Sensitive Skin Products

Number of people around the world suffering from sensitive skin seems to be increasing an atmosphere full of potential toxins from our industrial progress but what does it mean exactly when you say you have sensitive skin. For most people the definition is quite clear when their skin becomes This problem may affect you at any age and once it does you will probably have to start using sensitive skin care products specially formulated for this type of condition.

As each person is different, so the range of sensitive skin care has to be flexible too as this is not a situation where one product will work with everyone. One thing that is almost constant though is the way sensitive skin will almost always react badly to any type of detergent and any products where the formulation is chemical based.

This skin damage can actually affect everyone to a greater or lesser degree and is often just a matter of personal tolerance. Where a person has skin sensitivity this will obviously become apparent more quickly than someone who does not share this type of skin condition.

Manufacturers are now more aware of what compounds can cause problems and corrective measures are taken where ingredients are replaced with compounds that do not cause problems or the amount of irritant is reduced to acceptable levels. It may seem obvious, as most skin care products are formulated to help protect the skin, but only use products that are actually marked for sensitive skin use and if you are unsure, check the ingredients listing to see if there are any specific warnings you should be aware of.

To be on the safe side, make sure as many of the possible problem ingredients are missing and the product is as natural and neutral as possible. Do not use toners if at all possible as most of them are alcohol based and will probably cause further irritation so are not recommended for sensitive skin.

Wear protective gloves when doing laundry or other chemical based cleaning and if you are allergic to rubber, you can wear cotton gloves below the rubber ones. A further problem is often caused buy the sun, so use special sunscreen if you intend to spend time in the sun.

This type of precaution is also relevant even if it isn't sunny as the atmospheric pollution found almost everywhere now will also aggravate the skin and a suitable barrier cream or hypoallergenic moisturizer should help protect vulnerable skin. You will also need to avoid soaps that aren't soap-free and other cleansers that contain alcohol that you will clean your face with after being outdoors, just remember not to rub too hard as this too can cause redness.

Do not leave the makeup on for too long and use hypoallergenic makeup removers at all times. So as you can see there is much more to consider when looking after sensitive skin, and it is more about being careful with your skin both in terms of sensitive skin care products and protection against environments affects on skin.

Best hair and skin products for beautiful style

The company’s hair products contain patented AntiFade Complex as ingredient that has strong antioxidants, sunscreens and color preserving UV protectants. The other ingredients of hair products include Heliogenol, vitamins C, Vitamin E and melanin. The Pureology hair care products are 100% vegan as does not have harsh sulfates but aromasensory essential oils so do not strip the hair color.

The Anasazi products include shampoos, conditioners and styling tools by which you can completely change your lifestyle. The family hair products by Anasazi make your hair voluminous, and create glam looks. There are also the Big Sexy Hair by the Sexy Hair Concepts maintain moisture in the hairs and protect the hairs from fading out. The big sexy hair adds support and provides body as well as fullness to the hairs. The Oribe offer eponymous product line for giving luxurious look to the hairs. The oribe products are for the people with style and sophistication.

The hair of any type can easily be cleansed, conditioned, styled as well as finished with the help of the Paul Mitchell system. The wide range of Paul Mitchell products can fit in the unique individual needs of every salon client that is why these products are highly recommended by the hairdressers. There is also the Brazilian Blowout smoothing treatment, which is quite effective and innovative. The Brazilian Blowout improves the hair by using Brazilian Super Nutrient Complex and a proprietary polymer system that forms a protective protein layer around hair shaft to smooth the cuticle and eliminate the frizz. You can also use the Coppola Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy that uses the keratin complex, which are infused deep into the hair cuticle. This helps in eliminating the frizz as well as curls from the hair and makes the hair soft and shiny.

For proper care of the hair, you can use Marrakesh Oil for head massage, originally from Morocco. The nuts of ancient and rare Argan Tree are used to give the Moroccan Argan Oil, which is combined with the Hemp Seed Oil to form the Marrakesh Oil. Along with hairs, there is also the OPI nail polish that you can flaunt in any party or gathering and become the center of attraction easily. The OPI Nail polish offer great nail collections in different colors and has even made the award winning, amazing nail polish.

The children also deserve products that are specially designed for their smooth hair and body. That is why each of Circle of Friends product is crafted with utmost care and by the greatest experts on children you can imagine is moms. The Circle of Friends has created a professional line of products for children in hair, bath, and bodyline. The highest quality of ingredients is used in these products like natural elements, exotic botanical extracts and enchanting fragrances. The best part is the playful "kid friendly" package that attracts the kids towards them.

Some Tips For Antiseptic Herbal Skin Products

There is nothing new about skin care, it is just in ancient times, herbal products were the only ones available. Unfortunately, the advent of the synthetic skin care preparations all but killed the herbal based products. The herbal skin care recipes which once used to be common place are not so popular today and even unknown to a large population.

This transformation from herbal skin care to synthetic, can probably be attributed to two things; our laziness or just the fast pace of lives and the commercialization of skin care. The problem with the new generation of herbal products is the preservatives that are added to them in the production process so they will last longer; which unfortunately means they are less effective than home made versions.

The good news is that in light of a growing interest and trend in all things natural, a small number of people have started producing these products again. Whilst commercial manufacturers can produce them cheaper then that is how the majority of us will buy them but do you know what they actually are?

Almost everyone has heard of aloe vera but did you know is an excellent skin moisturizer and can treat sunburn, cuts and other skin problems?Other household herbs like dandelion, chamomile, lime flowers and rosemary are good at cleansing but usually when they are in combination with other herbs.

Nature has also supplies us with natural healing herbs that have antiseptic properties like lavender, marigold, thyme and fennel and people still use rose water and lavender water to help condition their skin. If you have ever had an excess of uv radiation whilst sunbathing then one of the herbal skin care products you used may have contained extracts of tea.

Other herbal skin care products make use of oils, the level of concentration can vary depending on use; common versions of these are borage oil, primrose oil and tea tree oil for example. Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are often treated with other oils extracted from plants and the likes of banana, melon and apple are very good at hydrating the skin which is why these are the most often used in shower gels for instance.

Most herbal skin care products don't have any side effects; which is the most important reason for preferring them over synthetic products, moreover, herbal skin care products can be easily made at home, hence making them even more attractive. If you can afford it then genuine herbal skin care products are the way to go but you will find there are occasions when only synthetic products which have been clinically tested will do.

Whatever type of skin care you choose remember that your skin is the main barrier to the elements and must as a necessity be in good condition and needs to be looked after.

Selection of your perfume fragrance

Do you want to feel fresh and clean:
Exotic and energetic? Youthful or woman-of-the-world? You’d think it would be an easy thing to find a new perfume—just pick the scents you like, right? Sure, that’s where you should start, and you should also make an effort to consider scents you dislike. Fragrance researchers have found that many people find the scent of lavender calming, because it reminds them of earlier times and their grandmother’s linen closet. But we are all individuals, and someone who was made to stand in the linen closet until she ate all her broccoli may not find the scent of lavender pleasant at all.

Perfume shopping isn’t something you can do in a single day, because after a few sprays at the samples counter, the sensors in your nose shut off and either you can’t smell the perfumes you’re trying on, or they blend and create a perfume that doesn’t really exist. At that point, you may find yourself coming home with something that turns out to smelling completely different from the way it did in the store. The fragrance didn’t change during the car ride home: after a half-hour or so of not being exposed to fragrances, your nose just started working again!

Take lots of breaks when shopping for perfume. Whenever possible, start with lighter scents, so your nose won’t be overpowered early on. If you’re looking for something rich and heady, test one or two fragrances, wander off to shop for something else or grab a cup of coffee, and return in 20 minutes or more to try a couple more.

You can sometimes find lighter scents by reading the descriptions on the packaging: packaging is often colored to reflect the overall tone of the scent, so that you will often find fruity scents in bright packages, rich, complex ones in deep reds or browns, and light florals in pastel colors. It’s not always a sure thing, though: some perfumes made for the ‘teens and ‘tweens are heavy with sweet, aqueous scents and florals, often boosted with high-potency citrus. You’ll find them in blues and greens, metallic-finished bottles and high-tech looking packages.

Like all our senses, after being exposed to stimuli for awhile, our olfactory senses “habituate”, shutting down to pervasive or continuing aromas or odors. Sensors can be recalled to duty by “palate cleansing”, or by taking a break. Fragrance boutiques that specialize in scented oils often leave saucers of coffee beans around so you can get a little more mileage out of your scent sensors. In the way that a wine taster takes a bite or two of bread between tastings, sniffing the coffee beans refreshes your sense of smell and lets you sniff a few more scents before your nose gives out. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, you might save some time by talking to the salesperson about scents you like and asking for help finding a perfume that combines them.

Beauty and Vitamin C"s benefits

the good news is vitamins are also beneficial to your skin through skin care products! One of the most popular vitamin additions to skin care products is Vitamin C. This anti aging vitamin has been studied and confirmed as being an extremely effective addition to skin care routines. When antioxidant Vitamin C is added to your skin, it helps your skin get rid of free radicals.

On a beauty note, adding Vitamin C to your skin care routine can help you look great on many levels. The topical use of Vitamin C revitalizes your skin, allowing for improvement in the tone and texture! You will instantly look younger with smooth and silky skin on your face and body. It works to protect you against UVB rays and can help you combat sun damage, wrinkles and photodamage. These are some of the most common skin worries of women today.

Cosmetic gurus and their sources are taking note of the power behind Vitamin C and are adding it and its derivatives to many products on the market. Derivatives like ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbic acid are commonly used, because they are less irritating than Vitamin C itself. Those with sensitive skin can still reap the protection and natural benefits of Vitamin C, without any irritation.

When you start your venture for Vitamin C induced skin care products, there are a few things to remember. First, remember there are many claims being made from various companies on their skin care products. To find the best products with Vitamin C, be sure to look at the color of the product. Those products with a yellow or brown tint should be avoided. Vitamin C often turns these colors when exposed to air and thus becomes ineffective in creating collagen and elastic.

Many women would rather sit through a chemical peel or a microdermabrasion session for skin care repair and conditioning. However, using a daily Vitamin C product can help you repair and prep your skin everyday. You can get products which include Vitamin C derivatives (L-ascorbic acid and others) for use at home. Therefore, you can continuously reap the benefits of Vitamin C, without heading to the spa.

Recipe Ideas for Low Calorie Snacks

Diffrenet ideas for low calories snacks

Low calories snacks can be a great alternative when you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your weight. Of course, they aren’t always the most appetizing options available and often don’t keep you full enough to forgo other non-healthy items later in the day. The good news is there are many tasty and healthy low calories snacks for adults which can not only keep your taste buds happy but also keep you from getting hungry between meals.

1.Choose Filling Snack Foods: Studies show there are certain types of foods which can make you feel fuller for longer periods of time. If you want to stick to your diet program or plan, it’s important to feel full so you don’t binge between meals. Foods which are high in fiber are the best options, as scientists know fiber works with the body to keep you feeling full for longer periods of time.


2.Choose Simple and Easy Foods: If you have to take an hour for the preparation of your snack, chances are you won’t force yourself to eat it very often. After all, who has an hour each day to make snack? When thinking of snacks, choose recipes or preparations which require very little time. Easy options include fresh fruit and vegetables with low calorie yogurt dips. Keep these things available in your home or office so you can quickly grab them to satisfy your hunger without wrecking your diet plan.


3.Choose to Portion Control Healthy Snacks: When eating snack, portions count! So, keep your snacks in small portions to calm your craving but also keep you within your required low-calorie range. The best options to go for if you have trouble with portions are the pre-packaged 100 calorie options at your grocery store. Companies like Quaker and Nabisco make it easy for adults to get low calorie snacks without requiring much thought or effort. With these incredibly delicious and easy options, you have no excuses!


4.Choose Small Indulgences on Any Eating Plan or Diet: Sure, you can have a sweet or “forbidden” treat every now and again before or after your meal. But again, you must think about eating a small amount of high calorie foods, to turn them into a low calorie snack option. If you don’t think you can control yourself to eat just a small amount, skip it altogether.
Staying fit with healthy low calorie snacks for adults is important if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating low calorie snacks for adults is a great way to stay on track with your diet plan or program. Eating healthy can help you lose weight and keep your cholesterol and blood pressure under control. Remember, being healthy is not only about what you eat but also how active you remain. So, get outside or to the gym for physical activity at least three times as week

TIPS FOR FEET

But once we’re grown and trying to fulfill our sexual destiny, we become aware of feet as aesthetic accessories. Turns out, they are more than just balancing tools, locomoting appendages. Feet have the surprising capacity to be extremely cute, or they can be downright hideous. Women's feet are usually nicer than men's, and the foot fetish is a common obsession among men. In fact, China once made the foot the primary object of female sexual beauty, subjecting women to footbinding because tiny feet were considered the most attractive. We still hold to the ideal of tiny feet, which explains why it's so hard to find women's shoes in wider that "B" width. It also describes pointy-toed shoes, stilettos and other fashionable footwear that makes your legs look wonderful, but can turn toes into what one author described as "scrambled monstrosities".

Treat Yourself to a Professional Home Pedicure

Pablo Neruda wrote a poem that spoke of his love's "hard little feet": he loves her feet because they walked the world to find him. While "hard little feet" may not sound beautiful to some people, the description evokes high arches, narrowness and a sort of lithe strength not found in the average foot.

Whether you have hard little feet or larger, softer ones, your feet will appreciate a weekly soak and scrub. Especially for women like nurses or teachers, who spend hours on their feet each day, a dedicated footbath is essential to preserving not only the beauty of your feet, but their health and comfort too. Use the time to push back softened cuticles with an orange stick, to rub away calluses with a pumice stone, and finish by moisturizing and rubbing your feet. A foot rub is the perfect finish to your footbath: get help from your own sweetheart!

A lot depends on the care and maintenance regime established by the foot-owner. At an absolute, bare minimum, feet should be clean. I mean, you walk on them, don’t you! What if you were stuffed into a leather show all day, strolling through parking lots, jogging in parks, shopping, doing laundry, tapping impatiently in line at the bank. Feet suffer from lack of air, from shoes that don’t breathe, from sweaty conditions on hot summer asphalt

Toenails should be well-brushed with soapy water, clipped short and neat with clippers, and treated with anti-fungal medicine if nails are discolored, thick or peeling. Even girls can get athlete’s foot (always wear flip-flops at the gym, at the pool, at the park, in any shower that is not your very own), and there topical medicines that can cure it.

Keep your feet smooth by using a pumice stone a couple of times a week, rub them with lotion like Upper Canada Peppermint Foot Cream to keep them soft, and use a clear polish if you don’t like brightly colored toes. No one talks about it (except in women's studies class), but women grow hair on their toes. If your toes are fuzzy, you can wax them to add to overall foot smoothness.

Hiking boots are ideal for long walks, and they also look cute with ragg socks in wool or cotton and tweed skirts. Boots always look wonderful, and the longer they are, the better they look.

TIPS FOR BRIDES

While most people think choosing the bridal gown is the most difficult decision a bride makes, others will argue choosing bridesmaid dresses can be the largest pre-wedding challenge. If you’re getting ready to pick your bridesmaid dresses, use these five tips to help you accomplish the task successfully!

Choose Color FirstMost often the first thing a bride must do is decide what color her bridesmaids will wear. Not all bridesmaids will look good in all colors, so keep that in mind. Unless all of your bridesmaids have the same hair color and skin tone, you need to stick with colors which look great on everyone. Some safe options include silver, black and red. It’s a great idea to have your bridesmaids tell you what colors they don’t look great in and start from there.


Look At The Length
One of the most important things to consider when trying to find flattering bridesmaid dresses is length. While shorter bridesmaid dresses are certainly in style, they aren’t flattering on all figures. If you have full figured bridesmaids in your wedding party, chances are they’ll be most comfortable in a skirt length of mid calf or longer. Of course, floor length gowns can make short attendants look even shorter, so keep this in mind as well.


Allow For Variety
Many brides only allow their Maid of Honor or Flower Girl to wear something different from their other attendants. However, modern brides are choosing to be a little different and are allowing their attendants to choose dresses of various styles and cuts. The differing dresses must not match each other, but they should complement one another. Dress makers are jumping on this trend and often make collections of different dresses meant to be worn at the same time, making it easy for brides to give choices to their attendants without ruining their wedding’s style or having dresses which contrast too much. Allow each attendant to select their own dress, to reflect their personal style.

Think About Body Types
If you prefer your bridesmaids to all wear the exact same dress, you must think ahead about body types. Not only will your bridesmaids be uncomfortable if you choose dresses that aren’t flattering for them, but they’ll look miserable in your wedding photos as well. Whether you’re going formal or casual for wedding attire, think about the women you love and have asked to be a part of your big day. Do most of your bridesmaids keep their everyday apparel modest? Are you in need of maternity dresses or junior sizes? Instead of needing custom made dresses, search for a dress maker who already offers these options. Ask your attendants if there are things they prefer in a dress. Perhaps some don’t feel comfortable showing their arms or others need more coverage in the bust area. Take these things into consideration when choosing your bridesmaid dresses.


Don’t Forget About Alteration Costs
While it’s reasonable to expect your attendants to spend a moderate amount of cash on alternation costs for their bridesmaid dresses, keep in mind it’s not polite to expect them to completely renovate a dress. For example, paying for a dress to be hemmed is normal. Asking them to pay for a dress to be taken down two sizes because the dress only comes in larger sizes is not acceptable. Be sure when you’re choosing dresses they come in size ranges enough for all of your attendants to be able to find one in their size for your nuptials.

Tips that Add the Illusion of Volume to Your Chest

While women with large busts are constantly trying to minimize the appearance of their chest, women with small busts are always looking for ways to maximize their chest. The good news is there are many creative ways to maximize small bust, from shirt styles to using accessories. If you have small breast issues and want to learn how to quickly fix it with fashion and not surgery, be sure to use these five style tips to help you get the extra “ooh la la” you crave.

Invest In a Good Padded Pushup Bra: No Shame Ladies!
One thing you simply can’t afford to go without is a good padded pushup bra. To help your figure before you even put on clothes, a padded or push-up bra should be used. Just by putting it on you can add a cup size (or sometimes more) to your figure. The pushup aspect is great if you want extra cleavage and not only additional size. Thus, finding one with both padding and pushup qualities is best and will give you the most boost for your buck. Wonderbra, Donna Karen, Calvin Klein and Victoria’s Secret are optimal brands to try.
Halter Tops Can Add Size
Certain cuts of shirts will help you flatter the bust you do have, so if you’re looking for a dress or a shirt that will make your bust look larger, consider a halter style top. The secret is to find a halter with padding in it. Also, be sure you it fastens tight enough to allow you to pull your breasts up and enhance your cleavage.

Accentuate Your Waist
One of the oldest tricks in the book to make your bust look bigger is to make your waist look smaller. To easily do this, simply add a belt to the smallest part of your waist (usually right under your bust area). This will make your bust stick out as a main attraction and make your waist look very small. If you don’t want to wear belts every day to get this look, search for empire waisted shirts with cuts that do this automatically.
It’s All in the Shirt
Another fun trick is to pick a t-shirt with a small pocket or detail on the breast area. By choosing a shirt with a small pocket, you visually create an illusion of your chest being bigger than it is. Sometimes button down shirts fitted in your petite size can help you, as well. They can fit snugly over your bust and flair a bit at the bottom to make you look heavier in the chest area. You can try to wear a shirt underneath a button down and only close the buttons right under your bust line and below to give even more attention to your chest.

Ruffle Shirts Add Volume to Your Body
If you want to add volume to your bust, you can also choose shirts that literally have added volume in that area. Shirts with ruffles on the bust area or other bulky detail can help your bust appear larger.
Forget about plastic surgery! All in all, whether you’re a bony gal or a full figured lady with a small chest, don’t fret. There are many things you can do with fashion to help your bust appear larger. So, when you’re shopping for a new outfit just keep these tips in mind.

Micro-finance and Fashion

Microfinance is the hottest thing in philanthropy at the moment. Charitable organizations support entrepreneurship in developing countries by giving small grants or loans to people with great business ideas but no capital to make it happen. Women in particular benefit greatly from these programs.

As an example of one such successful endeavor, the Kohtrad Silk Project is making magic happen for silk weavers in the Isaan region of northeast Thailand. Farquhar Simpkin, Kohtrad’s founder, emailed us about the project this morning:

There are many independent silk weavers scattered around the Isaan area.  Many can not speak English and do not know how to market their products online.  So the aim of the project is to bring the silk weavers together and give them an online platform to sell their products to the world.

The silk weavers receive good fair trade pay for their talented work, and the income generated from the project will help many of the weavers to pay school fees for their children, build a business, stay in the area, enjoy their everyday work and keep their silk weaving skills and traditions alive.

What is Micro-finance

Microfinance has been talk of the town since last decade or so. Islamic microfinance is recently entered in market and since then been in experiment mode with varied degrees of success. Islamic Microfinance is based on concept of prohibition of interest and profit and loss sharing. Interest based microfinance has been a success in societies with largely Muslim populations. Our scope of work is to analyze grounds for Islamic Microfinance specially

Why Islamic Microfinance is needed?

What will be the Instruments used by Islamic Microfinance Program?

What can be challenges and opportunities for Islamic Microfinance?

Current section will focus on how Islam sees poverty? What measures are provided in Islam to combat poverty? What is common denominator in Islam, Islamic Finance and Microfinance.

Introduction

Islam is not only a religion but a complete way of life that was revealed to humanity by our creator who is most knowledgeable, wise and just. Islam was revealed as a practical religion to be implemented in our daily life since it covers all aspects of human life. As such, when implemented honestly and correctly, Islam provides solutions to all problems that are faced by humanity. One of the most widespread and dangerous problems faced by humanity is that of poverty, hunger and starvation. Millions of human souls on this planet are living under extreme poverty and very inhuman conditions.

Poverty is as old as the human existence itself. This has been a cause of concern in every society and throughout the history. During current era poverty came under limelight recently and has been a focus of international community. Everybody is talking about poverty reduction and different measures are being suggested for the purpose. Different instruments are being tried with different levels of success. However situation has not improved to such a level where it can be claimed that this Anti poverty drive has paid its dividends.

As we have stated that Islam provides solution to every problem of human life. Here we will theoretically examine that

1. How Islam sees Poverty? Is it a blessing or a curse
2. What are the instruments to reduce poverty in Islam?
3. How effective are these Instruments?
4. How Islamic approach to poverty reduction is different from a conventional approach?

What is Poverty in Islam?

In Islam poverty is a multidimensional concept. Term used in Islamic literature for a poor person is "Faqeer". A person is considered to be a Faqeer or Poor who do not have sufficient material wealth in hand to satisfy his/her basic needs which are defined in fiver broad categories.

1. Protect his/her religion
2. Protect his/her Physical Self
3. Seek Knowledge or Education
4. Protect his/her Family
5. Accumulate some Wealth

These are necessary to lead a good social, individual and economic life ensured by Islam. People who are not able to meet these necessities are poor.

Islam is not against property and wealth rather it wishes its followers not make the wealth accumulation their sole purpose of existence. Islam considers richness a blessing from their creator as long as it is acquired by halal means and the person fulfills all his responsibilities towards Allah and society.

 Islam does not see poverty as a virtue rather it is seen as a social anomaly that is to be removed and alleviated. In many Ahadith Prophet P.B.U.H sought refuge from poverty. To eradicate poverty Allah S.W.T has included built in features in his revealed religion to protect humankind from poverty.

Islamic Instruments to Reduce Poverty

The built-in instruments of Islam to reduce poverty includes

1. Zakat
2. Sadaqat
3. Qarz-e-Hasan

The Obligatory Zakat:

Zakat means 'purification' and 'growth'. It is mandatory for every Muslim who possesses over a prescribed limit of wealth for at least one year to pay a certain amount to poor. This is called Zakat. The Zakat proceeds are to be distributed among poor and needy. To protect the self respect of poor Allah S.W.T has declared that Zakat is the "right" of poor in wealth of rich. Payers of Zakat do not oblige poor by giving Zakat rather they just give them their due "right". Islam has attached so much importance to Zakat that it is one of the five pillars of Islam. Anyone who does not believe on any of these five pillars of Islam cannot be categorized as Muslim.

Zakat is due on accumulated wealth that has been in the possession of a person for at least one year. The dynamics of Zakat are completely defined in Islamic Jurisprudence. Zakat is payable on accumulated assets i.e. Money, Crops, Inventory, Gold, Silver, Animals, Shares and so. Rates of Zakat differ in certain cases.  As this is on accumulated assets people who does not save do not have to pay Zakat. Zakat recipients are also defined in Quran and cannot be paid out of defined categories. Following verse of Quran mention the people who can be Zakat recipients.

"As a matter of fact, Zakat collections are only for the needy and the indigent, and for those who are employed to collect them and for whose hearts are to be won over and for the ransoming of slaves and for helping the debtors and for the way of Allah and for the hospitality of the way-farers.  This is an obligatory duty from Allah: and Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise: (9: 60)

        1.       The Needy

A Person is needy if he depends on others for his sustenance.   This will include all such helpless people who stand in need of monetary help and co-operation of others, temporarily or permanently.  Thus Zakat can be spent to help the invalids, orphans, widows, the aged and the jobless people and those who have been afflicted by unforeseen calamities.  They may be given temporary help or granted pensions permanently The Poor: People who have means of livelihood but insufficient to meet their basic needs.

2.       The Indigent

They are the people who are self-respected. They would neither beg nor ask others for help. They are struggling for their livelihood but due to insufficient resources they cannot make ends meet. According to Hadith, an indigent person is one 

 "Who does not get enough to satisfy his needs ; who is neither recognized to be poor so that people may render him necessary help, nor he stands up to beg."
(Bukhari, Muslim)

        3.       The In-Debtors

        These are the people who are heavily under debt and cannot generate enough to pay off their debts.  They can be  jobless or earning a little, or those who may be left with nothing if they pay off all their debts, or those who have been reduced to poverty due to unforeseen calamities like paying heavy penalties and fines, failure of business etc.

4.       Stranded Traveller or Wayfarer:

The wayfarer, whether he is well off and rich at home, can be helped with Zakat money if he stands in need of such help while on a journey.

        5.        To Free Slaves:

Zakat money is to be used to purchase slaves and free them.

        6.       To Win over Hearts

People whose hearts are to be reconciled to Islam and in the interest of the Islamic State.  They can be non-Muslims, or even the newly converted Muslims whose faith in Islam is not yet firm and strong enough to motivate them to serve the interests of Islam and the Islamic State.

        7.        In the Way of Allah:

Zakat money can also be spent in the path of Allah. This can include many things, basically any project that helps Muslims or Islamic causes.

        8.        Amileen-i-Zakat or Zakat Workers:

Those whose job it is to collect and re-distribute Zakat money get their salary from the Zakat money.

There are more regulations in disbursement of Zakat and who is eligible to receive Zakat but that is beyond scope of this topic.

Sadaqat:

Zakat levied by Islam can easily be enough to solve the problems of poverty and starvation in the islamic society in particular and in. However Islam has adopted a multidimensional poverty reduction startegy by encouraging Muslims to give charity in addition to the compulsory Zakat. Islam has given so much importance to social safety and care for others.  For example, the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) once said that the person who sleeps full while his neighbour sleeps hungry is not a true believer. Islam has promoted charity and giving in may ways like if one Muslim is not able to fulfill his islamic dutiies he is required to feed certian number of poor people. For example, for the persons who are not able to fast in Ramadan, they are required to feed some poor people for each day they do not fast. And there are many such examples.

Charity in the holy Qur'an and the Sunnah:

Like Zakat we can mention of sadaqat on many occassions in Quran and Hadith. We can quote few of these as reference

"O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in Parable like a hard barren rock, on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it (just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who reject Faith." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, verse 264).

 "And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity" (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, verse 110).

 "By no means shall you attain righteousness unless ye give (freely) of that which you love; and whatever you give, Allah knows it well." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 3, verse 92).

Allah (swt) said addressing the messenger of Allah, Mohammad (pbuh): "Of their goods take alms (charity), so that you might purify and sanctify them, and pray on their behalf" (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 9, verse 103).

Allah (swt) said: "So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), and (in all sincerity) testifies to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss. But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, And gives the lie to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the Path to Misery; Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the hell fire)." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 92, verses 5-11).

When the messenger of Allah, Mohammad (pbuh), sent one of his companions to call the people of Yemen to Islam, he asked him to tell them the basics of Islam, among which was: "... and tell them that Allah has made obligatory on them a charity that is taken from their rich and given to their poor..." (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim).

How Can Zakat Eradicate Poverty?

Zakat is an Integral part of Islamic belief. It is one of the five concept necessary to believe to become a muslim. Besides religious Zakat is an economic concept and has socio economic implications.

If Islam was implemented in the world today, starvation would be eliminated from the planet within the first year. The Zakat due on agricultural products ranges from 5% to 10% of the produce. There is also Zakat due on various types of animals such as sheep, cows and camels. Imagine if 5%-10% of all agricultural production in the world, plus the required amounts on animals are distributed among the hungry and starving people of this world. The problem would be solved immedeatly. In the system we have today, some nations intentionally spoil a part of their agricultural production in order to maintain high prices for their produce. Can you see the difference between the system driven by human greed and the Islam which was imposed by Allah (swt), the most gracious and most merciful?

In addition, Islam can solve the problem of poverty. Consider the Zakat due on money. Zakat is due at 2.5% on money that has been in one's possession for over a year. Now consider this simple fact: Forbes Magazine reported that in 2004 there were 587 billionaires worldwide, with a combined net worth of $1.9 trillion dollars. If in 2004 these 587 richest people in the world paid zakat, we would have had $47.5 billion dollars distributed among the poor.

This calculation has just considered less than 600 individuals on this earth. What about if everyone contributed to a global Zakat fund in the same way? The total world GDP (summation of gross domestic product of all countries in the world) was estimated in 1999 to be $27,357.9 billion dollars. The 2.5% Zakat on this would amount to $683.95 billion dollars annually. These are just ball park figures to give the reader an idea of how much money Zakat can generate.

This Zakat money should not only be distributed for immedeate relief to the poor. It can also be given in the form of small business loans. For example, poor farmers can be given loans or even grants from this Zakat money to enable them to purchase the equipment and materials they need to lift them out of poverty. The same can be done for small business owners, or for the poor to set up small workshops or factories to lift them out of poverty once and for all. Within a few years, poverty would be eliminated or at least greatly reduced.

Islam and Microfinance: Common Denominators

Islam and Microfinance are by no means Comparable. Islam is a complete code of life and a divine revelation while Microfinance is just a tiny part of human life and in current form is a human invention. We are by no means comparing both as a system rather just trying to find out the commom objectives. The underlying assumption is that Microfinance objectives tried to be achieved in islamic way will be huge success.

Core Objective of Microfinance is to eradicate poverty. i.e to raise income levels and to broaden financial markets by providing financial and no-financial services to the financially excluded people. Microfinance  targets the poor and the economically active poor in the society to assist them create wealth, accumulate assets and raise income to smooth consumption

 Islam also wants its followers to be prosperous, self sufficient, self respecting and enterprising. Islam dislikes people to be dependent on others. Islam has developed such a social safety mechanism that people should become self reliant. Islam does not want people to become beggars. Islam has declared begging to be a curse and declared a person who earns his livelihood by hand i.e by working as friend of Allah (s.w.t)

By this we can say that there is a common goal in islam and microfinance i.e to eradicate poverty, to make people self reliant, enterprising and self respecting. There will be only one ultimate soultion to achieve the target of poverty eradication i.e practice microfinance in an Islamic way and added social safety advantages associated with Islam will help achieve this goal.

Fashion Jewelry Trends for Winter

The past few years, trends for fashion jewelry have taken some strange turns. A few years ago, it was all about chunky plastic bracelets in neon colors straight out of the ’80s. Then fashion jewelry went organic, with wooden details and yarn taking center stage.

Right now, fashion and costume jewelry are focusing on classic, elegant style. Vintage embellishments like ribbon details and rhinestones are back, while boho beads and plastic earrings are out. These fashion jewelry trends pair up perfectly with this season’s ladylike clothing. To be in style for this season, keep it pretty and simple.

For earrings, several styles are in fashion. Jewelry classics like plain gold balls or diamond studs are back in style, as are simple hoops. Earrings with rhinestone dangles or gem detailing are bound to be big this season, as are oversized studs that look like clip-ons. Classic button earrings with cloisonne or filigree details look chic again, while understated chandelier styles are still holding on. Instead of the chandelier earrings styles of the past few years, avoid the beads and colorful details. Stick to beautiful Bollywood gold for a stylish look.

Necklaces are also keeping it classic this winter. Instead of the obviously fake feathers, motorcycle chains and other unusual trends of recent years, this year’s fashion jewelry trends are all about looking like real jewelry. Plain chains, simple pendants and large-link necklaces are a few of the season’s most popular styles. Initial pendants are big again, whether on their own or hammered onto gold or silver discs. Gold in general is back in style, unlike the past few winters which have favored silver metals.

Fashion jewelry bracelets are still holding on to a few relics from the past few years. Thin bangles are still around, but look much more chic this time around. Plain, hammered or filigree styles make for chic bangles this winter, especially with gem details. Things like the simple diamond tennis bracelet are coming back into style, as are omega necklaces and bracelets and the hammered “X and O” look. Though not technically bracelets, classic ladies’ dress cuff and bracelet watches are also back in fashion.