SAFAH

I love those whose popularity, wealth, knowledge or success makes them humble & remember those who stood by them before they got there.

Ponder On True Victory. There are two kinds of true victory. Neither one includes material wealth, which is fleeting and ultimately meaningless: ... “Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” - Quran 16:96 The first true victory is spiritual success. That is recognizing Allah’s guidance, following it, sticking to it, and being grateful for it. It’s a victory because it helps us to live lives of meaning and purpose, and to be peaceful and patient. The second victory is Jannah (Paradise), and that is the ultimate achievement. Sometimes we experience a victory in life and we clearly recognize it. Other times we may achieve a milestone of success and not even realize it, because it comes veiled in pain or loss. We must trust that Allah’s promise is true, and that victory belongs to the believers in this life and the next. Take heart, and don’t fear. Allah’s victory is near, even when we don’t see it. Allah is merciful to us and He wants good for us. Have a good opinion of Allah, and let your faith in Him be strong and ever renewed, like the well of Zamzam that never runs dry, or the waves of the sea that keep coming and coming, day and night. “By the time, Indeed, mankind is in loss; Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” – Quran Surah 103 (Al-Asr)

Lying leads to hellfire You can deceive many people by presenting yourself with humility, respect, manners, and knowledge. You can gain a lot of friends by being fake. In fact, you can reach high levels of power and authority, by giving false promises and twisting the truth for your personal gain. You can do a lot of things with deception and lies, but you can never remain in that state forever. You can lie, but truth eventually will come out. You will end up in a state of embarrassment, and you will be among the losers, who will end up in hellfire. That's what lies are. They are nothing but fake words that give the liar few minutes of contentment, but can make the person who receives the lie in distress for a long time. If lying is a trait you posses, then you should give it up immediately. Lying is only permitted for the greater good. And most of us do not know what the greater good is, therefore we should not lie, because each lie leads to something else which we have no control of. Every time you think about telling a lie, think of the punishment of Allah, which He explicitly says in the Glorious Qur'an: "A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies. Qur'an 2:10" Lying is explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an as a reason of hellfire. So avoid lying for it leads to no good. No person has conquered the world because they were liars. In fact they are not even known or remembered, because few people love them. However, many truthful people are remembered and loved, because they are honest. Rasool Allah Sal Allahu Alihi Wa Salam was known as “Sadiq” The Truthful even before he was made the Nabi. The sahaba (ra) used to say that they did not know what a lie was! Meaning they never lied. So it is possible to stop lying. All we need to do is make a conscious effort and learn the importance of telling the truth. Abdullah bin Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah (paradise). A man persists in speaking the truth until he is enrolled with Allah as a truthful. Falsehood leads to vice and vice leads to the Fire of (Hell), and a person persists on telling lies until he is enrolled as a liar." Lying is not good whether it is intentional or joking. It can hurt someone instantly as soon as the lie leaves the lips. Have you ever met someone who jokes a lot whether lying or not? Lying has become a trait of them. It defines their personality. It controls them, and gives them false contentment. Eventually they will lie so much that nobody will take them serious. So why should we say the truth? If you want success. If you want respect and honor. If you want paradise to be your end, then say the truth. Prophet Muhammad was the most truthful person, and look at the influence and legacy he has left behind. Truth leads to success, whereas lies lead to deception and loss. By lying, you make a personal gain in this world, at the expense of the hereafter. Malik related that he heard Abdullah ibn Masud used to say, “The slave continues to lie and a black spot grows in his heart until all his heart becomes black. Then he is written, in Allah’s sight, among the liars.” (Malik’s Muwatta: Book 56: Hadith Number 018.) Lying is a trait of unbelievers, whereas truthfulness is a trait of Mu'mins. Malik related that Safwan ibn Sulaym said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Can the Mu'min be a coward?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He was asked, ‘Can the Mu'min be a miser?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He was asked, ‘Can the Mu'min be a liar?’ He said, ‘No.’” (Malik’s Muwatta: Book 056, Hadith Number 019) Remember, "Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar. (Qur'an 40:28)" So if you want your prayers to be answered. If you want success and guidance. If you want the mercy of Allah, then substitute your lies with truth. If you want paradise, be amongst the truthful! -F.D

The greatest blessings. To love Allah, to know Him intimately, to remember Him constantly, to find peace and rest in Him, to make Him alone the [ultimate] object of love, fear, hope and trust; to base one’s act on His control of His servant’s cares, aspirations and will - such is the world’s Heaven, and such is a blessing with which NO other blessing can compare.

Why do we suffer Is there a purpose to all the suffering and hardships in your life? Certainly, as Allah has told us that no believer will be left with just saying I believe. [29:2] Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," without being put to the test? [29:3] We have tested those before them, for God must distinguish those who are truthful, and He must expose the liars. [2:155] We will surely test you through some fear, hunger, and loss of money, lives, and crops. Give good news to the steadfast. To pass the test, the believer must maintain his trust that God only can relieve his hardship. The believer will maintain his prayer and call onto God. Hardship and adversity is also decreed by God as a cleansing of our souls for sins we have already committed. As a result, some of the bad things that happen to us are a direct result of sins we have committed. [42:30] Anything bad that happens to you is a consequence of your own deeds, and He overlooks many (of your sins). It can also be said that God, being the Most Just, would not punish us twice for the same sin. This means that the punishment we are given cleanses us and no further punishment is due. The concept of cleansing the human from sins in this life is a Quranic truth. It can be achieved through the experiencing of hardship and adversity (as 42:30), and it can also be through the payment of a “sadaqa” (charity) for the specific reason of cleansing the soul from sins which have been committed. [9:103] Take from their money a ‘sadaqa’ (charity) to purify and sanctify them. And encourage them, for your encouragement reassures them. God is Hearer, Omniscient. Suffering through hardship and adversity is also a reminder for people who tend to take things for granted and forget all of God’s blessings. Despite all the blessings given to the human by God, the human being is unappreciative. A little reminder in the shape of hardship or adversity may hopefully do the job of teaching the human not to take God’s blessings for granted. [14:34] If you count God's blessings, you can never encompass them. Indeed, the human being is transgressing, unappreciative. [41:51] When we bless the human being, he turns away, and drifts farther and farther away, and when he suffers any affliction, he implores loudly. Adversity and hardship is also a very effective reminder for those who are too much absorbed in the worldly life, and thus they may not be as devoted to God as they should be. Due to their being too preoccupied with this worldly life they do not seek God nor call on God as they should. Many people are either oblivious of, or need to be reminded of God’s absolute authority. Hardship and adversity are one way to remind them that no one can save them but God, and also remind them of God’s absolute authority. They also need to be reminded that they need God in every minute of their lives. Sadly when God relieves the adversity, many of them return to idol worship once again. [35:15] O people, you are the ones who need God, while God is in no need for anyone, the Most Praiseworthy. [39:49] If the human is touched by adversity, he implores us, but as soon as we bestow a blessing upon him, he says, "I attained this because of my cleverness!" Indeed, this is only a test, but most of them do not know. [10:12] When adversity touches the human being, he implores us while lying down, or sitting, or standing up. But as soon as we relieve his adversity, he goes on as if he never implored us to relieve any hardship! The works of the transgressors are thus adorned in their eyes.

"Knowledge is an ocean that has no coast." So if anyone thinks they know it all, then what they have is something besides knowledge. Keep swimming! It requires energy, dedication, sacrifice and continuity together with sincerity to acquire knowledge. Without an effort one cannot attain knowledge. Knowledge wipes the frost off our glass and allows us to see much clearer. The cycle of knowledge should be to keep on learning, putting into practice and conveying to others.

Appreciate your parents A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me”, the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more” the boy replied. “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad. One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited. “Come and play with me” the tree said. “I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man. “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.”So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you”, the tree said. “No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite,” the man replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now” the man said. “I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears. “I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears. This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad. When we grow up, we leave them; only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could just to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don’t appreciate all they do for us, until it’s too late.

Bismillah. Control your tongue Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said, ”What is surprising is that a person finds it easy keeping away from things like consuming the haram (forbidden), oppression, adultery, theft, drinking alcohol and looking at the impermissible, but yet he finds it difficult to guard his tongue! It’s such that you’ll see a man who is viewed to be knowledgeable and is an ascetic worshiper but he speaks with words that bring the Wrath of Allah, without giving them a second thought. How often do you see a man who steers clear of evil sins and oppression but you see his tongue sever the honour of everyone dead or alive, and he doesn’t even care about what he says!”

Bismillah. The end is bliss Know, that the beginning of the path is patience, and its end is thankfulness. Its beginning is difficulty, and its end is bliss. Its beginning is toil and weariness, and its end is opening, unveiling and arrival at the ultimate goal which is gnosis of God, arrival to Him, being comforted by Him, and standing in His noble presence. The one who makes gracious patience the foundation of all his affairs, turns to every goodness, reaches everything that he hopes for, and wins all that he seeks. How can you lay claim to faith, when you have no patience at all. Surely you must have heard the saying of the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him “patience is to faith, as the head is to the body." - Jala’ Al Khawatir (Removal of Cares) – Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani(ra)

okey when are those lessons going to start? as iv got some one intrested from facebook.

:wa: me too inshAllah. i will just put the link on facebook.

When the Day of Resurrection comes, a man's wealth and capital will be his Hasanaat (good deeds). If he had done wrong to any people, they will take from his hasanaat to the extent that he mistreated them. If he does not have any hasanaat, or if his hasanaat run out, then some of their sayi`aat (bad deeds) will be taken and added to his burden. Bukhari narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "Whoever wronged his brother with regard to his honor or any other matter, should seek his forgiveness today, before there are no longer any Dinars, or Dirhams; and if he has any righteous deeds, they will be taken from him, in accordance with the wrong he did; and if he has no hasanaat, some of the sayi`aat of his counterpart will be taken and added to his burden:" (Bukhari: Kitaab al-Mazaalim, Baab man kaanat lahu mazlamah 'inda rajul, Fath al-Baari, 5/101) This person whose Hasanaat (good deeds) are taken from him by the people, and then has their Sayi'aat (bad or evil deeds) placed on his own back, is the one who is bankrupt, as the Messenger (p.b.u.h.) called him. Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "Do you know who is the one who is bankrupt?" They said, 'The bankrupt is the one who has no money and no possessions.' He said, 'Among my Ummah, the one who is bankrupt is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with prayer and fasting and Zakah (to his credit), but he will come having insulted this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one and shed the blood of that one, and beaten that one. So they will all be given some of his hasanaat, and when his hasanaat run out, before judgment is passed, some of their sins will be taken and cast onto him, then he will be cast into the Fire.'" (Muslim: 4/1998, Hadith no. 2581) If a debtor died when he still owed money to people, they will take from his Hasanaat whatever is in accordance with what he owes them. In Sunan Ibn Majah it is narrated with a Saheeh isnad that Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) stated: The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "Whoever dies owing a Dinar or a Dirham, it will be paid from his Hasanaat, for then there will be no Dinars or Dirhams." (Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer, 5/537, Hadith no. 6432) If people wronged one another, the score will be settled between them. If they mistreated one another equally, then there will be no score to settle. If one of them is still owed something by the other, he will take what he is entitled to. In Sunan at-Tirmidhi it is narrated that Aisha said: "A man came and sat in front of the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.), and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I have two slaves who tell me lies, betray and disobey me, and I insult them and beat them. What is my position with regard to them?' The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: 'On the Day of Resurrection, their betrayal, disobedience and lying will be measured against your punishment of them. If your punishment is commensurate with their wrongs, then there will be no score to settle. If your punishment of them was less than their sins deserved, then this will count in your favour. If your punishment of them was more than their sins deserved, then the score will be settled against you.' The man turned away and started to weep. The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said to him, 'Have you not read the words of Allah?''" "And We shall set up Balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take account." (Quran 21: 47).'" (Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/66, Hadith no. 5561) It is also narrated in Saheeh al-Jaami`, 6/327, Hadith no. 7895, where it attributed to Ahmad and Tirmidhi.) Because Zulm (oppression) is such a serious matter, it is better for those who fear that Day to give up oppression and avoid it. The Messenger (p.b.u.h.) has told us that oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection. Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abdullah Ibn Umar that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: "Oppression (Zulm) will be darkness (Zulumaat) on the Day of Resurrection." (Bukhari: Kitaab al-Mazaalim, Baab az-Zulm Zulumaat Yawm al-Qiyaamah, Fath al-Baari, 51100; Muslim, 4/1969, Hadith no. 2579) Muslim narrated from Jaabir ibn Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "Beware of oppression (Zulm), for oppression will be darkness (Zulumaat) on the Day of Resurrection." (Muslim: 4/1969, Hadith no. 2578)

Allah will reward you greatly for your patience This is a message for every sister who didn't get married yet and is afraid of what people may say about her. Don’t worry dear sister, marriage is Rizq (provision) from Allah and He will surely grant it to you when He wills it and not when you want it. Don’t care of what people may say about you, remember that Maryam (‘alaiha salam) never got married and she is the only woman who has a whole Surah with her name! So if not having a husband is a defect, she wouldn't have been mentioned in Qur’an! Not getting married is not a flaw or a defect but not maintaining chastity is. The real defect is that a woman doesn't preserve her purity and chastity. I'm not encouraging to not get married, rather I'm informing you that marriage is not the end. Allah will bless us with marriage when the time is right. Put your hopes in Allah, and prepare yourself to be a great spouse. Be patient and be sure that Allah will reward you greatly for your patience at the end. This Dunya is not about men or getting married but about submitting your will peacefully to Allah and accept whatever He decrees for you.

Peace and humility or Madness (poem) Peace&Madness. The story of his presence will be told generation after generation until it becomes but a myth, a belief, a faith. Those who believe will cherish it like a legacy, ever fulfilling, ever lasting... And for those who choose to neglect and reject will suffer the urge in depth, to try and detect, the cause of this effect where darkness is a friend and light is a sketch. Confused and doomed, from questions they assume, that might lead to an understanding of whom they are.. Yet they strive to cry their eye to desire their desires like fire getting higher they admire that magic by far. Like potions like spells, they can't seem to help but dwell a hell inside their cell drowning their soul in shadows and in cold when life try's to unfolds they turn their backs on the truth being told. But life is as easy as lâ ilâha illâ Allâh,and maybe..just maybe next time, you won't abandon the Kalimah.

Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "O Aishah, abstain from the sins which are looked upon as trivial, for they too will be inquired about by Allah." [Musnad Ahmad, Nasa'i] Sins are termed as major or minor essentially because of their gravity in terms of their effects on individuals and society. Thus, some sins are considered most heinous and incur divine wrath. Among such sins are: shirk (associating partners with Allah), displeasing one’s parents, murder, bearing false testimony, adultery, fornication, practicing black magic, devouring riba (interest), stealing from an orphan’s wealth, etc. Minor sins, on the other hand, are minor in so far as the punishment for a single act of one of these is not as severe as for a major sin. Nevertheless, all sins require tawbah (sincere repentance). Sincere repentance involves four steps: The first is for a person to be deeply remorseful of the sin; Secondly, to refrain from it and all of the circumstances that led to it; thirdly, to make a firm resolution never to do it again; And finally, to follow it up by whatever good deeds one can possibly do. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says in the Quran, “Verily good deeds wipe out bad deeds.” [Hud: 114] The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) further explained this by saying: “Allah does not wipe out bad deeds through bad deeds; rather He blots them out through good deeds.” To repent, one must quit sinful behaviour and also cut oneself off totally and entirely from all associations or circumstances that led him/her to such sins. He/she cannot hope to change for the better without such serious measures. If, instead, one persists in the sin, he/she will end up losing the purity of their heart, their moral conscience. The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) warned us against the pervasive effects of sins on our souls. He said that when a person commits a sin, it falls like a black dot on the clean slate of his heart. If he repents, the dot is erased. If, however, he persists in the same and continues to sin, the dot continues to expand until it covers his entire heart, in which case his spiritual soul becomes completely sealed off. As a result, he fails to recognize good as good and evil as evil. The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said that this is what Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has warned us against in the Quran: “Nay, their hearts have been sealed by the sins they have accumulated.” [Al-Mutaffifeen: 14] Abdullah bin Mas'ud (radi Allahu anhu) reported Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as saying: "Beware of minor sins, for they will gather together on man so much so that they will kill him. [Musnad Ahmad]

Here are some test questions to see how you are spending your time on earth. 1. What is one thing you love about being alive? 2. How would you finish this sentence: Thank God I'am ------------------? How long did it take you to answer each question? If you had to stop and think, you took too long. These answers should flow easily. If they don't, it is a sign you are not in touch with your heart and that it needs to be nourished. Now answer this question: When you look at the garden do you see the weeds or the flowers? If you had trouble with the answer, perhaps it is because you need to take off the blinders others have put over your eyes. You do not have to see what they tell you is before you. You have a choice in how you perceive your world. The true answers to all of these questions can only come from your heart. The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.

The only way to stop any pain in your life is to accept the fact that nothing is yours, nothing was yours, and nothing will ever be yours. They are worldly attachments; given by ALLAH, belonging to ALLAH and returning back to ALLAH

When we believe everything we hear, others can easily control us & we begin to lose track of good & bad, right & wrong. Infact nowadays even seeing is not always believing. It can be photo shopped, staged or edited. Don't movies look so real?

When people refuse to spend in a good cause, perhaps their wealth is not fit enough to be accepted in that noble cause. Wealth earned through impure means is mostly used to disunite, create problems, sickness, hatred & enmity. The Almighty is pure & only accepts that which is pure. May He forgive us & grant us purity in our sustenance. Aameen.

Often times we feel the urge to say whatever is on our minds. However, this is not necessarily the best character. Instead, we should strive to talk only good. "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet." Therefore, if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all! (there may be exceptions to the rule, such as giving someone sincere advice and what not) (a reminder to myself first and foremost, in'sha'Allah.

Although social networking sites & apps such as Facebook, Twitter etc are responsible for much irresponsibility and damage, casting people into loss, regret and darkness, I am quite convinced that we can all make ourselves responsible users of the same networks encouraging responsibility and building solid foundations, instilling high morals, removing people from darkness, showing them the light and how easy it is to tread upon the path of no regret, gaining as much as possible on their fingertips! It has never been easier to access people "sans frontiers" than this, so are we going to make use of it to create a positive impact or wait for others to do the opposite and cry when it is too late? Anyone engaged in any form of beneficial activity should be supported in it, even if it be just morally. Perhaps our own children may be saved through the effort of those whom we thought negatively about. Neither underestimate the impact of technology upon the masses nor your own impact upon others.

A small misunderstanding, minor dispute or problem automatically becomes a much bigger issue if it is not dealt with right away. Satan chisels into the smallest crack making it appear to be a crater simply because it was not filled when it first appeared. An intelligent person is he who tries to resolve matters as soon as possible rather than leave them to bubble in the hearts of people until they reach boiling point. The Prophet(saw)said, “The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the one who controls himself while in anger,’ (Bukhari).

When things do not go exactly the way we wanted, when we do not achieve what we have tried so hard to or when we feel so let down by others then always know that for as long as we have faith & trust in the Almighty, He definitely has something better in store for us, has saved us from a calamity or disaster that would have been in our path or has elevated our status through surrendering to His Decree. We are not considered believers until we are pleased with the Decisions of the Almighty. This will save us from much anxiety & depression. Try your best & leave the rest to Him.

The Messenger PBUH has told us that closer to the Last Day, time will pass by faster and faster. A year will feel like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day and a day like an hour. Amazingly we feel this prophecy today where the day goes by like a few minutes and before we realize, the week is over and then the month and the year too. This is why we must ensure that we make the most of every valuable second at hand. When we are not focused and have no proper goals in life, we waste our days and weeks, months and years in achieving nothing meaningful. Let us set clear goals, focus on them, work hard towards achieving them and not give up. Bear in mind that although we may have many goals, our ultimate goal should be to please our Maker.

Shame upon those men who oppress their wives. Giving preference to your friends over your wife is oppression. Screaming and yelling at your wife is oppression. Coming home late each night or coming to bed late each night without a valid excuse is oppression. Wasting time on the internet or phone, television or games whilst your wife is waiting for you is oppression. Not spending reasonable time with your wife is oppression. Not commending her upon her goodness, sacrifice and achievements whilst only harping on her weaknesses is oppression. Be fair! Not correcting her in the most loving manner and going around publicizing her errors or wrongdoings is oppression. Not providing at least the basic food, clothing and shelter for her is oppression. Not appreciating that she is someone's daughter or sister and treating her like a slave is oppression. Allowing your mother or family members to disrespect or maltreat your wife is oppression. Allowing others to invade her privacy is oppression. Not giving her the rest that she deserves post child birth is oppression. Swearing and cursing your wife is oppression. Making false promises to your wife is oppression. These are just some ways that men oppress their wives. Shame upon those men who oppress their wives! Are you one of them? Well, change your ways, apologize and repent before the Almighty overtakes you with His Wrath. Remember the Messenger pbuh says, "The best of you are those best to their wives."