Author Archive
THE 50 RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD - 2009
No.1 William Gates III
$40 billion
Microsoft/U.S.
53. Married, three children
Software visionary regains title as the world’s richest man despite losing $18 billion in the past 12 months. Stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft last summer to devote his talents and riches to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Organization’s assets were $30 billion in January; annual letter lauds endowment manager Michael Larson for limiting last year’s losses to 20%. Gates decided to increase donations in 2009 to $3.8 billion, up 15% from 2008. Dedicated to fighting hunger in developing countries, improving education in America’s high schools and developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Appointed Microsoft Office veteran Jeffrey Raikes chief executive of Gates Foundation in September. Gates remains Microsoft chairman. Sells shares each quarter, redeploys proceeds via investment vehicle Cascade; more than half of fortune invested outside Microsoft. Stock down 45% in past 12 months. “Creative capitalist” wants companies to match profit making with doing good.
No.2 Warren Buffett
$37 billion
Investments/U.S.
78. Widowed, remarried; three children
Last year America’s most beloved investor was the world’s richest man. This year he has to settle for second place after losing $25 billion in 12 months. Shares of Berkshire Hathaway down 45% since last March. Injected billions of dollars into Goldman Sachs, General Electric in exchange for preferred stock last fall; propped up insurance firm Swiss Re in February with $2.6 billion infusion. Admits he made some “dumb” investment mistakes in 2008. Upbeat about America’s future: “Our economic system has worked extraordinarily well over time. It has unleashed human potential as no other system has, and it will continue to do so.” Scoffs at Wall Street’s over-reliance on “history-based” models: “If merely looking up past financial data would tell you what the future holds, the Forbes 400 would consist of librarians.” Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy. Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding company invested in insurance (GEICO, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim’s), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See’s Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo.
No.3 Carlos Slim Helú
$35 billion
Telecom/Mexico
69. Widowed, six children
Economic downturn and plunging peso shaved $25 billion from the fortune of Latin America’s richest man. Global recession testing his ability to live up to the principles he sets for his employees: “Maintain austerity in times of fat cows.” Son of a Lebanese immigrant bought fixed-line operator Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) in 1990; now controls 90% of Mexico’s telephone landlines. Would be a billionaire based on his dividends alone. Biggest holding: $16 billion stake in America Movil, Latin America’s largest mobile phone company, with 173 million customers. America Movil and Telmex reportedly planning to jointly invest $4 billion to bolster telecom infrastructure in Latin America. Buying up cheap media, energy and retail assets. Last year took stakes in New York Times Co., former billionaire Anthony O’Reilly’s Independent News & Media and Bronco Drilling; also increased position in Saks. Baseball statistics aficionado, art collector.
No.4 Lawrence Ellison
$22.5 billion
Oracle/U.S.
64. Thrice divorced, remarried; two children
Database titan continues to engulf the competition; Oracle has racked up 49 acquisitions in the past four years. Bought BEA Systems for $8.5 billion last year. Company still sitting on $7 billion in cash. Revenues up 11% to $10.9 billion in the six months ended Nov. 30, 2007; profits also up 11% to $2.4 billion. Stock down 25% in past 12 months. Invested $125 million in Web software outfit Netsuite; took public in 2007, stock down 80% since. His shares are still worth $300 million. Chicago native studied physics at University of Chicago, didn’t graduate. Started Oracle in 1977. Public in 1986, a day before Microsoft. Owns 453-foot Rising Sun; built a smaller leisure boat because the long yacht is hard to park. Squabbling in court with Swiss boating billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli over terms of next America’s Cup. Recently unveiled hulking 90-foot trimaran he intends to use to win it.
No.5 Ingvar Kamprad
$22 billion
Ikea/Sweden
83. Divorced, remarried; four children
Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947. Opened first Ikea store 50 years ago; store’s name is a combination of initials of his first and last name, his family farm and the nearest village. Retired in 1986; company’s “senior adviser” still reportedly works tirelessly on his brand. Discount retailer now sells 9,500 items in 36 countries; prints catalog in 27 languages. Revenues up 7% to $27.4 billion in fiscal-year 2008. Opened 10th store in China this February; planning to open first in Dominican Republic later this year. Three sons all work at the company. Thrifty entrepreneur flies economy class, frequents cheap restaurants and furnishes his home mostly with Ikea products.
No.6 Karl Albrecht
$21.5 billion
Supermarkets/Germany
89. Married, two children
Germany’s richest person owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud. Retailer faring well amid economic downturn; analysts expect its 2008 sales to be up 9.4% to $33.7 billion. Sales in the U.S. up estimated 20% last year to $7 billion. Plans to open 75 U.S. stores in 2009, including first in New York City. With younger brother, Theo, transformed their mother’s corner grocery store into Aldi after World War II. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe. Retired from daily operations. Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.
No.7 Mukesh Ambani
$19.5 billion
Petrochemicals/India
51. Married, three children
Oversees Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company by market cap, despite stock falling 40% in past year. Merging his Reliance Petroleum with flagship Reliance Industries. As part of deal, will exercise right to buy back Chevron’s 5% stake in Reliance Petroleum at $1.2 per share–the same price at which he sold it three years ago. Today the stock trades for $1.80 a share. Increased stake in Reliance Industries last October; paid $3.4 billion to convert 120 million preferential warrants into shares. Reliance Petroleum refinery on India’s western coast began operating in December despite falling global demand and declining margins. Late father Dhirubhai founded Reliance and built it into a massive conglomerate. After he died, Mukesh and his brother, Anil, ran the family business together for a brief time. But siblings feuded over control; mother eventually brokered split of assets. Brothers may be looking to bury hatchet; played joint hosts at mother’s recent 75th birthday bash. Has yet to move into his 27-story home that he’s building at a reported cost of $1 billion. Ardent fan of Bollywood films. Wife, Nita, oversees school named after his father.
No.8 Lakshmi Mittal
$19.3 billion
Steel/India
58. Married, two children
Indian immigrant heads world’s largest steel company; ArcelorMittal was formed via hostile takeover three years ago. Stock in company makes up bulk of his fortune; shares at a four-year low, with steel prices down 75% since last summer. Company forced to pay heavy fines after a French antitrust investigation found 10 companies guilty of price-fixing in European steel markets. Arcelor posted $2.6 billion loss in most recent quarter; announced plans to slow acquisitions, cut capital expenditures, pay down debt. Started in family steel business in the 1970s, branched out on his own in 1994. Initially bought up steel mills on the cheap in Eastern Europe. Company bought 19.9% stake in Australia’s Macarthur Coal last year. Also owns pieces of Mumbai’s Indiabulls Group, London’s RAB Capital; owns stake in, sits on board of Goldman Sachs. Holds substantial cash; owns 12-bedroom mansion in London’s posh Kensington neighborhood.
No.9 Theo Albrecht
$18.8 billion
Supermarkets/Germany
87. Married, two children
Runs discount supermarket group Aldi Nord; firm holding up amid economic downturn. Sales expected to hit $31 billion in 2008. After World War II he and older brother Karl transformed their mother’s corner grocery into Aldi. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got the northern Germany stores and the rest of Europe. Unable to operate Aldi stores in U.S., Theo developed discount food store Trader Joe’s; now has more than 320 U.S. stores. Also owns stake in Supervalu. Became a recluse after being kidnapped for 17 days in 1971; said to collect old typewriters, loves golf.
No.10 Amancio Ortega
$18.3 billion
Fashion/Spain
73. Divorced, remarried; three children
Railway worker’s son started as a gofer in a shirt store. With then wife Rosalia Mera, also now a billionaire, started making dressing gowns and lingerie in their living room. Business became one of world’s most successful apparel manufacturers. Today Inditex has more than 4,000 stores in 71 countries. Sales: $12.3 billion. Ortega is chairman. Company exported its cheap chic Zara stores to four new markets last year: Ukraine, South Korea, Montenegro and Honduras. Stock up 1% in past 12 months, but fortune down because of weak euro. Also has personal investments in gas, tourism, banks and real estate. Owns properties in Madrid, Spain; Paris; London; and Lisbon, Portugal; plus a luxury hotel and apartment complex in Miami, a horse-jumping circuit and an interest in a soccer league. Shuns neckties and fanfare. Daughter Marta works for Inditex; recent speculation suggests she is being groomed to eventually replace her father.
No.11 Jim C. Walton
$17.8 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
61. Married, four children
Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and and Linens ‘n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Jim chairs Arvest Bank Group, Community Publishers.
No.12 Alice Walton
$17.6 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
59. Twice divorced
Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens ‘n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Alice’s Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville under construction. Collection already growing; acquisitions include Sargent’s “Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife,” Benton’s “Ploughing It Under.”
No.13 Christy Walton & family
$17.6 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
54. Widowed, one child
Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens ‘n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Christy is the widow of John Walton (died 2005); donated seven-acre San Diego home to Cross Border Philanthropy.
No.14 S. Robson Walton
$17.6 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
65. Divorced, remarried; three children
Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens ‘n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Rob is Wal-Mart chairman; helping company become eco-friendly through partnership with environmental group Conservation International.
No.15 Bernard Arnault
$16.5 billion
Luxury goods/France.
60. Divorced, remarried; five children
France’s richest man lost $9 billion in the past year, as shares of his $22 billion (sales) luxury goods group, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, dropped 29%. Sailing into new waters: bought Princess Yachts, one of Britain’s oldest luxury motorboat manufacturers, last summer; picked up yacht builder Royal van Lent soon after. Via his investment arm, Groupe Arnault, owns French tour operator Go Voyages and has a stake in French retailer Carrefour. Built Le Cheval Blanc in French ski resort town of Courchevel, where he often likes to spend New Year’s Eve. Also owns two wineries with good friend, Belgian billionaire Albert Frere. Father made small fortune in construction; Arnault put up $15 million from that business to buy Christian Dior in 1985. Still a family affair, as both son Antoine, 31, and daughter, Delphine, 33, sit on LVMH’s board. Wife is a concert pianist; Arnault himself reported to be an excellent piano player.
No.16 Li Ka-shing
$16.2 billion
Ports, retail, energy/Hong Kong
80. Widowed, two children
Net worth of Hong Kong’s “Superman” is down $10 billion in the past year, as stock of his publicly traded conglomerates Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa tumbled. The two companies are about to start construction on a property project in Shanghai, China. HW’s retail group plans to open 120 stores in China in 2009. Through the two companies, Li is world’s largest operator of container terminals, world’s largest health and beauty retailer by number of outlets, a major supplier of electricity to Hong Kong, and a real estate developer. His second-largest holding: Canadian oil firm Husky Energy, which cut spending by almost a third for 2009. Charitable foundation recently raised $510 million by selling 40% of its stake in Bank of China. Avid golfer plays almost every day; sank his 15th hole in one in September. Poor immigrant sold plastic flowers in Hong Kong in the 1950s. Eldest son, Victor, helps him run businesses; son Richard struck out on his own in early 1990s and is a billionaire in his own right.
No.17 Michael Bloomberg
$16 billion
Bloomberg LP/U.S.
67. Divorced, two children
New York City mayor facing a fiscal crisis as banking chaos destroys Wall Street. Lucrative bonuses that came with working on Wall Street fueled spending on apartments, restaurants and shopping in recent years; as bonuses dry up, so does the city’s income. Forecasts predict NYC’s tax revenues will fall 28%–nearly $7 billion–in 2010 from 2008. Law passed in October will allow Bloomberg to run for third term later this year. Approval rating now 52%, down from 71% last summer. Becomes one of the world’s richest men after a transaction put a solid valuation on Bloomberg LP: He borrowed to buy a 20% stake in his company from Merrill Lynch in July for $4.5 billion. Today he owns 88% of the financial data and news outfit he founded in 1982. Boston-born son of accountant got engineering degree from Johns Hopkins; M.B.A. from Harvard. Became a trader at Salomon Brothers 1970s, quit with $10 million in stock. Created financial information services firm Innovative Market Systems to sell financial data, analytic tools to Wall Street. Renamed Bloomberg LP in 1987; added news service, magazine, cable network, radio station. Has given away nearly $800 million to charity in the past five years.
No.18 Stefan Persson
$14.5 billion
Hennes & Mauritz/Sweden
61. Married, three children
Heads cheap-chic fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz; H&M known for bringing in big names like Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Kylie Minogue to design affordable collections for its 1,700 stores. Opened first store in Japan last fall. Business holding up so far amid economic downturn; sales, profits up 13% each in 2008. Stock up 3% in past year, but his fortune dragged down by weak euro. Plans to create 6,000 new jobs, open 225 stores this year, including first in Beijing. Stefan’s father Erling founded H&M in 1947; Stefan took over in 1982, gave up chief executive position in 1998 but remains chairman. Son Karl-Johan, 34, will become chief this summer. Stefan is a founder of the Mentor Foundation, nonprofit that combats substance abuse among youth. Enjoys downhill skiing, tennis and golf.
No.19 Charles Koch
$14 billion
Koch Industries/U.S.
73. Married, two children
Fortune of one of America’s richest men down more than 25% in past six months as fertilizer, oil, chemical markets all collapsed. Still, sales at his Koch Industries topped $100 billion in 2008; company now America’s second-largest private company. Father, Fred C. Koch (died 1967), invented method of turning heavy oil into gasoline. Sons Charles, David, Frederick and William inherited Koch Industries after father’s death. Charles and David bought out William and Frederick for $1.1 billion in 1983. Today company has stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest and consumer products, chemical technology. Employs 80,000 workers in 60 countries. Purchased Invista, maker of Lycra and Coolmax fabric, in 2004 for $4.2 billion. Dropped $21 billion on paper and building-supply vendor Georgia-Pacific the following year. Brothers each own 42%. Charles is chief executive. Studied nuclear and chemical engineering at MIT; co-founder of conservative think tank Cato Institute.
No.20 David Koch
$14 billion
Koch Industries/U.S.
68. Married, three children
Fortune of one of America’s richest men down more than 25% in past six months as fertilizer, oil, chemical markets all collapsed. Still, sales at his Koch Industries topped $100 billion in 2008; company now America’s second-largest private company. Father, Fred C. Koch (died 1967), invented method of turning heavy oil into gasoline. Sons Charles, David, Frederick and William inherited Koch Industries after father’s death. Charles and David bought out William and Frederick for $1.1 billion in 1983. Today company has stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest and consumer products, chemical technology. Employs 80,000 workers in 60 countries. Purchased Invista, maker of Lycra and Coolmax fabric, in 2004 for $4.2 billion. Dropped $21 billion on paper and building-supply vendor Georgia-Pacific the following year. Brothers each own 42%. David is executive vice president. Holds chemical engineering degrees from MIT; pledged $100 million to alma mater for cancer research last year. Pledged another $100 million to New York’s Lincoln Center last July.
No.21 Liliane Bettencourt
$13.4 billion
L’Oréal/France
86. Widowed, one child
Europe’s richest woman and L’Oréal’s biggest shareholder is embroiled in a sensational scandal. Only daughter and heir, Francoise Bettencourt-Meyers, petitioned courts to investigate reported $1 billion worth of cash and gifts her mother allegedly gave to Francois-Marie Banier, 61, a well-known photographer, writer and painter whom she befriended. Daughter claims Banier took advantage of her mother, who became a widow in November 2007. Liliane denies it; mother and daughter apparently no longer speak. Case now in court. Not Bettencourt’s first brush with scandal: her father, L’Oréal founder Eugene Schueller, is said to have had wartime ties to the Nazi regime. Fortune has taken a hit, as L’Oréal’s shares tumbled 45% from 2008 peak, nearly hitting four-year low.
No.22 Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud
$13.3 billion
Investments/Saudi Arabia
54. Thrice divorced, remarried; two children
Even the “Buffett of Arabia” has been battered by the global financial crisis. Shares of his Saudi-listed investment vehicle Kingdom Holding fell 60% in the last year, as shares of Citigroup–once its largest holding–lost 86% of their value in 12 months. Alwaleed announced he was purchasing an additional 1% of Citigroup shares in November 2008, only to see the stock plunge further. Recently sold $1 billion worth of real estate and shares of various companies to meet Kingdom Holding’s debt obligations. Nephew of the Saudi king still plans to build the world’s tallest building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Prince first came to prominence in the early 1990s after purchasing a stake in what was then Citicorp. Owns a jewelry collection he values at $730 million, plus several palaces and four airplanes, including an Airbus A380.
No.23 Michael Otto & family
$13.2 billion
Retail/Germany
65. Married, two children
Otto family’s shopping center outfit ECE Group is taking advantage of weak markets to make a big move in America; recently agreed to buy stake in struggling U.S. mall giant Developers Diversified Realty. Family’s Paramount Group bought Deutsche Bank’s Wall Street headquarters in 2007; reportedly paid a record price per square foot for lower Manhattan. Michael retired that same year after 26 years as chief executive; still heads supervisory board of $14.8 billion (sales) Otto Group. Father Werner Otto started out making a 14-page shoe catalog in 1949; it later sold everything from toys to building supplies. Michael joined in 1971 and expanded operations overseas and moved company into Internet sales; now world’s second-biggest Internet retailer after Amazon.com. Owns 96% stake in home furnishings retailer Crate & Barrel. Environmentalist supports foundation that funds preservation of Germany’s Elbe River. Reportedly practices tai chi. Modern art lover.
No.24 David Thomson & family
$13 billion
Thomson Reuters/Canada
51. Divorced, three children
Chairman of Thomson Corp., media conglomerate, in which his family has a 70% stake. Grandfather Roy founded the business in 1934. Renamed Thomson Reuters after completing acquisition of Reuters in April 2008; stock down 25% since. With brother Peter, he serves as co-chair of family’s investment concern, Woodbridge. Helped oversee donation of father Kenneth’s (died 2006) art collection to Art Gallery of Ontario; 2,000-piece collection includes medieval ivory diptychs and American Indian art. Reportedly split from American actress Kelly Rowan last April around the time she gave birth to a daughter.
No.25 Michael Dell
$12.3 billion
Dell Computer/U.S.
44. Married, four children
Computer king has lost millions buying shares of the company he founded 25 years ago. Bought up $200 million in Dell stock between July and September 2007; shares down more than 60% since. Returned to chief executive post last year. Company hammered as cash-strapped consumers and corporations wait for the recession to end before upgrading their computers; fourth-quarter profits down 48%. Sales down 17%. Planning to reduce costs by $4 billion annually by 2011; caused ire in Ireland after relocating factory to cheaper Poland. Started selling PCs out of University of Texas dorm room with $1,000. Built business with direct-sales method; public in 1988. Majority of wealth invested via MSD Capital. Michael & Susan Dell Foundation supports education, health initiatives; endowment exceeds $1 billion.
No.26 Donald Bren
$12 billion
Real estate/U.S.
76. Twice divorced, remarried; seven children
Attended University of Washington on skiing scholarship; halted Olympics bid after injury in 1956. Joined Marines, then built first house on $10,000 loan in 1958. Planned and developed 10,000-acre Rancho Mission Viejo in California, sold to Philip Morris in 1967. With partners, bought 145-year-old real estate master planner and developer Irvine Co. for $337 million in 1977. Became firm’s principal owner in 1996. In California, developed central Orange County, Irvine and half of Newport Beach. Today owns 400 office buildings, 90 apartment communities, 40 retail centers, resort properties and new housing communities in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. Company has permanently protected more than half of the 93,000-acre ranch, creating public parks and trails. Conservation program deals with more than 50,000 acres, protecting a wide range of endangered plant and animal species. Has given away more than $1.3 billion to charity.
No.26 Larry Page
$12 billion
Google/U.S.
36. Married
Google co-founder continues to dominate search business despite facing strong headwinds. Stock down 30% in past six months, slicing nearly $4 billion from personal balance sheet. Company posted better than expected earnings in January; trimmed staff and employee perks. Added oceans to Google Earth, but pulled the plug on radio and print ad projects. Android phone has had mixed reviews. Professor’s son met partner Sergey Brin in computer science Ph.D. program at Stanford. Duo dropped out in 1998 to start Google from friend’s garage. Initial financing came from angel investors K. Ram Shriram, Andy von Bechtolsheim, professor David Cheriton. Venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital pitched in $25 million. Longtime tech exec Eric Schmidt brought on in 2001; took company public in 2004. Sales: $21.8 billion. Net margin: 19%. Page heads Google’s product division.
No.26 Sergey Brin
$12 billion
Google/U.S.
35. Married, one child
Google co-founder continues to dominate search business despite facing strong headwinds. Stock down 30% in past six months, slicing $3.9 billion from personal balance sheet. Company posted better than expected earnings in January; trimmed staff and employee perks. Added oceans to Google Earth, but pulled the plug on radio and print ad projects. Android phone has had mixed reviews. Professor’s son emigrated from Russia, met partner Larry Page in computer science Ph.D. program at Stanford. Duo dropped out in 1998 to start Google from friend’s garage. Initial financing came from angel investors K. Ram Shriram, Andy von Bechtolsheim, professor David Cheriton. Venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital pitched in $25 million. Longtime tech exec Eric Schmidt brought on in 2001; took company public in 2004. Sales: $21.8 billion. Net margin: 19%. Brin focuses on Google’s technology sector.
No.29 George Soros Net Worth:$11.0 bil
Fortune:self made
Source:hedge funds
Age:78
Country Of Citizenship:United States
Residence:Westchester, New York
Industry:Finance
Education:London School of Economics, Bachelor of Arts / Science,
Marital Status:divorced, 5 children
Told an audience at Davos that his fund’s returns were in “positive territory” in 2008. Testified alongside billionaire hedge funds managers John Paulson and Ken Griffin in November: predicted hedge fund industry’s assets would shrink “between 50 and 75%.” Survived Nazi occupation of Hungary, studied at London School of Economics. Founded Quantum Fund 1969; one of nation’s first hedge funds. “Broke” British pound in 1992 with Stanley Druckenmiller; shorted England’s currency, said to have made $1 billion in one day when Bank of England stopped fixing exchange rate. Not so lucky in Soviet Union: lost several hundred million dollars in telecom investment when Soviet economy collapsed. Since 2000 has closed door to new investors; today the majority of Quantum Endowment Fund’s $20 billion in assets are believed to be his. Sons Robert and Jonathan involved in business. Came out of retirement in 2007, made bearish bets; fund up 32% that year. Has given away $6 billion since 1979 via Open Society Institute.
No.29 Gerald Grosvenor Cavendish
$11 billion
Real estate/U.K.
57. Married, four children
The sixth Duke of Westminster is the U.K.’s wealthiest landowner. His Grosvenor property group has valuable holdings in the posh Mayfair and Belgravia neighborhoods of London, where rents have fallen almost a third since last spring. Group recently entered into negotiations with banks to refinance debt of its troubled retail arm. Owns additional land in London via private family trusts; also holds farmland in northern England and Scotland. Officer in Britain’s reserve forces and chancellor of University of Chester.
No.29 Steve Ballmer
$11 billion
Microsoft/U.S.
53. Married, three children
Microsoft chief gave keynote address at the International Consumer Electronics Show for the first time in January. Discussed opportunities with smart phones and improved connectedness between tech devices. Tried to take over Yahoo! for $44.6 billion last February; attempt to compete with Google on search backfired after six-month slugfest–featuring a nasty Carl Icahn proxy fight at Yahoo!–yielded no deal. Microsoft sales up 18% to $60 billion last year; net profits rose 26%. Shares still sluggish, down 40% in the past six months. Detroit native dropped out of Stanford M.B.A. program to join former Harvard classmate Bill Gates in 1980. Employee No. 30, chief executive since 2000.
No.32 Kwok family
$10.5 billion
Real estate/Hong Kong
Family behind one of Hong Kong’s most storied real estate firms was thrown into tumult even before property prices tumbled. Eldest brother Walter stepped down from 18-year chairmanship of Sun Hung Kai Properties last May after disputing with his two younger siblings, Raymond and Thomas. Mother Kwong Siu-hing, 80, took over as chairman. Stock down 50% in past year. Firm still pushing ahead: opened a W hotel in Hong Kong in January and has plans to open another in Shanghai by 2010. In late February sold 150 luxury apartments in its Kowloon residential development, generating $450 million in revenue. Family also owns interests in telecom SmarTone-Vodafone and city bus operator KMB.
No.32 Paul Allen
$10.5 billion
Microsoft/U.S.
56. Single
Microsoft co-founder has lost 65% of his fortune in the last 12 months. Washington State dropout founded software giant with buddy Bill Gates in 1975; left in 1983 after Hodgkin’s disease diagnosis. Sold off much of his stake to lose huge sums on far-off visions through holding company Vulcan. Microsoft now makes up 25% of his net worth; shares down 40% since September. Also lost big on investment in Charter Communications; cable outfit announced financial restructuring plan in February; Chapter 11 filing expected by April. Dabbles in odd tech projects; funding research to scan outer space for signs of intelligent alien life, as well as Allen Institute for Brain Science, which is creating a genetic map of the mouse brain. Guitar fanatic owns a rock ‘n’ roll museum, Jimi Hendrix artifacts. This spring kicks off inaugural season of his Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC; also owns football’s Seattle Seahawks and basketball’s Portland Trailblazers.
No.34 Anil Ambani
$10.1 billion
Telecom, energy/India
49. Married, two children
Last year’s biggest billionaire gainer is this year’s biggest loser: fortune is down $32 billion in the past 12 months, as shares in Reliance Communications, Reliance Power and Reliance Capital all crumbled. Got family’s interests in telecom, power and financial services following bitter parting with older sibling Mukesh in 2005. Plans to merge his Reliance Communications with South Africa’s MTN were scuttled last July after brother Mukesh threatened to sue, claiming he had right of first refusal. Stock down 58% since. Reliance Power bagged three mega-power projects for a combined 14,000 megawatts last year. Married to former actress Tina Munim, Anil has Hollywood ambitions; Reliance Entertainment is investing $500 million in a new studio venture with Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks; has signed A-list actors George Clooney, Jim Carrey and Julia Roberts to co-produce future films. May soon bury hatchet with brother: siblings played joint hosts at mother’s recent 75th birthday bash.
No.35 Hans Rausing
$10 billion
Packaging/Sweden
83. Married, three children
Father founded packaging giant Tetra Laval in 1944. Hans and brother Gad inherited the business. Hans sold his share to Gad for estimated $7 billion in 1995. Moved to England in early 1980s to avoid punitive Swedish taxes. Resides on a 900-acre estate in village of Wadhurst in East Sussex; spends time collecting vintage cars. Awarded an honorary knighthood for his services to charity in 2006. Last April son Hans-Kristian and American daughter-in-law Eva were charged with cocaine and heroin possession after Eva allegedly tried to smuggle drugs into the American Embassy in London; drugs were found in their home. The police decided not to prosecute after the couple admitted to possession and agreed to drug counseling. Hans’ daughter Lisbet is director of Arcadia charitable trust; daughter Sigrid runs Portobello Books and Granta magazine.
No.35 Abigail Johnson
$10 billion
Fidelity Investments/U.S.
47. Married, two children
With family, runs Fidelity Investments, America’s largest mutual fund company. Falling markets cutting into revenues as assets under management shrank 22% to $1.25 trillion at the end of 2008. Company announced 3,000 job cuts last November, father Edward III refused to rule out more. Ned joined company as analyst in 1957, president 15 years later. “Abby” ran her first diversified fund in 1993. Ned reduced his ownership in 1995, Abby inherited a 24% stake; she is rumored to have sold shares back to family in recent years. Individual stakes now a secret. Family owns 49% of company. Abby became president of company’s mutual fund division in 2001. Today runs Personal & Workplace Investing division. Last year several top executives resigned, fueling speculation that Abby will eventually take over.
No.35 Ronald Perelman
$10 billion
Investments/U.S.
66. Four-times divorced, six children
Wharton grad left dad’s buyout business; bought $1.9 million stake in jewelry distributor Cohen-Hatfield in 1978. Sold jewelry operation to Sam Walton seven years later. Purchased licorice maker MacAndrews & Forbes, used as a holding company for buyouts. Bought Revlon in 1985. Sold Golden State Bancorp with Gerald Ford to Citigroup in 2002 for $6 billion. Citi shares down 95% in past 12 months; claims to have sold his position in the bank long before its demise. Owns large stakes in lottery outfit Scientific Games, military Humvee maker AM General. Agreed to sell security firm AlliedBarton last year.
No.35 Susanne Klatten
$10 billion
BMW/Germany.
46. Married, three children
Despite her well-guarded privacy, got caught up in salacious scandal: the married BMW heiress claimed publicly that an ex-lover whom she’d met at a hotel bar had blackmailed her for millions. She turned in the man, who had apparently videotaped the escapades with a partner; he was apparently sentenced to six years in prison in early March. Inherited stake in automaker BMW from late father Herbert Quandt, who rescued it from bankruptcy decades ago; also got a 50% stake in pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturer Altana. Trained economist with an M.B.A. sits on Altana’s board of supervisors; recently upped her stake in the company from 50% to approximately 88%. Plans to eventually de-list the firm. Also holds 20% of wind power outfit Nordex.
No.39 Birgit Rausing & family
$9.9 billion
Packaging/Sweden.
85. Widowed, three children
With her three children, inherited packaging giant Tetra Laval in 2000 after death of her husband Gad Rausing. Her father-in-law founded the company in 1944. Today sales are $14 billion. All of her children sit on Tetra Laval’s board. Son Jorn is head of mergers and acquisitions. Birgit lives quietly in Switzerland. Daughter Kirsten is a horse breeder in the U.K. Son Finn is chairman of the board of the Swedish R.R. Institute of Applied Economic
No.40 Michele Ferrero & family
$9.5 billion
Chocolates/Italy.
82. Married, two children
Richest man in Italy owns Ferrero, chocolatier that makes such brands as Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder Eggs. Sales: $7.5 billion. Recently introduced Gran Soleil, a ready-to-freeze dessert that is stored at room temperature; after shaking and placing in freezer for several hours, turns into an ice cream-like substance. Reportedly told Italian media that Gran Soleil will be bigger than Nutella. Lives in Monte Carlo, Monaco; sons live in Belgium.
No.40 Jack Crawford Taylor & family
$9.5 billion
Enterprise Rent-A-Car/U.S.
86. Divorced, two children
Distressed auto industry not doing any favors for rental car king; estimated net worth down $4.5 billion since last March. Left Washington University to join Navy; served as a fighter pilot on U.S.S. Enterprise during World War II. Became sales manager for St. Louis Cadillac distributor. Took 50% pay cut to start company that provided replacement cars; eventually rented cars to customers with stolen or damaged vehicles. Business took off in 1970s when insurance companies were ordered by courts to pay for replacement rentals. Today Enterprise revenues exceed $10 billion. Rental car business suffering as automakers sell fleets fewer cars; buyers for used rentals are scarce. Enterprise skirting some industry woes by focusing on insurance replacements; demand remains steady so long as cars break down. Last year appointed nonrelated exec Pamela M. Nicholson president; son Andrew is chief executive, daughter Jo Ann Taylor Kindle runs Enterprise Foundation.
No.40 Mikhail Prokhorov
$9.5 billion
Metals/Russia
43. Single
Bachelor billionaire is now the richest man in Russia despite a 51% drop in his net worth. Cashed out his 25% stake in Norilsk Nickel last spring, unloading the holding to fellow billionaire Oleg Deripaska. Stepped down as general director of metals outfit Norilsk two year ago after being detained on suspicions that he allegedly made prostitutes available to guests he was entertaining in the glitzy French ski resort of Courchevel; he was never charged. Soon after that, split with his longtime partner, Vladimir Potanin, leading to asset sales, divvying up of assets. Believed to hold $5 billion in cash. Loves kickboxing.
No.43 Lee Shau Kee
$9 billion
Real estate/Hong Kong.
81. Divorced, five children
“Stock God of Asia” is proving mortal. His biggest holding, Henderson Land Development, lost more than half its value in past year. Lee has been engaged in property development in Hong Kong for more than five decades. Chairman of Henderson since 1976, also chairs Hong Kong and China Gas Co. and Miramar Hotel and Investment Co. He is vice chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited and director of Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) and the Bank of East Asia. Donated $16 million for a library at Shanghai’s Fudan University.
No.43 Carl Icahn
$9 billion
Investments/U.S.
73. Divorced, remarried; two children
America’s richest “shareholder activist” doling out blame widely: faults “reckless executives who gambled with their company’s futures, feckless regulators and somnambulant boards of directors” for financial meltdown. Appeased last August by Jerry Yang, got three seats on Yahoo!’s board after pushing the sluggish search outfit all summer to take $44.6 billion buyout offer from Microsoft. Now taking aim at movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment. Enemy of corporate ineptitude losing his touch; shares of holding company Icahn Enterprises (real estate, hedge funds) down 71% since last March. Started Wall Street career in securities arbitrage at Dreyfus & Co. Big money in 1980s buyouts. Publishes blog about “anti-Darwinian” executives, “myth” of corporate democracy.
No.43 Anne Cox Chambers
$9 billion
Cox Communications/U.S.
89. Twice divorced, three children
Surviving daughter of Cox Enterprises founder James M. Cox (died 1957); sister Barbara Cox Anthony passed away in 2007. High school dropout James Sr. worked as a newspaper reporter before buying Dayton Evening News for $26,000 in 1898. Segued into politics; three-term Ohio governor. Today media empire includes 17 daily newspapers, 15 TV stations, 86 radio stations, used car retailer Manheim Auctions, Cox Auto Trader. Sales exceed $15 billion. Nephew James Kennedy runs operation.
No.43 Jacqueline Mars
$9 billion
Mars/U.S.
69. Twice divorced, three children
Chocolate maker Mars completed purchase of gum giant Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. last October for $23 billion. Merger created world’s largest confectionery company; combined sales estimated to be between $22 billion and $28 billion. Much of the deal paid with debt. Grandfather Frank Mars began making chocolates in 1911 in his kitchen in Tacoma, Wash. Father, Forrest Sr., invented M&M’s, then introduced malt-flavored nougat, which became foundation of famous candy bar line that includes Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers. Third generation inherited company when father died in 1999. Also owns pet food operation (Whiskas, Pedigree), Uncle Ben’s Rice.
No.43 John Franklyn Mars
$9 billion
Mars/U.S.
72. Married, two children
Chocolate maker Mars completed purchase of gum giant Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. last October for $23 billion. Merger created world’s largest confectionery company; combined sales estimated to be between $22 billion and $28 billion. Much of the deal paid with debt. Grandfather Frank Mars began making chocolates in 1911 in his kitchen in Tacoma, Wash. Father, Forrest Sr., invented M&M’s, then introduced malt-flavored nougat, which became foundation of famous candy-bar line that includes Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers. Third generation inherited company when father died in 1999. Also owns pet food operation (Whiskas, Pedigree), Uncle Ben’s Rice.
No.43 Forrest Edward Mars Jr.
$9 billion
Mars/U.S.
77. Married, four children
Chocolate maker Mars completed purchase of gum giant Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. last October for $23 billion. Merger created world’s largest confectionery company; combined sales estimated to be between $22 billion and $28 billion. Much of the deal paid with debt. Grandfather Frank Mars began making chocolates 1911 in his kitchen in Tacoma, Wash. Father, Forrest Sr., invented M&M’s, then introduced malt-flavored nougat, which became foundation of famous candy-bar line that includes Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers. Third generation inherited company when father died in 1999. Also owns pet food operation (Whiskas, Pedigree), Uncle Ben’s Rice.
No.43 George Kaiser
$9 billion
Energy, investments/U.S.
66. Married, three children
Energy titan has lost a quarter of his net worth–$3 billion–in the last six months as oil prices, investments plunge. He’d prefer that others have more of his money anyway. Told lawmakers in January to eliminate or reduce tax incentives for oil and gas industry, saying the money would be better spent on health care or eduction: “Let’s give the taxpayer a break during these difficult times.” Family fled Nazi Germany in 1938, settled in Oklahoma. Parents developed oil and gas business. Took over in 1969. Today Kaiser-Francis Oil is among the biggest private energy producers. Diversified: owns $1.5 billion stake in Bank of Oklahoma, vast private equity holdings, large derivatives and energy trading portfolio. Recently purchased gas reserves in Oklahoma’s Anadarko and Arkoma basins for $412 million from Chesapeake Energy. Passionate philanthropist fights childhood poverty through George Kaiser Family Foundation; helping to develop blighted stretch of Arkansas River.
No.43 Mohammed Al Amoudi
$9 billion
Oil/Saudi Arabia.
63. Married, eight children
Born in Ethiopia and now a Saudi citizen. Built fortune in construction and real estate in Saudi Arabia before betting on energy. Began investing in Sweden in 1974; owns Svenska Petroleum and Swedish refinery Preem. Has invested more than $2 billion in Ethiopia, from hotels to stevedoring (business of unloading cargo). Hit jackpot with gold mine in the Oromo region of Ethiopia; it now produces six tons of gold annually and is set to double production by 2010. Owns several properties in London and the U.S. Donated more than $1 million to the Clinton Foundation.
.
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THE fortunes of Malaysia’s 40 richest shrank by RM75.6 billion from RM171.9 billion a year ago to RM96.30 billion as at January 16 amid the global stock market meltdown, according to a survey by Malaysian Business.
The magazine’s survey revealed that half of them recorded declines of 50 per cent with only 14 billionaires this time round, five short of last year.
Malaysian Business in its February 16 issue named “Sugar King” Tan Sri Robert Kuok as the richest Malaysian with a fortune of RM26.6 billion.
However, Kuok wealth which stood at a record of RM58.1 billion last year, had declined by RM31.5 billion.
His closest rival, T. Ananda Krishnan clocked in at RM20.1 billion.
At third-placed was Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow with a wealth of RM8.15 billion.
Meanwhile, Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng was fourth with a fortune that has halved to RM7.4 billion.
Taking the fifth spot at RM4.5 billion, down from RM11.1 billion previously, was Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan.
Others in the top-10 ranking were Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua, widow of Genting group founder, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong (RM3.5 billion), Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary of the Albukhary Foundation (RM3.2 billion), Tan Sri Vincent Tan (RM1.8 billion), Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King of the Rimbunan Hijau Group (RM1.6
billion) and Tan Sri Azman Hashim of Amcorp group (RM1.4 billion).
The magazine said besides Genting’s Lee, the other new entrants in the richest list were siblings from the YTL group, Datuk Yeoh Soo Min and Datuk Yeoh Soo Keng.
AirAsia’s Datuk Kamarudin Meranun made a comeback to the list after a one year absence. — Bernama
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Malaysia Baru
Andai hidup tak punya cinta
Pada bangsa maupun wanita
Hidup tak punya ertinya
Kenikmatan tidak dirasa
Cinta bangsa rasa mulia
Cinta wanita rasa bahagia
Menjadi kita penuh daya
Mencipta hidup sempurna
( korus )
Andai kita lalai sertalah lupa
Masa akan lari sia-sia
Jiwa kosong tak berharga
Dunia bukan syurga
Oleh itu mari kawanku
Berpimpin tangan berganding bahu
Segera capai cita yang satu
Di alam Malaysia baru
Setangkai Mawar
Harum wangi dan bersinar
Setangkai mawar dijambangan
Dipuja-puja dalam jambangan
Idaman rindu sang kumbang
Tetap teguhnya ditangkai
Melambai ditiup sang bayu
Tak gugur bunga jangan dicapai
Indahnya menjadi ilhamku
Berjiwa suci dan beramal damai
Itulah ajaran yang benar
Aman dan tenang hidup yang permai
Dikeliling setangkai mawar
Tetap teguh hidup kita
Sebati membela negara
Dijunjung tinggi dipuja-puja
Harapan kita di Malaysia
Sekapur Sirih Seulas Pinang
Sekapur sirih sekapur sirih seulas pinang
Diberi bekal diberi bekal buat perangsang
Pergilah intan pergilah intan pergilah sayang
Ketengah medan ketengah medan pergilah berjuang
Biarlah gugur biarlah gugur bertumpah darah
Biar berlengkar biar berlengkar di medan perang
Janganlah undur janganlah undur menyerah kalah
Pantang pendekar pantang pendekar di tengah gelanggang
Janganlah sedih janganlah sedih meninggal kami
Senjata disandang senjata disandang sebagai ganti
Kami berdoa kami berdoa setiap hari
Selamat pergi selamat pergi selamat kembali
Warisan
Disini lahirnya sebuah cinta
Yang murni abadi sejati
Disini tersemai cita cita
Bercambah menjadi warisan
( korus )
Andai ku terbuang tak diterima
Andai aku disingkirkan
Kemana harusku bawakan
Kemana harusku semaikan cinta ini
Betapa
Dibumi ini ku melangkah
Keutara selatan timur dan barat
Ku jejaki
Aku
Bukanlah seorang perwira
Gagah menjunjung senjata
Namun hati rela berjuang
Walau dengan cara sendiri
Demi cinta ini
Ku ingin kotakan seribu janji
Sepanjang kedewasaan ini
Ku ingin sampaikan pesanan
Aku lah penyambung warisan
Senyum
Senyum seindah suria
Yang membawa cahya
Senyumlah dari hati
Duniamu berseri
Senyum umpama titian
Dalam kehidupan
Kau tersenyum ku tersenyum
Kemesraan menguntum
Senyum… kepada semua
Senyumanmu amatlah berharga
Senyum… membahagiakan
Dengan senyuman terjalinlah
Ikatan.
Wawasan 2020
Bendera berkibar di angkasa
Lambang negara jaya
Rakyat sepakat sehati sejiwa
Dengan berbakti dengan megah
Hadapi cabaran masa muka
Penuh tenaga murni
Bakti dicurah sehara-sehala
Dengan wawasan yang suci
Wawasan meningkat kemajuan
Tiada lagi kepincangan
Kemewahan rasa-dirasai
Bersama kita nikmati
Wawasan 2020
Satu pandangan jauh
Bukan impian malah kenyataan
Bersama kita jayakan
Malaysia Berjaya
Malaysia kita sudah berjaya
Aman makmur bahagia
Malaysia abadi selamanya
Berjaya dan berjaya
Berbagai kaum sudah berikrar
Menuju cita-cita
Satu bangsa satu negara
Malaysia berjaya
Dari Perlis sampailah ke Sabah
Kita sudah merdeka
Negara makmur rakyat mewah
Kita sudah berjaya
Dengan semboyan kita berjaya
Menuju di angkasa
Satu bangsa satu negara
Malaysia berjaya
Bersatu Selamanya
Menjelang detik kebenaran
Bagai burung terbang bebas
Kita menuju kegemilangan
Di mata dunia kenali kita
Dari arus impian ketaman kebenaran
Kilauan obor membakar
Suci penuh kasih
( korus )
Bersatu hati masa menyaksi
Di puncak maya kitakan bersama
Di persada pentas dunia
Selamaya kita di sana (2X)
Berdiri teguh seiringan
Bersemangat gabung tenaga
Kita menuju kegemilangan
Di mata dunia kenali kita
Bersama menghayati
Detik kebenaran
Kilauan obor membakar
Suci penuh kasih
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Money
Money is magnetic energy. You are a magnet attracting to you all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings.
To become a powerful money magnet:
 Be clear about the amount of money you want to receive. State it and intend it! Don’t think about how much you can earn, but how much you want to receive.
Fall in love with money. Most people do not love money, because they always feel that they don’t have enough of it.
Visualize and imagine yourself spending all the money you want, as though you have it already.
Speak, act, and think from the mindset of being wealthy now. Eliminate thoughts and words of lack such as “I can’t afford it”, “It is too expensive”.
Do not speak or think of the lack of money for a single second.
Be grateful for the money you have. Appreciate it as you touch it.
Make lists of all the things you will buy with an abundance of money.
Do whatever it takes for you to feel wealthy.
Affirm to yourself every day that you have an abundance of money, and that it comes to you effortlessly.
Appreciate all the riches around you, including the riches of others. Look for wealth wherever you go, and appreciate it.
Be certain that money is coming to you.
Love yourself and know that you are deserving and worthy of an abundance of money.
Remind yourself everyday that you are a money magnet, and ask yourself often during the day, am I attracting money now or pushing it away with my thoughts?
Always, always pay yourself first from your wage, then pay your creditors. In that single act, you are telling the Universe that you are worthy and deserving of more.
Repeat over and over every day, “I am a money magnet and money comes to me effortlessly and easily.”
Write out a check to yourself for the sum of money you would like to have and carry it in your wallet. Look at it often.
Do whatever it takes to feel good. The emotions of joy and happiness are powerful money magnets. Be happy now!
Love yourself!
Wealth is a mindset. Money is literally attracted to you or repelled from you. It’s all about how you think.
Relationships
You can completely transform any relationship, no matter what it’s like right now.
Every single relationship you have is a reflection of how you feel inside about you. You are a magnet attracting to you all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings. Every relationship you have and every interaction with every person, is a reflection of your own thoughts and feelings in that very moment.
To transform every single relationship you have in your life:
 Fall in love with YOU!
Make lists of hundreds and hundreds of wonderful things about you. Keep adding to it every day.
Know that you are perfect. Do not think any negative thoughts about you.
Know that you are worthy and deserving of anything and everything you could possibly want in your life.
Focus on the wonderful things in every person. Look for only those things.
Do not blame or criticize anybody, ever.
Set an intention that you are going to see the best in everything and everyone.
Make your happiness the number one thing in your life. Happiness is an inside job.
Free yourself of the responsibility of trying to make other people happy. Respect and love them enough to allow them to take care of their own happiness.
Get your attention off those things in others that don’t make you feel good.
Appreciate and love yourself in every moment you can.
Do not expect others to behave in a way you want, so you will be happy. Release yourself forevermore and know that you alone control your happiness and it is a choice, no matter what anyone else is doing.
Love and respect yourself completely.
Know that you are perfect right now.
Health
You are a magnet attracting to you all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings.
To open yourself up and become a powerful magnet to wellness and health from wherever you are now:
 Love yourself! Deeply, profoundly! Make lists of all the wonderful things about you. Add to it every day.
Free yourself of any past resentments or disappointments you may be holding about you.
Let go of any and all resentments from the past you may be holding of everyone and everything.
See yourself as completely well in your mind and visualize yourself doing things in a complete state of perfect health.
Do not speak of your illness, or disease with others.
Love and appreciate everything and everyone, and especially yourself.
Know you have the power within you to heal yourself.
Never criticize or blame yourself or anyone else for anything.
Be grateful for the wellbeing that is coming to you.
See yourself as only well.
Be happy, knowing that in your state of happiness your body is healing itself.
As you appreciate, as you love, as you are happy, as you are grateful, you are summoning wellbeing and it is pouring through your body and disease is vanishing in the moment.
Laugh! Hire funny movies or recall any memories that make you laugh. Laugh your way back to health.
Make lists every day of all the things you are grateful for, including being grateful for your healing and complete wellbeing.
You must do whatever you can to remove your attention from disease.
Distract yourself from thoughts of disease, and put all of your focus and attention on doing things that make you feel good.
Make your happiness the number one thing in your life.
Resist nothing, love everything!
Know that there is no such thing as incurable.
As you love completely and feel the joy within you, disease cannot exist.
Know and accept that you are perfect as you are right now.
*dis is wat i feel bout da secret…i want 2 see it fr islamic point o view…
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TEMUBUAL BERSAMA PROFESOR DI-RAJA UNGKU AZIZ
 Allahyarham Pendita Za’aba
Untuk menjadi seorang Melayu Unggul atau yang Terbilang, seseorang perlu mempunyai prinsip dan halatuju hidup. Halatuju hidup Pak Ungku Aziz adalah berteraskan kepada apa yang diutarakan oleh Allahyarham Pendita Za’aba iaitu: “Kalau ada keyakinan diri semua boleh tercapai.” Kata Pak Ungku lagi, Segala kejayaan seseorang itu adalah terletak kepada “dirinya sendiri.” Di dalam temubual ini Pak Ungku telah menyentuh tentang kehidupan remaja, bagaimana mereka menjalani hidup mereka, dan beberapa perkara yang boleh mempengaruhi hidup mereka. Ini termasuklah peranan media - elektronik, cetak dan maya - yang membentuk minda dan khayalan mereka, dan pendidikan. Ini telahpun saya tekankan dalam penulisan awal saya berjodol “Secebis Pendapat” yang memperkatakan tentang beberapa “sistem” menjana “social engineering” dalam pemerintahan negara yang perlu diberi perhatian serious dan memerlukan perubahan mengikut acuan yang berpaksikan ala-Malaysia. Akhir sekali, Pak Ungku menekankan peri pentingnya ditanamkan sifat-sifat atau nilai-nilai positif seperti “berani, jujur, amanah, berhemah, rajin, mempunyai cita-cita tinggi, dan sentiasa suka berkata benar” kepada para remaja kita yang bakal memimpin negara. Sehubungan dengan ini, maka perjumpaan yang akan membincangkan “Social Engineering” oleh mantan Perdana Menteri kita, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Muhamad, pada 25 Mei nanti, bukan saja relevan kepada apa yang diperkatakan oleh Pak Ungku itu, malah penting dan kena pada masanya. “Social Engineering” hendaklah bermula dari awal, sepertimana kata Pak Ungku, “melentur buluh hendaklah dari rebung.” Saya kira ia harus bermula dari peringkat tadika lagi, sepertimana yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang Yahudi dengan kibutsnya, orang German, orang Jepun, Korea, China, Singapura dengan “PAP Kinergatennya”, dan lain-lain lagi. Sekarang, sila ikut temubual dengan Pak Ungku: Mansal Damha ——————————————————————————–
MUKADIMAH` `Hidup bukan Que Sera, Sera” - Usaha capai keperibadian unggul bergantung kepada diri sendiri
PROF. Diraja Ungku Aziz tertawa kecil apabila dua kali diajukan pertanyaan tentang Anugerah Melayu Terbilang yang diterimanya sempena sambutan ulang tahun ke-59 UMNO, Rabu lalu. “Saya sebenarnya takut. Secara peribadi (anugerah) ini membimbangkan saya kerana menjadi terbilang bermakna lebih tinggi daripada orang lain. “Saya tidak fikir sesiapa saja yang berjaya suka merasakan dirinya lebih tinggi daripada orang lain, melihat semua orang lain duduk di bawah,” kata Pak Ungku kepada wartawan NOOR AZAM SHAIRI yang menemu bualnya, petang kelmarin. Temu bual tersebut diatur untuk mencungkil pandangan beliau mengenai personaliti Melayu unggul serta usaha-usaha yang harus dilakukan untuk mencapai cita-cita itu. “Kalau kita hendak kenal orang Melayu yang unggul dan berjaya, atau mahu mewujudkan acuan yang boleh dicontohi, kita sebenarnya bercakap tentang hal-hal yang sepatutnya ada pada orang Melayu,” katanya. Pak Ungku menggariskan beberapa cabaran yang perlu diselesaikan dalam usaha untuk membentuk personaliti yang diharap akan dapat mengangkat martabat orang Melayu itu. Menyentuh soal pendidikan, beliau mencadangkan beberapa perubahan yang perlu dilakukan untuk melahirkan generasi masa akan datang yang unggul. Beliau menyebut juga tentang pentingnya sukan bagi melahirkan masyarakat yang sihat. Pak Ungku juga mengulangi keyakinan yang dipegangnya tentang hubung-kait antara pemakanan yang seimbang dan kecemerlangan bangsa - teori yang dipegangnya sejak membuat kajian tentang pembasmian kemiskinan pada tahun 1970-an. Disamping itu, ada satu lagi perkara penting yang dibangkitkan oleh tokoh akademik yang kuat membaca ini. Beliau menyarankan semua orang Melayu supaya membaca buku tulisan Pendeta Za’ba, Perangai Bergantung kepada Diri Sendiri. Katanya, “dalam buku itu ada amanat penting Za’ba yang menunjukkan jalan bagaimana orang Melayu boleh berjaya dan menjadi unggul,”
MINGGUAN: Bagaimanakah kita boleh melahirkan Melayu unggul? Apakah yang seharusnya dilakukan?
UNGKU AZIZ: Kita perlu terlebih dulu memahami perjalanan hidup manusia atau apa yang disebut oleh William Shakespeare sebagai tujuh peringkat umur manusia. Ini proses hidup yang lazimnya dialami oleh setiap orang. Dalam melalui satu demi satu peringkat umur itu, cabaran yang kita hadapi ialah bagaimana hendak mengenal jalan ke arah kesempurnaan - untuk jadi berjaya dan unggul - serta memahami falsafah -falsafah yang berkaitan. Saya sebenarnya banyak terpengaruh dengan buku yang ditulis oleh Pendeta Za’ba iaitu “Perangai Bergantung kepada Diri Sendiri.” Saya suka hendak mengulangi falsafah yang diungkapkan oleh Za’ba bahawa kejayaan seseorang itu bergantung kepada diri sendiri. “Semuanya datang daripada diri kita sendiri. Berapa banyak pun seseorang itu berdoa tidak ada jaminan bahawa dia akan mendapat apa yang diinginkan melainkan melalui usaha.” Kalau berusaha, kemungkinan untuk dia mendapatkannya ada.
MINGGUAN: Apa kaitannya falsafah Za’ba itu dengan peringkat umur manusia?
UNGKU AZIZ: Mencari keunggulan adalah satu usaha. Semasa berumur sekitar 15 tahun, seseorang itu umumnya tidak begitu bertanggungjawab - ada tanggungjawab tetapi tidak banyak. Apabila meningkat dewasa tanggungjawab itu bertambah, dan beban mencari kesempurnaan juga bertambah. Masa depan seseorang apabila dewasa - apa yang akan berlaku apabila umur meningkat - bergantung kepada apa yang dilakukannya semasa remaja. Kalau pada peringkat awal sudah tidak betul, kesannya juga mudarat. Ini sesuatu yang sangat serius. Kalau sudah dewasa dan sudah menentukan hidupnya sendiri, persediaan seseorang itu untuk menghadapi hidup seharusnya sudah lengkap. Itu sebabnya saya melihat zaman remaja sebagai satu tempoh yang sangat penting dalam kita hendak membentuk peribadi yang dikatakan unggul itu.
MINGGUAN: Kenapa golongan remaja?
UNGKU AZIZ: Kalau kita mahu membina personaliti unggul kita harus melihat kepada remaja. Kalau hendak melentur buluh biarlah daripada rebung. Masa depan itu ada di tangan mereka. Ini bukan satu pandangan yang klise tetapi ini realiti. Gambaran masa depan kita ialah bagaimana keadaan remaja pada hari ini. Tidak ada orang yang dewasa tanpa melalui zaman remaja. Orang banyak terlupa tentang hakikat ini. Kita tidak ada pilihan sebenarnya - bagaimana keadaan kita pada hari ini begitulah keadaannya pada masa depan.
MINGGUAN: Bagaimana Pak Ungku melihat remaja hari ini?
UNGKU AZIZ: Kita jangan terlalu cepat menyalahkan remaja, mengatakan mereka hanya suka melepak, pemalas dan banyak angan-angan. Kita sepatutnya cuba memeriksa bagaimanakah keadaannya menjadi remaja pada zaman ini, pada tahun 2005 ini. Ini topik kegemaran saya sejak kebelakangan ini. Saya sebenarnya banyak memikirkan hal ini: Bagaimanakah kita boleh memahami masalah utama remaja Melayu pada hari ini? Ada banyak masalah, dan masalahnya pelbagai. Tetapi pada umumnya saya rasa remaja hari ini mengalami krisis jati diri. Mereka tidak dapat menjawab dengan tegas soalan yang ditanya oleh (ahli falsafah) Socrates: “Siapakah aku?” Kepada saya, setiap remaja sepatutnya selalu bertanyakan soalan itu kepada diri sendiri, dan harus ada jawapan yang memuaskan hati.
MINGGUAN: Kenapa soalan itu?
UNGKU AZIZ: Hidup ini bukanlah seperti lagu Que Sera, Sera - apa hendak jadi biarlah terjadi. Masa depan itu terpulang kepada kita sendiri. Ini berbalik kepada falsafah Za’ba bahawa perangai bergantung kepada diri sendiri.
MINGGUAN: Apakah krisis identiti yang dihadapi oleh remaja Melayu?
UNGKU AZIZ: Remaja pada umumnya tidak dapat mengenal jati dirinya sendiri. Kenapa jadi begini? Ini teori saya; kalau salah, salahlah saya. Saya bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya. Saya rasa orang yang hendak mencari jati diri mesti boleh bertanya dan menjawab soalan Socrates itu. Tetapi mereka pada hari ini sukar hendak menjawab soalan itu kerana disimbah dengan pelbagai jenis identiti gantian. Inilah masalahnya. Saya minta maaf kerana terpaksa menyebut siapa yang bertanggungjawab besar dalam perkara ini…(ketawa)
MINGGUAN: Media, maksudnya?
UNGKU AZIZ: (Ketawa) Inilah masalah yang paling besar. Media membentuk identiti dan jati diri mereka kerana medialah yang mewujudkan, membentuk dan membina celebrity. Orang tertarik kepada celebrity dan kemudian meresap masuk ke dalam identiti yang dibina itu. Lihat saja identiti celebrity yang dibentuk oleh media, baik melalui iklan atau penyanyi, orang paling kuat, paling lemah, paling kacak dan sebagainya. Minda remaja ini diserang seperti dihujani peluru dengan pelbagai jenis identiti kecil daripada para celebrity ini. Akibatnya mereka tidak dapat membuat pilihan. Mereka tidak dapat memastikan dengan tegas dan yakin tokoh yang harus mereka ikuti. Media ini pula datang dalam pelbagai bentuk - cetak dan elektronik atau maya. Media maya ini paling efisien dan berkesan, paling merosakkan berbanding yang lain. Orang terbuai dengan media sama seperti tikus-tikus dalam cerita Pemain Seruling dari Hamlin. Inilah yang berlaku sekarang. Pemain seruling itu sekarang ialah media. Orang yang menguasai media memanipulasikan keadaan dengan membina celebrity. Celebrity itu sekarang menjadi model kecil kepada remaja sehingga mereka merasakan “kalau dapat jadi seperti itu, cukuplah.” Kepada golongan remaja, konsep keunggulan itu merujuk kepada model celebrity yang dilihatnya melalui media. Tetapi pada masa yang sama mereka sendiri barangkali cukup insaf bahawa mereka mungkin tidak dapat jadi seperti itu.
MINGGUAN: Insaf, kenapa?
UNGKU AZIZ: Kita lihat iklan katakanlah hendak menjual rokok, misalnya. Jadi ditunjukkan lelaki pakai tali leher dan sut turun dari kereta mewah masuk ke hotel dan ada perempuan cantik menunggunya. Dia kemudian menghisap rokok jenama yang diiklankan itu. Remaja yang melihat iklan ini tadi cuma tinggal hisap rokok saja. Dia tidak dapat apa-apa, tidak ada kereta mewah, tidak ada perempuan cantik dan tidak ada tali leher. Ini satu tragedi. Kita umpan remaja yang mencari model dengan gambaran imej seperti itu. Imej itu bukan realiti, dan ia mengelirukan remaja yang masih mencari-cari identiti. Mereka tidak dapat menangkap makna identiti dan jati diri. Jati dirinya lemah kerana ia dibentuk daripada imej-imej yang bukan realiti. Remaja tertawan kepada imej-imej itu kerana ia membuatkan mereka rasa seronok dan menarik. Tetapi semuanya hanya angan-angan. Ini sama seperti cerita usahawan yang berangan-angan macam Mat Jenin - suatu hari nanti mahu ada pejabat, ada setiausaha cantik dan sebagainya.
MINGGUAN: Apa salahnya berangan-angan?
UNGKU AZIZ: Angan-angan ini memuaskan diri dalam jangka masa pendek tetapi kalau terlalu berangan-angan mereka boleh terjerumus terlibat dengan dadah. Statistik menunjukkan majoriti yang terlibat dengan dadah ialah Melayu. Tidak cukup dengan fantasi di rumah mereka berkhayal melalui dadah. Saya tahu bukan semua remaja terlibat tetapi sebahagian besarnya ialah mereka yang berangan-angan ini. Saya fikir nisbah lelaki yang hidup dalam angan-angan jauh lebih besar berbanding wanita, boleh dikatakan dua pertiga. Majoriti remaja wanita lebih stabil, kurang angan-angan dan ada imej yang jelas tentang matlamat hidup masa depan. Itu sebabnya sekitar 70 peratus pelajar di universiti hari ini ialah wanita. Ini bukti bahawa jati diri gantian ini mempengaruhi lebih ramai lelaki berbanding wanita. Malah kalau kita kaji, remaja lelaki Melayu jugalah yang paling banyak di pusat permainan video. Remaja wanita tidak banyak yang bermain permainan video kerana mereka realist. Mereka ada cita-cita dan mahukan kebebasan. Mereka tahu kalau ada kerja, mereka ada kebebasan. Cita-cita mereka realistik. Krisis identiti ini lebih bahaya di kalangan lelaki berbanding wanita. Kalau kita hendak membina Melayu yang unggul kita perlu mengukuhkan jati diri terutamanya di kalangan remaja lelaki. Kita harus ada keseimbangan kuasa dalam masyarakat antara lelaki dan wanita.
MINGGUAN: Bagaimana hendak membentuk jati diri yang betul di kalangan remaja?
UNGKU AZIZ: Kita mesti berbalik kepada pendidikan kerana ia menentukan masa depan. Kalau tidak rajin belajar, mereka akan banyak berpoya-poya, hidup berangan-angan dan duduk melepak. Ini semua fenomena sosial yang melemahkan remaja Melayu. Kita perlu mengubahnya dengan segera tetapi ia tidak mudah. Kita juga harus menanam hidup yang lebih berdisiplin. Kenapa misalnya di Jepun dan Switzerland, orang tahu berbaris tetapi di sini semua orang berebut-rebut hendak ke depan? Tidak ada disiplin sosial. Kita juga harus menanam sifat jujur dan amanah. Kalau jumpa dompet di tengah jalan kita pulangkan. Tetapi dalam masyarakat kita orang yang buat begitu adalah golongan yang terkecuali. Ia tidak normal, dan apabila berlaku ia jadi bahan berita. Malah orang merasakan kalau jumpa dompet di tengah jalan itu rezeki. Konsep rezekinya pun sudah salah. Kesedaran tentang nilai-nilai murni ini mesti dibina dari awal. Pada fikiran saya, pergerakan pengakap di sekolah dulu boleh menanam nilai-nilai ini. Sekarang ia sudah dipolitikkan.
MINGGUAN: Apa lagi yang perlu kita tanam kepada remaja?
UNGKU AZIZ: Sifat kesetiaan dan patriotisme. Kepada saya, remaja yang dipanggil tetapi tidak pergi ke Program Latihan Khidmat Negara itu dalam jati dirinya tidak ada nilai patriotisme. Kita tidak boleh melihatnya sebagai hero. Kalau patriotik, apabila dipanggil dia mesti pergi. Itu satu tanggungjawab. Remaja juga harus berani buat apa saja, bersedia pada bila-bila masa. Ini sifat yang kepada saya harus ada tidak kira pada semua orang yang mahu berjaya. Kalau hendak membina remaja yang unggul apabila dewasa kita kena pastikan mereka ada nilai-nilai ini - berdisiplin, berani, jujur, amanah dan patriotisme. Ini boleh kita buat melalui pendidikan tetapi kena fokus.
MINGGUAN: Apakah kita perlu mengetengahkan model-model baru kepada remaja?
UNGKU AZIZ: Barangkali model itu ada tetapi kita simpan dalam almari (ketawa). Kita kena keluarkannya dari almari dan gilap sedikit. Kalau kita melihat tempoh 100 tahun yang lalu, saya fikir model itu banyak. Malah dalam sejarah juga ada tokoh-tokoh yang boleh dijadikan model, Hang Tuah misalnya. Dia mungkin tidak pernah wujud tetapi sifat-sifatnya boleh kita baca dalam Hikayat Hang Tuah. Dia perkasa, suka menuntut ilmu dan belajar banyak bahasa. Dia juga setia; baik atau buruk kesetiaannya itu, usah ditanya. Sifat-sifat terpuji daripada model-model inilah yang akan membina realiti, melahirkan remaja yang akan jadi pemimpin masa depan yang memberikan harapan kepada bangsa. Kita tidak akan melahirkan manusia unggul dengan bercakap-cakap saja.
MINGGUAN: Apakah yang tidak harus ada pada orang Melayu untuk menjadi unggul?
UNGKU AZIZ: Harus tahu membezakan antara realiti dan fantasi. Orang muda hari ini lebih cenderung kepada angan-angan kerana pengaruh media yang saya sebutkan tadi, terutamanya media elektronik.
MINGGUAN: Usaha ini banyak bergantung kepada media?
UNGKU AZIZ: Ya, kerana media ada hubungan langsung dengan kelompok ini. Pada masa yang sama perlu juga ada peranan ibu bapa dan guru. Semua pihak bertanggungjawab. Kita tidak boleh sapu rata salahkan media saja - kononnya kalau baik media, semuanya akan baik. Tidak begitu? Para pemimpin juga ada peranannya. Suka atau tidak suka, mereka adalah model yang unggul; seharusnya begitulah. Kalau orang mahu berjaya mereka harus membetulkan diri sendiri. Jangan jadi seperti Enron dan WorldCom yang melahirkan tokoh-tokoh korporat berjaya tetapi mengerjakan duit orang beratus bilion. Itu bukan model yang baik.
MINGGUAN: Apa yang boleh dilakukan oleh ibu bapa?
UNGKU AZIZ: Berikan perhatian kepada pemakanan anak-anak mereka. Masalah kritikal orang Melayu sejak berpuluh tahun lalu ialah umumnya saiz badan mereka kecil. Mengikut teori saya, 90 peratus masalah ini berpunca daripada makanan. Kalau kita lihat orang yang masuk tentera atau yang keluarganya berpendapatan tinggi yang mendapat makanan lebih baik, saiz tubuh mereka lebih besar, tinggi dan lebih sihat. Masalah saiz kecil ini boleh ditangani pada zaman awal praremaja, semasa kanak-kanak. Tujuh tahun pertama dalam hidup manusia adalah tempoh pembesaran fizikal yang penting. Kalau tidak dapat makanan yang seimbang ketika itu, pembesarannya akan terganggu. Kalau mahu jadi bangsa yang unggul orang Melayu mesti bersaiz lebih besar.
MINGGUAN: Apa hubung kaitnya?
UNGKU AZIZ: Cuba kita lihat di sekeliling kita. Orang yang berjaya biasanya tubuh mereka besar dan tinggi, bahu mereka lebar. Ini semua datang daripada pemakanan yang baik. Pemakanan bukan saja mempengaruhi saiz badan tetapi lebih penting pembinaan otak. Otak mereka lebih cekap seperti bateri yang sudah dicas dengan baik. Otak kita ini seperti bateri. Kita charge otak dengan makanan yang berzat dan seimbang. Kita harus melakukannya dari sekolah rendah.
MINGGUAN: Bagaimana?
UNGKU AZIZ: Kita harus mula menyusun program makanan yang lebih baik dan menyeluruh untuk sekolah-sekolah. Sekarang kita buat tetapi tidak di semua sekolah dan tidak teratur. Kenapa tidak kita mula menyediakan makan tengah hari yang seimbang dengan lebih sistematik, sehari sekali di sekolah? Kanak-kanak yang membesar harus makan paling kurang sebiji telur seminggu. Tetapi ia tidak berlaku kerana sesetengah orang Melayu tidak mampu. Apatah lagi sekarang ini harga telur dan makanan keseluruhannya sudah naik. Tetapi saya percaya usaha ini boleh dilakukan oleh kerajaan. Kalau kita percaya bahawa remaja adalah harapan masa depan, kita harus mula membina mereka sejak peringkat praremaja lagi. Kita harus menjaga anak harapan bangsa ini sejak dari kecil lagi.
MINGGUAN: Apa lagi selain menjaga makanan?
UNGKU AZIZ: Jaga kesihatan dengan bersukan. Kita boleh melahirkan manusia unggul melalui sukan. Kita harus galakkan orang menjadikan sukan sebagai satu cara hidup. Tetapi sekarang sudah terbalik - kita cari juara, beri duit dan jadikan mereka celebrity. Ini melampau. Kita tidak harus sampai ke tahap itu. Melalui sukan orang akan jadi lebih sihat, kuat dan aktif. Kita galakkan orang bersukan bukan untuk menang tetapi semata-mata untuk bersukan. Apa salahnya kita galakkan bersukan untuk suka-suka. Kalau mahu mencari keunggulan kita harus juga melihat kepada aspek sukan kerana ia ada kaitan dengan kesihatan.
MINGGUAN: Pak Ungku sudah membincangkan tentang perubahan sikap, pemakanan dan kesihatan. Bagaimana dengan pendidikan?
UNGKU AZIZ: Apabila sampai kepada satu peringkat golongan remaja akan mula matang fikirannya. Mereka mula berfikir. Kita harus ada satu sistem yang lebih baik untuk mengajar orang berfikir. Kepada saya, salah satu kelemahan sistem pelajaran kita pada hari ini ialah ia tidak mengajar orang berfikir. Para pemimpin kita selalu bercakap tentang masyarakat inovatif dan kreatif. Tetapi bagaimana mahu melahirkan masyarakat seperti itu kalau mereka tidak diajar untuk inovatif dan kreatif? Ia perlu diasuh dan dipupuk dari awal.
MINGGUAN: Apakah sistem pendidikan kita membantu pembentukan bangsa unggul?
UNGKU AZIZ: Saya fikir ada banyak kekurangan dan kelemahannya. Ini hakikat yang perlu saya suarakan. Kalau ada menteri-menteri yang hendak marah dengan kenyataan ini, tidak mengapa. Saya pun sudah 83 tahun (ketawa), tidak kisah apa-apa lagi. Saya hanya menyuarakan pandangan, bukan untuk mengenakan sesiapa. Kita harus memikirkan hala yang hendak kita tuju, dan menyusun langkahnya dari situ. Selepas itu jangan ditukar-tukar separuh jalan.
MINGGUAN: Apakah yang menghalang orang Melayu untuk menjadi unggul?
UNGKU AZIZ: Ini terpulang kepada diri masing-masing, berbalik kepada apa yang saya petik daripada Za’ba di awal tadi. Saya sudah sebut sebelum ini, dan saya hendak ulang lagi: Buku Za’ba itu adalah bacaan wajib untuk semua orang Melayu. Secara ringkas, apa yang dikatakan oleh Za’ba dalam bukunya itu ialah kalau ada keyakinan kita boleh melakukan apa saja. Kita boleh menjadi unggul tetapi usaha itu bergantung kepada diri kita sendiri. Malah apa yang disebut oleh Za’ba itu adalah falsafah yang digali daripada ajaran al-Quran. Itulah yang harus kita tekankan kepada remaja hari ini. Ini soal mahu atau tidak mahu, mahu lebih atau mahu kurang - pilihan masing-masing. Tetapi kalau pemikirannya terkongkong oleh model-model kecil yang dibentuk oleh media, mereka akan sukar membuat pilihan kerana tidak boleh berfikir. Mereka hendak bergembira saja tetapi hidup ini bukan bergembira sepanjang masa. Ini masalahnya. Orang selalu bercakap tentang sifat-sifat negatif Melayu - malas dan suka buang masa, misalnya - sehingga menimbulkan rasa rendah diri untuk mereka maju.
MINGGUAN: Apa pandangan Pak Ungku dalam hal ini?
UNGKU AZIZ: Sifat malas itu ada kaitannya dengan kemiskinan dalam masyarakat. Dari segi ekonominya, kemiskinan menyebabkan orang tidak ada tenaga kerana tidak mendapat pemakanan yang baik. Rasa rendah diri pula sifat yang sudah lama ada dalam jiwa orang Melayu. Ini soal budaya. Tetapi orang yang menjadi berjaya adalah mereka yang mampu mengeluarkan diri daripada kepungan budaya itu - kepungan budaya yang ada dalam minda. Ia boleh diatasi, bergantung kepada diri sendiri. Tidak ada yang mustahil. Tidak ada apa-apa yang menghalang orang Melayu untuk menjadi unggul.
MINGGUAN: Pak Ungku pernah sebut sesetengah orang Melayu yang berjaya daripada Dasar Ekonomi Baru ibarat kacang lupakan kulit; tidak membantu anak bangsa lain berjaya sama. Tidakkah mereka boleh menjadi pemangkin pembinaan Melayu unggul ini?
UNGKU AZIZ: Ini bukan soal boleh; tetapi itulah yang sepatutnya. Siapa lagi kalau bukan mereka?
MINGGUAN: Pak Ungku telah mengupas tentang zaman remaja yang cukup kritikal dalam pembinaan sahsiah bangsa. Pak Ungku semasa remaja bagaimana?
UNGKU AZIZ: Zaman saya remaja sekitar tahun 1930-an dan 1940-an dulu adalah satu zaman yang sama sekali berlainan, zaman perang. Tetapi saya bekerja kuat kerana yakin bahawa kejayaan adalah dengan memiliki ijazah. Jadi saya belajar bersungguh-sungguh. Arwah ayah tidak banyak mempengaruhi saya, tidak banyak meninggalkan nasihat. Dia hidup dalam dunianya sendiri tetapi dari semasa ke semasa kami berbincang juga. Dia banyak meninggalkan saya dengan dunia saya sendiri. Tetapi ada satu perkara yang dia tekankan: Kalau tidak berjaya dalam pelajaran kamu tidak akan jadi sesiapa. Dia nasihatkan bahawa dalam apa keadaan saya mesti belajar kerana kejayaan itu datang daripada usaha kita belajar. Ini tidak ada galang-gantinya. Dia menanam dalam dada saya bahawa kejayaan akan datang dengan belajar bersungguh-sungguh. Jadi semasa di English College, Johor Bahru saya belajar bersungguh-sungguh. Selepas ayah meninggal pada tahun 1939, saya jadi anak yatim piatu. Ibu meninggal semasa saya umur 4 tahun. Semasa itu pun saya tidak suka pergi kepada ahli keluarga untuk minta bantuan. Apabila bapa saudara saya (Datuk Onn Jaafar) jadi Menteri Besar Johor pun saya tidak rasa saya perlu minta kerja, sokongan atau duit daripada dia. Saya pernah jadi kerani semasa menunggu keputusan peperiksaan. Apa yang saya buat itu adalah sebahagian daripada usaha untuk berjaya, pemikiran yang sudah tertanam dalam diri saya. Saya tidak kisah jadi kerani untuk cari duit supaya dapat belajar. Saya tidak pernah segan macam kebanyakan graduan yang menganggur sekarang. Saya fikir sikap inilah yang harus ada pada setiap orang muda yang mahu berjaya.
MINGGUAN: Sikap terhadap pelajaran?
UNGKU AZIZ: Ya, sudah semestinya. Sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua saya sudah masuk ke Raffles College tetapi kemudian terganggu apabila Jepun datang. Tetapi semasa itu pun saya terus belajar juga. Saya ke Universiti Waseda di Jepun, sempat belajar dua tahun. Orang perang atau tidak perang, saya belajar juga. Apabila semua universiti di Jepun ditutup saya balik semula ke Johor dan berkhidmat sekejap dengan kerajaan negeri. Apabila Raffles College buka semula saya sambung belajar sampai lulus. Kepada saya jentera dalam mindalah yang menggerakkan saya untuk berjaya. Kemahuan untuk berjaya itu harus ada dalam minda terlebih dulu. Soal hendak jadi kaya tidak pernah terlintas dalam fikiran saya.
MINGGUAN: Apakah antara perkara penting yang Pak Ungku belajar yang membentuk diri Pak Ungku sampai ke tahap ini?
UNGKU AZIZ: Satu perkara yang saya belajar semasa di Jepun ialah sifat samurai: Kalau dicabar, tarik pedang dan lawan. Kalau menang, menanglah; kalau kalah, mati. Habis cerita. Saya fikir orang yang hendak jadi unggul ini perlu ada semangat seperti itu - pantang dicabar. Tidak tahu takut, tidak kenal undur. Semangat samurai ini kepada saya ialah sifat perkasa. Dalam falsafah al-Ghazali pun ada disebut bahawa sifat orang yang berjaya ialah mereka yang berani.
MINGGUAN: Boleh Pak Ungku namakan Melayu unggul yang boleh dicontohi?
UNGKU AZIZ: Susah bagi saya hendak menamakannya tetapi orang itu harus ada ciri-ciri yang kita bincangkan tadi. Dia harus berani, jujur, amanah, berkata benar, berhemah, bekerja keras dan semangat tinggi. Dia mesti bersungguh-sungguh bak kata pepatah genggam bara api biar jadi abu. Kita jangan jadi bangsa hangat-hangat tahi ayam. Dan keunggulan mereka itu tentunya akan diukur dari segi kejayaan, baik dalam bidang apa sekalipun.
MINGGUAN: Sekarang ini orang melihat kepada Pak Ungku?
UNGKU AZIZ: (Ketawa) Saya tidak berani. Lihatlah diri saya ini. Saya begini saja. Saya tidak suka pakai tali leher dan saya makan simple saja. Ini bukan saya buat-buat; saya memang begini. Ini memang saya. Susah untuk orang jadi macam saya. Saya tidak fikir orang boleh meniru cara saya. Tetapi kalau dedikasi saya - dedikasi ini perkataan yang besar - terhadap pendidikan, barangkali, ya. Saya fikir orang boleh tiru sifat-sifat baik yang mereka fikir ada pada saya.
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john c. maxwell(2007) Talent is never enough.
1-belief lift ur talents
2-passion energizes ur talent
3-initiative activates ur talent
4-focus direct ur talent
5-preparation positions ur talent
6-practice sharpens ur talent
7-preseverance sustains ur talent
8-courage tests ur talent
9-teachability expands ur talent
10-character protects ur talent
11-relationships influence ur talent
12-responsibility strengtens ur talent
13-teamwork multiplies ur talent
huuu…engat nk bg abes bce buku nih.tp x dpat la pulak…
my komen ttg buku nih:
-i luv d way he support his ideas w story, so cm bce bku cter jek..i likeeee
-bru bce chap 3, i nver skip any chap lke i lwy do wen red books.so…congatz 2 me…
-mmg best bku nih…cume citer2 kt tv lgik best…so x dpt nk abes bku nih.
-myb nk bli kot,sbb best.
3 Comments »
www.jphpk.gov.my/…/duck%20recipes.htm
GULAI DAGING
Bahan:
- 500g daging dipotong ketul-ketul (kambing atau lembu)
- 400g kentang -dikupas dan dipotong 4-6
- 1 biji bawang besar di hiris halus
- 5 kuntum bunga cengkeh
- 4 biji buah pelaga
- 3cm kayu manis
- 3 cawan air
- minyak untuk menumis
- garam secukupnya
- 1 sudu besar kelapa parut di sangar hingga garing dan dikisar halus
- 1/2 cawan santan pekat
- 1 sudu besar serbuk ketumbar
- 1 sudu teh rata serbuk jintan putih
- 1 sudu teh penuh serbuk kunyit
Bahan-bahan dikisar:
- 12-14 tangkai lada kering di rendam sehingga lembut
- 1.5sm halia
- 1 batang serai
- 1 sm lengkuas
Cara membuat:
-
Campurkan bahan-bahan berikut dalam sebuah mangkuk :~ daging, bahan-bahan yang dikisar, serbuk rempah dan kelapa parut yang disangar.
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Panaskan minyak. Masukkan bawang yang dihiris, cengkeh, pelaga dan kayu manis. Tumis hingga bangkit baunya.
-
Kemudian, masukkan daging yang sudah bercampur bahan kisar, ditumis selama beberapa minit lagi hingga wangi.
-
Tuangkan air and renih dengan api kecil hingga daging empuk. Tuangkan santan pekat dan kacau, masak anggaran 2-3 minit sebelum memasukkan kentangnya. Masak sehingga kentang empuk.
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MAKARONI BAKAR
-
Masak lebih kurang 15 minit atau apabila air daging kering, kemudian sejukkan.
-
Bila dah SEJUK masukkan telur putih, kacau sebati.
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Sapukan loyang bersaiz 7x 5 inci dgn sedikit mentega
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Terdpt 2 cara utk memasukkan pasta dan inti kedlm loyang, pilih salah satu cara
Cara I: Campurkan kesemua pasta dgn inti kemudian masukkan kedlm loyang.
Tuang sos putih diatasnya, ratakan.
Akhir sekali tabur keju parut .
Cara II: Masukkan1/3 pasta kemudian tabur 1/2 inti dan sedikit keju parut, lapiskan semula dgn 1/3 lagi pasta diikuti lebihan inti dan sedikit keju dan akhir sekali 1/3 lagi pasta dan atasnya tuang sekata sos putih dan akhir sekali tabur keju parut
Bakar didlm oven pd suhu 180’C selama 30 min atau sehingga keju keperangan
Angkat biarkan selama 15 minit sedia utk dihidangkanNota: Boleh tambah sayuran spt cendawan, capsicum hijau/merah didlm inti jika suka
Bahan sos putih:
- 30 g mentega
- 1 sudu besar tepung gandum
- 500 ml susu segar
- 2 kuning telur
- 125 g keju cheddar } diparut
- garam secukup rasa
- ½ sudu kecil serbuk lada sulah
Cara membuat sos putih:
-
Cairkan mentega dgn api yg perlahan, masukkan tepung gandum kacau sehingga sebati
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Masukkan susu kacau (whisk) dgn menggunakan pemukul telur sehingga sebati.
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Panaskan sehingga mendidih sambil sentiasa dikacau supaya tidak bergentel. Masukkan garam dan lada sulah secukup rasa.
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Tutup api, sejukkan sedikit baru masukkan keju parut & kuning telur.
Kacau sebati ketepikan
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Bahan:
- 250 g macaroni } direbus hingga lembut toskan gaul dgn sedikit mentega
Bahan inti:
- 500 g daging cincang
- 30 g mentega
- 1/2 labu bawang besar } dicincang
- 1 ulas bawang putih } dicincang halus
- 1 sudu kecil garam
- 1 sudu kecil serbuk lada sulah
- ½ sudu kecil oregano kering atau parsley kering
- 175 g buah tomato } buang biji, potong dadu
- 2 putih telur
- 500 ml sos putih
- 125 g keju cheddar } diparut
Cara membuat:
-
Panaskan mentega, masukkan bawang besar dan bawang putih.
-
Apabila layu masukkan daging cincang, tomato, garam dan lada sulah.
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14 Comments »
 Arabic: Habba Souda, Habbat al-Barakah;
Other English: Fennel Flower, Black Cumin Nigella sativa; Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)
Native to the Mediterranean and grown throughout the Middle East and parts of Asia, Nigella sativa is cultivated for its seeds, which are known as the “seeds of blessing.” For the Arabs, black seed is not only a food but also a valued traditional medicine that has long been used to treat such ailments as asthma, flatulence, polio, kidney stones, abdominal pain and so on. It has served as an important health and beauty aid for thousands of years.
According to tradition, the Prophet Muhammad described black seed as a cure for every disease except death. The great physician Ibn Sina (980–1037), better known as Avicenna, stated that black seed works as an expectorant, stimulates the body’s energy and helps overcome fatigue and dispiritedness.
How to use: 1) Eat black seeds plain; 2) Eat a teaspoon of black seed mixed with honey; 3) Boil black seed with water. Strain and drink; 4) Heat black seed and warm milk until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat. Cool, then drink; 5) Grind black seed and swallow it with water or milk; 6) Sprinkle on bread and pastries; 7) Burn black seed with bukhoor (incense) for a pleasant scent.
In the kitchen: Black seed is aromatic with a slight peppery flavor. It is one of the distinct flavors of Arab pastries. It is often sprinkled on breads and cheese. It is heated with milk for flavor. It is eaten ground with honey or with cakes and pastries.
Remedies across Arabia: In Arabia, black seed remains a traditional remedy for asthma, coughs, stomach aches, abdominal pain, colic, general fatigue, rheumatism, mouth and larynx diseases, skin diseases and cancer. It is also believed to strengthen a mother after childbirth; stimulate menstruation, urination and liver functions; aid digestion; dissolve kidney stones; and increase intelligence. Black seed is used to beautify skin, nourish hair and stimulate hair growth.
Chemical composition of seed essential oils from Algerian Nigella sativa extracted by microwave and hydrodistillation
Extraction of essential oil from Nigella sativa seed collected at two locations in the Sahara desert, Timimoun (T) and Adrar (A), has been conducted by hydrodistillation (HD) and a microwave distillation process (MD). The composition of the volatile oil was investigated by capillary gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using the hydrodistillation, active compounds such as:
p-cymene (8.9 and 7.2% in T and A, respectively),
4-terpineol (0.6-8.9%),
thymohydroquinone (6.1-12.2%),
thymoquinone (1.6-21.8%),
carvacrol (12.9-12.9%),
carvone (4.4-0.3%)
and thymol (1.5-0.7%) were the major components,
representing more than 36% (T) and 64% (A) of the oils.
For the microwave distillation,
p-cymene (28.1% and 32.0% in T and A, respectively),
4-terpineol (3.4-2.0%),
thymohydroquinone (0.7-1.1%),
thymoquinone (10.8-24.6%),
carvacrol (3.0-6.0%),
and thymol (0.3-0.3%) represent respectively 46.1% and 66.0% of the T and A oils.
Research Article
1) Department of Veterinary Medicine, King Saud University, Buraydah, Al Gaseem 81999, Saudi Arabia.
The seeds of Nigella sativa Linn. (Ranunculaceae), commonly known as black seed or black cumin, are used in folk (herbal) medicine all over the world for the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases and conditions that include asthma, diarrhoea and dyslipidaemia. This article reviews the main reports of the pharmacological and toxicological properties of N. sativa and its constituents. The seeds contain both fixed and essential oils, proteins, alkaloids and saponin. Much of the biological activity of the seeds has been shown to be due to thymoquinone, the major component of the essential oil, but which is also present in the fi ed oil. The pharmacological actions of the crude extracts of the seeds (and some of its active constituents, e.g. volatile oil and thymoquinone) that have been reported include protection against nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity induced by either disease or chemicals. The seeds/oil have antiinflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antimicrobial and antineoplastic activity. The oil decreases blood pressure and increases respiration. Treatment of rats with the seed extract for up to 12 weeks has been reported to induce changes in the haemogram that include an increase in both the packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb), and a decrease in plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. The seeds are characterized by a very low degree of toxicity. Two cases of contact dermatitis in two individuals have been reported following topical use. Administration of either the seed extract or its oil has been shown not to induce significant adverse effects on liver or kidney functions. It would appear that the beneficial effects of the use of the seeds and thymoquinone might be related to their cytoprotective and antioxidant actions, and to their effect on some mediators of inflammation. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
2) Effect of Nigella sativa (black seed) on subjective feeling in patients with allergic diseases
Abstract
| Nigella sativa (black seed) is an important medicinal herb. In many Arabian, Asian and African countries, black seed oil is used as a natural remedy for a wide range of diseases, including various allergies. The plant’s mechanism of action is still largely unknown. Due to the lack of study data on its efficacy in allergies, four studies on the clinical efficacy of Nigella sativa in allergic diseases are presented. In these studies, a total of 152 patients with allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, atopic eczema) were treated with Nigella sativa oil, given in capsules at a dose of 40 to 80 mg/kg/day. The patients scored the subjective severity of target symptoms using a predefined scale. The following laboratory parameters were investigated: IgE, eosinophil count, endogenous cortisol in plasma and urine, ACTH, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol and lymphocyte subpopulations. |
| The score of subjective feeling decreased over the course of treatment with black seed oil in all four studies. A slight decrease in plasma triglycerides and a discrete increase in HDL cholesterol occurred while the lymphocyte subpopulations, endogenous cortisol levels and ACTH release remained unchanged. Black seed oil therefore proved to be an effective adjuvant for the treatment of allergic diseases. |
3) Antibacterial effect of black seed oil on Listeria monocytogenes
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a major foodborne pathogen in the United States. Effective methods for reducing L. monocytogenes in foods would reduce the likelihood of foodborne outbreaks of listeriosis, and decrease economic losses to the food industry. Nigella sativa is a herbaceous plant, whose seeds (black seed) have been used as a spice and condiment in foods in the Middle East. The objective of this study was to determine the antibacterial effect of black seed oil on twenty strains of L. monocytogenes by disc diffusion method. A population of 7.0 log CFU of each strain of L. monocytogenes was inoculated on duplicate plates containing antibiotic medium one agar. The plates were allowed to dry at room temperature for 15 min. Three discs (6 mm diameter), each impregnated with 10 μl of black seed oil, vegetable oil (oil control), or gentamicin (positive control) were placed on each inoculated plate. The plates were incubated at 37 °C for 24 h, and were observed for zones of L. monocytogenes growth inhibition. Black seed oil exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against all the strains of L. monocytogenes, yielding a significantly (PL. monocytogenes. Results indicate that black seed oil could potentially be used to inhibit L. monocytogenes, but appropriate applications in foods need to be validated.
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Abstract
Histological and clinical studies of wound healing have been made on comparable fresh partial thickness burns with honey dressing or silver sulfadiazine (SSD) in two groups of 25 randomly allocated patients. Of the wounds treated with honey 84 per cent showed satisfactory epithelialization by the 7th day, and in 100 per cent of the patients by the 21st day. In wounds treated with silver sulfadiazine, epithelialization occurred by the 7th day in 72 per cent of the patients and in 84 per cent of patients by 21 days. Histological evidence of reparative activity was seen in 80 per cent of wounds treated with the honey dressing by the 7th day with minimal inflammation. Fifty two per cent of the silver sulfadiazine treated wounds showed reparative activity with inflammatory changes by the 7th day. Reparative activity reached 100 per cent by 21 days with the honey dressing and 84 per cent with SSD. Thus in honey dressed wounds, early subsidence of acute inflammatory changes, better control of infection and quicker wound healing was observed while in the SSD treated wounds sustained inflammatory reaction was noted even on epithelialization.
Dr M. Subrahmanyam, Professor and Head, Department of Surgery, Dr Vaishampayan Memorial Medical College, Solapur 413 003, , Maharashtra, , India.
ABSTRACT
University Department of Surgery, University Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.
Fifty-nine patients with wounds and ulcers most of which (80 per cent) had failed to heal with conventional treatment were treated with unprocessed honey. Fifty-eight cases showed remarkable improvement following topical application of honey. One case, later diagnosed as Buruli ulcer, failed to respond. Wounds that were sterile at the outset, remained sterile until healed, while infected wounds and ulcer became sterile within 1 week of topical application of honey. Honey debrided wounds rapidly, replacing sloughs with granulation tissue. It also promoted rapid epithelialization, and absorption of oedema from around the ulcer margins.
WOUND CARE
Journal of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing. 29(6):295-300, November 2002.
Lusby, P. E. BappSci (Med & App Biotech); Coombes, A. B Med Lab Sci; Wilkinson, J. M. BSc, PhD, GradDip FET
Abstract:
Although honey has been used as a traditional remedy for burns and wounds, the potential for its inclusion in mainstream medical care is not well recognized. Many studies have demonstrated that honey has antibacterial activity in vitro, and a small number of clinical case studies have shown that application of honey to severely infected cutaneous wounds is capable of clearing infection from the wound and improving tissue healing. The physicochemical properties (eg, osmotic effects and pH) of honey also aid in its antibacterial actions. Research has also indicated that honey may possess antiinflammatory activity and stimulate immune responses within a wound. The overall effect is to reduce infection and to enhance wound healing in burns, ulcers, and other cutaneous wounds. It is also known that honeys derived from particular floral sources in Australia and New Zealand (Leptospermum spp) have enhanced antibacterial activity, and these honeys have been approved for marketing as therapeutic honeys (Medihoney and Active Manuka honey). This review outlines what is known about the medical properties of honey and indicates the potential for honey to be incorporated into the management of a large number of wound types.
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Volume 82 July 1989
Honey- a remedy rediscovered
Honey has had a valued place in traditional medicine
for centuries. The prescription for a standard wound
salve discovered in the Smith papyrus (an Egyptian
text dating from between 2600 and 2200 BC) calls for
a mixture of mrht (grease), byt (honey) and ftt
(lint/fibre) as transliterated from hieroglyphic symbols”
2. The ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Chinese,
Greeks and Romans employed honey for wounds and
diseases of the gut. Honey was the most popular
Egyptian drug being mentioned 500 times in 900
remedies’. Whilst Hippocrates (3rd and 4th centuries
BC) made little use of drugs in treatment he
prescribed a simple diet, favouring honey given as
oxymel (vinegar and honey) for pain, hydromel
(water and honey) for ‘thirst’3′4, and a mixture of
honey, water and various medicinal substances
for acute fevers5. During the Biblical era honey
received religious endorsement by both Christianity
and Islam. When the Children of Israel were in
Egypt or were journeying through the desert, the
promise was made that their destination was to be
‘a land flowing with milk and honey’6. The holy
Qur’an vividly illustrates the potential therapeutic
value of honey7′8.
Thy Lord has inspired the Bees,
to build their hives in hills,
on trees and in man’s habitations,
From within their bodies comes
a drink of varying colours,
wherein is healing for mankind,
Verily in this is a Sign,
for those who give thought.
Although a vast number of papers and articles have
been published on the subject, most have concentrated
on the biochemical analysis and food and non-food
commercial uses9″10. In the past, scientific opinions
on honey’s nutritive and medical uses have differed
and clashed with folklore. Controversies within the
scientific community5 have re-kindled interest in the
therapeutic uses of honey in modern medicine.
Recently, scientific support has emerged with a
proliferation in publications on the successful
therapeutic use of honey in several general medical
and surgical conditions.
The antibacterial”l’l3 and antifungal14 properties
of honey have been well documented, with growth of
organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus,
Enteropathogens and Candida albicans inhibited in
undiluted honey. Jeddar et al.12 have shown that
honey at a concentration of 40% was bactericidal to
various gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. In
particular, Salmonella shigella, enteropathogenic
Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholera - all of which are
major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Used at concentrations ofbetween 30% to 50% honey
was found to be superior to cephaloridine, ampicillin,
gentamycin, nitrofurantoin, nalidixic acid and cotrimoxazole
in inhibiting growth of nine types of
pathogenic organisms isolated from the urine samples
of 149 patients with confirmed urinary tract
infection13. The mechanism of the antibacterial effect
of honey remains speculative. Shrinkage disruption
of the bacterial cell wall due to the osmotic effect, low
pH, and the presence of bactericidal substances
collectively called inhibine may contribute.
Honey has been of proven value in treating infected
surgical wounds, burns and decubitus ulcers’5-’8.
Cavanagh et al.” successfully used local application
ofhoney in the postoperative management ofpatients
who had undergone radical vulvectomy for vulval
carcinoma. Wound healing was accelerated and less
bacterial colonization noted by local application of
honey in patients who developed postoperative wound
breakdown. A recent study from West Africa19 showed
that skin grafting, surgical debridement and even
amputation were avoided when local application of
honey to wounds promoted healing whereas conventional
treatment had failed. These observations have
been borne out by an animal model in which pure
commercially available honey applied on 12 mice
healed wounds significantly faster than those of
controls2O. Honey is extremely viscous2l, hygroscopic,
contains enzymes such as catalase’0 and together
with its antibiotic properties, this enables it to absorb
water from surrounding oedematous tissue, clean the
wound and protect it from further infection. Slough
and necrotic tissue is gradually separated as a
consequence, leaving healthy granulation tissue
behind.
A clinical study involving 169 infants and children
with gasteroenteritis demonstrated that honey, given
with oral rehydration fluid, shortens the duration of
bacterial diarrhoea22. It was concluded that honey
can safely be used as a substitute for glucose in
solution with electrolytes and is just as efficient
as glucose in promoting sodium and water absorption
from the gut. Reports of supplementation of infant
diets with unprocessed honey contaminated with
spores of Clostridium botulinum resulting in botulism
has put honey’s traditional role in infant feeding
rather severely into disrepute23.
Although honey has been used for commercial and
domestic uses for thousands of years, much of the
literature is only descriptive. Further evaluation and
application ofthe healing properties of honey in other
clinical and laboratory situations is warranted. For
example, use of it could be made in the field of leprosy.
The foul smelling, chronic ulcers contribute to the
social degradation and isolation of the patient. Could
these be treated with this simple, acceptable and
readily available remedy? Deoxyfructose serotonin,
a substance derived from coffee-wax, has an anti-
Mycobacterium leprae action and has been shown in
preliminary studies to be of benefit in patients with
active lepromatous leprosy24. Honey obtained from
beeswax contains fructose in its different forms25,
and may possess an anti-leprosy effect. Effects
of various components of honey on cell-mediated
immunity needs evaluation.
The therapeutic potential of uncontaminated, pure
honey is grossly underutilized. It is widely available
in most communities and although the mechanism of
action of several of its properties remains obscure and
needs further investigation, the time has now come for
conventional medicine to lift the blinds off this
‘traditional remedy’ and give it its due recognition.
A Zumla
Department of Medicine
Royal Postgraduate Medical School
Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 OHS
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METHODS OF COMMUNICATION
The methods of communicating the message is just as important as the content of the communication. Those spreading Islam should not limit their efforts to reciting Qur’anic verses one after another, explaining matters of religion, and urging one to have faith. Rather, they must calculate the most effective manner and style to employ. This includes observing the other person’s reactions to what is being told. If this reaction is one of confusion, the method should be changed.
Of course, it is also possible that the person will persist in denial. In this case, the believer has to consider how long to pursue this effort, when to stop, and what to do next. The Qur’an is a believer’s guide in all of these matters, for the Prophet changed his methods according to circumstances and characters of people he met.
1. Identifying the person appropriate for the communication
Believers must first realize that those whom they are addressing may not come to faith right away. The education they have gone through or the influence of the people around them may lead them to show negative reactions, to the extent of refusing to listen. For this reason, those who want to spread Allah’s message should primarily select conscientious people who are inherently inclined to Islam. There is no urgency to talk with those who are arrogant or hostile toward religion. Allah relates in the Qur’an thus:
You will not make dead people hear and you will not make deaf people hear the call when they turn their backs in flight. You will not guide blind people out of their error. You will not make anyone hear except for those who have faith in Our Signs and so are Muslims. (Surat an-Naml: 80-81)
In another verse, Allah reveals the difference between those who will come to faith and those who will not:
The Word has been justly carried out against most of them, so they have no faith. We have put iron collars around their necks reaching up to the chin so that their heads are forced back. We have placed a barrier in front of them and a barrier behind them, blindfolding them so that they cannot see. It makes no difference to them whether you warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe. You can only warn those who act on the Reminder and fear [and respect] the All-Merciful in the Unseen. Give them the good news of forgiveness and a generous reward. (Surah Ya Sin: 7-11)
When believers decide to talk about Islam with others, they should consider these criteria. If they see no sign of a sincere conscience in those to whom they are talking, insistence on communicating the message will become a waste of time. As Allah underlines in many verses of the Qur’an, majority of people will not come to faith. Since this is the case, believers should seek out these rare individuals whose hearts are inclined to believe and then call them to faith.
2. Continuing the communication until an assessment can be made about the individual.
According to the above criteria, if a person seems to be inclined toward faith, communication may begin. During this encounter, the hearer’s reactions, interpretations, and responses will reveal his or her attitude toward religion. Therefore, if the person shows no signs of sincerity, communication must continue until an assessment can be made about the person in question. If, at this point, it is understood that the person has no inclination towards the morality of the Qur’an, then the believers leave that person so that they can devote their precious time on more useful pursuits and activities of communication.
Remember that success of a believer cannot be measured by whether or not the person embraces Islam, for only Allah can lead people to the right path. Success can be measured only by whether his or her effort has been totally pleasing to Allah. Ending this effort if necessary and moving on to more useful work is also pleasing to Allah. As in the case of Prophet Hud who told the following to his people, believers should turn their backs to people who resist faith:
[Hud said:] “If you turn your backs, I have transmitted to you what I was sent to you with, and my Lord will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. My Lord is the Preserver of everything.” (Surah Hud: 57)
3. Assessing the hearer’s attitude and sincerity
Believers must frequently make an assessment of the unbelievers’ reactions to what they are being told. Sometimes it will be necessary to alter the conversation’s content, style, and intensity according to the person’s spiritual state and ability to understand. This could provide a degree of flexibility to make the message more appropriate to those being addressed. In addition, this would allow the believer to measure the other person’s sincerity or openness to the message before continuing. However, if the other person’s attitude is thought to be the result of an ulterior motive (e.g., worldly gain) or insincerity, then this effort should cease.
In the Qur’an Allah tells us that Prophet Sulayman (as) used to observe the person’s reaction and then present the next topic accordingly. When sending a letter to the Queen of Sheba via Hudhud, a member of his army, he gave this command:
“Take this letter of mine, deliver it to them, and then withdraw for a little and see how they respond.” (Surat an-Naml: 28)
4. Not to make offers regarding worship before the person strengthens in his faith
It should primarily be ensured that those who are newly introduced to the religion believe in Allah and the Hereafter. In order to fulfill the requirements of religious morality, they must be able to grasp its rationale and perform these acts of worship willingly and consciously. Otherwise, they will simply imitate others without understanding what they are doing or may choose not to do them at all. Thus, it is important to bring such people to a certain level of understanding of Islam and make them desire to worship Allah as He commands. In this process, no recommendations about worship may be given until the person asks specific questions or acquires a certain understanding. Indeed, a person who has sincere faith in Allah and the Hereafter will desire to perform the acts of worship revealed by Allah in the Qur’an himself.
5. Creating a sense of the believer’s power and grandeur
Unbelieving societies have a mistaken idea that religion speaks only to the poor. This is fallacy, for Islam calls all people to the path of Allah, our Lord. However sometimes, “actual” examples are required to demolish this fallacy. Muslims, blessed with the world’s most striking beauties, power and grandeur, who live by the morality of Islam and use these blessings for religion set the best examples to eliminate the prejudices of unbelievers.
People tend to admire power, wealth, and splendor. That is why most people avoid Muslims who are morally upright and sincere but have no power; but instead admire and try to emulate coarse, immoral people just because of their wealth. But this “psychological” advantage of the unbelievers may benefit the believers when they are seen to be richer and more splendid than the unbelievers.
This is one of the reasons why the Qur’an emphasizes Sulayman’s (as) power and wealth and how he used them to communicate the faith. The Qur’an describes the Queen of Sheba’s submission and how greatly she was affected by his wealth:
She was told: “Enter the courtyard.” But when she saw it, she supposed it to be a pool and bared her legs. He said: “It is a courtyard paved with glass.” She said: “O my Lord, I have wronged myself, but I have submitted with Sulayman to the Lord of all the worlds.” (Surat an-Naml: 44)
To use the blessings that Allah has given as a means to familiarize people with the Qur’an’s moral teachings is an act of worship. This was the purpose of several works of art commissioned by Sulayman (as). Following in his path, other believers may also use their power and wealth as effective means to acquaint people with religion.
6. Asking the people for their opinions
Remember that communication is not just “giving information.” Those who seek to communicate the message must know other people’s ideas, answer their questions, and provide proof to remove any mental reservations. For this reason, they must frequently ask what the hearers are thinking and, if no progress is being made, change the topic or adopt a new style.
When we look at the prophets’ and the messengers’ methods, we see that they questioned those who were listening to them. For example, Shu‘ayb (as) asked: “O my people, what do you think?” (Surah Hud: 88). Ibrahim (as) followed this same technique:
We gave Ibrahim his right guidance early on, and We had complete knowledge of him. When he asked his father and his people: “What are these statues you are clinging to?” they replied: “We found our fathers worshipping them.” He said: “You and your fathers are clearly misguided.” They asked: “Have you brought us the truth, or are you playing games?” He said: “Far from it! Your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and Earth, He who brought them into being. I am one of those who bear witness to that. By Allah, I will devise some scheme against your idols when your backs are turned.” He broke them in pieces, except for the largest one, so that they would have it to consult! They said: “Who has done this to our gods? He is definitely one of the wrongdoers!” They said: “We heard a young man mentioning them. They call him Ibrahim.” They ordered: “Bring him before the people’s eyes so they can be witnesses.” They asked: “Did you do this to our deities, Ibrahim?” He said: “No, this one, the largest of them, did it. Ask them, if they are able to speak!” They consulted among themselves and said [to each other]: “It is you yourselves who are wrongdoers.” But then they relapsed back into their unbelief [after having said to each other]: “You know full well these idols cannot talk.” He told them: “Do you then worship, instead of Allah, what cannot help or harm you in any way? Shame on you and what you worship besides Allah! Will you not use your intellect?” (Surat al-Anbiya’: 51-67)
Believers must ask questions from time to time to judge how effective their words have been, to determine what points should be emphasized, and to follow the progression of the hearer’s thoughts. They must record this progress and learn what those who are listening think of what they have been told. In this way, the believers will be able to assess the other party’s sincerity and determine how to proceed.
7. Employing the most effective method conforming to the person’s character
Apart from the truth of the message, effective communication depends on the way it is addressed: “Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition…” (Surat an-Nahl: 125).
This can be achieved by emphasizing a particular point and using interesting and relevant examples. Aside from this, since everyone has a different character and different needs, the believers have to tailor their styles and methods to make them effective. For example, sometimes it might be useful to use detailed examples or a concise narrative style. Through these methods, each believer should try to determine the listener’s level of comprehension and emotional state and adapt the method and manner of communication as necessary.
8. Leading a person to think
Asking questions may also lead people to think about particular topics. This is a very effective method for the communication of the message.
The most salient feature of unbelievers is that they do not know how to “think,” as thinking is defined in the Qur’an. They do not think about the meaning of life, but only about how to make money and put up appearances. They do not think about some basic faith-related issues the origin of the universe, who created their bodies, where a person goes after death, and other spiritual matters. Their thoughts are generally concentrated on their own personal gain.
Thus, those who are interested in Islam must be taught how to think, for that is the only way they will be able to see their society’s faults and errors and, as a result, grasp Islam’s basic tenets. When they can think, they can question their own ideas and beliefs, see where the deficiencies lie, and begin to feel discontented with their situation. This will lead them to search for what is right and true. In the Qur’an, Allah teaches people how to think and ask questions, and shows them what things they should think about:
Say: “What do you think? If Allah took away your hearing and your sight and sealed up your hearts, what deity is there, other than Allah, who could give them back to you?” Look how We vary the Signs, yet still they turn away! (Surat al-An‘am: 46)
Say: “Who provides for you out of heaven and Earth? Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who directs the whole affair?” They will reply: “Allah.” Say: “So will you not guard against evil?” That is Allah, your Lord, the Truth. And what is there after truth except misguidance? So how have you been distracted?” (Surah Yunus: 31-32)
Urging them to think, Prophet Ibrahim (as) also mare his people find the perversion they are in:
Recite to them the story of Ibrahim, when he asked his father and his people: “What do you worship?” They replied: “We worship idols and will continue to cling to them.” He asked: “Do they hear you when you call, or do they help you or do you harm?” They said: “No, but this is what we found our fathers doing.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 69-74)
Since whether or not to believe is left to people’s own free will, believers are duty-bound to help other people think about the truth. In order to perceive what is right in a particular matter, people must first think about it. For this reason, believers will communicate in a way that will lead other people to think.
9. Removing the influence of forefathers’ religion
There is a tendency in many people to conform to old traditions and follow the customs of their ancestors. If these traditions and customs accord with the Qur’an, there is no problem. However, if these practices violate the Qur’an and the tenets of Islam—which is often the case—then Allah bans them. The Qur’an is the guide for all Muslims; any traditions and rules that conflict with it contain no truth, regardless of who established them:
When they are told: “Follow what Allah has sent down,” they say: “No, we will follow what we found our fathers doing.” What! Even if satan is calling them to the punishment of the Blazing Fire? (Surah Luqman: 21)
People must be aware of this fact. Thus, they must be urged to abandon their ancestral “religion” and accept the Qur’an’s pure, unadulterated teachings. Otherwise, it becomes impossible for that person to understand and practice Islam.
10. Defining the life of ignorance and undoing its effects
The spiritual poverty of the society from which the person comes is one of the beneficial subjects that should be explained to the person to whom the message is communicated. This way s/he can compare the perfection of the morality of Islam with their own society’s distorted beliefs and practices and see the striking difference between them.
In societies that have remained distant to the morality of the Qur’an, the people’s moral make-up and understanding of justice have totally collapsed. Chaos and uneasiness is rife, the crime rate increases, and injustice grows apace. Allah’s messengers and prophets explained the danger of their situation and urged them not to overstep the boundaries that Allah has established for them. Comprehending that societal and personal hindrances will be removed by living by the Qur’an’s teachings, and that the establishment of Allah’s judgments will, by itself, eliminate the corruption rampant in the society is one of the important reasons that makes people feel closer to the religion.
While Yusuf (as) was in prison, two prisoners asked him to interpret their dreams. He replied:
… I have left the religion of a people who clearly have no faith in Allah and who refuse to acknowledge the truth of the world to come. I hold fast to the creed of my forebears Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya‘qub. We do not associate anything with Allah. And that is how Allah has favored us and all of humanity. But most do not give thanks. My fellow prisoners, are many lords better or Allah, the only One, the Conqueror? What you serve apart from Him are only names that you and your forefathers have made up. There is no mandate for them from Allah. Allah alone is qualified to judge. His order is to worship none but Him. That is, in truth, the straight and upright religion, but most people simply do not know.” (Surah Yusuf: 37-40)
Yusuf (as) told them about the idolatrous character of their society and asked, “are many lords better or Allah, the only One, the Conqueror?”. In this way, he revealed the great difference between idolatry and tawhid (the oneness of Allah). No doubt this knowledge can be provided in a very detailed manner. The idolatrous character may be described as selfish, greedy, opportunistic, unsophisticated, and crude, while the believers’ noble characteristics can be described as just the opposite.
The injustice, pitilessness, falsity, and opportunism, the features peculiar to those who associate others with Allah are totally opposite to the ideal of Islam. Presenting such a contrast is very useful in getting people to abandon their mistaken worldview and replace it with the Islamic one. However, to be effective, the examples given must be from the person’s own society.
11. Having control over the course of the conversation
Believers must never forget that the basic purpose of communication is to teach religious morality as a means to bring others to Islam. Unbelievers are generally inclined to turn the discussion to other areas. This is related to not being able to concentrate easily on religious topics, have an uneasy conscience, or not taking it seriously.
In this situation, believers must be very careful. Surely, it is meaningless to force someone who does not want to listen or feels bored to listen. In this situation, deliberately changing the topic, employing a different style, and giving the listener some time to relax will be useful. However, it would be a major mistake to allow the listeners to have control over the conversation and thereby have to deal with their unformed ideas and hypothetical questions. In short, believers should tell the listeners what is necessary and not what they want to hear. A good example is Yusuf’s (as) method of talking to other prisoners:
Two servants entered prison along with him. One said (to Yusuf): “I dreamt I was pressing grapes.” The other said: “I dreamt I carried bread upon my head and birds were eating it. Tell us the true meaning of these dreams. We see that you are one of the righteous.” He replied: “No meal to feed you will arrive before I have informed you what they [your dreams] mean. That is part of what my Lord taught me. For I have left the religion of a people who clearly have no faith in Allah and who refuse to acknowledge the truth of the world to come. I hold fast to the creed of my forebears Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya‘qub. We do not associate anything with Allah. And that is how Allah has favored us and all humanity. But most people do not give thanks. My fellow prisoners, are many lords better or Allah, the only One, the Conqueror? What you serve apart from Him are only names that you and your forefathers have made up. There is no mandate for them from Allah. Allah alone is qualified to judge. His order is to worship none but Him. That is, in truth, the straight and upright religion, but most people simply do not know. My fellow captives, one of you will serve his lord with wine, the other of you will be crucified and birds will eat his head. The thing you asked about is foreordained.” (Surah Yusuf: 36-41)
As we see, Yusuf (as) first presented religion and then answered their questions. If he had interpreted their dreams first, perhaps they would not have been interested in listening to what he said about religion. Musa (as) used a similar style when speaking to Pharaoh:
(Pharaoh) asked: “What about the previous generations?” He (Musa) replied: “Knowledge of them is with my Lord in a Book. My Lord does not misplace, nor does He forget.” It is He Who made Earth a cradle for you and threaded pathways for you through it, and sent down water from the sky by which We have brought forth different types of plants. (Surah Ta Ha: 51-53)
Just as Musa (as) and Yusuf (as) communicated the message intelligently, so believers must be intelligent, deliberate, and direct in their conversations. They must be in control of its general course and know how to direct it so that the listeners will not be able to divert it to other topics.
12. Waiting for a listener’s first reactions and choosing the appropriate method
One way to direct a conversation is to find out what the listener believes and then choose the most appropriate subject and style. This allows the presenter to learn what the listener already knows and to avoid giving useless information. The Qur’an describes how Musa (as) used this delicate technique:
The ruling circle of Pharaoh’s people said: “This is certainly a skilled magician who desires to expel you from your land, so what do you recommend?” They replied: “Detain him and his brother, and send out marshals to the cities to bring you all of the skilled magicians.” The magicians came to Pharaoh and asked: “Will we receive a reward if we are the winners?” He said: “Yes, and you will be among those brought near.” They asked: “Musa, will you throw first or shall we be the ones to throw?” He said: “You throw.” And when they threw, they cast a spell on the people’s eyes and caused them to feel great fear of them. They produced an extremely powerful magic. We revealed to Musa: “Throw down your staff.” And it immediately swallowed up what they had forged. So the Truth took place, and what they did was shown to be false. They were defeated then and there, transformed into humbled men. (Surat al-A‘raf: 109-119)
Musa (as) applied this efficient technique by telling Pharaoh’s magicians to throw first. This is also a method that can be employed by anyone who follows in the footsteps of messengers. By asking the other party’s views first, making him lay down what he believes and thinks and then devising the most suitable approach and style will be more efficient in destroying the false views s/he entertains.
13. Employing a style that hinders the person from erroneous behaviors
Commending what is good and avoiding what is evil is an important act of worship commanded in various verses of the Qur’an. It is clear that the content of this command also relates to those to whom Islam is introduced. Believers not only “command what is good” but also make them “avoid what is evil.”
Their attitudes and thoughts should be corrected by explaining what is erroneous about them. In case they persist in acting inappropriately, the believers may adopt a style of conversation that will embarrass them.
14. Indirect communication
In dialogues, a style of address aimed at the listener’s personality is generally employed. As a method of communication, however, in addition to that style, a third party may be addressed and other accounts given, again in such a way that the person in question is still informed of the message wishing to be communicated. This may enable the first listener to better understand the message being presented. This is a useful method that prevents the appearance of a possible tension between the listener and the one communicating the message and keeps listeners from becoming defensive and closing their ears.
15. Making people using their conscience and be sensitive
The purpose of communication is not only to teach or impart information; rather, it is more important to create an impression in the listeners’ conscience and lead them to undertake a sincere critique of their inner self. This requires a sincere, warm-hearted dialogue between the two people and a style that is guiding instead of instructive. For example, after Ibrahim (as) talked with his people, the prominent unbelievers were forced to examine their conscience:
He broke them in pieces, except for the largest one, so that they would have it to consult! They said: “Who has done this to our deities? He is definitely one of the wrongdoers!” They said: “We heard a young man mentioning them. They call him Ibrahim.” They ordered them: “Bring him before the people’s eyes so they can be witnesses.” They asked: “Did you do this to our gods, Ibrahim?” He said: “No, this one, the largest of them, did it. Ask them, if they are able to speak!” They consulted among themselves and said: “It is you yourselves who are wrongdoers.” (Surat al-Anbiya’: 58-64)
We can see from this story that a person’s conscience is his or her inner guide. As long as people follow their conscience, they will act correctly. This is the essence of religious morality. Allah uses people’s conscience to inspire them to behave in a way that pleases Him. For this reason, if there is any hindrance to a person’s learning and practicing religious morality (e.g., being afraid of others’ reactions, reluctance to give up old habits, etc.), these obstacles must be removed so that the person can obey his or her conscience.
16. Enabling a person to think freely
Freedom of thought is absolutely necessary for people to see the truth and make a right decision. To do this, they must be able to give up wrong ideas and embrace the truth. In this process, there must be no intellectual pressure and the mind must be free of bigotry. This cannot happen in an unbelieving environment, and new learners of religious morality must be informed of those things that impede free thought so that they can be removed. This will help produce a comfortable environment conducive to effective communication.
17. Not using force or pressure
Those who are spreading religion are not entitled to force listeners to believe, to make them embrace their views. Their only responsibility is to present Allah’s religion; Allah will give faith and lead unbelievers to the true path. Indeed Allah relates in the Qur’an thus:
So remind them! You are only a reminder. You are not in control of them. (Surat al-Ghashiyya: 21-22)
If your Lord had willed, all people on Earth would have had faith. Do you think you can force people to believe? (Surah Yunus: 99)
Refraining from the use of pressure and allowing listeners to believe what they want will show that the preachers are trustworthy and are not pursuing their own advantage. This will only add credence to their expression.
18. Remedying indifference
Though it apparently seems the easiest, listeners who are indifferent are the hardest people to
talk about religion with, for it is impossible to find out what they really think. Remaining silent or without showing any reaction, they appear to confirm what is being said. Yet they innerly do not accept, and simply remain indifferent. Someone insisting on the opposite view at least shows some reactions. They can be convinced after some talk. However the situation of an indifferent people is more complex. In order to arouse their interest, aside from general style of conversing, very efficient styles should be employed. For example, believers may speak of death and remind them that they will one day rot in the grave. Or they may speak of the vagueness and meaninglessness of those things that unbelievers consider important. Such topics may spark some interest, and such a style may make them more sensitive to what they are being told.
19. Treat everyone properly
In the communication of Allah’s message to different communities, His messengers employed styles conforming to the attitudes their people had towards them. Sometimes they spoke gently; other times they were relatively severe and threatened their people with Allah’s punishment. Indeed, depending on their attitude to the religion and believers, Allah commands believers to treat people differently. For example, it is necessary to be severe with hypocrites, unbelievers, and those who oppose the Qur’an (Surat at-Tawba: 73). On the other hand, protection should be offered to an idolater who asks for mercy and safety (Surat at-Tawba: 6). Accordingly, a believer who communicates Allah’s message may employ a style and attitude that addresses the non-Muslims’ approach towards the religion and believers. The style and the choice of topics should be tailored to fit the hearers’ dispositions, because they will be influenced according to their specific needs. Some people may need polite words whereas others may be influenced by strong language. This is similar to a doctor who prescribes an operation, aspirin or an injection, depending on the situation of his patient.
20. Telling about the destruction of former societies
One of the things that lead people to deny Allah’s existence is the strange idea that they will live forever. Young people think that they will always be young, or at least that they will remain young for a long time. Middle-aged people console themselves with the idea that death is still far off. Their society deepens this deception, for its magnificent buildings, beautiful art works, houses, cars, and much else gives them the impression that life is permanent and enduring.
Actually, this deception, which is no more than satan’s intimation of eternity, is only another example of the first and greatest deception: The sin that caused Adam (as) and Eve to be expelled from Paradise was a result of satan’s whispering: “… Shall I show you the way to the Tree of Everlasting Life and to a kingdom that will never fade away?” (Surah Ta Ha: 120).
For this reason, those who are being called to faith must be saved from this great delusion. They must be shown that their civilization is not permanent and enduring, for everything exists by Allah’s will and will disappear in a moment, like an image in a dream, if He so wills. They must know that all life is a manifestation of Allah, as the “Life Giver,” that He created in a weak and transient nature.
The story of former societies destroyed by Allah may be told in order to erase these mistaken beliefs. Many mighty peoples and magnificent civilizations have been totally destroyed because they did not obey Allah’s commands:
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them whom We had established on Earth far more firmly than We have established you? We sent down heaven upon them in abundant rain and made rivers flow under them. But We destroyed them for their wrong actions and raised up further generations after them. (Surat al-An‘am: 6)
Allah destroyed societies that rejected the religion and mistreated His prophets and messengers: “They denied him, and the punishment of the Day of Shadow came down on them. It was indeed the punishment of a terrible Day” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 189) and “We have never destroyed a city without giving it prior warning as a reminder. We were never unjust.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 208-209).
When hearers learn about these destroyed civilizations and see their ruins, and when they are told that Allah could destroy their society any time He willed, the supports they trusted upon other than Allah will be largely undermined. They get the sense that their powerful civilizations and technologies are, in fact, nothing, that people are servants of Allah, and that there is no other power to be feared and respected other than Him.
21. Keeping death in mind
In any society, no topic is more basic and thought provoking than death. However although people witness other people’s death, they rarely think about their inevitable end. Instead, they prefer to avoid thinking about it by trying to convince themselves that they will never die. They never mention it and spend their lives in great heedlessness:
Say: “Death, from which you are fleeing, will certainly catch up with you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, and He will inform you about what you did.” (Surat al-Jumu‘a: 
On the other hand, believers often think about death and, knowing that they will give an account of their deeds, act in a way that pleases Allah. For those who are starting to learn about religious morality and coming to know Allah, the knowledge that they may die at any time and place raise their awareness and cause them to live a pure and religiously moral life.
Thus, it is essential to make people think about death, as it will make them understand the transtitory nature of life and embrace the religion.
22. Describing the helplessness of human beings
People who do not measure Allah with His true measure cannot grasp their own nature. Unable to conceive of Allah’s greatness and power, they cannot know their own helplessness. Such superficial people flatter themselves, thinking that they have made everything themselves, have power and other qualities that belong only to Allah. In other words, they look at everything from this distorted angle. Thus, it is necessary to explain to them that they are weak and helpless creatures made of flesh and blood who can die of a simple blood clot; have bad breath; whose eyes, ears, and nose get dirty; and who has to go to the toilet. Moreover, they must be made aware that Allah has all power and might, created each person, watches over, protects them, and gives them their daily bread. They must know that Allah has given them whatever they think they own, for all of their possessions really belong to Him. In short, they must come to understand Allah’s greatness and their own helplessness:
O humanity! You are the poor and in need of Allah, whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surah Fatir: 15)
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