This is not the first time that the Congress has been decimated, getting only 44 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.  The party met more or less a similar fate in the 1977 election held after the emergency. Mrs Indira Gandhi, the architect of the emergency and her extra-constitutional son, Sanjay Gandhi, too lost in the polls. Yet the Congress retained the three southern states—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Even the overall tally was around 150. It was, indeed, a defeat but not a rout as

Researchers in the United States say their studies suggest that greater consumption of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of developing heart diseases in women. These women are less likely to have plaque build-up in their arteries 20 years later compared with those who consumed lower amounts of these foods in their adulthood, the study noted. Build-up of plaque can lead to heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Surprisingly, the findings of the research showed that the same benefit di

Robert Paxton argues that fascism is “a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion

A new research says it has found evidence that the Ajwa date from Madinah contains active elements useful in the prevention of diseases like cancer. The research was carried out in Riyadh-based King Saud University (KSU) to discover the health benefits of Ajwa dates, which resulted in the finding that thefruit has anti-inflammatory properties similar to commercially available drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin. The study found that the inhibition rate in Ajwa was equal to existing commercial

Sir Muhammad Iqbal (9th November 1877 - 21st April 1938) also known as Allama (Scholar of Highest Rank) Iqbal was a philosopher, poet, politician, and a social reformist. He is widely acclaimed to have inspired millions of Muslims to demand a separate homeland from the British Empire in India. Religious scholar and Sufi Master, Iqbal’s literary works in Urdu and Persian are largely based on teachings of the Holy Quran.  He propagated self-respect and self-realization and reiterated the need t

The supermarket may contain everything under one roof, but if you spend a little time comparing prices, you will find that local shops carry items of the same, or better quality, and at better prices. You're also assured of freshness if you go to the market. Where does your monthly salary go? Do you allocate a certain amount to be spent on the house, or is it a case of buying things as you need? Did you know that there are huge savings to be had from maintaining a budget, and not just in term

On one end, we have big brand names, big MNCs, big turn overs, big employment generators and what not. But on the other hand their greed has led them to earn profit by exploiting the resources of the country by bribing the governments. These companies are filthy rich but the greed to earn more and more money does not die. Ethics in business has only become a matter of discussion on in class rooms. The million dollar question is, when will it become a reality? Tata Motors’ Nano plant at Sanand

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) Bismillah – The First Verse of the Quran (Mushaf) “Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim” is the first verse of the first chapter (Surah Al-Fatihah) of the Quran. The fact that the word of Allah, the Quran, starts with this first verse, alone signifies the importance of this verse and further emphasizes the need to start all our tasks in the name of Allah (God). Amongst the many benefits that Sheikh Modudi states in his Qurani

Praful Bidwai "Modi moves centre-stage!" "Modi storms in as the BJP’s PM candidate." "It's Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi!" "Modi wants to serve the nation" (read, become prime minister). Thus scream the headlines in leading Indian publications and TV channels. At work is a systematic corporate blitzkrieg to build up Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a messiah of ‘development’ and ‘dynamism’, who is destined to lead India. This replicates the Big Business’s pitch for Atal Bihari Vajpa

These verses from the Quran sketch the Profile of a Muslim (Mu’min). Success for a Muslim doesn’t automatically follow belief. It requires fulfillment of certain conditions.  1. Successful indeed are the believers. 2. Those who offer their Salat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness. 3. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allah has forbidden). 4. And those who pay the Zakat. 5. And those who guard

Islam has enjoined upon the husband duties towards his wife, and vice versa, and among these duties are some which are shared by both husband and wife. We will mention – by the help of Allaah – some of the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah which have to do with the duties of the spouses towards one another, quoting also from the commentaries and views of the scholars. Firstly: The rights of the wife which are hers alone: The wife has financial rights over her husband, whi

You can try your best to keep the flu away, but you end up with a runny nose anyway. With the onset of the flu season, it's time to stock up on food and drinks that can keep you healthy. Here are some of the best immunity-boosting food items, reports huffingtonpost.com: Broth-based soup: Chicken noodle soup can actually help soothe a cold. The chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, which helps thin mucus in the lungs, and the hot broth helps to keep nasal passages moist, prevent dehy

The Supreme Court’s judgement reinstating article 377 that criminalize homosexuality had triggered outrage among LGBT groups and various sections of the society. The basis of this outrage has been largely derived from sympathy towards homosexuals and a demand for their right to choose a sexual partner. The ruling evidently divided the Indian society between religious groups supporting punitive laws and secular liberals calling for LGBT rights, while a centrist debate on the pros and cons of homo

Parents hold enormous leverage in terms of what they teach their children and accordingly how their children grow up as adults. Islam, therefore, hold parents responsible for steering their children’s upbringing according to the guidelines of the Quran and the Prophet’s (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) traditions. The Prophet (s) said: “Allah (SWT) will ask every caretaker about the people under his care, and the man will be asked about the people of his household” (Nasa’i, Abu Da’ud). Al

Soon after lunch, your alertness goes for a toss and you reach out for a cup of coffee. Leave that aside and consume sin-free food items like raw vegetables with hummus, oatmeal and organic nut bars. Geeta Bector, marketing director and chief tasting officer of Cremica, shares a list of snacks that are in favour of your body: * Raw vegetables with hummus: Raw vegetables like carrots and cucumbers, contain life-enhancing enzymes, which are destroyed when cooked and processed. Enzymes are essen

We've all been there. You wake up in the middle of the night and grab your smartphone to check the time - it's 3 a.m. - and see an alert. Before you know it, you fall down a rabbit hole of email and Twitter. Sleep? Forget it. Well, I've found a $7 solution: an old-fashioned alarm clock. My smartphone has been banished from the bedroom. Sure, you can flip your phone to quiet mode. But the draw to roam in the early hours is powerful. Sleep researchers say this isn't good for you. You might a

Follow a simple daily regimen to get a sparkling smile... - Brushing at least twice a day is mandatory. Also, brushing and rinsing your mouth every single time you have sugary foods is very important. - Never brush immediately after eating acidic foods, as the tooth enamel can be worn out easily. - Whenever you are brushing your teeth, you must brush your tongue as well. - Using a straw to drink acidic juices or soda, can help dental health. Always rinse your mouth thoroughly a

When we look at the clouds of misery casting their shadows around us in terms of hunger, wars, killings, and the many injustices, it raises many questions. What did we do to deserve this? Where are we heading? And what can we do to prevent this free fall? As we ponder and assess whether we have lived up to our responsibilities in terms of following Allah’s word – the Quran – and what the prophet (s) instructed us, the answers can become quite obvious. We live in times when many of us have put Qu