Al-Haj Abdur-Rasjid Skinner embraced Islam 25 years ago. He is married to a Muslim and has six children. With Degrees in Psychology he currently works in Bradford Hospitals as a 'Consultant Clinical Psychologist'.

He is standing for the Conservative Party in Pendle in the upcoming General Elections (2001)Insha'Allah.

Sajid Iqbal, editor-The Revival, caught up with him for a chat and began by asking what made him embrace Islam?

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Ticket: one-way (return ticket not available.)

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Details of journey: Departure point: anywhere on earth.

Destination: out of this world

Accommodation: to be temporarily rested in two meters of space.

Duration: eternity

Time of departure: time of death.

Let me tell all of you a simple duua
After answering the call of nature say Ghaffranaka⁽¹⁾

When goin in to do the above, don't think twice
Just say Allahumaini auzubika minal khubsi val khubais⁽²⁾

Before eating anything, start with Bismillah⁽³⁾
And end with Shukur Al Hamdullilah⁽⁴⁾

When a sneeze comes your way, say Al Hamdullilah⁽⁵⁾
And on hearing this everyone say Yar Hamoo Kullah

On remembering a bad deed, while cruising in your car
With a sincere heart just repent and say Asthagh-firullah!⁽⁷⁾

What a year, was 570 A.D.
A person was born, a prophet to be
Muhammad (saw), that was his name
People were misguided and that's when he came
He would go on to leave all the idols behind
He was to be an example to all of mankind
Rabbi-al-Awal the 12th, that was the day
He came to this world to show us the way
He was born in Mecca, the holiest place
A life full of challenges he was to face
Abdullah (ra) his father, had by then passed away
Leaving Amina(ra) his mother, in her arms he lay
Haalima Sadia, took over his care
Until he was six, our prophet was there
His mother then died, he was left all alone
Abdul Muttalib (ra) his grand-dad, then made him his own

So brothers and sisters, to increase your Iman
Read the miracle, read the Quran
Here's a fact for the ones who are keener
92 chapters revealed in Mecca, 22 in Medina
Read it every day and to read it be proud
The word 'Qur'an' means to read aloud
Read the book from the Lord of the worlds
Over 6000 verses and 77,000 words
Read it with respect, no disturbance, no laughter's
From Al-Fatiha to An-naas, all 114 chapters
And in it 14 times you are required to prostrate
And say Allah Hu Akhbar, meaning God is Great
In this book, 25 Prophets are mentioned by name
Who came at different times but their message was the same
This miracle was revealed over a 23-year span

The picture is taken by the NASA Hubble space Telescope of one of the most complex planetary nebula ever seen, NGC 6543, nicknamed the "Cats Eye Nebula".

It is an exploding star 3000 light years away. The nebula is a visual "fossil record" of the dynamics and the late evolution of a dying star. It was first viewed on 31st October 1999. The Qur'an mentioned it almost 1400 years ago:

"When the sky is torn apart, so it was (like) a red rose, like ointment." (Chapter 55, verse 37. Surah Ar-Rahmaan)

© The Revival 2001

Is there heaven for a 'G'? Remember me,
so many homies in tha cemetery…
I know my destiny is hell, where did I fail? My life is in denial
And when I Die, baptised in Eternal Fire
…shed so many tears.

The lyrics of one of the most admired 'gangster rappers' today. A chap, who at 24, was shot to death. They call him Tu Pac - everyone's favourite gangster.

Today because of the likes of Tu Pac, Biggy, Eminem and Puff Daddy we have the biggest disease and the biggest cancer, which is spreading and destroying the nation.

It is destroying the Muslim younger generation and it's knocking on your door! You've guessed it? It's called being a big-time gangster.

Well you may be surprised at this months selection of the ‘turkey of the month’.

Well the leaders of the 56 Muslim countries did practically nothing in response to the brutal killing of over 200 Muslim children and teenagers, by the Israeli army, in the past few weeks.

The Muslim Ummah is a Nuclear power, it controls the oil supply to the world and it is the wealthiest.

The only thing it lacks is leaders with guts and responsibility, who put their trust in Allah, not in America. This is not surprising though, as the Muslim countries did nothing to stop the masacre of the kashmiri people by the indian army, over the past 50 years.

Just to sign declarations denouncing India and Israel.... disgraceful for a nuclear power. We would expect more from turkeys.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

81.1: When the sun is folded up,

81.2: And when the stars fall,

81.3: And when the mountains are made to pass away,

81.4: And when the camels are left untended,

81.5: And when the wild animals are made to go forth,

81.6: And when the seas are set on fire,

81.7: And when souls are united,

81.8: And when the female infant buried alive is asked

81.9: For what sin she was killed,

81.10: And when the books are spread,

81.11: And when the heaven has its covering removed,

81.12: And when the hell is kindled up,

81.13: And when the garden is brought nigh,

81.14: Every soul shall [then] know what it has prepared.