9th and the 10th of Muharram. The Prophet said about the voluntary fasting on the Day of Aashooraa: "It expiates the sins of the preceding year." (Muslim)

"The day of Aashooraa was the day when Moosa and his men got freedom from the hands of the Pharaoh and it was in the sacred memory of this great event that the Muslims observed voluntary fasting. The idea underlying this is to stress the affinity amongst the messengers of Allah and to show that religious devotion is a constant flow from one generation to another. The Prophet came not to abrogate all the earlier religious practices but to codify and preserve them for all times to come in ideal forms."

Ashura (Arabic: عَاشُورَاء, romanized: ʿĀshūrāʾ [ʕaːʃuːˈraːʔ]), also known as Yawm Ashura (Arabic: يَوْم عَاشُورَاء), is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar.[4] It marks the day that Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala.[5] Ashura is a major holiday and occasion for pilgrimage in Shia Islam,[6] as well as a recommended but non-obligatory day of fasting in Sunni Islam.[7][8][9]

Ashura marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram,[4] the annual commemoration of the death of Husayn and his family and supporters at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (in AHt: October 10, 680 CE).[10] Mourning for the incident began almost immediately after the battle. Popular elegies were written by poets to commemorate the Battle of Karbala during the Umayyad and Abbasid era, and the earliest public mourning rituals occurred in 963 CE during the Buyid dynasty.[11] In Afghanistan,[12] Iran,[13] Iraq,[14] Lebanon,[15] Bahrain[16] and Pakistan[17] Ashura has become a national holiday, and many ethnic and religious communities participate in it.[18][19]

For Sunni Muslims, Ashura also marks the day that Moses and the Israelites were saved from Pharaoh by God creating a path in the Sea[8][9][20][21] or Noah leaving the Ark.[22]

Maulid
Prophet Muhammad was born on 12 Rabi Al-Awaal. We can use this moment to gather and reflects of his path.

Ramadhan
Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims consider this whole month as a blessed month. They fast during the days of this month and make special prayers at night. People also give more charity and do extra righteous deeds. Also, in this Holy Month, The Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of Al-Qur'an. Ramadhan is the month of celebration as well as the month of discipline and self-control. Muslims always wait for the first day of Ramadhan to come.

The Night of Power is a very important occasion in Islam. Everyone is asked to live it and to enjoy it. This Night is a night of Mercy, a night of Blessing, a night of Peace and a night of Guidance. It is a night of Unification between the finite world of ours and the Infinite Universe of the Unseen.

Anyone who is interested in attaining the Mercy of Allah will strive very hard to look for the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in receiving the blessings of Allah on the Blessed Night will work very hard to enjoy the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in attaining peace of mind, peace of body and peace in society, he has to look for this Night and to live it.

At the conclusion of the month of Ramadhan, on the first day of the 10th month of Islamic lunar calendar, Muslims all over the world celebrate Eidul Fitr. This is one of two main festivals of Islam.

The ceremony of Eidul Fitr starts early morning with a worship service. This service is generally held in a large open place and is attended by thousands of Muslims. After the prayer, a short sermon was delivered and then the people greet each other. The rest of the ceremonies are held generally privately with families and friends.

The significance of Eid is that it is the day of thanksgiving to Allah that He gave the opportunity to Muslims to benefit from and enjoy the blessing of the month of Ramadhan.

Eidu al-Adha
Following the day of Hajj or Pilgrimage (9th of Thw al-Hijjah), it comes the Eidul Adha day. It begins from the 10th of the 12th month of Islamic lunar calendar. This is the second main annual festival in Islam. On this day, like on the Eidul Fitr celebration, festivities begin with a prayer service held in an open place in the morning of the first day. This prayer is usually attended by a large number of Muslims. Since this festival occurs immediately after the Day of Pilgrimage, those who go to make pilgrimage celebrate it in Mina, near Makkah. Other Muslims around the world also join with the pilgrims in their joy and thanksgiving.

One of the significances of Eidul Adha is that it is a time of sacrifice. Muslims commemorate Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice everything for Allah including his beloved son, Ismael. Since Allah gave Prophet Abraham a lamb to sacrifice instead of sacrificing his son, Muslims also offer the sacrifice of animals. The sacrifice can be done after the prayer on the 10th until 12th day of Thw al-Hijjah month before sunset. The meat of the animals is given to needy people and friends and a portion of it is also kept for one's own consumption. Often people cook this meat during holidays, make feasts and enjoy the celebration.

Muslim Family
Khadijah and Khidr are children from Imron and Hana family. This is just a fictional story and has nothing to do with people with similar name mentioned in the Quran.

Household Supports
As in typical Muslim family, Imron is the bread whiner for the family and Hana is the stay at home mom. In Islam, it is the husband who should give the dowry to his bride. A dowry is normally significant financially. Therefore sometimes, it came from the male family collectively. This prevents tragic phenomenon like selective-abortion in India, where female fetus is the primary target, because in India, it is the female who should pay for the dowry.

The dowry is not considered as buying a woman because it goes directly to the bride and not to her father. This is handy when the new family face a financial difficulty, she can help. Or when she asks for a divorce, she should return the dowry. In the western world, woman sometimes face dilemma between missing her children often or miss the money. The dowry helps to ease the dilemma.

While a stay at home mom takes care the children, it does not mean that the house keeping is her responsibility. There are reports that the Prophet Muhammad he is responsible for cleaning his cloths. In Islam, it is part of husband responsibility to support and protect his family. It is important for him to feed his family from a lawful job. He believes if his children eat food from unlawful money, the food will become part of their body and drives them to become criminals later on.

Engage and Educate
They believe that humans are social creatures. There are times when a child needs to check things out and testing the limits. But there are times when they have to respect, shares and care of each other. Imran and Hana believes that names are prayers. So, they refrain from calling bad names if their children make mistakes. For example, they keep calling Khidr as good boy (salih) or upright boy (hanif), hoping that God will grant it to be true someday.

In case of Khadijah, Imran and Hana gives a lot of things to try during her childhood. She even went for swimming and horse riding. Imran and Hana afraid that when Hana reach the age of independence, she will try those things out wildly. They want Khadijah to have enough experiences and knowledge, to deal with even the super liberal or ultra conservative environment where ever she goes later. The first will exploit an unexperienced girl, the later will deprive the girl from such experiences. Both Imran and Hana cannot predict the future, they can only prepare their children for it.

They believe education is important for both Khadijah and Khidr. Besides professional skills they learn at school, they learn social skills at home and their neighborhood. Their father also sent them to practice some financial skills at their neighbor shops. There are many skills that they cannot get from ordinary school, but important for survival. They learn Islam also from two different mosques who has different views to keep their mind open. Imran and Hana always remind them over and over, that their parents will leave someday and they have life on their own.

Finding Spouse
Freddy, a French colleague of Khadijah, asks her to marry. Imron and Hana should make a though decision, but at the end it is up to Khadijah to decide. In Islam, a boy should not marry a girl without her father permission. But, if the girl asked for independence to choose, the father should grant her. At the same time, Islam does not allow a non-Muslim to marry a Muslim girl. Therefore a background checks and re-check is a must before a Muslim marriage could take place.

After face-to-face discussion and parallel investigations, it became apparent that Freddy shares the same interest with Khadijah for a pure and simpler religion. With Imron helps, Freddy learns about Islam faiths, rituals, moral and ethics. One day, he converts to Islam by confessing the Shahada in front of an Imam and take Faisal as his new name. Finally, Imron gives his blessing to the marriage between Faisal and Khadijah.

At first, Khidr has no interest on family life, but in Islam parents should encourage and support their children to marry. Hana with the helps of the "auntie"-net (not internet), comes up with several candidates to become Khidr's wife. Khidr knows that he should follow the Prophet example to life a family life finally picks on of the girl. He was so afraid at first to take more commitments, because in Islam a marriage is super-big commitment equivalence to the commitment of the prophets to their God. But he trust in God and he is lucky that his wife also fully trust in God and at him. She has firm believes that if Khidr does not have enough wealth to supply her, God will grant him.

Making Will
Before he dies, Imran wrote a will that his wealth should be divided evenly between his wife and one child that wish to take care of his wife. In Islam, if there is a will from a deceased, it will take precedent over Islamic ruling. Islam encourages parents to write their will, because parents knows better of their family situation instead of outsiders.

It turns out that both children want their mother to stay with them in rotation. Then it is up to the court to distribute the wealth. Anyway, Imron does leave much wealth. It is the spiritual skills that he teaches to their children, the most valuable inheritance possible. His family are one amongst the fortunate families who does not split and fought each other over inheritance.

Muslim World View
Muslims do not live in vacuum. There are many things happening in this world that affect their lives.

Materialism
Imron goes further by explaining that the true enemy of Muslims is materialism. All of the world wars are wars of resources. The world probably will have to support 9 billion people in 50 years. The resources will be enough and war is unnecessary only if people stop their materialistic thinking. Imron told his son that he can start it with himself, then his family and then his neighbor.

Consumerism replaces all things that the local community can provide with products made by factories. This includes necessities and entertainments. This leads to two problems. First, the social breakdowns, where family and neighbor does not look for entertainments from each other any more. They became isolated and do not recognize each other anymore. This leads to frustration, drugs/alcohol abuse, domestic violence, or even suicides. Second, their increased dependence on consumer products and services drains their resources and the resources from the Third World countries more than their fair share through Globalization and Free Trade.

Globalization
Imron tries to remember the story of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), Qarun (Corah) and Hamman who rules and destroys the Ancient Egypt. Today, the Multinational Company, The World Bank and the International Media rule the world. Local Governments, including the Government of United States has less and less power.

It is the Multinational Company who holds the executive power of the world, much like Fir'aun in the Ancient Egypt. They have the power to transfer their money and business in and out as reward or punishment to local governments. The local government is forced to lower their taxes to attract foreign investments. It translates to less government funding for social, education and health services, and more taxes for the worker.

The World Bank, International Monetary Funds and World Trade Organization holds the budget and legislation power, much like the super-rich Qarun in the Ancient Egypt. IMF forced local governments to free their market, let the Multinational Company to take over local banks and important companies with cheap prices and plunder the natural resources and cheap workforces. They do this by overriding local legislators and supporting dictatorial regimes.

The International Media giants holds the Educational and Yudicial powers, much like the highest-priest Hamman in the Ancient Egypt. It is no longer the parents but the television that educates our children nowadays into materialism way of thinking. It is the media who judges who is the criminals and who is the heroes today.

Imron believes that Globalization is just a disguise of a global plundering of rich countries over the Third Worlds. For example, Globalization and Free-market causes poor countries to plants and exports bananas to pay their debts instead of rice to feed their people. Globalization and Free Market will remove the ability of one country to rejects woods sold by companies who did not replant the forest. They will increase hunger and speed up draining the natural resources of the poor countries.

Spirituality
Imron keep saying to himself that, if he wants to fight for injustice and oppression, we should identify first the real enemy and the best way to defeat them. The best way to defeat them are by strengthening yourselves with four strategy mentioned before in Chapter 103.

''1By time. ''2The human is indeed in loss. ''3Except
 * 1) ''those who believe,
 * 2) ''do good works,
 * 3) ''support one another with the truth, and
 * 4) ''support one another with perseverance.

First, starting by turning off the television and strengthen your soul and your family against excessive life style (believe and perseverance). Second, strengthen local economy by consuming only local products and producing local necessities instead of export goods to pay government debts (good works and support one another). Third, limits global plundering by influencing the local government to redirect as much as possible local resources and profits into local people even under the pressures of the modern day Fir'aun, Qarun and Hamman (support one another with the truth).

The strategy includes seeing the world beyond its physical states. Wealth should no longer be measured by physical possession but the actual benefits of possession. Beauty should no longer be measured by physical appearance but by attitude and inner beauty. The second strategy is to remember death will certainly come, so we will seek for eternal pleasure in hereafter instead of a temporary one in this world. The third strategy is observe God's limits to avoid extremism. For example, while it is good to seek the hereafter but it does not mean you can force everybody to do the same. More information on God's limit in Islam Way of Life

Imron dreams about the old fashioned system of tribes, where each tribe have zero economic growth and self-sufficiently provide their own necessities and entertainments. These are honorable and sustainable tribes who have no desire to plunder other tribes’ resources under the pre-text of economic growth, conquering new markets or joining the world powerful nations.

Prophet Muhammad handles the trio oppressors similar to how Prophet Moses did. First, both of them defends the poor and oppressed as the just cause. Second, both of them invites the ruler into the truth and exposes lies of the magicians. Third, both of them and their follower migrates leaving the ruling power crumbles, without direct confrontation. Fourth, both of them build and lead a powerful and prosperous nation.

Imran may let the capitalism and materialism works to produce nice things in this world, on the second thought. Spirituality may give direction, limits and harmony to reduce the bad effects of capitalism and materialism. It is similar to controlling fire or water. You can use it for your own benefits but also it can drown or burn you as well.

title: Islam Way of Life/Practising Islam