Benefits Of Olive Oil For Skin, Hair And Health

   

Olive oil is one of the most beneficial natural products and is known to have very high nutritive value since its discovery about 5,000 years ago. Olive oil is extracted from the crop of the olive tree which is native to the Mediterranean basin.

Olive oil was commonly used in Egypt as a cosmetic, and is still used in many Mediterranean countries as a natural medicine. Uses of Olive oil are many and it is so versatile that it can be used both internally and externally. Health benefits of olive oil range from promoting better digestion, stimulating metabolism to lubricating mucous membranes and as olive oil is full of vitamins, minerals and proteins, it can also be used to keep skin, nails, and hair healthy and beautiful.

A. Benefits of Olive Oil For Skin:

Olive oil is closer in chemical structure to the skin’s natural oil than any other naturally occurring oil.

1. Thus it acts as the perfect moisturiser especially for dry skin.

2. It can also be used to moisturise extremely dry skin prone areas like elbows and knees.

3. Olive oil has regenerative power over skin tissue and thus regular usage ensures that your skin remains soft and smooth while keeping it toned and firmed.

4. Take equal quantities of water and oil in a tight lid jar and shake it well to mix them together. Massage your skin with this and wash it off with lukewarm water.

5. Another great face mask to moisturise your skin with olive oil can be made by blending together 1 tbsp. of honey, with 1 tbsp. olive oil and yolk of one egg. Blend them together till they come together and apply on a clean face. Let this mask stay for 15-20 minutes after which wash it off with lukewarm water. This mask moisturises the skin and helps in clearing out andmaintaining the natural skin tone

 

6. Make a paste using olive oil and mashed avocados and apply it on your face. Let it work on your skin for 20-25 minutes and then rinse. This mask will leave your skin rejuvenated.

7. For those of you, who have extremely dry skin; can use virgin olive oil as a night cream. Apply a little quantity of the oil on your face at night and let it stay overnight. You will wake up to soft and supple skin in the morning.

8. The regenerative power of olive oil also helps in stimulating the process of skin healing. It can be used to soothe and heal skin irritations. The same property also helps in treating sunburn. Just apply olive oil on the affected area directly.

9. The main cause behind the olive oil benefits for skin is that it is rich in healthy fats and phenolic antioxidant vitamin E along with squalene and oleic acidas. These help in getting rid of free radicals as well as repair the damage done due to exposure to sun. These elements are also known to reduce the chances of skin cancer as they inhibit growth of tumour cells.

10. Say goodbye to those ugly looking stretch marks on your body with olive oil. Olive oil helps the skin to regenerate as well as increases the elasticity of the skin. This not only helps in preventing stretch marks from coming back but also helps in lightening the ones that are present. Start using olive oil for hot oil massage on the affected areas thrice a week and notice the change.

 

11. You don’t need to spend big bucks on buying fancy makeup removers. All you need is a bottle of olive oil. Olive oil doesn’t sting the eye and is not harsh on the skin unlike some cosmetic make up removers.

It is definitely an alternative that people with sensitive skin should look into. In case you are worried about the oiliness it will leave behind, that problem can easily be resolved by washing your face with your regular face wash after you remove your makeup with olive oil. This will also ensure that there are no traces of makeup left on the skin. You can also make this makeup remover or cleanser by mixing together olive oil and castor oil. The proportions of oil depend on the skin type. If you have dry skin, take more olive oil and in case you are an oily skinned beauty use more castor oil and less of olive oil.

12. The antioxidants present in olive oil- hydroxytyrosol along with the vitamin E help in preventing cell degeneration in your skin, thus preventing premature ageing. The squalene present in this oil helps in increasing the elasticity of the skin thus preventing sagging of skin and leaving it firmly toned with youthful glow. To reduce the wrinkles around your eyes, massage olive oil into the skin around your eyes. Make sure that you are very careful and delicate when you work around the eyes, as the skin is so delicate that you can damage and stretch the skin very easily doing more harm than good.

13. If you are suffering from dry and scaly skin, mix olive oil and sea salt and massaging it into the affected area to slough off dead skin and enrich the healthy layer beneath it. You can also add a few tablespoons of olive oil with a drop or two of lavender essential oil in a bath. It is a simple and luxurious way to relax, soothe and moisturize the whole body.

14. Olive oil not only helps in treating sunburns, it also works really well as a sunscreen. Mix equal quantities of olive oil and tea decoction (tea boiled in water and strained) and apply all over the body and face. Leave this on for an hour. Rinse, don’t wash, so that it leaves a residue on the skin. This will act as a natural sunscreen for you.

15. Good blood circulation is essential to provide natural glow to the skin. A weekly olive oil massage will not only enhance the blood circulation but also help in keeping your skin young and moisturised. You can also use olive oil as a carrier of other essential oils. Just heat olive oil and your favourite essential oil for a few seconds, making sure that you don’t burn the olive oil and give your skin the pampering it needs.

16. The beauty benefits of olive oil don’t end here. Tired of chapped lips, apply olive oil instead of your normal lip balm. Trying to lose weight, change your normal cooking oil to olive oil. Hate that cellulite, mix used coffee grounds with olive oil and apply and massage on to the skin.

17. Mascara makes your eyes look bigger and beautiful. But people with sensitive eyes tend to have an itchy sesnation due to application of mascara. But that is no reason to not get those fluttering eyelashes. Just use an old mascara brush and apply olive oil with it. This will result in longer and shinier eyelashes without any loss of lashes or eye allergies.

B. Benefits Of Olive Oil For Hair:

18. Just like olive oil works great as a moisturizing agent on the skin, it has a similar effect on the hair as well. Olive oil is your best friend in case you have dry damaged hair that lead to other hair problems like split ends and frizzy hair.
To nourish those dry tresses give your hair a hot olive oil hair massage. Keep in mind though that if olive oil is heated too much, it loses its benefits.

19. For extremely dry hair, mix 4 tbsp. of olive oil with half a tsp. of honey. Fill a bowl with boiling water and place a smaller bowl containing this mix in it so that you don’t lose the benefits of both olive oil and honey. Apply this to your scalp and let it sit for 20 minutes followed by usual hair wash and conditioning.

20. We used an egg yolk and olive oil mix to get glowing skin. This recipe can also be used on dry hair to repair, nourish and add shine. You can add honey to this hair pack as well. Let it remain on your hair for 20-30 minutes followed by normal hair wash

21. To use olive oil for deep conditioning of hair, take equal quantities of olive oil and water and mix them together. Apply this on your scalp just after you have shampooed. Let this mixture sit on your work its magic for 5-10 minutes followed by another round of rinsing with shampoo.

22. For curly haired beauties and those who suffer from extremely frizzy hair, olive oil can also be used to tame those unruly tresses. Just apply olive oil lightly on your hair before you comb and now you have a natural serum in your hair that will help you to detangle them without much effort and also give the dull and dry hair, a little bit of shine. Make sure you use olive oil very lightly otherwise there are chances that your hair will become oily.

C. Benefits Of Olive Oil For Hands For Feet:

23. Extra virgin olive oil massage is perfect for dry nails and cuticles. Instead of using a hand or a cuticle cream, rub a few drops into the cuticle area and around the nails. Regular usage ensures that the cuticles stay moist and nails remain shiny.

24. Another reap the uses of oilve oil, especially Virgin Olive Oil to get strong fingernails and soften cuticles is to dip your nails in olive oil once a week. Doing this helps in moisturizing the nail bed.

 

You can do the same for your feet as well. It will not only work for your nails but also prevent your heels from cracking or apply it generously on your cracked heels and wear socks and let them work and moisturise the dry skin overnight. You will wake up with soft soles in the morning.

25. Another use of olive oil is to treat bad breath. Mix 1 tsp. of olive oil with 1 tsp. lemon juice and consume it on empty stomach. You can olive oil for shaving purposes. Apply it and use your razor to get rid of those unwanted hair. It can also be used post waxing as finish wipes. Use olive oil to wipe off the wax residue. It not only cleans your skin of the wax but because of its soothing properties, help to reduce redness and inflammation that occurs post waxing.

Applying oil on your face and body might not feel like a glamorous option but keeping in mind the benefit it has, it is wise to bear that oiliness. But one thing that you need to take care is that when you decide to use olive oil for your skin and hair care, spend a little extra money on high-quality oil and then use it generously to moisturize your entire body.

Also while heating the olive oil, don’t heat it for too long as olive oil has tendency to burn easily and this makes it lose all its benefits. Just heat the oil for not more than 20-30 seconds and use it as you mentioned above.  You also need to take care that 80% of the antioxidant components in olive oil are lost in the process of refinement, always buy extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed olive oil for usage.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil:

26. Eat it: Since it is known for its distinct flavour and taste, it can be consumed in many ways to avail the goodness of olives or its oil. Olive oil facilitates overall digestion and absorption of nutrients, along with crucial fat-soluble vitamins. Olive oil is best and can be used in many different cooking ways, like sautéing, stir frying, marinating, or in bread dip. Olive oil only coats, and not penetrates, so foods fried in olive oil are less greasy than foods dried in any other oil.

Olive oil by itself is cholesterol, sodium and carbohydrate-free

27. Breast cancer: It helps in decreasing the chance of getting breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

28. Diabetes: Olive Oil contains chemicals that help in reducing the blood sugar levels. Olive Oil acts as insulin after being digested in the body for patients.

29. Blood pressure: Adding small amount of extra virgin olive oil in the daily diet and continuing with the usual treatments for high blood pressure can actually improve blood pressure. Taking olive leaf extract also helps to lower blood pressure.

30. Cholesterol: Use olive oil (like Figaro olive oil or SoulFlower olive oil) in the diet instead of saturated fat to reduce total cholesterol levels. It is usually used in the Mediterranean diet as it is a heart-friendly oil. This helps to improve your metabolism and digestive system thus puts off the weight quickly.

31. Protects Liver: As said previously, olive oil is full of antioxidants, which provide protection to our liver from severe oxidative stress and keeps it healthy. When various molecules present in our body start reacting chemically with the free radicals, we develop oxidative stress, which ultimately takes a toll on the structure and activities of our body cells. But, the antioxidant content of olive oil can shield our hepatic tissues from this damage, maintaining a good and healthy liver.

32. Averts Alzheimer’s Disease: The natural phenolic compound, ‘oleocanthal’, present in olive oil is highly effective in averting Alzheimer’s disease. According to scientists, this phytonutreint detects the abnormal proteins named ‘beta-amyloid’, which are responsible for the ailment and shuttle them out of the brain efficiently. As a result, we can stay away from the diseases like neurodegenerative dementia.

33. Shields from Ulcerative Colitis: By drinking olive oil regularly, you can put a stop to the most common chronic colon disorder ‘ulcerative colitis’ too. The oleic acid content of the oil blocks certain chemical compounds in our bowel. It also reduces the inflammation of the large intestine. Only 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil a day can shield us from this inflammatory bowel disease.

34. Keeps Bone Healthy: Olive oil can promote the absorption of calcium in our body, which is extremely necessary for the mineralization as well as calcification of our bones. It also prevents our bones from getting fragile by maintaining their mass. Therefore, we do not end up developing serious bone disorders like osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

35. Treats Depression Successfully: Drinking olive oil is also good for our emotional health as it can treat depression and help us get rid of mental illness successfully. The mono-unsaturated fats present in it are known to be responsible for this.

Olive Oil and Weight Loss:

36. An olive oil-rich diet is much more effective than a low-fat one in combating obesity and losing weight. In spite of its high calorie content, it is proved to offer long-lasting weight loss solutions. So, try to consume at least one tablespoon of this oil every day.

Some important tips for using Olive Oil:

• Avoid consuming more in quantity.
• Olive Oil can be kept fresh for two years.
• Never apply it on open wounds with prior consultation.
• Store Olive Oil in cool and dry place and always away from heat, air and sunlight.
• Always smell its aroma first to increase its taste.
• Store olive oil in a dark glass bottle.
• Don’t use more amounts of olives during pregnancy/ breastfeeding.

Nutritional value of Olive Oil:

Olives and its oil are a good source of vitamin E, vitamins A and K, iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, amino acids.

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	884 Kcal	44%
Carbohydrates	0 g	0%
Protein	0 g	0%
Total Fat	100 g	500%
Dietary Fiber	0 g	0%
Vitamins
Folates	0 µg	0%
Niacin	0 mg	0%
Pantothenic acid	0 mg	0%
Pyridoxine	0 mg	0%
Riboflavin	0 mg	0%
Thiamin	0 mg	0%
Vitamin A	0 IU	0%
Vitamin C	0	0%
Vitamin E	14.39 mg	96%
Vitamin K	60.2 µg	50%
Electrolytes
Sodium	2 mg	0%
Potassium	1 mg	0%
Minerals
Calcium	1 mg	0%
Copper	0 mg	0%
Iron	0.56 mg	7 %
Magnesium	0 mg	0%
Manganese	0 mg	0%
Phosphorus	0 mg	0%
Selenium	0 µg	0%
Zinc	0.01 mg	<1%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	0 µg	–
Crypto-xanthin-ß	0 µg	–
Lutein-zeaxanthin	0 µg	–
Phytosterols	221 mg	–

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet.

It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body.

This includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits.

Here are 10 health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research studies.

1. Green Tea Contains Various Bioactive Compounds That Can Improve Health

Green tea is more than just green liquid.

Many of the bioactive compounds in the tea leaves do make it into the final drink, which contains large amounts of important nutrients.

It is loaded with polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants (1).

These substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals are known to play a role in aging and all sorts of diseases.

One of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties.

Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health.

Try to choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because some of the lower quality brands can contain excessive levels of fluoride (2).

That being said, even if you choose a lower quality brand, the benefits still far outweigh any risk.

Bottom Line: Green tea is loaded with bioactive compounds that can have various beneficial effects on health.

2. Compounds in Green Tea Can Improve Brain Function and Make You Smarter

Green tea does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter.

The key active ingredient is caffeine, which is a knownstimulant.

It doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response without causing the “jittery” effects associated with too much caffeine.

What caffeine does in the brain is to block an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. This way, it actually increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (3, 4).

Caffeine has been intensively studied before and consistently leads to improvements in various aspects of brain function, including improved mood, vigilance, reaction time and memory (5).

However… green tea contains more than just caffeine. It also has the amino acid L-theanine, which is able to cross the blood-brain barrier (6).

L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain (7, 8, 9).

Studies show that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects. Thecombination of the two is particularly potent at improving brain function (10).

Because of the L-theanine and the smaller dose of caffeine, green tea can give you a much milder and different kind of “buzz” than coffee.

Many people report having more stable energy and being much more productive when they drink green tea, compared to coffee.

Bottom Line: Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, but enough to produce an effect. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can work synergistically with caffeine to improve brain function.

3. Green Tea Increases Fat Burning and Improves Physical Performance

If you look at the ingredients list for any fat burning supplement, chances are that green tea will be on there.

This is because green tea has been shown to increase fat burning and boost the metabolic rate, in human controlled trials (11, 12).

In one study in 10 healthy men, green tea increased energy expenditure by 4% (13).

Another study showed that fat oxidation was increased by 17%, indicating that green tea may selectively increase the burning of fat (14).

However, I’d like to point out that some studies on green tea don’t show any increase in metabolism, so the effects may depend on the individual (15).

Caffeine itself has also been shown to improve physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues and making them available for use as energy (16, 17).

In two separate review studies, caffeine has been shown to increase physical performance by 11-12%, on average (18, 19).

Bottom Line: Green tea has been shown to boost the metabolic rate and increase fat burning in the short term, although not all studies agree.

4. Antioxidants in Green Tea May Lower Your Risk of Various Types of Cancer

Cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of cells. It is one of the world’s leading causes of death.

It is well known that oxidative damage contributes to the development of cancer and that antioxidants can have a protective effect (20).

Green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants, so it makes perfect sense that it could reduce your risk of cancer, which it appears to do:

• Breast cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies found that whomen who drank the most green tea had a 22% lower risk of developing breast cancer, the most common cancer in women (21).
• Prostate cancer: One study found that men drinking green tea had a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in men (22).
• Colorectal cancer: A study of 69,710 Chinese women found that green tea drinkers had a 57% lower risk of colorectal cancer (23).

Multiple other observational studies show that green tea drinkers are significantly less likely to get various types of cancer (24, 25, 26).

It is important to keep in mind that it may be a bad idea to put milk in your tea, because it can reduce the antioxidant value (27).

Bottom Line: Green tea has powerful antioxidants that may protect against cancer. Multiple studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of various types of cancer.

5. Green Tea May Protect Your Brain in Old Age, Lowering Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Not only can green tea improve brain function in the short term, it may also protect your brain in old age.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in humans and a leading cause of dementia.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and involves the death of dopamine producing neurons in the brain.

Multiple studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, potentally lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (28, 29, 30).

Bottom Line: The bioactive compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons and may reduce the risk of both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the two most common neurodegenerative disorders.

6. Green Tea Can Kill Bacteria, Which Improves Dental Health and Lowers Your Risk of Infection

The catechins in green tea have other biological effects as well.

Some studies show that they can kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections (31, 32, 33, 34).

Streptococcus mutans is the primary harmful bacteria in the mouth. It causes plaque formation and is a leading contributor to cavities and tooth decay.

Studies show that the catechins in green tea can inhibit the growth of streptococcus mutans. Green tea consumption is associated with improved dental health and a lower risk of caries (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40).

Another awesome benefit of green tea… multiple studies show that it can reduce bad breath (41, 42).

Bottom Line: The catechins in green tea may inhibit the growth of bacteria and some viruses. This can lower the risk of infections and lead to improvements in dental health, a lower risk of caries and reduced bad breath.

7. Green Tea May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

Type II diabetes is a disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the past few decades and now afflicts about 300 million people worldwide.

This disease involves having elevated blood sugar levels in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.

Studies show that green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels (43, 44).

One study in Japanese individuals found that those who drank the most green tea had a 42% lower risk of developing type II diabetes (45).

According to a review of 7 studies with a total of 286,701 individuals, green tea drinkers had an 18% lower risk of becoming diabetic (46).

Bottom Line: Some controlled trials show that green tea can cause mild reductions in blood sugar levels. It may also lower the risk of developing type II diabetes in the long term.

8. Green Tea May Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the biggest causes of death in the world (47).

Studies show that green tea can improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases.

This includes total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (48).

Green tea also dramatically increases the antioxidant capability of the blood, which protects the LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, which is one part of the pathway towards heart disease (49, 50, 51).

Given the beneficial effects on risk factors, it is not surprising to see that green tea drinkers have up to a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (52, 53, 54).

Bottom Line: Green tea has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol, as well as protect the LDL particles from oxidation. Observational studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

9. Green Tea Can Help You Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Becoming Obese

Given that green tea can boost the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense that it could help you lose weight.

Several studies show that green tea leads to decreases in body fat, especially in the abdominal area (55, 56, 57).

One of these studies was a randomized controlled trial in 240 men and women that went on for 12 weeks. In this study, the green tea group had significant decreases in body fat percentage, body weight, waist circumference and abdominal fat (58).

However, some studies don’t show a statistically significant increases in weight loss with green tea, so this needs to be taken with a grain of salt (59).

Bottom Line: Some studies show that green tea leads to increased weight loss. It is particularly effective at reducing the dangerous abdominal fat.

10. Green Tea May Decrease Your Risk of Dying and Help You Live Longer

Of course, we all have to die eventually. That is inevitable.

However, given that green tea drinkers are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, it makes sense that it could help you live longer.

In a study of 40,530 Japanese adults, those who drank the most green tea (5 or more cups per day) were significantly less likely to die during an 11 year period (60):

• Death of all causes: 23% lower in women, 12% lower in men.
• Death from heart disease: 31% lower in women, 22% lower in men.
• Death from stroke: 42% lower in women, 35% lower in men.

Another study in 14,001 elderly Japanese individuals aged 65-84 years found that those who drank the most green tea were 76% less likely to die during the 6 year study period (61).

Prophet Sulaiman (Soloman) alayhis salaam

Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) was the prophet of Allah. His father was Hazrat Daoud (A.S.). His mother was also a very noble lady. Since his childhood, she used to preach him good things. Once she said, “My son Suleman, give up the habit of sleeping the whole night. One who does so does not remember Allah during the night; his good deeds may decrease on the Day of Resurrection.”

Allah had endowed Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) with wisdom and intelligence since his very childhood. Once his father Hazrat Daoud (A.S.) delivering his judgement in a case. Hazrat Suleman (A.S.), who was then only eleven years old, was also sitting beside him. The case was between two persons one of whom had a claim that the goats of the other person had gazed his entire field and destroyed it totally. The loss was estimated as much as the cost of all the goats. Therefore, Hazrat Daoud (A.S.) decided that all the goats should be handed over to the sufferer as reparation.

Hazrat Suleman (A.S.), who was listening to the entire proceeding, intervened and said, “Father, your judgement is absolutely right. The farmer must get his loss repaired. But I have a better idea in my mind. Hazrat Dauoud (A.S.) said, Tell me, my son. What is that idea?” Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) replied, “The herd of these goats should be handed over to the farmer to utilize them and their Milk, The owner of these goats, and the other hand, be asked to sow seed and cultivate a crop in the farmer’s field. When it grows as much as the destroyed one, he should make it as well as the field over to the farmer and take back his goats.”

Hazrat Daoud (A.S.) very much appreciated his son’s decision and approved of it.

Hazrat Daoud (A.S.) also ruled over a very large country. After his death, Allah appointed Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) as His prophet on earth and also made him the ruler of that country. Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) ruled not only on the human beings but Allah had made even birds, animal’s genii and the wind his subservient. He had also particularly blessed Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) with the ability to understand the language of animals. The wind and the genii worked for Hazrat Suleman (A.S.). The wind flew his thrown in a moment from one place to another. He would travel; from one city to another in one day where as an ordinary man can do so in a month. This was all by the strength of Allah, on whose orders the wind took His prophet from one place to another. Today, man can make and fly an aeroplane all over the world with the help of his wisdom which again has been granted by Allah,

Allah, who created man, the animals and everything in the world, also created genii whom we cannot see. The genii are also required to obey Allah’s orders. The genii are good as well as bad. Those genii who have faith in Allah’s prophet’s are good, while those who disbelieve are bad.

Allah had made Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) the king of the genii also. They would obey him and perform the feats which are not possible by man. They would dip into deep oceans and retrieve precious pearl from their bottom for Hazrat Suleman (A.S.). They would build huge castles for him, make weapons for wards, and perform hundreds of such deeds as were out of a man’s capability. This was exclusive blessing of Allah on Hazrat Suleman (A.S.).

Allah had also given uncalculateable wealth to Hazrat Suleman (A.S.). But Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) always deemed it as Allah’s trust and spent it only on the poor and the needy. He never used that wealth for his won comforts and luxuries nor built high palaces with it. To meet his personal needs he used to make baskets and was content with its income.

It is true that to be rich is not bad but to spend the wealth for one’s own comforts and luxuries is bad. Wealth and property are Allah’s trust. A man, who gets this wealth but does not forget Allah, spends it on the poor and needy and according to the will of Allah is a good man.

Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) would spend most of the wealth Allah had given him on the spread of Allah’s Deen and to help the poor and the needy. He also loved horses as these were used in wars in the way of Allah. He had, therefore, many a horses of high breeds at his stable. Out of his love for the horses, once he sent for them which were in thousands. He was pleased to see that the horses were strong and robust. He could not keep from expressing his pleasure and said, “I love them is, in fact, equal to remembering Allah.”

It is true that if a man loves his wealth because he spends it for Allah’s Deen and to help the needy, such love is also like worshipping Allah.

The horses were then withdrawn from Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) It was evening by them. But he again sent for them and this time lovingly started rubbing their ankles and patting on their necks. His love with horses has also been mentioned in the Holy Quran. Allah liked very much how Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) valued the horses which were used in Jihad for the sake of His Deen.

Once, Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) was leading a big caravan to somewhere. The caravan consisted of men genii, manner. The caravan consisted of men genii, animals and birds; All were moving in rows in a proper manner. The carvan reached near a valley where innumerable ants lived. As the carvan drew closer, the chief of the ants said, “O ants, the caravan of Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) are coming. Rush into your moles lest they crush you under their feet without knowing how many ants were killed.”

As Allah had blessed Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) with the ability to understand the language of birds and animals, he heard what the chief of the ants had said. He was pleased to hear it. He smiled and thanked Allah saying, “O Allah, I am very thankful that you not only granted me such a big kingdom but also enabled me to understand the language of animals. It is your great obligation on me. “O Allah enable me to become a thankful servant of Yours, value Your bounties and duly thank for the, O Lord, You sent blessing on my mother and blessed my father with a large kingdom and prophethood. O Allah, enable me to perform such deeds as would please You. O Lord send Your blessings on me and count me among Your noble servants.”

Although it was a small thing, it moved Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) so much that he recalled all the bounties of Allah after hearing the voice of the ant. He thanked offer these bounties and asked Allah to enable him to do good deeds and count him among his noble servants. We should also thank Allah every moment for His bounties; ask Him to enable us to perform good deeds and Pray: “O Allah, count us among your noble servants.”

Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) was the prophet of Allah as well as the monarch of his country. This does not mean that Hazrat Suleman was like the so many other monarchs in the past. Islam is against monarchy because a monarch considers himself the owner of his country and wants to rule over everybody. A monarch who has more strength and army wages war against the one who ahs less strength and army and usurps his country. Thus he goes on expending his kingdom. Besides, a monarch also considers his right at enthrone anybody of his liking after his death. Generally, a monarch’s son take s his father’s place.

Islam disapproves of all this. According to its teachings Allah is the only Lord of the entire universe and has the right to run the affairs of this earth according to His laws. Allah has authorized all those who accept Him as their Lord to select the best from among them as their chief to run the affairs of the country. This man is called a ‘Khaleefa’ (caliph). He does not rule the people according his won laws but follows and makes others to follow the laws which ‘Allah sends from time to time through His prophets.

The prophets of Allah are the best of the man kind. They would also be the caliph of the Muslims. They would follow and make others also to follow the laws of Allah. Allah has not given any family or race or the general public of a country the right to run the affairs of a country or rule on this earth, as is generally considered these days. According to Allah, this right rests only with those noble people who accept Allah as their Lord, believe His laws. It is however, a man’s individual affair whether he believes or disbelieves in Allah and whether he follows His laws or not. If a man becomes so stupid as not to he will be in a loss, here as well as in the Hereafter Such people can only be convinced but not compelled as Islam disapproves of it. Nevertheless, Islam dose not allow anybody to prevent anybody from the Right Path and enforce his won laws is place of those of Allah.

The prophet of Allah comes to this earth to show the people the Right Path. Their mission includes to inform the people about Allah’s will relive them from the clutches of man and make them subservient to Allah. Those who follow there prophets are Muslims. Those who do not accept what they say and worship other than Allah are called Kafir (infidels).

The prophets of Allah do not make Muslims forcibly Just think whether it is possible at all. How can a man become a Muslim unless he rally accepts Allah and his prophets. And nobody’s heart can be changed or corrected. It is a man’s own business to choose his course. The prophets of Allah, however, do not allow a few people to rule over others, prevent them from Allah’s subservience and not allow them to adopt the Right Path. Allah’s prophets wage war against such people and keep them subdued with all their might.

Allah had given Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) tremendous might with which he would destroy the power of the disbelievers No Kafir ruler around his Government ever dared to raise its head. Once he inspected all his army which included genii and bird besides the people. He found that the wood pecker was absent from there. He became angry and said, “Where is wood pecker why is he absent without permission ? Produce him before me when he comes he will be punished severely for his absence. He will be slaughtered if he does not give a rational reason for his absence,”

In the meantime, the wood-pecker was back. When presented before Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) and asked by him where he had been the wood-pecker said, “Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) I have brought a news which was hitherto not ever in you knowledge. While flying, I reached a country which is called the country of “Saba” (Sheeba). It is ruled by a woman and she is the queen of that country. She has every thing including wealth, and a very grand throne, which is very big and costly. In spite of possessing all this, she and her people have forgotten God and worship the sun. Those people are victim of various evils. The satan has so distracted them they have presumed these evils as virtues and are regaling in their infidelity. The Satan has prevented them from the obedience of Allah. They do all things that displease Allah and are happy with that. There is none among them to show them the path of Allah’s obedience and tell them that the sun does not deserve worship. No one is there to tell them that only He should be worshipped who sends rain from the skies, grows trees from beneath the earth which we cannot see before, He is All knowing, He is aware of everything, including what we hide. The fact is that the people of that country have gotten that only Allah deserves warship and everything I the world is His creation and that He is the Lord of this entire universe.”

Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) replied: “Now I want to verify whether what you say is true or wrong. Take this message and deliver it to the queen. Let’s then see what she replies.” In fact, he was very worried after learning that the people and the queen of a neighbouring country were engaged in worshipping the sun and the entire nation was distracted. Therefore, Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) decided to first convey the message of Deen to the queen of that country. He thought if she was convinced and adopted Islamic way by giving up kufr and shirk, associating others with Allah) her people would also follow her. They will also abandon worshipping the sun and worship only Allah.

Keeping all this in view, he wrote the letter to the queen of Saba, which read. This latter is from Suleman (A.S.). In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful; The real Deen Is the obedience of Allah. Man has not been created to worship such things as the sun and The moon. He should worship such only Allah and this is our message also. Don’t venture to fight against me in response to this message but the course of peace and security for you is to embrace Islam, accept Allah as your Lord and obey Him as He alone deserves Worship. He created man. If you agree with me, come over here as a Muslim.

The wood-pecker delivered the letter to the Queen of Saba; She was moved after reading it. She called her ministers and Sardars read out the letter to them and asked for their advice in this regard. “As I do not do anything without consulting you. In this case also I want your opinion,” she said. The Sardars became annoyed and said, “we should not be subdued or fear. We have a big force and we are not going to retreat, We wait for only your command; we will also sacrifice our lives and have it cut with Suleman (A.S.) and his force. As soon as you order us, we will be ready for fighting.”

The queen was a cool-mind and wise lady. After hearing the reaction of the Sardars, he said, “It is true that when a king launches an attack on a country, all the people of that country are crushed and killed of no reason. The crops and orchards are destroyed. The respected people are abased and even the best of them are not spared. Therefore, the talk of war as a first step does no appear to be correct.

“In my opinion, I should first send some costly gifts to Suleman (A.S.) and judge him whether he is a greedy wordly king or truly a prophet of Allah. The courtiers of gifts will also witness with their own eyes how that person is and how much force he has. It will improper to talk of war unless everything is known about him. Any step will be taken only after all the circumstances are known.”

The queen’s argument was quite rational. The sardarwree silent and it was decided that some people take a few gifts to Hazrat Suleman (A.S.). Various costly gifts, including gold and silver, were packed. Besides, horses and servants also formed the gifts. When these people reached Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) along with the gifts, he said: I do not at all need all these things what Allah has given me is far has given me a lot of things. Keep your gifts with you and be happy. I do not need these. My message was different and only that should be given consideration to. It is totally wrong for a man to worship any other than Allah. I am Allah’s prophet and have been sent to show His servants the Right Path. I have no other purpose. You people return to your queen and tell her that I do not need her wealth. I cannot tolerate that you too remain unaware of Allah’s worship and lead other people also on the wrong path. It is my duty to liberate man from man’s slavery and show them the Right Path. Tell your queen if she is not prepared obey Allah, we will bring our forces. They will not be able to face it. We will abase the disobedient to Allah and evacuate them from their habitations. Our mission is the show the Right Path to the people and not accumulate wealth,”

When the queen’s men returned, they told her every thing about Hazrat Suleman (A.S.). The queen was convinced that he was not a wordly king but may be, he was a prophet of Allah. So, she decided to herself meet Hazrat Suleman (A.S.). Meanwhile, Allah sent him a revelation and informed him about it. Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) therefore, decided to perform a unique feat which should convince the queen that he was truly the prophet of Allah. Such a feat is called a “mojaza”, a mircle.

Knowing that the queen’s throne was very costly and grand, Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) wished its presence there before the arrival of the queen. He gathered all his courtiers and said, “I want that the throne of the queen of Saba should be here before her arrival, tell me who of you can do that.” A genii from amongst them replied, “I can do this and the throne will be before you leave the court. I have the power to do this and I am honest also. Not a single part of the throne will be missing.” A sahabi (companion) of Hazrat Suleman (A.S.), who was an honest servant of Allah and a special ma of him, meanwhile, intervened and said, “Hazrat (A.S.), this is just a matter of a moment, the throne will be here.” Just as sahabi completed his sentence the throne was present and Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) was very happy to see that. He declared: “It is by the Grace of my Lord that the throne of the queen of Saba is in my court in a moment. No man can do this. All these feats and miracles are the gifts of Allah. Who is testing me by bestowing such benefits on me? Allah actually wants to ascertain whether I am thankful to Him or Not. I will be the greatest unthankful if I assume that all these feats are result of my strength. The real strength and power is that of Allah and this is because of His Grace alone. Everything is done by His will. One who thanks Allah is in advantage: He does not benefit Allah but his further benefited by Allah. But one who does not thank Him list in a disadvantage and does not accrue any body’s thanks, nor does He need anyone’s help or praise. He is Beneficent, the merciful.”

This is instance of a momin. When a big feat is done by him, he does not claim any credit for that but acknowledges the Greatness of Allah and believes that He is All Powerful and everything is done His order. But a distracted man praises himself for any great feat performed by him and asserts his own greatness. He thinks that he has done that deed by his own power and wisdom and considers it the result of his own hardwork. This is the difference between a Muslim and Kafir. While a Muslim is thankful to Allah and has trust in His power and help, a Kafir has no help. When the throne of Saba’s queen was placed before Hazrat Suleman (A.S.), he said Make some changes in it and change it shape slightly. Let’s see whether the queen recognizes throne or not.”

One day a messenger informed about the arrival of the queen. Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) called her to his place. As soon as she entered it, her eyes fell on the throne. When she was looking at it, Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) asked if her throne was also like that. The queen replied, “It looks the same throne.”

When the queen recognized her throne, Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) told her the entire story and informed her how it had come there in an instant by the Grace of God. The queen replied that such a miracle was no more necessary to convince her. “We had already come to know about you, “The queen said, “we already knew that you are not a wordly king and that is why we were ready to follow you. However, our people, who have been worshipping others than Allah for a long time, could not be reformed immediately and that was a big hurdle.”

Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) did not reply but took her to his palace. His palace was very well built, with its floor made of crystal glass. When the queen reached the courtyard of the palace, she thought that further ahead was deep water. She hesitated to move forward. She was scared to move forward. Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) said to her, “Don’t worry, it is the floor of crystal glass.”

The queen was astonished to see the grandeur of the palace. She saw that on the one hand Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) had all the worldly wealth and such splendid palaces, on the other, he was good-mannered, good charactered and God fearing person. Anybody else in his place would have been proud of all this and totally in-different to others. The queen, however, was convinced that Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) was not an ordinary wordly king but really a prophet of Allah. The she announced before Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) to embrace Islam and said, “O Lord, I have tortured myself by having worshipped the sun instead, of You and bowed my head before others. Now I, with Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) pledge to obey You and affirm that You alone is the Lord of the Universe, the Sustainer of all and none except You deserves worship and obedience.

The queen of Saba became Muslim and the objective of Hadrat Suleiman (A.S.) was thus achieved.

When Hadrat Suleiman (A.S.) was nearing his demise the genii were busy in constructing a building. Hadrat Suleiman (A.S.) had come to know about his death well in advance. He also knew that the genii will continue work on the buildings as long as he was alive but as soon as they came to knew that he was alive but as soon as they came to knew that he was no more, they would just stop the work. Hadrat Suleiman (A.S.) wanted to get the building completed. Therefore, he arranged it so that the genii did not come to know about his death and continued to believe him as alive. He therefore stood before the building under construction resting on his stick and the angle of death took out his soul in the same posture. The genii continued to believe that Hadrat Suleiman (A.S.) was standing resting on his stick and they went on working till and caught the stick, The body of Hadrat Suleiman (A.S.) fell down. The genii could this come to know about his death only after the building was completed. Secondly, the genii who earlier believed that they were aware of the future events were now convinced that only Allah knew about the future. If they were aware of future, they would not have been unaware of his death and would not have suffered the rigours of the construction work.

Some people feel that the genii and the Satans have knowledge about the future. They have been told by this incident that only Allah know about the future. Similarly, those who have faith in astrologers, astronomers, pandits and such other persons are distracted. These people only fire in the darkness. The should not believed.

Lesson: Things to Remember
1. To be rich is not bad but to spend wealth on luxuries is bad.

2.The wealth is also a blessing of Allah, provided man does not forget Him after receiving it, helps the needy and the poor and spends Allah’s wealth according to His will.

3. The significance of wealth in the eyes of a momin is that he should spend it for Islam and to help the needy.

4. It is the quality of a momin to thank Allah, for His bounties and not to consider any of his characteristics as his own but a blessing of Allah and thank Him for it.

5. A momin believes that if he thanks Allah, his wealth will increase. It is not a Momin’s quality to forget Allah after receiving His bounties.

6. All bounties of Allah are, In fact, for His obedient servants, here as well as in the Hereafter. However Allah’s bounties in the world are for all, momins as well as the Kafir, as a test. But in the Hereafter only the obedient servants of Allah will be entitled for His bounties.

7. Nobody can be forced to reconcile with Iman and Islam. Had it been so, Allah would have made everybody a Momin and nobody would dare disobey Him. Instead, Allah has set every man to liberty. Now it is man’s choice between His obedience and disobedience.

8. A momin also resorts to the use of force for Allah but he does so only when it become impossible to teach the people right things through preaching and when kufr becomes a hurdle in the way of Deen. Even such use of force is subject to certain conditions. This is not an ordinary man’s job.

9. None except Allah has knowledge of the concealed and even the prophets are ignorant about the future Although Allah had given Hazrat Suleman (A.S.) every authority and power on all His creation but he to lacked knowledge of the concealed. For instance, he had to search where the wood-pecker had disappeared.

10. A momin always considers his feats. How so ever big they may be not as his own but a blessing of Allah. Contrary to it a rebel boasts of his successes and asserts, “I have done this, I have done that,” He considers his mind and strength as supreme and he attributes his successes to his own efforts.

11. The genii and the satan are also ignorant of the concealed like man, None except Allah is aware of the future. The astrologers, pandits and astronomers only throw arrow in the dark. Belief in such things makes one’s Iman falter