SPORTS TEACHING

           First and foremost, praise to Allah S.W.T almighty as the creator, ruler, administer of the worlds and blessings and peace be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW, his family, his companions includes his loyalists to the end of time. When it comes to the sports, every people in the world particularly in this globalisation and modernisation ages have already know how to apply it, for example jogging, cycling, swimming and others, whether indoor or outdoor activities. But the question is do they really understand what is the sports? Sport is derived from Latin word “desporto” which mean to bear. Linguistically, it is refer to human physical activities that can be done individually or competing with other based on the rules of particular games using the skills, strategies, tactics and techniques to ensure the successful. Recreation is also derived from Latin word “recreation” which means restoration and recovery. From the point of the term, it is refer to any beneficial activities during leisure times that can ensure the development and satisfaction.

In Islam, sports and recreation can be considered as an Ibadah and Amal Solih for those who really appreciate their responsibilities and status as a servant and vicegerent on the earth. As we have already known, the scope of Amal Solih is very wide and not only focuses on the ritual activities only. It is covers all lawful work as long as not against the Sharia of Islam. Generally, the activities that consider as Ibadah can be done in any time and any place without bounding with limitation by obeying all the Allah’s rules and regulation in order to gain the rewards from him and to avoid from his punishment. Now, we have to know, what the Islamic view on sports is.

After knowing the definition, here, some references of Al-Quran and Hadith based on the field of sports. Originally, sports and recreation are encourages by Islam.  The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer.” Based on this Hadith, Allah SWT is very dear to the believers who have strong in term of physical, mental and spiritual than the believers who are weak in term of everything. Besides that, Islam also incites its followers to preserve the body, keep on healthy condition. This is because a healthy mind lies in a healthy body. As a result, we also can avoid from bad diseases and can perform the Ibadah to Allah SWT affectively and wholeheartedly.

Furthermore, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: “I competed with the Messenger of Allah (in running) and overtook him. Later, when I had put on some weight, I once again competed with him, but this time he overtook me and said: “We’re even now”. The hadith tell us that the messenger of Allah SWT also practice sports in running whereby this activity is one of traditional activities practiced by Arab during the era of Prophet Muhammad SAW.  Furthermore participating in sports is one activity in which fill the free time with the beneficial things and as a result, the people can get some advantages whether for the development or performance because it is not useless activities. Allah (GBTH) says in His Holy Quran that, “The true Muslims are those who doesn't involve in useless things and ignores the disgust”. Allah (GBTH) also says that, “The true Muslims are those who eradicates futile acts totally”. That is why the activity can be considered as Ibadah.

Every activities and recreation whether for the outdoor or indoor activities, it is only can be consider as Ibadah, as long as we doing it with the purpose to avoid his anger and to achieve his closure and pleasure. In order to ensure that the activities accepted by Allah SWT as Ibadah, every have to confirm whatever sports that they participated, meet the following conditions.

 Firstly, good intention and because of Allah SWT, not for other interest or in other words is sincerity. The messenger of Allah SWT said “everything that you do, must attain with good intention and every action or deed is depend on it action. Even though, not all good intention can be accepted as ibadah, if the way of performing the activities is against syarak.

Secondly, does not against the injunction of Sharia Islamiah. For example, we have to avoid ourselves from doing something forbidden by Allah SWT. For example, there is no limitation or restriction in relationship between man and woman. Thirdly, do not have the element of gambling. The people of knowledge (ulamak) have made decision that is forbidden for the competition in which charged the loser’s player to make payment and the winner got the reward that was taking from the loser. This activity is clearly shows that, it has the element of gambling.

Lastly, every player has to cover their awrah. It is obligation for Muslims as the Prophet Muhammad SAW said “What is between the navel and the knee is ‘awrah.” (for men). As conclusion, if we can follow and obey all the conditions, Allah SWT will give rewards to us because he is the most merciful one.

The acceptances of sports as ibadah have strong connections with human’s career. Islam has explained that the world is like a bridge (way) to lead people to hereafter. Thus, the purpose of the creation of human is to control and preserve this universe is coincide with the natural inclination of the human based on the injunction that was determined by syarak. As a human being, we have been instilled by Allah SWT with two resources in order to fulfil our needs on the earth.

The first is source of human, which mean include mind, talent, faculty of intellect, faculty of sensory and others that function as advocate for human to look for the sustenance of Allah SWT. Secondly, source of tabi’i, which mean include the land, see and air that become the important assets to the sources of sustenance. By the way, every people have to work in order to sustain their life, including their family.

 The ability to find some work in the field of sport is very high. Furthermore, today we have Faculty of Science Sports and Recreation in some university in our country, for instance University Malaya (UM), University Technology Mara (UITM) and so on. For the graduates that master in this field, absolutely there is no problem to continue his talent, whether to become a coach, manager or player. Moreover the government has launch a programme “sports for all” with hope that all the community can participate in the activity of sports. Besides that, the government also conducted a survey to find for new talented person especially in village, school, every district and university to be trained to become a skilled person that can make one’s country become well known.

In over, sports and recreation can offer major psychological and physiological benefits through participation. There is some evidence to indicate that physical health can be improved through regular sports participations although this participation does not need to be a highly competitive, aggressive, or “sweaty” nature. A vigorous walk or a relaxed swim can benefit general health a great deal and the notion that only lung-busting aerobics can produce the type of health benefits required is misguided. Healthy body is needed to perform ibadah to Allah SWT. For example, when perform the prayer, someone has to stand nicely and straight for those who have ability to do that.

Another justifiable good of sports is the rather negative one. If people are actively participating in sport, at least they are not doing anything less sociable, for instance being involved in vandalism or other form of crime. This may appear negative, but in actual fact, is a valid argument with a factual base. This condition also will give benefits to the country because when people are concentrating on sports, the number of social problem will fall and effectively can contribute to the tranquillity and peaceful of the country.

Apart from that, participation of sports and recreation also can ensure the ukhwah islamiah between the societies whether for teenagers or adults. It is important in order to create the solidarity in our society. When it happened, every work is become easily and our country also becomes strong. There is no doubt, that sports and recreation carry great advantages to the participators.

The causes of participating in sports will bring lots of benefits for the participators who keep on practicing it. As we move toward the millennium, it is undeniable that the base of sports is still very much with the volunteer. That is in term of benefits, but how about the objectives?

To answer that, there are many objectives of the sports; one of them is to provide peace of mind. It is refer to the mind that is not agitated. People participate in sports for a whole variety of reasons and the choice is theirs. It may be for competition, it may be for relaxation and so on. So, through the sports someone will get the peace of mind because sometimes they do it for enjoyment to forget the personal problems and conflict. Another objective is to release for pupils in order to refresh for academic work. Generally, students must involve themselves in the sports. It is important and useful for their performance. The classroom environment with lots of study will lead student to become stress. So, participating in sports is the best solution for them to eliminate the problem.

Additionally, to develop self-disciplined for those in the area of sports. Discipline in sports can be categorized into few terms. For instance, discipline of attire and discipline of attribute. Discipline of attire is focuses on term of dress, for example, wear shoes, tight in, proper dress, cover the aurah, and so on. Discipline of attribute is focuses on term of habit, for example, punctuality, no fighting, no cheating and other. To conclude that, everyone must set the objective of participation of sports in order to assure the activity is beneficial and not wasting time.

Other than that, involving ourselves in the sport activities is also to develop leadership skills. Sports and leadership are two elements that cannot be separated. Excellent leadership is very necessity and needed in the sports activities. As a leader, the people must have in-depth understanding for everything that they command. People have been guided by syariah of Islam to act or doing something based on actual reality and because of that, it is the important thing that we have to take it seriously to make sure the sports and recreation is not against the injunction and provision of syariah. In order to confirm that everything is done based on what have been showed by Islam and the actual jurisprudence, absolutely, we can achieve the objective of the sports and recreation.

 In this world today, we can see there are so many excellent leaders in sport who is inventive and creative and they have ability to contribute in the development of sports to make sports and recreation as the most unifying influence among the society especially teenagers who have the “fresh” strength. This is because Islam never prevents followers to being involved in sports actively and also never prohibits any activities of sport that follow its teaching.

 From the reality, the development or upgrading of human life, highlight the sports and recreation must be managed and conducted effectively and efficiently. Successful in sports not only can change the life of athletes but can also change the human perception toward one country. In short, the effective skill of leadership in the management of sports can produce competent athletes which can upgrade the level of the country all over the world.

To begin with, sports evolved over the progress of society ad human history. Sports are also applied in religious activities, for example, prayer, which is indicates the motion or movement of body. Hajj also involves physical effort in its various rituals. In Western, many sport carnivals organized by the church especially in the town area where many people live there. For example, singing the religious song. The sport prehistory tells us that the way of life of searching for food in the coastal rivers and beaches like fishing as the basis of competitive swimming and water sport.

 In Islamic history, there were various reports that indicate the prophet Muhammad SAW participated and encouraged us to follow. For example, archery. One of the Islamic scholars Uqah ibn Amir said “I heard the messenger of Allah SWT saying while he was on the pulpit, in the verse [and make ready against them all you can of power, including steed of war]. The word power means archery. Besides that, the prophet Muhammad SAW also likes the activity of horse riding and wrestling. In Sahih Muslim, it is reported that the prophet said “rider horses, for they are the legacy of your father (Ishmael) and it is also reported that the prophet wrestled with a number of men, one of whom was Rukanah Ibn Abd Yazid.

These three examples of activities of Prophet Muhammad SAW are the famous activities during that time which are remain in existence until today. So, it can be proven that, the messenger of Allah SWT active in sports, was a healthy, fit and strong. According to the Hadith “his (Muhammad) stomach and chest were in line”.

 As the sports and recreation being developed in every country and become the biggest influences between societies, there are many scholars, whether Islamic scholars or Western scholar talked or discussed about sports. For example, Harold J. Vanderzwaag, one of the scholars from America give his view on the definition of sport in which sports refer to indoor or outdoor of human physical activity and can be done individually or compete with other. In contrast, from the Islamic scholars Abdul Rahman Bukhatir defines sport as the institutionalization of skills and prowess.

In addition, Simon Barnes claimed that sports and politics are ever blood brother. This statement was supported by Juan Antonio Samaranch who state whoever said sport had nothing to do with politics; he made a very great mistake. Other than that, Salafi scholar, Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid has made a statement, which is Islam is concerned with man’s well-being in both body and soul, and it encourages all kinds of sport that will strengthen the body and maintain good health as well as providing relaxation and leisure, such as swimming, shooting, horse-riding, sword-fighting and wrestling.

 But when Islam accepts sports and encourages us to engage in them, it does not make them a goal in and of themselves, rather sport is considered to be a means of protecting the sacred limits of Islam and the dignity and rights of the Muslims, in the belief that strength is one of the most important means of achieving victory and prevailing in the face of challenges and warding off the threats that face Islam. In a nutshell, all the scholars gave their opinion based on what they understand. There were some of them argued each other, but it is normal because they can share or spread their idea and opinion as well as open their mind to be more profession.

To sum up all items that had been discussed above, sports and recreation are very important in our life as human being to perform or carry out the duties as a vicegerent on the earth. There have been prolonged discussions about the Islamic view on sports, objectives of sports, benefits, history and other that can make us understand deeply  and master in the field.

According to Islam, sports and recreation are tools of human development and greatly influenced the self and society in shaping the Islamic brotherhood bond besides healthier body. Islam also requires followers to be unique and superior in humans, has a style and special way of life. They are different from non-Muslims in term of fashion, action, charity and their efforts. They are the best role models and most qualified person to perform the duties to guide other people in the world. So, a true Muslim is one who can balance the requirement of physical, mind and soul as well as never be an extreme person on one side and ignore the other side.

 Some other party should be making their way to encourage people involving themselves in the sport activities. There is also a need for all administrators involved in sport to work hard to promote the benefits and equally be ready to count any perceived disadvantages, many of which are quite mistaken. If all parties concern and give full commitment, with the permission of Allah SWT, many people will participate in the activity of sports.

PLANTING PROJECT

Trees play an important role in sustaining a healthy environment. Every tree planted by this community project is part of a large scale effort by members around the world to make a significant impact on the environment. The goal of this community tree planting grants is to increase the tree resource base in cities and towns across the Malaysia. This is not to provide beautification. Trees are work horses for our communities, providing energy savings through shading, storm water mitigation through rain interception, and air quality improvement through filtration and absorption.

 These are direct cost saving benefits to communities. Beautification should not be used as an objective for planting project. Trees must be planted on public land. These Community Tree Planting projects connect people to the benefits of trees and foster community spirit and interaction. We should consider planting trees because Well-placed shade trees can lower your roof and wall temperatures and help save over 15% on your electrical bills. Shading and cooling and air conditioning unit can increase its efficiency by 10%.Trees can help your property value. Trees add beauty to neighbourhoods and can add considerable value to the typical bowling green home, which helps to stabilize property values.

 

                 Trees make life nicer. It has been shown that spending time among trees and green spaces reduces the amount of stress that we carry around with us in our daily lives. Hospital patients have been shown to recover from surgery more quickly when their hospital room offered a view of trees. Children have been shown to retain more of the information taught in schools if they spend some of their time outdoors in green spaces. Trees are often planted as living memorials or reminders of loved ones or to commemorate significant events in our lives. Even though you may own the trees on your property your neighbours may benefit from them as well.

 Through careful planning trees can be an asset to your entire community. Tree lined streets have a traffic calming effect, traffic moves more slowly and safely. Trees can be placed to screen unwanted views or noise from busy highways. Trees can complement the architecture or design of buildings or entire neighbourhoods. Trees offer many environmental benefits. Trees also reduce the urban heat island effect through evaporative cooling and reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches parking lots and buildings. This is especially true in areas with large impervious surfaces, such as parking lots of stores and industrial complexes. Trees improve our air quality by filtering harmful dust and pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulphur dioxide from the air we breathe.

                 Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe. Trees reduce the amount of storm water runoff, which reduces erosion and pollution in our waterways and may reduce the effects of flooding. Many species of wildlife depend on trees for habitat. Trees provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. Well placed trees can reduce your cooling costs in the summer by shading the south and west sides of your home. If deciduous trees are used they will allow the sun to pass through and warm your home in the winter. Evergreen trees on the north side of your home and shrubs around the foundation of your home can act as a windbreak to reduce the cooling effects of winter winds. The value of a well landscaped home with mature healthy trees can be as much as 10% higher than a similar home with no or little landscaping. (Topping will reduce the value of your trees).Some indirect economic benefits of trees are that if we reduce the energy we use then utility companies will have less demand placed on the infrastructure, thus reducing operating costs which can be passed on to the consumer. Tree is important to all of us.

 

             Planting also has some disadvantages. For time, a garden requires a time commitment from the planning stages through harvest time. The greatest investment of time is required when you first start your garden, but the work continues throughout the growing season. You'll need to weed water and fertilize the plants. In vegetable gardens, you also have to harvest the food when it is mature. Sharing the work load with family members or creating a neighbourhood garden can mean less of a time commitment for you.

Next, cost for planting, Vegetable gardens are considered money savers, but a garden comes with its own expenses that may cost you more than buying the vegetables would. When you initially create your garden beds, potential costs include a tiller, shovel, rake, hoe and edging material. After the initial investment, the yearly costs are lower, but expenses still include seeds, plants, compost, topsoil, fertilizer, mulch and support systems like trellises or tomato cages. You also see an increase in your water bill for irrigation of the garden. Limiting your garden size can help keep costs under control. 

            Last but not least, injuries, gardening require physical exertion, including lots of bending, stooping, digging and carrying. The repeated gardening actions put strain on your back and joints like your knees. If you already have problems with pain or limited mobility, taking care of your garden can worsen those symptoms. Lifting, stooping or performing other actions incorrectly may also lead to injury, such as a pulled muscle. I make sense to keep your garden small if you have physical limitations and take breaks while gardening to avoid injury to your muscles or joints. You can also hire a professional to handle some of the garden care.

               For planting we need a material, we need seeds, fruits, aggregate fruits, and parts of aggregate fruits used for planting. Planting material sometimes includes the parts of plants used for vegetative reproduction, for example, bulbs and potato tubers. In the USSR, state standards have been set for planting quality (germinating power, purity, susceptibility to disease and pests, moisture content, and 1,000-seed weight) and varietal quality (purity and, for some crops, specificity). Only certified seeds meeting these requirements may be planted. State seed inspectorates determine the quality of planting material by means of laboratory analysis, soil control, and test plots. Planting material is divided by planting quality into three classes. Established for each class are the number of seeds for the main crop, the yield of the main crop, the amount of foreign matter, the number of seeds of other plants (including weeds), germinating power, and moisture content. 

                   For winter and spring varieties of soft wheat, the purity norms are 99 percent for class 1, 98.5 percent for class 2, and 97 percent for class 3; the germination rate is 95 percent for class 1, 92 percent for class 2, and 90 percent for class 3. Class-1 and class-2 seeds are planted for crops; class-3 seeds may be planted in exceptional cases and only in the well-tilled areas. Planting material is also classified according to varietal properties into three categories. For most grains (including pulse crops) category-1 seeds are marked by 99.5 percent purity, cate-gory-2 seeds by 98 percent, and category-3 seeds by 95 percent. Only category-1 seeds may be planted for seed production; cate-gory-2 and category-3 seeds are used in commercial sowing. Before storing, planting material is cleaned, sorted, and, if necessary, dried. It undergoes various types of preparation before planting. Data on the planting and varietal qualities of planting material are recorded in special registers maintained by each farm. 

                 This is some true event of planting project. Firstly, Kenyan Lions Develop a Partnership to Plant Trees, for several years, severe deforestation in Kenya has brought about new challenges for productive agriculture and has raised concerns about health and food security within its communities. To combat this growing problem, the Lions of Kenya partnered with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and pledged to plant 1.5 million trees. Committed to their pledge, Lions from District 411A have planted more than 2.6 million trees to date. The impact of their incredible service will be felt for many years to come. Next, District 132 in Macedonia Reacts After Forest Fires. After a vast region of the country was destroyed by forest fires, the Lions of Macedonia organized a nation-wide call to action that has been growing ever since. 

The tree planting effort was organized several years ago and has transformed into an event that is nationally recognized and celebrated. The Lions of Macedonia are still very closely tied to the project. During the 2011-2012 fiscal years, District 132 organized two tree planting events that involved nearly every club in the country and donated 2,000 trees. Then, The Tewantin Noosa Lions Club recognized a need for trees and organized a project at a UNESCO biosphere reserve in their local community. The club planted 120 trees and pledged to care for them during the first three months, a vital development phase of the tree. When the trees are mature, they will provide food and shelter for the koala population in the region.

                  Islamic scholar said, Sheikh-ul-Islam as said that if each Pakistani planted a tree, 170 million trees so planted would solve the pollution problem. He instructed every worker of MQI to plant preferably a fruit-bearing tree or a shady tree at the least. He regretted that worship has been confined to the performance of rituals alone and our inner selves, our hearts, are devoid of that inner state which keeps us immersed in a feeling and passion called piety and worship. Consequently negative attitudes are on the increase in society. He said that devil attacks man from outside while ill-commanding self-mounts attack from inside. The prayers of today's Muslims are not result-oriented because human heart is plagued by ill-commanding self. Next, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it." [1]

                   One hadith has said about planting, Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Never does a Muslim a plants a tree, but that he earns the reward of charity because what is eaten from it; and likewise what is stolen from it, what the wild beasts eat out of it, what the birds eat out of it, and what people take from it is charity for him.” [Sahîh Muslim (1552)] .The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Never does a Muslim a plant a tree or sow a crop and a bird, human being, or beast eats from it without earning the reward of charity.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (2320) and Sahîh Muslim (1553)] .However, we cannot rule out a reward for taking care of such plants. If the houseplant dies through no fault or negligence of the owner, then there is, of course, no sin upon the owner for its death. And Allah knows best. In the Holy Quran also has mention about the tree that have in heaven and hell.

 

              The Tree of Tooba in Paradise, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: "In Paradise there is a tree in whose shade a rider could travel for a hundred years without crossing it. Recite, if you wish: ‘In shade long-extended’[2].The Prophet said: "Tooba is a tree in Paradise, one hundred years big. The clothes of the people of Paradise are made from its calyces (outer casing of its flowers)."[3] ‘Utbah ibn ‘Abdin al-Salami said: "A Bedouin came to the Prophet and asked him about al-Hawd (the cistern). He mentioned Paradise, and then the Bedouin asked him, ‘Is there fruit there?’ He said, ‘Yes, and there is a tree called Tooba.’ The Bedouin asked, ‘What tree of this world does it resemble?’ He said, ‘It does not resemble any tree of your land. Have you been to Syria?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘It resembles a tree in Syria called al-Jawzah (walnut) which grows on one trunk then spreads its branches higher up.’ The Bedouin asked, ‘How big is its trunk?’ He said, ‘If one of the camels of your people was to go around it, it would not complete one circuit before its neck broke of old age and exhaustion.

 The Bedouin asked, ‘Are there grapes there?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How big is a bunch?’ He said, ‘The distance a crow could fly without stopping in a month.’ He asked, ‘How big is one grape?’ He said, ‘Does your father ever slaughter a he-goat from his flocks?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘And does he skin it and give the hide to your mother, and say, "Make me a bucket"?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The Bedouin asked, ‘Is one grape big enough to satisfy me and my family?’ He said, ‘Yes, and your whole tribe.’" [4]

                  The tree of Zaqqoom, which is the food for the people of Hell. This tree is described in the Qur’an as (interpretation of the meaning): "… the accursed tree (mentioned) in the Qur’an"[5]. Allah also says about it (interpretation of the meaning): "Then, moreover, verily, - you the erring-on, the deniers (of Resurrection)! You verily will eat of the trees of Zaqqoom. Then you will fill your bellies therewith, and drink boiling water on top of it, so you will drink (that) like thirsty camels! That will be their entertainment on the Day of Recompense!" [6] "Verily, the tree of Zaqqoom, will be the food of the sinners, like boiling oil, it will boil in the bellies, like the boiling of scalding water. (It will be said): ‘Seize him and drag him into the midst of blazing Fire, then pour over his head the torment of boiling water, taste you (this)! Verily, you were pretending to be the mighty, the generous! Verily! This is that whereof you used to doubt!’"[7] ."Is that Paradise better entertainment or the tree of Zaqqoom (a horrible tree in Hell)? Truly we have made it as a trial for the Zaalimoon (polytheists, disbelievers, wrongdoers, etc.). 

Verily, it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hell-fire, the shoots of its fruit-stalks are like the heads of shayaateen (devils); truly they will eat thereof and fill their bellies therewith. Then on the top of that they will be given boiling water to drink so that it becomes a mixture (of boiling water and Zaqqoom in their bellies). Then, thereafter, their return is to the flaming fire of Hell."[8]

            Moreover, this is a relevant story about The Community Action Day was an exciting opportunity for British and American Fulbright programme participants and alumni to meet one another whilst giving back to the community and promoting a better environment. Comme Fulbright Forestnting on the event, Michael Scott Kline, Director of the Fulbright Programme, said: ‘The Community Action Day was a great opportunity for our scholars and alumni to come together to give something back to society – knowing and appreciating the investment society has made in them via the Fulbright Programme.  It shows the energy and enthusiasm that Fulbright Scholars have to make positive change in our two countries.’ Along with planting trees the group was given a tour of Cultibraggan Army Camp, a Certificates old WWII POW camp now the setting of an Eco-centre for the Village of Comrie. 

The group enjoyed learning about the efforts of the people of Comrie to ensure the camp is developed into a space where local businesses can develop and community projects, including allotments, educational space and sporting grounds, can be based each with sustainability at their core. Fulbright Scholar at the University of Strathclyde, Jordan Covvey, commented:’ I’ll have to come back in 20 years time and see our little Fulbright Forest blooming up here in the beautiful Highlands.’ The Fulbright Programme thanks State Alumni, the US-based US government alumni network for contributing funding to make the day possible, and the  British Fulbright Scholars Association (BFSA), Trees4Scotland and all who took part, for their help in making the first Fulbright Community Action Day such a success.

           In conclusion, capacity building in the community with planting project can give us many benefits. It can bridge the friendship between us in the process of planting. Planting may also provide fresh air and give a beautiful place. Most trees and shrubs in cities or communities are planted to provide beauty or shade. These are many excellent reasons for their use. Woody plants also serve many other purposes, and it often is helpful to consider these other functions when selecting a tree or shrub for the landscape. Planting trees can give benefits to social, communal, environmental, and economic. Most often we plant trees to provide shade and beautify our landscapes. These are great benefits but trees also provide other less obvious benefits such as time, energy, cost and injuries.

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[1] (From Bukhari's Adab al Mufrad nr. 479)

[2] [al-Waaqi’ah 56:30]" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4502)

[3] (Reported by Ibn Hibbaan; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3918)

[4] (Reported by Imaam Ahmad).

[5] [Al-Israa’ 17:60].

[6] [Al-Waaqi’ah 56:51-56]

[7] [al-Dukhaan 44:43-50]

[8] [al-Saafaat 37:62-68]

FLOWER ARRANGER

Florists enjoy one of the only design jobs that don't have to come wrapped up with a college          degree or additional training. Floral designers use their talents to create beautiful flower                 arrangements and help their customers select gifts. Of course, being a florist isn't always a bed of   roses. You'll need to lift heavy containers when sorting stock and avoid cutting yourself on the many sharp tools of the trade , all while serving your customers. Customer  service is a big part of the floral industry; floral designers are present for some of   the most important moments in people's    lives. In addition to creative flair, you'll need to have a gift for empathizing with others, whether    they are a bubbly bride, nervous date or grieving family member. Florists employed by flower       shops typically earn slightly less than those working at grocery stores or floral outlets. Additional    training, location and employer can all have an impact on the hourly wages earned by florists.

                      Floral designers in seasonal, entry-level positions do not require experience or formaleducation. Employers looking to hire a full-time florist will usually look for high school graduates with talent and enthusiasm for working with flowers . Want to improve your design abilities to prepare for a job in floral design? Taking high school art classes or community center art programs can help with the basics. Private floral schools and trade schools are available to floral designers    who want to pursue certification. Career growth is limited; most florists work for several years and either advance onto  supervisor positions or open their own shop. Floral designers who are interested in opening    their own shop often seek certification from trade schools, and classes in business administration may also be useful. Independent florists should also consider training in event         management; more floral shops are offering event coordination services to compete with the lower  prices offered by floral wholesale businesses.

                        Job opportunities should still be good for new floral designers as current florists pursue other professions. Grocery stores, internet florists and other discount florists are becoming more popular and are likely to have more available positions. A florist works with flowers, plants and hand crafted flower arrangements, selling them to the general public or attending functions to create flower displays. As a florist, you will be working with the general public, so any retail experience, or customer services experience would be advantageous. You may be able to help out at an independent florist to gain valuable work experience. Florists and garden centre’s are generally small self contained businesses, and approaching these directly is your best route to finding employment. Commercial flower delivery services such as Interflora are not actually florists in themselves but in fact a delivery network putting individual florists in touch with the general public. As an independent florist, joining such a network can be highly rewarding.

Since time immemorial, flowers have held a special place in human society. Different flowers are used to celebrate special events all over the world such as weddings, funerals, births and festivals. Some flowers are historically imbued with a particular meaning, while others are valued purely for their fragrant or decorative properties. In the UK, over 6,000 florist businesses employ nearly 29,000 people. The value of this to the UK economy is estimated at £1.5 billion and statistics show that over half of this is comprised of people buying flowers for themselves . The huge range of flowers and plants available, each with its own particular set of requirements and properties, means that a fully qualified florist is a highly trained professional. The day to day duties of a florist would include the following: selecting flowers according to freshness, seasonality and appearance for displays and decoration, creating original bouquets and bespoke bouquets for individual customers, helping customers choose the right flowers for a particular occasion, advising customers on plant and flower after-care, taking flower orders by telephone and arranging delivery, attending special functions and events to create flower displays and basic administrative tasks such as book keeping.

                     To succeed as a florist, the following personal skills and attributes would give you an advantage: a genuine love of flowers and a desire to work with them, a keen eye for design, colour matching and style, some knowledge of plant care, good interpersonal skills, good at dealing with the public, good time management skills; you may be your own boss one day, the ability to work quickly and efficiently while under pressure; florists can be busy places. Florists usually work from a retail store where they can design, prepare and then sell their creations directly to the public. Taking orders by the telephone or Internet and sending deliveries of flowers is also common. Many florists opt to work from a stall where they can take advantage of a busy passing trade. Additionally florists may travel to special events such as funerals, marriages, christenings or large corporate events to create flower arrangements and displays.

                    The floral industry involves flower production, distribution, design, retailing, operations, marketing, publishing, importing, research, teaching, greenhouse design and engineering, climate control systems engineering, soil analysis, sales and pest management. Plus, employers need people skilled in office management, human resources, book keeping, accounting and computer systems. In today’s floriculture job market, there is a growing demand for trained professionals who have strong business skills as well as horticultural knowledge. Experienced florists often go on to manage a retail outlet or even to start up their own business. There are professional qualifications aimed specifically at florists looking to expand their skills, and these are covered in the qualifications section. There are a great number of qualifications available to prospective florists at school leaver, college, university level and beyond. To begin work as a florist you don't need an official qualification; however, it takes between 5 - 7 years to become a truly professional florist due to the depth and breadth of knowledge required .

There are three types of florists which are Ikebana, English Garden and High Style. Ikebana is a style of floral design that originated in Japan. Best known for its simplicity of line and form, Ikebana is a design style primarily practiced for personal enjoyment. It has three parts of alignment heaven, man and earth. English Garden style is traditionally an English form of floral design. Stems are placed in a radial fashion and feature abundant use of seasonal flowers and foliages. These designs are often done as low, tufted mounds, or taller vase arrangements that are all-sided (360°), and incorporate garden flowers like roses, delphinium and peonies. Many florists that follow this design style do not use Baby's Breath, Carnations and Leather leaf. High Style floristry involves contemporary, linear designs that highlight unique forms of both individual floral materials and of the designs themselves. Arrangements generally feature negative space and incorporate asymmetric placement of materials. The style stands in direct contrast to traditional radial arrangements such as English Garden. High Style designs often incorporate unique, exotic or tropical flowers such as such as Bird of Paradise and Protea but may also employ more common blossoms.

                  Typically, a florist will organize flowers by season and holiday. Flowers have various different meanings in different cultures. The holidays and events for which flowers are used vary. Poppies are used to remember fallen soldiers only in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries. The cultural meaning of colors also strongly affects the choice and use of flowers. People often prefer flowers that are associated with their ethnic group or country, and various colors may have special meanings of luck or death or love or other basic human traits. To some, a flower such as a red rose might mean love, but to others it might be considered indecent or simply puzzling. The vastly divergent views on the color white can also lead to major flower issues. While white represents death in many Asian cultures, it is simultaneously a symbol of purity and innocence in many European and American cultures. Such differences can lead to difficult issues when a bouquet of white lilies, for example, is delivered .

                   There are usually three major sources of fresh flowers for retail florists: local growers, local wholesalers and flower auctions. The majority of these are supplied by specialist horticultural and cut flower suppliers. Internationally there are hundreds of wholesale flower markets and auctions, the largest of which is located in Aalsmeer, Holland: the Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer. Other major markets include the fledgling Dubai Flower Centre and the Ota Flower Market in Tokyo, Japan. Within North America, Miami is considered to be the main distribution point for imported fresh flowers. Many local wholesalers purchase fresh flower stock from importers in Miami to resale to local florist in their areas. Wholesale flower districts are present in many North American cities such as New York, Boston, and Los Angeles,San Francisco and Carlsbad, California. Flower auctions are run using the Dutch clock system and are mainly located in Canada: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

In my perspective, I look flower arrangers as a creative job. The variety of different events and being creative with flowers. Each day is different so there's never a dull moment. Being one's own boss too is definitely a plus. Besides that, dismantling arrangements at the end of an event - clearing it all up! That's hard work. To those whom want to involve in this career it is a lot more physical than people imagine and not as 'girly' as some might think. For example we carry heavy trees in and out of venues as well as concrete blocks and huge urns of flowers in order to get the look we need. People who want to be a florist should try to get as much practical experience as possible and offer your services to other florists to get a taste of different styles. It's never too early to begin planning a career in an industry where your work helps make the world prettier place while enriching the lives of millions of people every year. Whether your interests lean toward the creative arts or technology and science, you’re sure to find a satisfying and rewarding profession in floriculture. That’s because the floral industry attracts both the artist and the scientist. This diverse field offers you a wide variety of challenging and profitable career choices.

                 There is also scholarship to those who want to become a professional florist. Koehler  & Dramm’s Tony Sciortino Scholarship  is to promote and encourage those who desire to become a professional florist in beginning or continuing their education. Its purpose is to help those starting out and those seeking a higher elevation in the floral industry and provide them with a way to learn and gain necessary experience that will help them pursue their career in the floral industry. The following are some of the scholarships offered for florist: Julio and Sarah Armellinni Scholarship. The Julio and Sarah Armellini Scholarship is intended for sophomore, junior, or senior students with a career interest in the marketing or distribution of floral products. Next, Ball Horticultural Company Scholarship. Ball brings the beginnings of color, foliage, fruit and form to professional growers around the world for the retail and landscape markets. The Ball Horticultural Company Scholarship is intended for junior or senior students pursuing a career in commercial floriculture .

                  The World Wide Web has had a significant impact on traditional florists, with the North American market experiencing a more than 20% decline in traditional, independently owned flower shops since 1998. Purchases from shops are slowly being overtaken by online flower delivery ordering and floral wire services. However, some independent florists have taken to having their own online store, where customers can order online as well as on the telephone. Floral Wire Services play an intermediary role in the flower business, gathering orders on behalf of local retailers and then sending these via proprietary computer systems to florists for fulfillment. The largest floral software providers 1-800-Flowers, FTD, and Teleflora both gather orders and provide access to member florists from non-technology order gatherers such as Pro Flowers via their computer systems. Floral Wire Services take a percentage of customers order value for orders provided through their websites and additional fees for the transmission of orders to local florists
Flowers were considered fashionable in this after queen Victoria named period. Although in this era flowers were poorly proportioned, large mass flowers were placed tightly into a container to create compact arrangements, asymmetrical and massed tightly. There was no definite style, but many different flowers and colours almost made the arrangement look unplanned. The tuzzy-muzzy bouquets were still serving to eliminate odors. At the end of this period attempts were made to set up rules for a proper arranging of flowers, which is when it became an artful skill or profession. The Italian Renaissance helped to give an extra spark to the art of flower arranging in Europe. It was during this time period that a wide variety of arrangement styles began to develop. By the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, flower arrangements were commonplace and a wide variety of materials were used to make containers, including marble, heavy Venetian glass, and bronze. Flower arrangements made during this time introduced a whole new element - the usage of tropical fruits. These arrangements also focused on creating colour contrast. Some of the popular flowers included the Lilium Candidum (or Madonna Lily, used as a symbol for fertility and chastity), narcissus, pinks, iris, jasmine, pansies, French marigolds, cornflowers, and rosemary .

                  The designs were formal and symmetrical and often tightly arranged with a variety of flowers. There were influences of oriental design because of active trading. This made the design symmetrical triangle-shaped. At the end of the period the designs became more informal due to the fact that the fragrance of the flowers became more important. The fragrance of the flowers were said to rid the air of diseases. Because of this belief they created an arrangement called “nosegay”’, which was a handheld arrangement to carry sweet scents. Nosegays also helped mask the odors of society where bathing was often believed to be unhealthy. The bouquets were called tussie-mussies, often pronounced tuzzy-muzzy. Feminine appeal became a major characteristic of the floral design. This was the French baroque period. French rococo this time was more formal. These floral arrangements were asymmetrical using the C-crescent or the S-shape. In the empire period they used simple lines in triangle shape and strong colour contrast. The typical empire design would be arranged in an urn containing an abundance of large richly coloured flowers . Unlike the baroque period the arrangements were more compact and proportioned. The major characteristic of this period was the variety of flowers within the bouquet .