Aromatherapy - Aromas and Meanings

Aromatherapy is not some sort of arcane, made-up science. There are well known associations between certain smells and certain physical reactions. Smells are simply combinations of chemicals - and the body reacts to those chemicals in known ways. Some chemicals cause us to fall asleep - other chemicals cause us to become more awaken. 

In addition to these built-in reactions, we also learn reactions over time. If you grow up and always go with your grandmother to pick strawberries, and this is a wonderful memory of yours, then you will have happy thoughts when you smell a strawberry aroma. If you on the other hand always smell oranges when you go to a dentist you hate, then the smell of oranges might cause unhappy feelings. So in the end aroma reaction is a combination between the natural reactions your body tends to have and the learned reactions that you develop over your own lifetime. 

Here are some traditional aromas and reactions that most people have. 

Citrus

Citrus is a very acidic, sharp, fresh aroma. There is a reason people drink things like orange juice and grapefruit juice in the morning - this aroma tends to wake you up and refreshen you. Citrus is great for a morning wash or a mid-day rejuvinating splash. 

Lavender

One of the best known scents for calming and relaxing. There are lavender bath soaps, lavender lotions, lavender pillows, and much more. 

Rose
The aroma of romance and first love. Rose petals have been used since the days of the Greeks and Romans to celebrate love and romance. 

Glossary of Skin Care Terms

There are many terms used in skin care marketing. Learn to know which mean something and which are marketing-speak! 

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)
A skin texture assistant, helps smooth out lines and wrinkles. 

Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA)
This is used in many anti-acne medicines. Salicylic Acid is a BHA. These help clear out pores and reduce inflammation if your skin is irritated.

Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is the primary ingredient in chocolate - it's the natural fat found in cocoa beans. It's supposed to be kept in a fridge - of course most cosmetics don't store in a fridge. It has natural antioxidants in it. Some feel it can last up to a year at room temperature because of the antioxidants. Cocoa butter was first extracted from cocoa in 1828. Cocoa butter has about 5 IU of Vitamin E per oz. 

Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil comes, naturally, from the jojoba plant. This plant is found in the southwestern parts of the US. It is prized because it is gentle, very much like natural human oils.

Allah's signs in the world - part VII

Hidden Message or Coincidence?

The holy Qur'an comprises 114 suras (chapters) each of which is made up of varying numbers of ayats (verses).

 

The illustration on the left shows a scatter graph of the number of verses in a sura against the number of the sura. The result resembles the word "Allah" in Arabic (right).

The Qur'anic revelation was made by Archangel Gabriel to Prophet Mohamrned (PBUH). It took place over a period of more than 20 years beginning with the first verses of sura 96. After a three year hiatus, the revelation continued up to the death of the Prophet (PBUH) in 632 C.E.

Whenever a fragment of the Qur'an was revealed,the Prophet (PBUH) called one of his literate companions and dictated it to him, indicating at the same time the exact position of the new fragment in the fabric of what had already been revealed. Extremely diverse materials were used for this initial record e.g. leather, parchment,wooden tablets, bones and soft stones for inscription. At the same time the Prophet (PBUH) recommended his followers to memorise the Qur'an, thereby doubly preserving the text.

Following the death of the Prophet (PBUH)in 632 C.E., Abu Bakr (RA), the first Caliph of Islam, asked the Prophet's (PBUH) main scribe, Zaid Ibn Thabit, to make a copy which he duly did. On Omar's (RA) initiative (the then future second Caliph), Zaid consulted all the information he could assemble in Medina and produced a very faithful copy of the book.

Omar, Abu Bakr's successor in 634 C.E. subsequently made a single volume (mushaf) which he preserved and passed on to Hafsa, his only daughter and the Prophet's (PBUH) widow. The third Caliph, Uthman (RA), entrusted a commission of experts with the preparation of the great recension that bears his name. The commission evaluated the authenticity of the document produced under Abu Bakr (RA) and which had remained with Hafsa until then. They also consulted Muslims who had memorised the Qur'an. The critical analysis of the authenticity of the text was carried out very stringently. The agreement of the witnesses was deemed necessary before the slightest verse containing debatable material was retained. The result was a text containing an order of sura that reflects the order followed by the Prophet (PBUH) during his recitals in Ramadan. The 114 suras were arranged in approximately decreasing order of length although there were exceptions.

The sequence of the suras in the Qur'an has proved to be of much interest in modern times. A young Turkish Engineering student at Istanbul Technical University was fascinated by this topic, so much so, that he plotted by hand, a graph of he number of verses in a sura against the number of the sura. The result startled him as it resembled the word "Allah" (God) in Arabic. His findings appeared in a Turkish national newspaper in February 1986.

At the beginning of this article is a computer generated scatter graph of "length of sura" (ie number of verses that it contains) against "number of the sura". The graph is provided both in its raw form and with added shading. There is a distinct similarity between the graph and the Arabic word "Allah". Is this a coincidence or something much more?

Allah's signs in the world - part VI

Trees Spelling the Kalimah

Many people have e-mailed me requesting more information on this phenomenon. Some say it is man-made - you may find out for yourself by contacting the publisher.Please note that Muslims do not base their faith on such sights. Our anchor is the Quran, our Holy Book and the abundant knowledge and wisdom on life, science, nature, etc. within it. If you wish to see a REAL miracle Read the Quran.

 

Branches of Trees in Germany

The branches of the trees lining a path distributed in the shape of declaration of the Islamic creed in the Arabic language that affirms the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH)." It reads 'La ilaha Illahau Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah' There is no deity but Allah and Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) is the Messenger of Allah.
This is said to be a scene on a piece of cultivated farmland in Germany.
Many Germans have been said to have embraced Islam upon seeing this miraculous sight and that the German government put steel fences around that part of the farm to prevent people from visiting and witnessing this miraculous site.   This discovery is no surprise. Allah has revealed in the Holy Qur'an: "Their intention is to extinguish Alaah's light (by blowing) with their mouths. But Allah will complete His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). Al Qur'an 61:8

Allah's signs in the world - part V

Beehive spelling Allah: Islamic Miracles in Nature

  

Those who are familiar with Arabic will easily be able to identify what this beehive spells - "Allahu".

Please visit the page on "An Islamic Perspective on the Bee"

Allah has revealed in the Holy Qur'an: 

"Their intention is to extinguish Allah's light (by blowing) with their mouths. But Allah will complete His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). Al Qur'an 61:8