A History of Plastic Surgery

Beautiful Body
A History of Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery, the practice of reshaping body tissues for reconstructive or aesthetic purposes dates back to antiquity. Derived from the Greek plastikos, meaning “to mold,” plastic surgery holds a critical place in cultures all over the world. For centuries, tribes would disc their lips, stretch their earlobes, bind their feet, file their teeth, and tattoo and scar their skin. If contemporary popular series such as Extreme Makeover and Nip/Tuck are any indication, plastic surgery has not lost any of its cultural power. While filed teeth may not appeal to everyone, men and women of today still have a wide range of surgical procedures from which to choose, including liposuction, nose jobs, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, and breast augmentation and reduction. The term “plastic surgery” also includes nonsurgical options such as Botox, microdermabrasion, collagen injections, laser hair removal, and chemical peels. Plastic surgery, however, was not always so readily available or varied and was even shrouded in mystery, magic, and eroticism.

Ancient Egypt: Plastic Surgery to Recognize the Dead

While the Egyptians did not practice extreme forms of plastic surgery on the living, they would often prepare their dead using principles of plastic surgery. For example, Ramses II's mummy was surgically altered by having a small bone and a handful of seeds inserted into his nose to ensure that his most prominent feature would be recognizable in the afterlife. The mummy of Queen Nunjmet also had bandages stuffed in her cheeks and belly in the same sense that modern plastic surgeons implant silicone into a body. While the Edwin Smith Papyrus shows that the Egyptians had skills to perform similar surgical procedures on the living, there is no solid documentation that is was actually done. Scholars suggest this reluctance to perform plastic surgery on the living was due to the Egyptian belief that one’s face remained the same in the afterlife and, therefore, should remain recognizable even after death (DiBacco 1994).

Ancient India: The Birthplace of Plastic Surgery

"The Indian Method of Rhinoplasty," which involved cutting skin from the forehead or cheek, was kept secret for centuries in India

Most historians agree that the first recorded account of reconstructive plastic surgery on the living is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts. These texts describe procedures to repair noses and ears that were lost either as punishment for crimes (such as adultery) or in battle. Hindu surgeon Sushruta, working near the modern-day city of Varanasi described the “attached flap” method of plastic surgery in his 600 B.C. text Sushruta Samhita. The procedure involves reconstructing the nose by cutting skin from either the cheek or forehead, twisting the skin skin-side-out over a leaf of the appropriate size, and sewing the skin into place. To keep the air passages open during healing, two polished wooden tubes would be inserted into the nostrils. This method became known as the “Indian Method of Rhinoplasty” and was kept secret for centuries in India (Haiken 1997).

Ancient Rome: Plastic Surgery and Roman Baths

By the first century B.C., Romans were also practicing advanced plastic surgery procedures, perhaps prompted by the very public Roman baths. In a culture that praised the beauty of the naked body in both art and poetry, Romans viewed any abnormality, particularly the genitalia, with suspicion or even amusement. Consequently, one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures appeared to be circumcision removal, which is described in a rather detached way by Cornelius Celsus’s text De re medicina during the reign of Tiberius (A.D. 14-37). Celsus even describes a “breast reduction” surgery on an obese man whose breasts were “unsightly” and “shameful.”

Roman surgeons would also remove scars--particularly those on the back, which were marks of shame because they suggested that a man had turned his back in battle or, worse, he had been whipped like a slave. The poet Martial (A.D. 40-104) suggests that some slaves during his time had their brands removed by surgeons, but he gives no details of the procedures. Surgeons would often operate on gladiators who had noses and ears chopped off and on foreigners who would try to fit into Roman society.

Middle Ages: Decline of Plastic Surgery

During the time of Galen (A.D. 129-216), plastic surgery gained momentum and sophistication due to increased obsession with the human body. Galen attempted to cure eyes that squinted and drooped,and performed aesthetic rhinoplasty on both women and men of wealth who simply wanted a new nose. After the fall of Rome, however, many of Galen’s medical texts were lost; of his 600 books, only 20 survive. Though there were discussion of proper dental care during the Middle Ages, surgery in general was deemed to be pagan and sinful because the spilling of blood by a surgeon and the power he held over the body were akin to magic.

The Renaissance: A Brief Rise in Plastic Surgery

Translations of Galen re-entered Western culture during the late Middle Ages as crusaders encountered Arabic texts. For a brief time, plastic surgery experienced a rebirth of sorts, though mostly in barber shops. Two Sicilian barbers, a father and son team, would use skin flaps from the cheek or upper arm to rebuild a nose. The arm flap left less of a scar but demanded that the flap, still attached to the ear be joined to the nose for as long as twenty days. As in India, such surgery was a “trade secret passed on from father to son” (Gilman 1999).

Heinrich von Pfalzpaint, a knight from the Teutonic order, also held secret the procedure of a nose job that was taught to him by a foreigner and made him “very much money.” Many surgeons took skin grafts from donors, such as a neighbor’s pig, but were confused when the new nose would shrivel up and fall off. They concluded that the flesh was “sympathetic,” meaning that the graft died when its owner died.

Early "nose jobs" involved taking skin grafts from the upper arm and attaching the flap to the nose

Most plastic surgeons today recognize Italian Gasparo Tagliacozzi (1546-1599) as the “father of modern plastic surgery” and as the first author of a plastic surgery textbook, De curtorum chirugiau (1597). Noting the need for plastic surgery due to “frequent duels, street brawls, and other clashes of armed men” (Haiken 1997) as well as a pervasive outbreak of syphilis which destroyed the nose, Taglioacozzi experimented with the use of pedicles which involves relocating a section of skin, subcutaneous tissues, and vasculature to another area to cover a wound. Specifically, Tagliacozzi would take skin grafts from the upper arm and, after several painful procedures, attach the flap onto the nose. Motivated by radical claims of autonomy present in the High Renaissance (e.g., Tagliacozzi is significant because in contrast to prevailing views that interpreted illness as a punishment, he used the vocabulary of High Renaissance humanists such as Giovanni Francesco Pico della Mirandola (1463-94), who advocated autonomous self-remaking individual as justification for his surgical innovations.

For Taglioacozzi, plastic surgery was one way humankind seeks improvement of self, both physically and emotionally. Still, his reconstructed nose was still a “virtual” nose that could fall off if the user blew too hard, and young women with reconstructed noses were hardly objects of desire (Gilman 1999). Young women who lost their noses could be disowned by their fiancés because it suggested either a venereal or moral disease. However, Tagliacozzi mused whether a reconstructed nose was still grounds for terminating a marriage arrangement. For a time in Renaissance Europe, Tagliacozzi’s surgical innovations promised at least partial restoration of the nose but, due to the religious zeal of the Counterreformation and the concomitant emphasis on the syphilitic nose as a justifiable punishment from God, Tagliacozzi’s work disappeared (Haiken 1997).

The Enlightened Nose

Plastic surgery would reappear in Europe in 1794 when British surgeons witnessed an Indian bricklayer repaired the nose of a British cattle driver who had had his nose and hand cut off while a prisoner of Tiu Sultan. British surgeons then imported the procedure to northern Europe, where interest rapidly grew. In 1818, Karl Ferdinand Graefe (1787-1840) coined the term “plastic surgery” and described connected grafts in his 1818 text titled Rhinoplastik. Graefe, like Tagliacozzi, believed that the world needed to see the nose-less patient in medical terms rather than as a morally branded sinner. Graefe further attempted to remove the moral stigma associated with nose reconstruction by giving the procedure a classical name (rhinoplasty) similar to other surgical procedures.

The move to a medical model for understanding the lost nose began to spread. However, the first notable plastic surgeon in the United States, John Peter Mettauer of Virginia (who primarily operated on cleft palates and hypospadias using tools he designed himself), still struggled with American surgeons who lived by Dryden’s admonition that “God did not make his Works for man to mend” (Gilman 1999). In addition, as the nineteenth century wore on and the European culture began its colonizing efforts in earnest, the nose became inextricably associated with race, an association that lasted until the current era, as seen in what is now called the “Michael Jackson Factor.”

Two World Wars and Innovations in Plastic Surgery

War has played a significant role in the history of plastic surgery. For example, WWI trench warfare meant heads and necks were more vulnerable, and pilots and passengers in the new and dangerous airplanes often suffered serious facial injuries that were unprecedented any time in history. Injuries such as shattered jaws, blown-off noses, and gaping skull wounds accelerated the techniques and experimentation of plastic surgery and prompted Harold Delf Gilles (1882-1860) to establish the first hospital devoted to reconstructive plastic surgery (Backstein and Hinek 2005). In addition, these drastic surgeries enabled surgeons to imagine that even transgender surgery could be performed.

Despite medical advances after WWI, there were still no standard criteria, and something of the Victorian opposition to vanity still prevailed. Because any untrained surgeon could claim to be a plastic surgeon, patients often experience severe complications, such as amputation or at the very least severe scarring. Plastic surgery became associated in many minds with the term “quack.” However, when surgeons who had served in WWI established the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, they effectively signaled the end of unregulated plastic surgery (Haiken 1999). This first association was joined by the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in 1931 (renamed American Society of Plastic Surgeons in 1991 to show the conflation of historically politically charged terms “reconstructive” and “cosmetic”) and by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1937. Finally, plastic surgery was achieving recognition as an independent specialty.

WWII ushered in such plastic surgery techniques as rebuilding entire limbs, extensive skin grafts, microsurgery, antibodies, as well as increased knowledge about tissue health. Several factors contributed to the postwar plastic surgery boon and the breaking down of traditional reluctance to undergo plastic surgery. First, continued activity of professional organizations and publications helped further legitimize the industry. In addition, after there was no war to generate patients, surgeons consequently began a widespread trend toward marketing surgical techniques toward particularly groups--particularly middle-aged, middle-class women who were affluent and largely finished with raising families.

Furthermore, this demographic felt increasing pressure to remain young in a postwar culture often dubbed the “cult of the body beautiful” (Gilman 1999). Indeed, plastic surgeons would often use the vocabulary of postwar domesticity--such as sewing, housecleaning, and cooking--to refer to their procedures. Some critics even accused surgeons of inventing new names, such as “bat wing deformity” (the flabby skin on the upper arms) or “spare tire deformity” (protrusion of the lower abdomen) to create a need for plastic surgery that might not otherwise exist (ibid). By the 1960s, plastic surgery was fully integrated into the medical establishment.

Silicone breast implants also grew in popularity during the 1960s. Showgirls would inject their breasts with liquid silicon, a substance initially used in Japan in WWI to plump out legs withered by polio. Injecting liquid silicone, however, often had dangerous side effects, such as amputation of the breasts due to infection and guaranteed “pendulous” breasts by the time women were 40. Yet advances in silicone breast augmentation (which later was made available in sac), gave hope to women who had undergone a mastectomy (Haiken 1997).

1990s: Continued Popularity

In 2006, the FDA approved the sale of silicone breast implants, ending a 14 year ban based on health concerns

Though silicone breast implants would remain available for breast cancer patients throughout the 1990s, the FDA removed them from the open market in 1992 due to reports of leaking implants. Even with this setback, plastic surgery continued to grow in the 1990s, with more than 5,000 board-certified surgeons active in the U.S. alone. In an important move for both plastic surgeons and their patients, President Bill Clinton signed a bill which required insurance companies to cover the cost of plastic surgery for women who had undergone a mastectomy. Groups are still working to ensure that reconstructive surgery for children’s deformities will also be covered by insurance plans (Web site).

The Future of Plastic Surgery

Throughout its history, plastic surgery has been shaped by cultural priorities and pressures that illuminate the complex interplay between the cosmetic and reconstructive. The fact that many Western societies today have become more comfortable with plastic surgery suggests that they view it as another method of self-improvement--not just for women, but men as well. Big Tent Books even published a new picture book that explains to kids why mom is getting a flatter tummy (Springen 2008).

While critics warn that plastic surgery is creating a world where beauty standards are brutally conformist, plastic surgeons today implement an exciting array of technological advances that continue to push the boundaries of their industry. For example, surgeons are researching new fillers that last longer and new lasers that inject “energy” into the skin. They are also exploring the potential of cloning technology as a method of body rejuvenation and are looking to the secrets of growth within the womb where scarless healing takes place. Without such imagination of plastic surgeons and their patients over the ages, plastic surgery would not be the phenomena it is today.

25 Random Facts About . . . Plastic Surgery

1. “Plastic” is derived from the Greek plasikos, meaning “to mold.” The term “surgery” is derived the Greek kheirourgos, from kheir - “hand” + ergon - “work.”^d
2. The first recorded “nose job” is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts (600 B.C.).^c Physicians would reconstruct noses by cutting skin from either the cheek or forehead, twisting the skin side out over a leaf of the appropriate size, and sewing the skin into place. Two polished wooden tubes would be inserted into the nostrils to keep the air passage open during healing.^e
3. By the first century B.C., Romans were practicing various forms of plastic surgery to repair noses, eyes, lips, and teeth. Roman physician Cornelius Celsus (c. 25 B.C.-A.D. 50) also describes procedures such as circumcision reversal and even breast reduction in men.^d
4. A popular procedure in ancient Rome was scar removal, particularly scars on the back which were marks of shame because they suggested a man had turned his back in battle—or worse, he had been whipped like a slave. Foreigners would also have plastic surgery to fit better into Roman society.^d
5. During the Middle Ages, plastic surgery was typically deemed pagan and sinful because the spilling of blood by a surgeon and the power the surgeon had over the body were akin to magic.^d
6. When plastic surgery became popular during the Renaissance, surgeons took skin grafts from various donors, such as a neighbor’s pig, but were confused when the new nose would shrivel up and fall off. They concluded the flesh was “sympathetic,” meaning that the graft died when its original owner died.^d
7. Many plastic surgeries in the early Renaissance were performed in barber shops.^d
8. Italian Gaspare Tagliacozzi (1546-1599) is widely considered the “father of modern plastic surgery.” His text book De curtorum chirugiau noted the need for plastic surgery due to duels and street fights, as well as a pervasive outbreak of syphilis which destroyed the nose. His “virtual” nose, however, could fall off if the user blew too hard, and young women with reconstructed noses were hardly objects of desire.^d
9. Tagliacozzi was an atypical plastic surgeon during the Renaissance because he did not view illness, such as the syphilitic nose, as divine punishment. Instead he used the vocabulary of humanists such as Giovanni Francesco Pico della Mirandola (1463-94) to justify his surgical innovations as autonomous self-remaking. Tagliacozzi’s work disappeared mainly as a result of the Counterreformation.^d
10. In 1794, British surgeons witnessed an Indian brick layer repair the nose of a British cattle driver who had his nose and hand cut off while a prisoner of the sultan. British surgeons imported the procedure back to northern Europe where interest rapidly grew.^d
11. Karl Ferdinand Graefe (1787-1840) coined the term “plastic surgery” in his 1818 text Rhinoplastik. He also attempted to remove the moral stigma associated with nose reconstruction by giving the procedure a classical name—rhinoplasty—to make it more similar to other surgical procedures.^d
12. Surgeons who served in WWI established the American Association of Plastic Surgery in 1931 and helped curtail unregulated plastic surgery.^b They are the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world.^a

WWII played a significant role in advancing plastic surgery techniques

13. WWII ushered in plastic surgery techniques that included rebuilding entire limbs, extensive skin grafts, microsurgery, antibodies, and increased knowledge about tissue health.^d
14. Silicone breast implants grew in popularity in the 1960s. Show girls would inject their breasts with liquid silicone, a substance initially used in Japan in WWI to plump out legs withered by polio. Unfortunately, they could suffer dangerous side effects, such as amputation of the breast due to infection and guaranteed “pendulous” breasts by the time they reached 40.^e
15. In Nazi Germany, some forms of reconstructive surgery were mandated to enable the “too ugly” solder to become a “real” soldier. Benito Mussolini’s (1880-1945) Italy also used plastic surgery to increase the performance of military officers, such as correcting drooping eyelids.^d
16. The first modern breast augmentation took place on November 24, 1893, in Heidelberg, Germany, by Vincent Czerny. His patient was a 41-year-old singer who had a growth in her breast removed. Luckily, the patient had a growth (lipoma) on her back, which was harvested and transplanted to her breast. She was discharged on December 20, 1893.^d
17. In 1998, Bill Clinton signed a bill which required insurance companies to cover the cost of reconstructive breast surgery for women who had undergone a mastectomy.^a
18. In 2007, there were more than 11.5 million plastic surgery procedures performed, an increase of 50% from 2000. The overall number of plastic surgery procedures has increased 457% since the collection of statistic first began.^g
19. The most popular performed procedure is Botox, which is a protein derived from the botulism toxin. It is injected into the skin to paralyze facial muscles, giving the recipient a smooth facial appearance. The effects of the procedure typically wear off after three to six months.^g

Doctors performing liposuction

20. The most popular surgery for men and women combined in 2007 was liposuction. The most popular surgery for women alone was breast augmentation, with liposuction coming in second.^g
21. Women constituted 91% of plastic surgery patients in 2007, though the number of men receiving plastic surgery increased 17% from 2006.^g
22. Americans spent $13.2 billion on plastic surgery in 2006.^g
23. Two-thirds of plastic surgery patients are repeat patients, and more than five million Americans may be addicted to plastic surgery. One example of such addiction, 48-year-old Hang Mioku was left disfigured after she injected her own face with cooking oil.^f
24. Modern plastic surgeons are exploring the potential of cloning technology as a method of body rejuvenation and are looking into the secrets of the growth within the womb where scar-less growth and healing take place.^d
25. Big Tent Books published a new picture book by plastic surgeon Michael Salzhauer titled My Beautiful Mommy that explains to kids why mom is getting a flatter tummy.^h

Alcohol Rehabilitation Well friends, How are you?. I am fine and I just hope that

how can I lose 10 pounds

how can I lose 10 pounds

I am not what you’d call a fit person and neither am I slender. That’s why I have sometimes asked myself the question: How can I lose 10 pounds? – 10 pounds just to begin with. I searched the Internet and looked through some books written by dieticians and I found out that it is possible to get rid of this weight. The good thing is that I have found recipes for losing this weight in periods from 1 week up.

Here are some tips that you might find as useful as I did when the question - How can I lose 10 pounds? - started to mess with my thoughts. Take a closer look at your drinking habits or pattern, if there is one. An average person takes in about 200 gallons of liquid a year that usually include lots of soda, beer and milk. What is left to 200 is made of other kinds of drinks like tea, coffee, and wine.

If you change your drinking habits you have a chance to lose weight. Needs come before pleasure, that is the idea of a healthy hydration. You don’t have to drink water only, but the liquids have to be well chosen and dosed properly.

To answer the question - How can I lose 10 pounds? - you should also have in mind that liquids can also act as food or hunger inhibitors. A pulpy juice will alleviate not only thirst but hunger too, while also bringing nutrients to the body. Although the liquid diet might seem a very slow approach, try to focus on its long-term effects – you will get rid of 35,456 calories in one month only. And this is close to the 10 pounds in your question. A natural fat burner is tea, on the condition you drink the right tea. Green tea seems to accelerate the caloric burn as it contains a certain substance that raises the metabolic rate of the system. You would be amazed to find out that green tea is able to rid you of 5,000 calories within 4 weeks of use.

And again: how can I lose 10 pounds? Stay as relaxed as possible and approach diet calmly, lots of people have made it that way. But they also say that you can do it only if you are completely honest with yourself. Such an approach tells you to set a realistic goal in as far as how much you weigh and how much you want to lose. Besides, the motivation that stimulates you into keeping a diet is another relevant factor for the success of the endeavor. Then, you must consider making some changes in your lifestyle and increase your physical activity level. And only then you can move on to adjusting diet.

lose 10 pounds in a week

I think that a good method for anyone to lose 10 pounds in a week would definitely exclude crash diets that weaken the body and lead to loss of health after several such attempts. Harsh diets aim at reducing the amounts of calories to a minimum that actually starves your organism and restrains you from eating truly nutritional food. Still, although more difficult to achieve the ten-pound weight loss is possible by healthier means.

The first piece of advice warns you to change your eating habits and your lifestyle. Try to be a bit more moderate with some foods that are guilty for you having put on weight and integrate work out in your life on a daily basis. If you are committed to this especially in the first few days, you will surely see some results that will motivate you to go and struggle to lose 10 pounds in a week.

The next suggestion is to stay away from pills and keep to your well designed plan of watching what you eat, how often you eat and also work out. Remember that if you really want to lose 10 pounds in a week the body has to stay active and the metabolism needs to work at the maximum of capacity. That is why any doctor will recommend that you eat at least three main meals a day and have a snack between meals. It is important that you eat little food but more often and resort to fresh fruit and vegetables more than you have done previously.

The worst types of food that lead to putting on weight and prevent you from losing it later are the sugary and the carb-based. The fastest results in diets result from this carb-amount drop. Carbohydrates are metabolized into sugar inside your body, sugar that will later turn itself into fat. However, reducing carbs and sugar, means that you have to substitute them with something else, and that is fibers and dairy products that are not too fat.

Last but not least, exercise, exercise and exercise in order to really lose 10 pounds in a week. Any work out session should create the basis for a routine. The practice of some kind of sport is essential for any individual not only for the overweight and we should all consider it seriously. But remember that you can’t lose 10 pounds in a week if you do not sweat a little, work a muscle and really stick to the program offered to you either by a face-to-face instructor or DVD aerobic program. Good results will come with an increased focus on correct movement and exercising.

To lose 10 pounds

If you are willing to lose 10 pounds there are several things that you ought to have in mind besides the fact that you need to give up fat foods and do physical exercise. First of all, stop taking weight loss supplements recommended by word of mouth. In most cases these products are artificial and lack the nutrients necessary to optimal body functions. Or, in case they may indeed substitute for nutrients, their absorption in the system could prove faulty. As a result, your body may end up exhausted and lacking lots of vitamins and nutrients that you will feel the need to compensate by eating more at the end of the drug treatment.

A good way to lose 10 pounds is to have small frequent meals that prevent hunger. If you are actually following a harsh diet which means eating very little and very rarely, the body will not function properly and the metabolism will slow down making your body less able to deal with the quantity of food intake you will offer it later. If, instead, you have small but frequent the metabolism will remain high and deal with fat burning a lot better. This is one key thing that many of us willing to lose 10 pounds simply ignore. Remember the fact that two or three meals a day with a few healthy snacks remains the best option of to get and stay fit and active.

The psychological aspect should not get overlooked either. In order to lose 10 pounds or so, picture yourself in the process of weight loss. You visualize an objective, and see it in the best of lights. The psychological preparation has a great deal of importance if you really want to lose 10 pounds. If you take on a diet and combine it with working out, you need to prepare and get yourself determined enough on a long term basis to give up certain aspects that have initially caused the weight gain. Laziness can be defined as comfort, or rather too much comfort. Indulging yourself in eating too many sweets and too much fried, tasty food may be the element that have caused the crisis.

lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks

Who wouldn’t want to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks or so? It may sound impossible to achieve it but positive results in that direction contradict our doubts. Some people have indeed managed to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks by sticking to a very strict dietary plan and a healthy lifestyle. Basically, there are two things you can do; one is to reduce the number of calories that you eat and the other is to establish exercise routines to help you get rid of the unwanted fat.

If you are actually into both methods and combine them harmoniously you will surely manage to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks or even less. Just think about how many calories one tiny square of chocolate has. Start working out on the fitness bike and see how fast you can burn those calories down. Such a way of thinking will drastically reduce the urge to have sweets or unhealthy food that are the great enemies of a slender body.

As of the two methods mentioned above and designed to make you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, the former should present itself as a program of working out every day for at least one hour during the 2 weeks you have settled as the target for getting rid of weight. This work out program should include real aerobic classes that involve intense activity and cardio routines. By physical activities we imply something more intense than long walking sessions in parks because these burn too few calories. Aerobic and step aerobic, cycling, jogging or swimming are the sports to make you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

The latter method, which can be combined with the former, involves choosing a diet targeting your body detoxification. Next, you can go for a method relying on calorie shifting. There are lots of types of calorie shifting diets based on the same principle of fooling your body into believing that you are not actually keeping a diet and as a result your metabolism is pretty high burning fat and keeping you active until you manage to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

In conclusion, losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks could prove a pretty tough challenge. It definitely requires a great deal of dedication and determination. But most importantly, you need to think of taking up a diet or a work out routine that may be kept on a long term basis in order to have permanent results.

lose 10 pounds in 1 week

Losing weight is a common concern shared by lots of people who feel miserable when they don’t get as fit as expected. The reasons behind these people’s desire to become lighter vary from case to case. Maybe some of the most common ones come from the necessity to please others, to look better and to feel better. Some people seem like in such a hurry that they want to lose 10 pounds in 1 week. Though hard to believe, studies indicate that the loss of ten pounds over seven days only is doable, although stressful for the body system.

The diet experts, Dr. Mike Stevenson and David Scrivner are just two of those who can help you in your enterprise. So if you want to lose 10 pounds in 1 week maybe you should take a look at their advice and suggestions. For example, dr. Mike Stevenson comes up with a seven-day diet aiming to eliminate the ten unpleasant pounds. As the doctor claims this is an easy to follow diet with amazing results. There are no backery products or bread in his diet but lots of soup, fruits, vegetables and meat, cooked or raw in different combinations according to the days of the week.

On the other hand, David Scrivner who has been working in the field of bodybuilding and weight loss for quite a number of years, has some other recommendations to help you lose 10 pounds in 1 week. Burning more calories than the daily food intake is the secret to achieving great results. To lose weight there should be a balance between the energy taken from the food and the one burned by physical activities. Another tip you should consider in order to lose 10 pounds in 1 week is about the kind of food you should eat. It goes without saying that natural organic food is superior to what we purchase from the supermarket. Stick only to small means and combine natural food with multi-vitamin oral supplements. Besides, drink as much water as possible. To make sure you lose 10 pounds in 1 week, stick to a physical training routine, sleep up to nine hours each night, weigh yourself regularly and do not lose hope if the weight loss process seems slower than you’d want it to be.

lose 10 pounds in 10 days

The attempt to lose 10 pounds in 10 days could be an impossible endeavor for some people or an achievable goal for others. Well, think well. But, you should be warned that in order to lose 10 pounds in 10 days you need more than just go on a diet and do physical exercises. You need to be determined first of all. Set yourself a clear realistic goal and stick to it. Be totally honest with yourself from the beginning to the end of the weight loss period and don’t take shortcuts.

Of course you can do a lot of reading either on the Internet or from books. This research will show you that it is possible to lose 10 pounds in 10 days quite easily and with little stress as long as you decide which of the approaches is the best for you and, once you have decided that, stick to it to get the desired result.

As everybody probably knows, it is not a good solution to starve yourself in order to lose 10 pounds in 10 days or to get rid of any unwanted weight in any other period of time. Good healthy food and proper hydration combined with a healthy physical exercise program represent the solution. In addition, eliminating stress and sleeping well at night will improve your life and get you fit sooner. In one word, you should change your lifestyle and make this change permanent if possible.

In relation to exercises, try to determine how much you need to work in order to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Well, some people overreact when it comes to doing physical exercise, ending up in putting a lot of stress on the body, getting too tired too soon and, as a result, giving up without getting any results whatsoever. Therefore, to achieve the best possible results five hours of exercises per week are enough.

A helpful tip for you – if you do not know how much fat and how many calories get into your body daily, your physical training session might not be as useful as you expect. It has been discovered that people who eat around 1200 to 1500 calories every day and exercise between 30 and 300 minutes weekly are the most successful in their attempt to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Consequently you should work out between 4 and 6 hours per week and not allow your calories intake to get higher than 1500 daily.

lose 10 pounds fast

Books in libraries and articles posted on Internet sites offer a great deal of information on how to lose 10 pounds fast. Generally speaking it is not an easy task and many people feel quite disappointed that they seem not to be able to get rid of something that does not really sound like much. But they seem to make one common mistake or at least most of them do; they fail to pay attention to at least some of the factors that help one create a slender look. You can lose 10 pounds fast if you combine at least four necessary elements in the weight loss scheme.

Physical activity is the first aspect to refer to. This is the part that many of us ignore or simply avoid. We have gotten used to our cars so much that walking is not even practiced anymore. And when we are home, we either lie in bed or sit in an armchair much like we do at work where we sit at a desk. How can one really lose 10 pounds fast like this? Although we have to avoid stressing the body, physical activity is a must. Moderate exercise practiced three times a week at least should work wonders.

Hydration comes next on the list to success when you try to lose 10 pounds fast. Doctors say that each adult individual should drink about 2 liters or a liter and a half of water per day. That may seem pretty much to you, but then you might agree with another theory. Weight yourself and divide the number of kilos by two and you’ll get the amount of water necessary to support your system in 24 hours. No matter which of the above sounds more convincing, one thing is for sure, good health is impossible without correct hydration. And for weight loss, even more water is necessary. It is just like with physical training, all effort makes the body lose water.

The next thing you ought to be more careful with if you want to lose 10 pounds fast is the type of food you eat. Try to get rid of those hamburgers and French fries because they are the leaders of what we call junk food. Remove from your list whatever is fried, sweet as in sugar sweet, red meat and super white looking products in which the main ingredient is flour. Instead of those, have fruits and vegetables, grains and fish or chicken meat.

Last but not least, try to have enough sleep so that your body can repair itself after daily stress. Besides the advantage of increasing the chances to lose 10 pounds fast, good sleep also helps memory and the ability to focus.

lose 10 pounds diet

A diet is a prescribed selection of foods meant or intended to help you stay healthy or lose weight. People keep a diet because they want to get rid of some pounds, or need to feel better about themselves. There are very many types of diets available and recommended; however, some of them can be too harsh to be healthy. Here are some tips for a lose 10 pounds diet that are more than acceptable and easy to follow.

Basically, if you want to lose 10 pounds, diet is a necessity besides sports. However, this means that you’ll have to adjust some of the eating habits and take up healthier foods. To begin with, no more bottled dressings for the salads. If you were to scan the label to see how many calories one such bottle contains you would surely decide on your own to give it up. More info about how many calories we really need and how they work will prove even more convincing.

Another tip is to avoid chocolate. If you are a sweet-toothed person try jelly, hard candy and sweet fruit. Yet, even if you can have some of these, keep them under control in order to stick to the lose 10 pounds diet. Four or five candies per day will do.

It’s become a habit to avoid fat meat and this is great. However, when it comes to chicken, we seem to forget to remove the skin before eating or starting to cook it. And that is another major source of fat. Moreover, another relevant example here is canned food, for instance, canned corn is something that supermarkets sell a lot. Use the raw corn on the cob for your salads if you want a viable lose 10 pounds diet.

Following the same diet direction, say No-No to fried foods, salted peanuts and peanut butter, mayonnaise, fat yogurts, cookies and cream. The diet in itself is not harsh. It causes one you to eat healthy things but then encourages you to give up those items that lead to fat deposits accumulation. If you want to lose 10 pounds, diet plans are plentiful, but the one we’ve covered here is definitely a bit more lax and realistic

acne

Acne vulgaris is the full name of a condition that is more than just common and widespread. Acne is a disease of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands that is manifest with or without tissue inflammation. In fact the common name of pimples or zits applies to acne lesions, and they trouble the majority of teenagers as well as very many adults in their twenties or thirties. Most of the time, hormonal imbalances, inadequate diet and an intoxication of the system are among the main factors that generate this skin disease.

The body parts most affected by acne are the face, the neck, the upper back and the shoulders, but in more severe forms, people get acne on other parts of the body too, like on the head for instance. The acne symptoms and the aspect of the lesions are the elements that allow the diagnosis of a certain type of acne over another. The severest form is cystic acne which poses challenges both by the pain that accompanies it as well as by the treatment difficulty, since, besides the external pimples, there are cysts present in the deep layers of the skin.

Thus, the treatment of acne as such differs according to the severity of the condition, not to mention that there are multiple therapeutic approaches too. The complex thing about such a skin problem is that there is a very serious and worth considering issue related to acne: its psychological impact on the sufferer who is often marked by scars permanently. If pimples were the challenge of the initial acne outbreak, then scarred tissues only speak of the consequences.

There are lots of materials that teach people how to prevent acne and treat it in its early forms so that the condition does not lead to scarring. Even when the identification of the causes of the disease is not possible, the symptomatic treatment supported by a dietary plan works well too. Keep in mind that highly processed foods, with lots of fat and sugar, smoking and alcohol created imbalances that often get reflected in the skin look.

Sometimes you can be the specialist and differentiate between what is or isn’t healthy. Nevertheless stay realistic and don’t jump to adopting all sorts of treatments on the basis of false myths. The safety and efficiency of certain remedies should be a priority on the observation list. Choose the therapeutic approach because that will work best for your health!

Pictures of Place where Ghazwa-e-Badar was fought (Subhan Allah)

Pictures of Place where Ghazwa-e-Badar was fought (Subhan Allah)

On 17th Ramadan Year 2nd of Hejra, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) came to BADER from MADINA

With around 300 of his Followers from the way shows in picture (Red Arrow).

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) Camp with his Army in this Area and The Hill in the Picture is Called (Odoat Al Dunea)

Right Arrow Shows (Al Odoat Al Dunea) and on versant of it Muslims Camp, Middle Arrow Shows

the way which ABO SOFEAN Convoy pass all the way through and Left Arrow Shows Malaeka mountain

(where JEBREAL and MEKAEAL sent By ALLAH with 1000 Of Malaeka to help Muslims Army against Unbelievers.)

The Arrow Shows the Moshreken (Unbelievers) Base Camp called in Quran as (Al Odoat Al Qoswa) and there army were 950 men.

This is where Muslims Army moved to where BADER WELL was at the back of them.

A different picture angle of (Al Odoat Al Dunea) and Malaeka Mountain and the new camp area where Muslims moved to.

ALARESH MASJID was built in the place where Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) built a Hut as suggested by SAAD BIN MOAD.

ALARESH MASJID from Outside

ALARESH MASJID from inside

ALARESH MASJID from inside, the place where Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) supplicate ALLAH to make

the victory for Muslims, and ALLAH THE MIGHTY grant them the victory with the support of Malaeka.

The names of the 14 martyr from the Followers of Prophet Mohammad where killed on BADER CONQUEST,

13 buried on Bader and the 14th buried on the way between BADER and MEDINA

The Arrow shows the place of the Followers Graves

BADER THE OLD TOWN

Tariq ibn Ziyad

Musa ibn Nusayr, the governor of North Africa was approached by Count Julian of Spain with complaints of cruel treatment by King Roderic. As a result of this the Muslim ruler despatched General Tariq ibn Ziyad with an army of 7,000 soldiers across the Straits to Spain, in 711 A.C.

General Tariq was a seasoned warrior well known for his indomitable courage and bravery. He was also looked upon as a hero by the soldiers who were proud to serve under his leadership.

The narrow stretch of sea separating Spain from the African coast was crossed by Tariq and his men in small boats. They were ready for battle as soon as they landed on the shore.

King Roderic of Spain was both surprised and angry at the daring of the Muslims. Placing himself at the head of a huge army, the king publicly took an oath that he would crush the invaders and throw them into the sea through which they had come.

As Roderic drew nearer to the coast with his formidable army, the Muslim soldiers, began to show uneasiness, for they were on the coast of a strange country and the enemy also heavily outnumbered them.

Tariq at once noticed the uneasiness among his soldiers, but he knew that this was not caused by any feeling of fear, for they were perfectly trained soldiers, and the heroes of many famous battles. They were waiting for his lead to reassure them.

General Tariq acted quickly. Uttering a short prayer to Allah, the General gave orders that will always be remembered in the military history of the world. He ordered that all the boats that brought him and his men across the straits be burnt.

When this was done, he turned to his soldiers and said:

"Brothers in Islam! We now have the enemy in front of us and the deep sea behind us. We cannot return to our homes, because we have burnt our boats. We shall now either defeat the enemy and win or die a coward's death by drowning in the sea. Who will follow me?"

The soldiers gave a mighty cry of "Allahu Akbar" and rushed towards the enemy like a whirlwind driving everything with them.

The Spaniards turned and ran bewildered and defeated leaving the battlefield to the Muslims.

This marked the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Spain in the middle of the 8th century of the Christian era. Muslims ruled the country for hundreds of years so gloriously and well that Moorish Spain became the fountain-head of culture and civilisation for the whole continent of Europe.

General Tariq Ibn Ziyad will ever live in the memory of men for the famous rock on the Spanish mainland still bears his name: Jabal-at-Tarig, (the Mountain of Tariq)- Gibraltar.
After landing on the coastal strip overlooking the rock which was later named as ‘Jabal-ul-Tariq’ (Gibraltar), its conqueror Tariq Bin Zayid, ordered the burning of the ships that had brought his Muslim troops from Africa in 711 A.D. Why are you doing this. Sir?’ cried the astonished soldiers. How will we return? Enquired some. Tariq remained unmoved by these appeals. In reply, he uttered those historic words, which will always inspire people to embark on brave deeds. He said: ‘We have not come her to return. Either we shall conquer and establish ourselves here or we will perish.’ Emboldened by these words. Tariq and his soldiers routed one of the most formidable armies of the West and carried the banner of Islam even beyond the high walls of the Pyrenees. Soon after the death of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sws), the Muslims were threatened from all sides. The mighty neighbouring Empires of the Roman and Persians were conspiring to uproot this new force. But the Arabs not only met this challenge but also crushed the two greatest Empires of the world, and in less than half a century their arms held sway over the three known continents. The Islamic principles of equality and fraternity had enabled the conquered and newly converted races to take their share in the government along with the noblest of the Arabs. Islam recognised no distinction of caste and creed and readily patronised talent wherever found. This is why all capable slaves have occupied the highest positions in an Islamic polity and many slave dynasties have magnificently ruled over Muslim subjects. Tariq bin Ziyad, a newly converted Berber slave wsa a lieutenant of Musa bin Nusair, the Muslim Viceroy of Africa. The Berber slave was destined to be the conqueror of Spain, the biggest Muslim territory in Europe, which, for eight centuries under the Muslims, kept aloft the torch of civilisation and culture that at last dispelled the gloom that had enveloped the Mediaeval Europe. At this time, when Africa was enjoying the blessings of toleration, justice and prosperity under the Muslims, neighbouring Spain was groaning under the tyranny, and bigotry of its Gothic ruler. The honour of women was not safe and the tillers of the soil were put to heavy taxation. The rulers and their henchmen revelled in luxury while the masses groaned in poverty. A large number of refugees from Spain both Christians and Jews who had suffered under the Gothic rule had taken refuge in Muslim Africa. One of them was Julian, the Governor of Ceuta, whose daughter. Florinda, had been dishonoured by Roderick, the Gothic King of Spain. They appealed to Musa to liberate their country from the tyrant’s yoke. In response to their prayer and with the sanction of the Caliph, Musa made a reconnaissance on the southern coast of Spain. The report was favourable and in May 711, Tariq bin Zaid with 7,000 Muslims crossed the Straits in ships in small contingents. As his troops landed in Europe, Tariq concentrated them on a hill, which took the name of ‘Jabl-ul-Tariq’ (The Rock of Tariq) now called Gibraltar, and urged them either to conquer or perish. They had no intention to go back home. The Gothic King Roderick collected a huge army of more than one lakh solders. Tariq, too was reinforced by 5,000 soldiers dispatched by Musa and now his army numbered 12,000. The two armies met at the mouth of river Barbate, on the shores of a lagoo of Janda and fought a decisive battle on July 9th, 711, A.D. The two armies were unequally matched. The Christians by Tariq was irresistible and the Goths were completely routed with terrible losses. King Roderick was drowned in the river. This remarkable victory of Tariq broke the morale of the Spaniards, and henceforward, they did not dare face the Muslims in the open. Therefore, the armies of Tariq met little resistance in the interior of Spain. His was a triumphant march from place to place in the Peninsula. Tariq had divided his small army into four divisions and directed one of his lieutenants towards Cordova, the other towards Malaga, the third towards Granada and himself at the head of the main body hurriedly marched upon Toledo, the Capital of Spain. All these cities capitulated without much resistance. The Goths were paralysed by the rapidity of Tariq’s movement and the severity of his blows. The Gothic armies fled before him. ‘God’, says an analyst, ‘filled the hearts of idolators with terror and alarm.’ The oppressed masses of Spain hailed the Muslims as their liberators. The exemplary treatment of Tariq and his men endeared him to the conquered races. The fiercest battle of the entire campaign was fought at Ecija, which resulted in the victory of Tariq’s forces. Toledo, the Capital of Spain, also capitulated after little resistance. Here Tariq was joined by his Master Musa bin Nusair, thee Muslim viceory of Africa. Hence forward, the two generals moved side by side and in less than two years, the whole of Spain was in Muslim hands Portugal was conquered, a few years after. ‘This constituted the last and the most sensational of the major Arab campaigns’, writes Philip K. Hitti,’ and resulted in the addition to the Moslem world of the largest European territory ever held by them… In its swiftness of execution and completness of success, this expedition into Spain holds a unique place in the Mediaeval Military Annals. Musa and Tariq would have easily conquered the whole of Europe which lay at their feet. There was none to stop their victorious advance, but Providence meant otherwise. When they were planning the conquest of Europe, they received summons from the Caliph to present themselves at Damascus. They exhibited a rare discipline by obeying the orders of the Caliph, reaching Damascus at the earliest possible time. Tariq died there afterwards. The conquest of Spain by Muslims opened a new era for the Peninsula. It brought about a social revolution in which the freedom of religion was fully recognised. The intoleration and persecution of the Christians gave place to toleration and large-heartedness. The captured Christian cities received favourable terms which were faithfully observed. Individual acts of violence by the Muslim soldiers were severely punished. No properties or estates were confiscated. Instead, the Muslims introduced an intelligent system of taxation, which soon brought prosperity to the Peninsula and made it a model country in the West. The Christians had their own judges to settle their disputes. All communities had equal opportunities for entry into the public services. This wise an generous administration of Muslim conquerors had its good effects. The Christians including their priests, who had first left their homes in terror came back and passes a happy and prosperous life. A well-known Christian writer says: ‘The Moors (Muslims) organised that wonderful kingdom of Cordova, which was the marvel of the Middle Ages, and which, when all Europe was plunged in barbaric ignorance and strife, alone held the torch of learning and civilisation bright and shining before the Western world.’ Tariq ibn Ziyad was sent by Musa ibn Nusayr in the year 711 AD as a chief commander to conquer Andalus. His men numbered 12000-17000. On his journey he decided to take some rest and sleep. It is said whilst sailing across the sea, which separates Africa from Andalus, he saw in his dream the prophet (pbuh) surrounded by arabs of the Muhajiruun and Ansaars, who with unsheathed swords and bended bows stood by him. They also heard the prophet (pbuh) say " take courage, O Tariq! and accomplish what you are destined to perform. " On hearing this, he looked around him and saw the messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his companions entering Andalus. Tariq immediately awoke from his sleep with a smile, and from that moment on he never doubted victory. Tariq advanced towards a small mountain in the sea which later became known as Jabal Tariq (Mount Tariq) derived from which is the modern name: Gibraltar. Here Tariq and his army disembarked into the darkness of the night. He then set fire to his fleet and in his determination to conquer Andalus he told his army " I have now burnt the ships, and now there is no return for us and here we will conquer or die fighting." The king of the time, King Roderick, heard about the seizure and immediately prepared his army which numbered 100,000. King Roderick set off with confidence that they will make each and every Arab his prisoner. Roderick took his army to Cordova to attack Tariq and his armies. Before the battle, Tariq gave a speech which portrayed his valiance, determination and ideology regarding the life after death. In this speech he also mentioned his desire to kill King Roderick with his own hands. After his influential speech, Tariq and his army with their white turbans and spears in their hands proceeded towards the battlefield. When Tariq reached the battlefield he saw his ambition and aimed his arrow towards him and killed him. He had now fulfilled his long felt desire and gained victory for the Muslims. It is said in the confusion that followed the defeated Christian soldiers fled for their lives, the body of King Roderick had also disappeared. The Muslims had a zeal for knowledge, they were advanced in architecure and were masters in science. When Tariq and his army conquered a large portion of Spain in 711-718 AD, which mainly consisted of the Moors who were a Muslim tribe from North Africa, they immediately implemented Islamic law ( Shariah ) with Caliphates. the muslim ruled with islamic law for over 800 years. However when the Muslim government of Spain collapsed during the early 1000s due to the fighting amongst the groups of Moors, the country split into many small Moorish states and independent cities. This was not the only reason for the downfall of a nation which ruled for many centuries. This was due to the fact that the leaders did not rule according to the Islamic law and chose an un-islamic life. Below is an extract from the hadith. Abdullah ibn Umar narrates ; "The Prophet (pbuh) came to us and said O muhajiruun, you may be afflicted by five things, may Allah forbid you live to see them, if leaders do not govern according to the book of Allah, you should realize this will not happen without Allah making them into groups and making them fight another. " ( Ibn Majah, Kitab al Fitan, 4019,2/1332 ) you can see from this small extract how the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had advanced knowledge of the future and how correct his prophecies were to be. Inter-islam

Sher Shah Suri [1472-1545]

Sher Shah Suri, "The Lion King", founder of the Suri Dynasty, was born in 1472 in Punjab. His original name was Farid. He was the son of a petty Afghan Jagirdar. Ill-treated by his stepmother, he left home at an early age. He went to Jaunpur where he set himself to serious study and there he acquired good command over the Arabic and Persian languages. Because of his abilities, he was soon appointed by his father to manage the family Jagir. But again because of his stepmother, he left his father's Jagir and went to Bihar where he later joined the service of Babur.

Seeing the weaknesses in the Mughal rule and military organization, Sher Shah took advantage of the problems faced by Humayun. Eventually he managed to overthrow the Mughal rulers. His reign barely spanned five years, but is a landmark in the history of the Sub-continent. With his deep knowledge and practical experience, he made many brilliant additions and improvements to the existent system. Sher Shah was a capable military and civilian administrator. He set up reforms in various areas. Akbar later built on these reforms and extended them further. Many of these reforms pertained to the army, but the principal reforms for which he is remembered are those connected with revenue administration. Numerous civil works were carried out during his short reign.

Sher Shah ruled for a short period of five years in which he not only consolidated his power but also brought about important reforms. He died in 1545 from a gunpowder explosion. He was a practical and farsighted ruler who was way ahead of his contemporaries. He is remembered in history for the numerous reforms that he undertook to strengthen the government. He was in truth the greatest ruler that sat upon the throne of Delhi.

SHER SHAH SURI AND EARY MUGHALS

In 1538, Farid Khan, better known as Farid-ud-din Abul Muzaffar Shîr Shâh Sûr, an Afghan who had already become ruler of Bihar, captured Bengal, and appointed muhammad khan sur as the governor of Bengal. Nasir al-Din Muhammad Humayun, son of Babar, took back gaur, renamed it Jannatabad, and when he left gauD.a, he made Quli Beg the governor. Humayun ultimately lost in 1539 and again in 1540; so that Sher Shah became emperor of India (1540–died May 22, 1545). However, caTTagrAma never came under his power, and the Arakan king soon took it over, and held it till 1666. In 1541, his governor Khijr Khan of Bengal started acting independent, so he was removed and Qazi Fazilat = Fazzihat made the governor. Sher Shah built the grand trunk road from sonArgà to attock following previously existing roads.

Sher Shah's son Jalal Khan ruled next as Islâm Shâh (1545–53). Under him, kAlidAsa gajadAni, a rAjput, who had converted to Islam and taken the name Sulaiman Khan, took over parts of east bengal. Two generals of Islam Shah, tAj Khan and Dariya Khan defeated him, and when he revolted again, killed him and sold his sons to Turani traders. Islam Shah's uncle Kalapahar (according to Akbar Nama, Mantkhab-ut-Twarikh, and Makhjan-i-Afghani; he is also called Raju, and there are folklores of his being born a hindu; another kalapahar is known during the time of bahlol lodi and sikander lodi) attacked Kamrup and destroyed the temples at Hajo and Kamakhya.

Islam Shah's twelve year old son Firuz Shah succeeded him, but within days was assasinated by Sher Shah's nephew muh.ammad mubâriz khân who ruled as Muhammad Shah Adil. He was a tyrannical but weak ruler, and the governors of different regions started declaring themselves independent (ibrâhîm khân in Delhi?); thus the rise of Karranis started under him. The Afghan governor of Bengal, Muhammad Khan, declared independence and started rulin as Shams-ud-din Muhammad Shah Ghazi. He started fighting against Arakan and won Jaunpur, but Muhammad Shah Adil's hindu general Hemu defeated and killed him in 1555; and Muhammad Shah Adil appointed Shahbaj Khan as ruler of Bengal. However, Shams-ud-din Muhammad Shah's son Khijr Khan declared himself sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Bahadur Shah (1555–60), and defeated Shahbaj Khan. In the meantime, Humayun recaptured power in Delhi from ah.mad khân sikandar shâh (1555), but died on the 26th of January, 1556. His son, Jalal al-din Muhammad Akbar (1556–1605, very tolerant of various religions), initially with Biram Khan as a regent, defeated Muhammad Shah Adil on the 5th of November 1556. Muhammad Shah Adil tried to move east, but Ghiyas-ud-din Bahadur Shah killed him. Ghiyas-ud-din tried to capture Jaunpur, but was defeated by the Mughals.

After Ghias-ud-din's death, his brother Jalal-ud-din ruled as Ghiasuddin Abul Muzaffar Jalal Shah (Ghiasuddin II 1560–63). The Afghan Karrani dynasty captured large tracts of south-east Bihar and west Bengal. His son (name unknown) succeeded Ghiasuddin, but was assasinated within a few months and Ghiasuddin III took over, but within a year was assasinated by Taj Khan Karrani who started the Karrani dynasty.

Nour-ud-Din Zangi

The glorious history of Islam is a great contribution to the human civilization. The righteous predecessors illuminated the world after a long period of darkness. They raised an insurmountable civilization and glory. They became the real bearers of the banner of Islam. They saved the Muslims from deviation and bewilderment, as they exerted all their effort to follow Almighty Allah's teachings. The earth was adorned with their light, and the heavens were embellished with the nobility of the martyrs among them, who were great examples of devotion and sincerity.

Allah is He Who raised the minaret of this true religion and exalted its rank by the hands of the righteous people and true believers. Such people were as sublime as the stars in the heaven and the moon on a dark night. Nour-ud-Din Mahmoud Zangi was one of those ever-shining stars.

Under his rule, a new great phase of jihad started in the Levant. He had one goal: uniting Muslims and liberating their occupied lands. To this end, he initiated an Islamic renaissance that stressed the need for an "Islamic life."

He restored the affairs of Muslims to the right track by means of his justice, diligence, and staidness. He succeeded in bringing the light of Islam into many territories and left no stone unturned for the sake of uniting Muslims. He elevated them in all aspects of life within an integrated Islamic pattern to regain the Islamic glory and expel the unjust occupation of the Crusaders.


Birth and Origin

Nour-ud-Din Mahmoud Zangi was born in AH 511 (1118 CE). His grandfather Aq Sunqur Al-Hajib ruled Aleppo and other places in the Levant; his father, Zangi, who was brought up in Iraq, ruled Mosul and the Levant. He conquered Edessa, Al-Ma`arrah, Kafr Tab, and many other cities to deliver them from the hands of disbelievers.

When Zangi passed away, Nour-ud-Din succeeded him as king in AH 541 (1146 CE). Nour-ud-Din Mahmoud Zangi (also known as Ibn Al-Qasim) was born 20 years after the fall of Jerusalem in the hands of the Crusaders. He was tall, good-looking, and dark-skinned and had a light beard.


His Piety and Morals

He was a good calligrapher, a scholar of religion, and a follower of the Prophet's Sunnah. He was persistent in performing congregational Prayers, excellent in reciting the Glorious Qur'an, incorruptible, and keen on doing good deeds. At nightfall, he would perform `Isha' Prayer and sleep for a while. Then, he would get up in the middle of the night, perform ablution, and pray until dawn.

A provident king, he used to seek lawful means for food and clothes. He never wore any unlawful garment, like silk, or put any gold jewelry. He was never heard uttering obscenities, whether he was satisfied or angry. He was keen on hearing any word uttered for the sake of Almighty Allah or any advice compatible with the pure Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

In spite of the vastness of his kingdom and treasury, he never ate or drank from what he owned from his share of the booty or the money appointed for the public good of Muslims until he brought the jurists and asked for their religious advice and acted accordingly. He never touched the gifts he received from the kings of other nations. Rather, he would send them to the House of Treasury for the reconstruction of old mosques.

An-Nuri Pulpit

He was famous for his sound, erudite knowledge. He was well-versed in the Hanafi school of fiqh and was licensed to relate the Prophet's hadiths. He wrote a book on the concept of jihad. Though lenient and merciful, this sedate person, Nour-ud-Din, was also gifted with a great deal of charisma and an awe-inspiring personality.

Full of humbleness, he forbade the preachers from making du`aa' for him during their sermons, using his great titles. He used to bring honest men from every place and ask them about the needy among their people. He enjoined service for all regardless of social status.

Prince Baha'-ud-Din `Ali ibn As-Sukkari, one of the closest friends of Nour-ud-Din, narrated, "One day, I was with him [Nour-ud-Din] in the battlefield in Edessa. The sun was behind us; whenever we marched forward, our shadows appeared in front of us, and when we came back, our shadows were behind us; then he raced his horse while looking back and said to me, 'Do you know why I am racing my horse and looking back?' I said, 'No.' He replied, 'This situation is like our worldly life: It escapes from those who seek it and seeks those who escape from it."

He was so ascetic that his expenses were not different from those of the poorest and neediest of his subordinates. When his wife complained of the hardships of life, he called her in and gave her three shops that he owned in Homs and told her, "That is all what I have. Do not expect me to lay a finger on the money of the Muslims I am entrusted with; I fear the wrath of Allah."


Courageous Mujahid

His courage and wisdom were incomparable. At times of war, he was the most courageous and steadfast. Moreover, his tactics were unique, and he was exceptionally keen to enquire about the affairs of his troops. In a word, he was a role model in this field.

He conquered Aleppo and many other cities, including the Egyptian cities that were about to be completely invaded by the Franks. He captured some Frankish princes and defeated the forces of the Romans and the Franks in a place called Harim (a fortress in Aleppo). Furthermore, he managed to control many villages in Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey).

Ibn Al-Athir, the Arab historian, said:

I have heard many people say that they had never seen a horseman better than him. He was the best polo player of his time; he had the ability to hit the ball, make his horse run, pick up the ball, and throw it again to the farthest point of the playground.

He would say, "If we leave the horses in their stalls, they will not be able to race, turn smoothly, or obey the horsemen in the battlefield. I swear to Allah, that is what made me play polo."

It is rare to find a person who plays games for the sake of Allah. This is a clear indication that he did not do anything aimlessly; this, indeed, is the merit of great rulers.

Ibn Al-Athir added:

Even his enemies used to say, "Ibn Al-Qasim [Nour-ud-Din] is close to Allah. He did not win the battles because of the huge numbers of soldiers and warriors but because of his supplication and Prayer at night. He used to pray at night and raise his hands high supplicating Allah. Thus, Allah answers him and gives him whatever he asks."

Nour-ud-Din was a strategist who used his skill and military tactics, particularly to defeat the Franks and conquer most of their lands. He also built a lot of watchtowers in the territories bordering the lands of the Franks. To protect the Muslims as much as he could, he sent efficient soldiers with carrier pigeons that would carry warnings to the homeland if the soldiers saw the enemy. This would give the people a chance to take defensive action.

He dealt with his soldiers in an exemplary manner. The property of a dead soldier was given to his son. If the son was mature enough, he would be allowed to take it over. Yet, if the son was still too young to take proper care of the property, Nour-ud-Din would appoint a wise man to be responsible for the property until the son grew mature and wise enough to take it over. This encouraged the soldiers and motivated them to fight steadfastly, for they were sure that the lands were theirs and would be their sons' afterward.


Defender of Shari`ah and Sunnah

Nour-ud-Din built an institute for teaching Hadith in Damascus and allotted much money to it and to those who worked there. To the best of our knowledge, he was the first ruler to build an institute for Hadith.

In Aleppo, he supported all the attempts to apply the Prophetic sunnah concerning the Adhan (call to Prayer) and devoured the evil plots and discord of the dissenters. He established schools and charities and spread justice. In Egypt, he revived the Sunnah of the Prophet and stopped all bid`ah (deviations) in the religious life.

He was an extraordinary example in adhering to the teachings of Islam. He would never let anyone tamper with the authentic principles of religion. If anyone dared to commit any illegal act concerning religion, Nour-ud-Din would justly punish him or her. He was decisive in this respect. He used to say, "We keep the roads safe from the thieves and robbers, who are less harmful, so will we not preserve the religion and secure it? It is most worthy of safeguarding."

He built many mosques and set an endowment apart for the scholars and reciters of Qur'an. Indeed, this act was unprecedented. He allocated a great fortune for the endowments.

Nour-ud-Din banned drinking and selling of wine all over the Islamic state. He was quoted to have said, "Allah, Glory be to Him, created people, and He knows what is best for them; He enacted a law that is for their benefit. People's welfare can be perfectly achieved by adopting this Islamic law. If there were more benefit in something other than the Islamic law, Allah would have prescribed it. Therefore, we are in no need of any other law."

His most favored company was restricted to religious scholars whom he used to hold in a lofty position. Even the princes used to envy those scholars. If one of the attendants criticized any of the scholars, he would reproach him or her, saying, "And who is infallible? I think that the perfect person is the one whose sins can be counted."


His Justice

Nour-ud-Din was the first ruler to build a court of justice. He used to attend its sessions four or five days a week to investigate the people's problems and sort them out. He used to bring only scholars and jurists with him. He did not bring guards so that any person — weak or strong, poor or rich — could reach him at any time. He would speak mildly to all of them.

Unlike those of other kings, his court would only abound with scientific and religious talk as well as consultation on jihad. It was free from debauchery, offensiveness, backbite, defamation, or slander.

Nour-ud-Din's justice was manifest in glorifying the acts compatible with pure Shari`ah. He used to say, "We are created and employed for the sake of it [Shari`ah] and are required to fulfill its commandments."

Another evidence of his justice was that he never punished anyone depending on mere accusation. Rather, he used to summon witnesses and incessantly search for evidence. But once the evidence was found, the defendant would be punished, without delay, according to the penalty prescribed by Shari`ah. The rule of law was equally imposed on the king's soldiers and friends.

In other places of the world, excessive punishment and prosecution against people on the grounds of mere suspicion were prevalent at that time. But Nour-ud-Din, who was dubbed the just king, eschewed such tortuous means of governance, which gave rise to security and prosperity in his kingdom despite its vastness. Justice and application of Shari`ah contributed to a great decline in crime rate.

He exempted the inhabitants of the Levant, Arabian Peninsula, Mosul, and Egyptian cities from paying taxes. He used to help the oppressed regardless of their social status, for all people were deemed equal before him. He would listen to the complaints of the oppressed and investigate them himself.

One day, he entered the House of Treasury and noticed an amount of money. Inquiring about it, he was told that Judge Kamal-ud-Din had sent it and that it had been collected from such and such a place. To this, his reply was, "This money is not ours; we do not have any money in the places you mentioned." Then, he ordered that the money be sent back.


Civil Achievements

He was always concerned with the public interest and the living conditions of his people. His thoughts were directed toward serving Islam and establishing the infrastructure of an Islamic state by building schools, mosques, and other institutions.

Aleppo Hospital

He established many projects aimed at benefiting the Muslims and protecting them and their territories. He built walls and established castles in all territories of the Levant, such as Aleppo, Hamah, Homs, Damascus, Shiraz, and Manbij. He spent large amounts of money on these projects.

Also, he established Shafi`i and Hanafi schools in Aleppo, Hamah, Damascus, and other cities. He built mosques throughout the Muslim lands. His mosque in Mosul was an architectural masterpiece. Furthermore, he built one of the most beautiful mosques in Hamah at Al-`Asi (Orontes) River. He dedicated an endowment for the sick, the calligraphers, and the teachers of Qur'an, as well as the inhabitants of Makkah and Madinah.

He also built a lot of hospitals, among which the one in Damascus was the greatest. Nour-ud-Din made it an endowment for all Muslims, rich and poor.

He built guesthouses along the roadsides to save the lives and property of travelers and provide them with warm and comfortable places in winter. He also built many orphanages and spent a lot of money on the orphans and those who cared for them.

This thoughtful ruler granted the Arab princes of his time large areas of land so that they would not increase the taxes imposed on the pilgrims. Furthermore, he ordered his men to build a wall around Madinah and to dig a well at Mount Uhud. He also built bridges and dug many canals.


His Death

Nour-ud-Din adhered to Allah's commands and asked his followers to do the same. Undoubtedly, the one who sets a good example will have his reward and additional rewards equal to those gained by those who follow him until the Day of Judgment.

Ibn Al-Athir said:

I read about the pre-Islamic period and the history of Islam until our modern times, but I have never known a ruler nobler than the Just King Nour-ud-Din, except for the Rightly Guided Caliphs and `Umar ibn `Abdul `Aziz.

Nour-ud-Din was a great warrior and skilled archer who would march at the front line with his fellow warriors in the battlefield, asking Almighty Allah for martyrdom. He wished to be resurrected on the Day of Judgment from the stomachs of beasts or the craws of birds. He used to say:

I fought in many battles and wished to be a martyr, but I have not attained my wish.

On hearing him saying this, Imam Qutb-ud-Din An-Naysaburi told him, "I adjure you by the name of Allah not to risk your life, Islam, and the Muslims, for you are their backbone. If you were to be killed in a battle, the Muslims would be murdered and their lands would be invaded." Nour-ud-Din replied, "What is this all about? Who am I to be considered so important? There is One Who saved Islam and its lands before me: Allah, than Whom there is no other god."

Before his death, Nour-ud-Din prepared for restoring Jerusalem and built the pulpit upon which the first Friday sermon would be addressed upon regaining the city. However, before realizing his lofty goal, he passed away in Shawwal AH 569 (1173 CE). He was buried in the Castle of Damascus, and his body was later taken to his dome at his school near `al-Khayyarin'. May Allah have mercy on his soul.